Ubisoft announced that Assassin’s Creed Shadows attracted over 1 million players on its launch day, March 20. Released across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S, the game achieved this milestone before 4pm in Canada, as Ubisoft shared on social media: "It's not even 4pm here in Canada and Assassin's Creed Shadows has already passed 1 million players! Thank YOU from the bottom of our hearts for joining this adventure in Feudal Japan. We are beyond excited to start this journey with you!"
While reaching 1 million players on launch day is a remarkable feat, it's challenging to assess the game's success without specific sales figures or targets from Ubisoft. However, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is currently the top-selling video game on Steam globally, indicating strong revenue performance on Valve's platform. Early data from Steam also shows that the game reached a peak concurrent player count of 41,412 on its launch day. Given its Thursday release, these numbers are expected to increase over the first weekend, providing a clearer picture of its performance in the coming weeks. Unlike Steam, neither Sony nor Microsoft disclose player numbers publicly.
For comparison, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, a single-player RPG by BioWare, launched on Steam on October 31, 2024, and achieved a peak of 70,414 concurrent players.
The Complete Assassin's Creed Timeline
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The success of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is crucial for Ubisoft, especially following delays and the underwhelming sales of last year's Star Wars Outlaws. Ubisoft has faced several challenges recently, including high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations leading up to the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
The game has not been without controversy, particularly in Japan. IGN reported that Ubisoft released a day-one patch for Assassin’s Creed Shadows addressing concerns from some Japanese politicians about the depiction of in-game temples and shrines. This issue was even discussed in an official government meeting between Japanese politician Hiroyuki Kada and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Assassin's Creed Shadows - Early Skills Tier List
On Steam, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has received a 'very positive' user review rating, with 82% of nearly 4,000 reviews being positive. IGN's review of the game scored it an 8/10, praising it as "one of the best versions of the open-world style it’s been honing for the last decade."
Amidst these developments, reports suggest that Ubisoft's founding Guillemot family and largest shareholder are in discussions with Tencent and other investors about a potential buyout deal that would allow them to retain control of the company.
