Since Ubisoft released the original Assassin’s Creed, there has been a plethora of special editions of every entry. As a fan who adores the franchise, I find it pretty expensive to pick up all the editions, and Assassin’s Creed Shadows is no exception.
When Ubisoft revealed Assassin’s Creed Shadows, it was ready to go with all of the game’s special editions. Within minutes, you could find every digital edition and start seeking out the physical ones if you knew where to look. Unfortunately, Ubisoft has a habit of making exclusive deals with specific retailers, meaning you need to buy a few copies of the game if you want to collect every edition.
Every edition of Assassin’s Creed Shadows and where to buy them
Below, I’ve listed all the editions of Assassin’s Creed Shadows you can buy and where you can get them. I’ll keep the list up to date as new retailers pop up because products like the Collector’s Edition can come to certain regions, such as the UK, pretty late. Note that all editions are available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S except the Collector’s Edition, which has no Xbox version.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Standard Edition (physical & digital)
The Standard Edition of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the base game and nothing more. While looking around, I couldn’t even see any pre-order bonuses for this edition. That might even be to its detriment because most retailers selling a physical copy of the game are selling a more premium version. The only exception is GameStop in the US, which charges the same price for the box with no bonuses.
This is the edition to get if you’re not bothered by extra quests locked behind pre-orders or season passes. The issue is, you’ll be spending as much on this version of the game as you will one that comes with a free steelbook. However, if you have a digital-only console, it’s the cheapest version available to you at $69.99/£69.99 on all digital storefronts.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Standard Edition with Free Steelbook (physical-only)
One of the best physical editions of Assassin’s Creed Shadows‘ Standard Edition is available with a free steelbook case. It costs about the same as the digital-only Standard Edition once you take shipping into account, but you get a shiny steelbook to add to your collection.
This isn’t something I’d usually go in for because you get the steelbook with the Collector’s Edition, though this one appears to be a retailer exclusive. However, if you don’t want to spend that much, this will cost you £56.95 from The Game Collection in the UK. I can’t find a listing in the US, but I’ve seen that this sort of exclusive deal is traditionally something Walmart would do.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Special Edition (physical-only)
Strangely, the Special Edition of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is cheaper than the Standard Edition, but you will need to take shipping into account, which could round it back up. However, I’d say it’s worth the price because not only do you get the physical boxed copy, but you also get the pre-order bonus quest, Thrown to the Dogs, and the Yasuke Sekiryu Character Pack. This pack contains an exclusive gear set, mount, trinket, and weapon.
This edition is exclusive to GAME in the UK and costs £64.99. I can’t find a US listing for it, but you can also get the bonuses from this edition in the Ultimate and Collector’s Editions.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Limited Edition (physical-only)
The Limited Edition of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is Amazon’s exclusive version of the game. It contains everything the Special Edition does, except its Sekiryu Character Pack is for Naoe, not Yasuke. As with the Special Edition, this character pack is also available in the Ultimate and Collector’s Editions, but not the box that says “Limited Edition” on it, which is what you’re really buying this edition for.
The Limited Edition costs $69.99/£64.99 and is widely available on your regional version of Amazon. It is probably the best value-for-money pick on the list.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gold Edition (physical & digital)
The Gold Edition of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is where things start to get interesting. It packs in the base game, the pre-order bonus quest, three days of early access, and the game’s season pass. That season pass entitles you to two upcoming expansions and another exclusive mission.
This edition is available on all digital storefronts for $109.99/£94.99. You can also purchase a physical version of the Gold Edition from GAME in the UK or Amazon worldwide for roughly $5/£5 less, but you’ll need to factor in shipping. As with the other physical editions, I’d say this one is worth getting a boxed copy of for the case and accompanying DLC notes.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Ultimate Edition (digital-only)
This is the first Assassin’s Creed game I’ve seen in a long time without a physical version of the Ultimate Edition you can buy separately. While it’s digital-only and will cost you $114.99/$129.99 on all digital storefronts, it’s got a lot of content in it.
The Ultimate Edition of Assassin’s Creed Shadows contains the base game, the pre-order bonus quest, season pass, three days of early access, and the Ultimate Pack. This pack contains the Sekiryu Character Pack for both Yasuke and Naoe mentioned in other editions, as well as the Red Dragon filter for Photo Mode and five additional character skill points.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Collector’s Edition (physical-only)
The Collector’s Edition of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a thing of beauty. It includes everything in the Ultimate Edition. In fact, it’s the only way to get a boxed version of that edition, as well as a host of physical goodies. These are as follows.
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows Ultimate Edition physical case
- Collector’s Edition steelbook (different from the TGC one)
- Naoe’s Katana Tsuba
- Replica World Map
- Collector’s World Map
- Creed Wall Scroll
- 2 Sumi Lithographs
- Naoe & Yasuke Statue
This edition is the most expensive of them all, costing £239.99 from UK retailer GAME and $279.99 from GameStop in the US.
What do you need to buy to own everything for Assassin’s Creed Shadows?
You need to buy the following editions to own everything you can possibly get for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, both in-game and physical collector’s items.
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows with TGC Exclusive Free Steelbook
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows Special Edition
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows Limited Edition
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gold Edition (physical)
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows Collector’s Edition
If you want to save some money, you could wait until after the game’s release, early 2025, to pick up the cheaper physical editions at a discount. I don’t see them retaining their value, but the Collector’s Editions always do. It’s worth remembering that for the Special Edition, Limited Edition, and Gold Editions, you’re only after the cases, so you can buy very used copies to complete your set.
