Assassin’s Creed Shadows Will Be Free to Play Starting Thursday

For many, many years, Assassin’s Creed fans have persistently begged Ubisoft for a mainline chapter set in Feudal Japan, and this long-awaited dream finally became a reality in 2025 with the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, an ambitious title featuring two completely different protagonists with interlocking stories.

However, despite the massive hype surrounding the launch, a large portion of the gaming community has still not had the opportunity to experience the epic journeys of Yasuke and Naoe.

If you happen to belong to that group, you can officially start celebrating! Ubisoft has decided to hand players the perfect opportunity to jump into the game completely free of charge – and if you are fast enough, you might even be able to finish it. However, as is usually the case with these promotions, there is a catch.

How to Play Assassin’s Creed Shadows For Free

Ubisoft has officially announced a limited-time promotional campaign running from June 18 to June 23. During this brief window, a free trial of the Ubisoft+ Premium subscription service will allow PC and Xbox users to play Assassin's Creed Shadows free of charge.

Players will gain access to the complete base game alongside its major post-launch expansion, Claws of Awaji. However, since the platform is currently restricted to PC and Xbox consoles, PlayStation users will unfortunately be left out of this specific offer.

To participate in this promotion, you simply need to visit the Ubisoft Store, Ubisoft Connect, or Blacknut on June 18 to sign up for the six-day Ubisoft+ Premium free trial and unlock your access. It is important to note that despite the trial being entirely free, participants must provide valid credit card or payment information during checkout.

Anyone who signs up will need to manually cancel their subscription before June 23 at 6:00 AM PDT to avoid being automatically charged the standard monthly service fee of $17.99.

“If I choose not to cancel my subscription before the free trial ends, I agree that my subscription will automatically renew at a fee and I authorize Ubisoft to automatically charge the payment method provided at checkout until I cancel,” reads the promotion's official terms and conditions page.

Defeating the Clock in Feudal Japan

According to community data from HowLongToBeat, the main story of Assassin’s Creed Shadows can be completed in approximately 35 hours, while the Claws of Awaji expansion requires an additional 10 hours of gameplay. This means you would need to dedicate around 45 hours in total to experience absolutely everything without spending a single dime.

Fortunately, the trial gives you plenty of time to pull off this gaming marathon. The offer lasts for five full days, starting on June 18 at 06:00 AM PDT and concluding on June 23 at 06:00 AM PDT, giving you 120 hours in total. So, if you are incredibly eager to experience the stealth mechanics of Naoe and the brutal samurai combat of Yasuke, it is entirely possible to beat the clock – good luck!

Also, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is not the only heavy-hitter included in this promotional push from Ubisoft. Subscribers will also be able to test out other AAA titles like Rainbow Six Siege, The Division 2, Far Cry 6, Anno 117: Pax Romana, Star Wars Outlaws, and For Honor. If you manage to wrap up your journey in Japan early, you can easily dive into these other worlds before the trial expires.