Ubisoft has announced that Assassin’s Creed Shadows has attracted over 3 million players within just seven days of its launch on May 20. This impressive figure marks a significant increase from the 2 million players reported on the game's second day, surpassing the launch numbers of both Origins and Odyssey.
Ubisoft's recent statistics, initially disclosed through an internal email and covered by IGN, contextualize Shadows' opening weekend performance. The company noted that Shadows' launch should be compared to Origins and Odyssey rather than the exceptional launch of Valhalla in 2020, which benefited from unique circumstances.
Shadows achieved the second highest day one sales revenue in the Assassin's Creed franchise history, only trailing behind Valhalla. It also set a new record for Ubisoft on the PlayStation Store with the highest day one sales ever. Additionally, players have logged over 40 million hours in the game so far.
The launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows comes at a critical time for Ubisoft, following several delays and the commercial disappointment of last year's Star Wars Outlaws. The company faced numerous challenges, including high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations leading up to Shadows' release. Amid these difficulties, Ubisoft's founding Guillemot family was reportedly in discussions with Chinese conglomerate Tencent and other investors about a potential buyout to safeguard the company's intellectual property.
The gaming community is closely monitoring Assassin's Creed Shadows' early performance, particularly its concurrent player numbers on Steam. Over the weekend, Shadows became the most-played Assassin's Creed game ever on Steam, reaching a peak of 64,825 concurrent players. 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 achieved a peak of 89,418 players on the platform.
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Determining whether Shadows is meeting, exceeding, or falling short of Ubisoft's expectations is challenging without specific revenue or sales figures. Ultimately, the financial performance of Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be crucial not only for the game itself but for Ubisoft's future. A clearer picture of its financial impact may emerge with Ubisoft's next financial report in the coming months.
For those embarking on adventures in feudal Japan, explore 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.
