Ubisoft has celebrated another milestone for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, announcing that the game has reached 2 million players since its launch on March 20. This impressive figure marks a significant increase from the 1 million players reported on the first day of release. Ubisoft proudly stated that this achievement surpasses the launch performances of both Assassin’s Creed Origins and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. They expressed their gratitude to the community with a heartfelt message, "Thank you for joining the journey in Feudal Japan!"
While Ubisoft has not disclosed specific sales figures for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the game has quickly become the top-selling title on Steam. This marks a notable return for Ubisoft to the platform after years of exclusivity on the Epic Games Store for their PC launches. At the time of writing, Assassin’s Creed Shadows boasted 58,894 concurrent players on Steam, placing it within the top 30 most-played games on Valve's platform. Analysts predict that this peak will likely increase over the game’s opening weekend.
For context, Assassin’s Creed Origins reached an all-time Steam peak of 41,551 players, while Assassin’s Creed Odyssey achieved 62,069. Given these numbers, it seems probable that Assassin’s Creed Shadows will soon claim the title of the most-played game on Steam over the weekend.
Meanwhile, Dragon Age: The Veilguard by BioWare, launched on Steam on October 31, 2024, and saw a peak of 89,418 players, showcasing the competitive landscape on the platform.
It's important to note that the true concurrent player peak for Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be much higher, considering its simultaneous launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. However, player numbers on these consoles are not publicly disclosed by Sony or Microsoft.
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The launch of Assassin’s Creed Shadows comes at a critical time for Ubisoft, following multiple delays and the disappointing sales of Star Wars Outlaws last year. Ubisoft has faced numerous challenges, including high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations leading up to the release of Shadows. The situation has been so dire that the Guillemot family, Ubisoft's founders, and its largest shareholder have been reportedly exploring buyout discussions with Tencent and other investors to maintain control.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows itself has not been without controversy, particularly in Japan. Recently, Ubisoft released a day-one patch in response to concerns raised by some Japanese politicians regarding the depiction of in-game temples and shrines. This issue was notably brought up in a government meeting by Hiroyuki Kada, a member of Japan's House of Councillors, prompting a response from Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
On Steam, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has received a 'very positive' user review rating, with 81% of over 6,000 reviews being positive. IGN’s review awarded the game an 8/10, praising it for refining the open-world experience Ubisoft has been perfecting over the last decade.
For those eager to explore feudal Japan, our comprehensive Assassin's Creed Shadows guide includes a detailed walkthrough, an interactive map, and tips on crucial aspects the game doesn’t explicitly mention.
