Ubisoft has revealed that Assassin's Creed Shadows has attracted over 3 million players just seven days after its launch on May 20. This impressive figure marks a significant increase from the 2 million players reported on the second day, surpassing the launch performances of both Origins and Odyssey. Ubisoft highlighted these statistics in an internal email, comparing Shadows' opening weekend performance favorably to Origins and Odyssey, while acknowledging that it did not reach the "perfect storm" success of 2020's Valhalla.
Shadows achieved the second highest day one sales revenue in the Assassin's Creed franchise history, trailing only behind Valhalla. It also became Ubisoft's biggest day one launch ever on the PlayStation Store, with over 40 million hours played so far. These numbers come at a critical time for Ubisoft, following a series of challenges including delays, the sales disappointment of Star Wars Outlaws, and other setbacks such as high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations.
The pressure on Assassin's Creed Shadows to perform well globally is immense, especially given Ubisoft's recent struggles. The company's founding Guillemot family has reportedly been in talks with investors, including Chinese mega-corp Tencent, to explore buyout deals that would help maintain control over their intellectual property. Consequently, the gaming community is closely monitoring Shadows' early performance as an indicator of Ubisoft's future.
On Steam, Assassin's Creed Shadows set a new record for the franchise over the weekend, reaching a peak of 64,825 concurrent players. This is noteworthy as it was the first Assassin's Creed game to launch on Steam since 2018's Odyssey. For comparison, BioWare's single-player RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard peaked at 89,418 players on the same platform.
The Complete Assassin's Creed Timeline
25 Images
While Assassin's Creed Shadows has shown strong player engagement, it's difficult to determine if it meets, exceeds, or falls short of Ubisoft's expectations without knowing the specific financial targets. Revenue will ultimately be the deciding factor for the game's success and Ubisoft's future trajectory. We'll have to wait for Ubisoft's next financial report to get a clearer picture of the game's financial performance.
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.
