Ubisoft has officially announced that Assassin’s Creed Shadows has garnered two million players shortly after its launch, outperforming the debuts of both Origins and Odyssey. On its release day, the game achieved the significant milestone of one million copies sold.
Market Impact and Investor Interest
This impressive start is crucial for Ubisoft, especially following a series of financial setbacks from titles like Skull and Bones, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and Star Wars Outlaws. Reports suggest that the Guillemot brothers, who are major stakeholders in Ubisoft, are looking for investors to establish a new entity focused on managing the company’s top franchises, beginning with Assassin’s Creed. A successful launch for Shadows could positively influence these efforts.
Platform Dynamics and Player Engagement
While the initial numbers are promising, the long-term success of the game remains uncertain. Analyzing the distribution of players across platforms will be key. Shadows represents Ubisoft’s return to day-one releases on Steam, the leading PC gaming platform. Although the peak concurrent player count has reached 60,000, this figure may not be fully indicative of the game’s popularity, as many PC gamers have had to purchase Ubisoft titles through its own platform or the Epic Games Store. The PC segment could represent a significant portion of the overall two million player base.
Critical Reception
In a review by Francesco De Meo, the game received a rating of 8.7, highlighting the efforts of Ubisoft Quebec and the impact of the game’s delay. The review states:
Assassin’s Creed Shadows stands out as one of the series’ top entries, successfully reviving stealth gameplay while incorporating RPG elements and improved combat mechanics from earlier titles. It features a dual protagonist setup and a well-structured narrative that keeps players engaged without dragging on. Although the game offers more content and systems than necessary, its depiction of Feudal Japan ranks among the best in gaming, making it a worthwhile experience for most players.