The stakes couldn't be higher for Ubisoft's latest installment in the Assassin's Creed franchise, Assassin's Creed Shadows, which comes after a series of setbacks including delays and the commercial disappointment of last year's Star Wars Outlaws. Ubisoft has faced significant challenges, including high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations leading up to the release of Shadows. Amidst these struggles, the founding Guillemot family has been reportedly exploring talks with Chinese mega-corp Tencent and other investors to secure a buyout that would allow them to retain control over the company's intellectual property.
As the gaming community closely monitors the performance of Assassin's Creed Shadows, Ubisoft has yet to disclose specific sales figures. However, they announced that the game reached 2 million players within just two days of its launch, outperforming the initial player counts of both Origins and Odyssey. The spotlight is also on the game's performance on Steam, where it achieved a peak of 64,825 concurrent players over the weekend, making it the most-played Assassin's Creed game on the platform to date. This is particularly noteworthy as it was the first game in the series to launch day-one on Steam. For comparison, BioWare’s Dragon Age: The Veilguard peaked at 89,418 players on the same platform.
Determining whether Assassin's Creed Shadows is meeting Ubisoft's expectations is challenging without knowing the company's internal benchmarks. However, insights from an internal Ubisoft email, as reviewed by IGN, shed light on the game's initial weekend performance. The game achieved the second-highest day-one sales revenue in the franchise's history, only surpassed by Valhalla in 2020, which benefited from the unique conditions of the global pandemic and next-gen console launches. Additionally, Shadows marked Ubisoft’s best-ever day-one launch on the PlayStation Store, indicating strong performance on the PS5.
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On the PC front, Assassin's Creed Shadows saw 27% of its total "activations" on the platform, with Steam playing a "major role" according to Ubisoft's internal communications. While exact sales figures on Steam remain undisclosed, Ubisoft views the early results as a strong endorsement of their decision to return to the platform. The company emphasizes record levels of player engagement and overwhelmingly positive feedback on moderated, verified platforms, highlighting that Shadows was the most-wishlisted Ubisoft game ever and has outperformed other Assassin's Creed titles on Twitch, including Valhalla.
Ubisoft's internal communications contextualize the comparisons between Shadows and other franchise entries. While Shadows did not match Valhalla's launch performance, Ubisoft argues that such comparisons are unfair due to the unique circumstances surrounding Valhalla's release during the global pandemic and the launch of new console hardware. Instead, they suggest it's more appropriate to compare Shadows with games like Origins, Odyssey, and Mirage, which were released under more typical market conditions. In this context, Shadows is setting new benchmarks.
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Ubisoft also highlighted that Shadows launched in March, deviating from the typical pre-Thanksgiving release window, and did not include an early access period. The availability of Ubisoft's subscription service directly on Xbox further complicates sales comparisons. Ultimately, the financial success of Assassin's Creed Shadows will be critical for Ubisoft's future, with detailed revenue figures expected in the company's upcoming financial reports.
For those eager to explore the world of Assassin's Creed Shadows set in feudal Japan, check out our comprehensive Assassin's Creed Shadows guide, including our walkthrough, interactive map, and tips on crucial game elements that aren't immediately obvious.
