Ubisoft has announced that Assassin’s Creed Shadows has attracted over 3 million players just seven days after its launch on May 20. This impressive milestone surpasses the initial player counts of both Origins and Odyssey, with the game reaching 2 million players by its second day. Ubisoft's internal data, previously shared by IGN, highlighted that Shadows performed better than Origins and Odyssey during its opening weekend, though it didn't match the "perfect storm" launch of Valhalla in 2020.
Shadows achieved the second highest day one sales revenue in the Assassin's Creed franchise, only trailing behind Valhalla. It also set a record for Ubisoft's biggest day one sales on the PlayStation Store 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 delays and the commercial disappointment of Star Wars Outlaws last year. The company has faced numerous challenges, including high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations leading up to Shadows' release. The situation became so dire that the Guillemot family, Ubisoft's founders, reportedly considered a buyout deal with Tencent and other investors to maintain control over the company's intellectual property. As a result, the gaming industry is closely monitoring Assassin’s Creed Shadows' performance as an indicator of Ubisoft's future.
On Steam, Shadows set a new record for the Assassin's Creed series, reaching a peak of 64,825 concurrent players over the weekend. This is notable as it was the first game in the series to launch on Steam since Odyssey in 2018. For comparison, BioWare’s Dragon Age: The Veilguard peaked at 89,418 players on the same platform.
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While Shadows has seen significant player engagement, it's challenging to determine if it meets Ubisoft's expectations without specific revenue or sales figures. Ultimately, the financial performance of Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be crucial not only for the game but for Ubisoft's overall health. We'll likely have a clearer picture when Ubisoft releases its next financial report in the coming months.
For those eager to explore the world of feudal Japan in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, be sure to check out our comprehensive Assassin's Creed Shadows guide, including our Assassin's Creed Shadows walkthrough, our detailed Assassin's Creed Shadows Interactive Map, and our guide to all the crucial things Assassin’s Creed Shadows doesn’t tell you.