Since its launch on May 20, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has attracted over 3 million players within just seven days, marking a significant milestone for Ubisoft. This impressive number builds upon the 2 million players reported on the second day, surpassing the launch figures of both Origins and Odyssey. Ubisoft has shared additional statistics, previously leaked through an internal email covered by IGN, which contextualizes Shadows' opening weekend performance as superior to that of Origins and Odyssey, though not as explosive as the "perfect storm" experienced by Valhalla in 2020.
Assassin's Creed Shadows recorded the second highest day one sales revenue in the franchise's history, only trailing behind Valhalla. It also achieved the highest day one sales on the PlayStation Store for any Ubisoft title and has accumulated over 40 million hours of playtime so far.
The launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows comes at a critical time for Ubisoft, following a series of setbacks including delays, the underperformance of Star Wars Outlaws, and other challenges such as high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations. The pressure on Shadows to succeed is immense, particularly as Ubisoft's founding Guillemot family reportedly explored buyout discussions with Tencent and other investors to maintain control over the company's intellectual property. The gaming community is closely monitoring Shadows' early performance as a potential indicator of Ubisoft's future.
On Steam, Assassin's Creed Shadows achieved the highest peak concurrent players for any game in the series, reaching 64,825 players over the weekend. This is noteworthy as it marks the first day-one launch on Steam since Odyssey in 2018. In comparison, Dragon Age: The Veilguard by BioWare peaked at 89,418 players on the same platform.
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While the player engagement metrics are promising, determining whether Assassin’s Creed Shadows meets, exceeds, or falls short of Ubisoft’s expectations requires insight into their specific goals, revenue, and sales figures. Ultimately, the financial performance of Shadows will be crucial in shaping not only the game's future but also the trajectory of Ubisoft as a company. We will likely gain a clearer understanding of this when Ubisoft releases its next financial report in the coming months.
For those embarking on adventures in feudal Japan with Assassin’s Creed Shadows, our comprehensive guide is here to assist you. Dive into our Assassin's Creed Shadows walkthrough, explore our Assassin's Creed Shadows Interactive Map, and uncover all the crucial things Assassin’s Creed Shadows doesn’t tell you.
