For months, the gaming community has been connecting the dots, and now, it seems we have the clearest picture yet. A Nintendo Switch 2 version of the massive open-world RPG, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, is almost certainly on the way. The latest and most concrete piece of evidence comes from the French retailer Auchan, which briefly posted a product page for the unannounced port. While the listing was quickly taken down, it was up long enough for the internet to grab the details, including one very controversial aspect of its physical release.
The Leak: More Than Just a Rumor
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about a Switch 2 version of the game. The rumor mill started churning back in April 2025, when the European ratings board, PEGI, accidentally listed ‘Nintendo Switch 2’ as a platform for the game. Ubisoft’s own CEO, Yves Guillemot, added fuel to the fire in July when he mentioned that ‘some new versions…on other machines’ were in the works. The new Auchan listing is the most solid evidence to date, complete with what appears to be the official box art.
The Catch: It’s a ‘Game Key Card’
Here’s the part that has some fans groaning. According to the leaked box art, the Switch 2 physical version of Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be a ‘Game-Key Card.’ This is the same approach Ubisoft took with the Switch 2 port of Star Wars Outlaws. It means that the cartridge you buy in the store doesn’t actually contain the full game. Instead, it acts as a key that initiates a mandatory download of the game from the eShop. For a game as massive as Shadows, which exceeds 100GB on other platforms, this download will be substantial.
Why do this? Developers for Star Wars Outlaws explained that modern game engines rely heavily on fast disk streaming to render their huge open worlds. The performance they needed just wasn’t possible with the current Switch 2 cartridge technology. While it’s a frustrating reality for fans of physical media and game preservation, it seems to be the compromise required to get these massive, graphically intensive games running on Nintendo’s new hardware.
What This Means for the Switch 2
Despite the download requirement, this is fantastic news for the Switch 2. Having massive, current-gen, third-party titles like Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Star Wars Outlaws on the platform is a huge vote of confidence in the new console’s power. The port of Star Wars Outlaws was praised for being an ‘insanely impressive’ technical achievement, and it sets a high bar for what we can expect from Shadows. It proves that Switch 2 owners won’t have to miss out on some of the biggest games of the generation.
Your Questions About the AC Shadows Switch 2 Port (FAQs)
- Is Assassin’s Creed Shadows officially confirmed for Switch 2? Not yet. While all signs point to yes, Ubisoft has not made an official announcement.
- What is a ‘Game-Key Card’? It’s a physical cartridge that does not contain the full game. It acts as a key to unlock a mandatory digital download of the game from the Nintendo eShop.
- Why isn’t the full game on the cartridge? For huge, open-world games, developers say the performance and data streaming speeds required are not currently possible with Switch 2 cartridge technology.
- When did Assassin’s Creed Shadows originally release? The game launched on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on March 20, 2025.
- Do we have a release date for the Switch 2 version? No, the retail listing did not include a release date, but it’s expected to be announced soon, likely for a late 2025 or early 2026 release.
Conclusion
While the official announcement is still pending, the evidence is overwhelming: Assassin’s Creed Shadows is coming to the Switch 2. The ‘Game-Key Card’ approach is sure to be divisive, but it’s a compromise that seems necessary to bring today’s biggest blockbusters to Nintendo’s hybrid console. For Switch 2 owners, the ability to play a massive RPG like Shadows on the go will be a huge win, even if it comes with a hefty download. Now, all we have to do is wait for Ubisoft to make it official.