"Assassin’s Creed Shadows Hits 1 Million Players on Launch Day: Ubisoft"

Ubisoft proudly announced that Assassin's Creed Shadows surpassed 1 million players on its launch day, March 20. Released on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S, the game achieved this milestone before 4pm in Canada. Ubisoft expressed their gratitude on social media, saying, "It's not even 4pm here in Canada and Assassin's Creed Shadows has already passed 1 million players! Thank YOU from the bottom of our hearts for joining this adventure in Feudal Japan. We are beyond excited to start this journey with you!"

While reaching 1 million players is a notable achievement, it's challenging to assess the game's overall success without specific sales figures or targets from Ubisoft. However, Assassin's Creed Shadows currently tops the global sales chart on Steam, indicating it is generating more revenue than any other game on the platform. Early data from Steam shows a peak concurrent player count of 41,412 on launch day. Given that the game was released on a Thursday, it's anticipated that these numbers will increase over the weekend. A clearer picture of its performance on Steam will emerge in the coming weeks. Neither Sony nor Microsoft disclose player numbers publicly.

For comparison, BioWare's single-player RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which launched on Steam on October 31, 2024, reached a peak of 70,414 players.

The Complete Assassin's Creed Timeline

25 Images

The success of Assassin's Creed Shadows is crucial for Ubisoft, especially following delays and the commercial disappointment of last year's Star Wars Outlaws. Ubisoft has faced several challenges recently, including high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations leading up to the release of Assassin's Creed Shadows.

The game has also been embroiled in controversies, particularly in Japan. IGN reported that Ubisoft released a day-one patch for Assassin's Creed Shadows addressing concerns from Japanese politicians about in-game representations of temples and shrines. In a notable exchange, Japanese politician Hiroyuki Kada raised the issue in an official government meeting, prompting a response from Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

Assassin's Creed Shadows - Early Skills Tier List

On Steam, Assassin's Creed Shadows has received a 'very positive' user review rating, with 82% of nearly 4,000 reviews being positive. IGN's review of the game scored it an 8/10, stating, "By sharpening the edges of its existing systems, Assassin’s Creed Shadows creates one of the best versions of the open-world style it’s been honing for the last decade."

Amidst these developments, reports suggest that Ubisoft's founding Guillemot family and largest shareholder are in discussions with Tencent and other investors about a potential buyout deal that would allow them to retain control.