The launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows comes with significant expectations for Ubisoft, especially following the delays and disappointing sales of last year's Star Wars Outlaws. Ubisoft has faced a challenging period marked by several high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations, putting immense pressure on the success of Assassin's Creed Shadows. Amidst these struggles, the Guillemot family, founders of Ubisoft, are reportedly in discussions with Chinese conglomerate Tencent and other investors about a potential buyout that would allow them to retain control of the company's intellectual property.
Given this context, the global gaming community is keenly observing the early performance metrics of Assassin's Creed Shadows. Although Ubisoft has not released specific sales figures, they announced that the game reached 2 million players within just two days of its launch, outpacing the initial performance of both Origins and Odyssey.
Moreover, the game's performance on Steam is under scrutiny, with Shadows achieving a record for the series by reaching a peak of 64,825 concurrent players over the weekend. This milestone is noteworthy as it marks the first time an Assassin's Creed game launched directly on Steam. Comparatively, BioWare’s single-player RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard hit a peak of 89,418 players on the same platform.
Without knowing Ubisoft's internal benchmarks, it's challenging to gauge whether Assassin's Creed Shadows is meeting, exceeding, or falling short of expectations. However, an internal email reviewed by IGN provides insight into the game's initial weekend performance. According to the email, Shadows achieved the second-highest day-one sales revenue in the franchise's history, only surpassed by 2020's Valhalla, which benefited from launching during the peak of stay-at-home orders and on new console generations.
Assassin's Creed Shadows also set a record for Ubisoft's best-ever day-one launch on the PlayStation Store, indicating strong performance on the PS5. On PC, 27% of the game's activations occurred, with Steam playing a "major role" in this success. Ubisoft emphasized high player engagement and positive feedback across moderated, verified platforms, noting that Shadows was the most-wishlisted Ubisoft game ever and is outperforming other Assassin's Creed titles on Twitch.
Ubisoft's internal communications stress that comparing Shadows directly to Valhalla is unfair due to the unique circumstances surrounding Valhalla's launch, such as the global pandemic and new console releases. Instead, they suggest comparing Shadows to other entries like Origins, Odyssey, and Mirage, where Shadows is setting new benchmarks.
It's also important to consider that Assassin's Creed Shadows was released in March, deviating from the usual launch window just before U.S. Thanksgiving, which historically boosts sales. Additionally, Ubisoft chose not to offer an early access period and has introduced its subscription service directly on Xbox, impacting sales comparisons.
Ultimately, the financial success of Assassin's Creed Shadows will be a critical factor for Ubisoft's future, with clearer insights expected in their upcoming financial report. For those diving into the world of feudal Japan, explore our comprehensive Assassin's Creed Shadows guide, including a detailed walkthrough, an interactive map, and tips on what the game doesn't explicitly tell you.
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