Assassin’s Creed Shadows Hits 3 Million Players, Ubisoft Silent on Sales

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 shared by IGN, highlighted that Shadows performed better than Origins and Odyssey during its opening weekend, though it didn't match the "perfect storm" launch of Valhalla in 2020.

Shadows achieved the second highest day one sales revenue in the Assassin's Creed franchise, only trailing behind Valhalla. It also set a record for Ubisoft as the biggest day one launch on the PlayStation Store, with players logging over 40 million hours of gameplay so far.

The success of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is crucial for Ubisoft, especially following a challenging period marked by delays, the sales disappointment of Star Wars Outlaws, and other setbacks including high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations. Amid these struggles, the Guillemot family, Ubisoft's founders, reportedly considered a buyout deal with Tencent and other investors to maintain control over the company's intellectual property. As a result, the gaming industry is closely monitoring Shadows' performance as an indicator of Ubisoft's future.

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 was the first game in the series to launch on Steam since Odyssey in 2018. Comparatively, Dragon Age: The Veilguard by BioWare peaked at 89,418 players on the same platform.

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While Shadows has seen significant player engagement, it's challenging to determine if it meets Ubisoft's expectations without specific revenue or sales figures. Ultimately, the financial performance of Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be a key factor in shaping not only the game's future but also Ubisoft's overall trajectory. More detailed insights may be available in Ubisoft's upcoming financial reports.

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.