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 leaked through IGN's coverage, positions Shadows' opening weekend performance as strong, especially when compared to Origins and Odyssey, though not quite matching the "perfect storm" launch of Valhalla in 2020.
Shadows achieved the second highest day one sales revenue in the Assassin's Creed franchise history, only behind Valhalla. It also set a record for Ubisoft with the highest day one sales on the PlayStation Store. Additionally, players have already logged over 40 million hours in the game, indicating significant engagement.
The success of Assassin's Creed Shadows is crucial for Ubisoft, which has faced numerous challenges including delays, the commercial failure of Star Wars Outlaws last year, and other setbacks like high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations. Amid these difficulties, the Guillemot family, Ubisoft's founders, reportedly considered a buyout deal with Chinese conglomerate Tencent and other investors to retain control of their intellectual property. The gaming industry is closely monitoring Shadows for signs of Ubisoft's recovery.
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's the first game in the series to launch day-one on Steam since Odyssey in 2018. Comparatively, Dragon Age: The Veilguard by BioWare saw a peak of 89,418 players on the same platform.
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While Shadows has seen strong player engagement, it's challenging to determine if it's meeting Ubisoft's expectations without specific revenue or sales figures. The financial success of Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be pivotal not only for the game but for Ubisoft's future, with more clarity expected in the company's upcoming financial reports.
For those exploring 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.
