Assassin's Creed Shadows is free right now, and it just got a big update

3 hours ago 1

Published Jun 17, 2026, 11:08 AM EDT

Ubisoft's promotion also includes big games like Star Wars Outlaws and Far Cry 3

Ubisoft's samurai assassin RPG got generally favorable reviews in 2025 from gaming outlets, but for some people online, it was a controversial release. Perhaps you're one of the many people who simply felt tired of the stealthy parkour series last year. Are you one of those patient gamers who won't buy a game unless it's heavily discounted? Whatever reason you had for not playing Assassin's Creed Shadows, you no longer have an excuse to keep abstaining.

As luck would have it, Ubisoft is giving everyone a chance to make up their own minds. From June 18–23, Ubisoft Premium, the publisher's subscription service, will be completely free. During that time, you can play every big game Ubisoft has released over the last few years, and the DLC to boot. Beyond the free factor, right now is a perfect time to jump into Assassin's Creed Shadows.

On Tuesday, the game received a free new story quest as well as some new weapons, outfits, and trinkets. Shadows also gained a mode called Domains that introduces five new gameplay simulations meant to challenge your combat and survival skills. Successful Domain runs reward you with new end-game sets, additional engravings, and a special progression tree. Ubisoft promises that the most difficult levels have secret rewards, as well as unlocks that will be familiar to longtime AC fans. Domain unlocks are exclusive and will never be put up for sale, Ubisoft says.

The update brings many quality-of-life improvements as well, like increased damage for shurikens and improved navigation for the Forge engraving lists.

The list of games included in the trial includes (but is not limited to):

Another standout in the trial is Star Wars Outlaws, a story-driven open-world heist game that proved to be wildly divisive. For some, it was a rote adventure where the biggest draw was the story. For others, Star Wars Outlaws was the closest thing we've ever gotten to being Han Solo. Now you can see where you fall on that spectrum.

After the trial is over, you can keep your progress by starting a subscription. It's no Game Pass, but depending on your tastes, Ubisoft Premium could be a strong deal. In addition to the games, for $17.99 a month, you'll get day-one Ubisoft releases, discounts on virtual currencies, and a small selection of non-Ubisoft games. The Premium subscription includes the recent Spyro and Crash Bandicoot trilogies as well as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Alternatively, the Classics tier lets you play many of the same major Ubisoft games for $7.99 a month, but only for PC versions — and without any DLC.