Does Assassin's Creed Shadows physical edition require internet connection to install?

Players willing to buy the physical edition of Assassin's Creed Shadows must prepare themselves for a slight inconvenience. The physical copy of Assassin's Creed Shadows will need an internet connection to install the game. Yes, it's an unexpected issue that potential buyers must deal with once the open-world title arrives later this year.

The news has been confirmed by some of the reputed online retail stores — Best Buy and GameStop — already selling physical copies of AC Shadows.

Players owning Assassin's Creed Shadows physical edition will need an internet connection to install

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The update was first shared by the reliable insider account @Wario on X. The account had spotted the detail on the game's front cover sold by various retail stores.

A still from the game showing protagonists Yasuke and Naoe (Image via Ubisoft)

As mentioned above, prominent online retail stores like Best Buy and GameStop have confirmed this detail on their official pages for Assassin's Creed Shadows physical edition. "Internet required to install the game" is the message mentioned on Shadow's box art on both websites.

However, the good news for players is that they can enjoy the game completely offline. Although AC Shadows arrives as a single-player experience, many were concerned regarding a potential requirement to stay online all the time.

The developing team recently dispelled such doubts with an official announcement, stating that Assassin's Creed Shadows will be fully offline. The game will only require internet during installation. Once completed, players can experience the entire story without any online connection.

A still from AC Shadows by Ubisoft (Image via Ubisoft)

However, the question remains for the physical copy that needs an online connection for installation. Generally, the disc versions of a title do not demand such a condition. It's also why many consumers prefer a hard copy over a digital one.

This trend was followed by Ubisoft's Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora last year and will continue going forward with the Star Wars Outlaws installment.

AC Shadows is set for a global launch on November 15, 2024. It will be available on the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

As things currently stand, Assassin's Creed Shadows physical edition requires an internet connection for installation despite being a single-player game playable offline. This is unusual as physical copies typically don't have this requirement, but at the end of the day, the decision lies with the developers.

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