Ubisoft Urges: Compare Assassin's Creed Shadows to Origins, Odyssey, Mirage, Not Valhalla

The launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows is under intense scrutiny following Ubisoft's recent challenges, including delays and the commercial disappointment of Star Wars Outlaws. Ubisoft has faced a series of setbacks, including high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations leading up to the release of Shadows. Amidst these struggles, the Guillemot family, Ubisoft's founders, are reportedly in discussions with Tencent and other investors about a potential buyout to maintain control over the company's intellectual property.

Given this backdrop, the gaming community is keenly observing the early performance of Assassin's Creed Shadows. While Ubisoft has not disclosed specific sales figures, they announced that the game reached 2 million players within just two days of its launch, surpassing the initial performance of both Origins and Odyssey.

Attention is also focused on Shadows' performance on Steam, where it achieved a peak of 64,825 concurrent players over the weekend, making it the most-played Assassin's Creed game ever on the platform. This is noteworthy as it was the first in the series to launch on Steam on day one. For comparison, Dragon Age: The Veilguard peaked at 89,418 players on Steam.

Determining whether Shadows meets Ubisoft's expectations is challenging without knowing the specific targets set by the company. However, insights from an internal Ubisoft email, reviewed by IGN, shed light on the game's first weekend performance. Shadows achieved the second-highest day-one sales revenue in the franchise's history, only behind Valhalla, which benefited from the unique circumstances of the 2020 global lockdown and next-gen console launches.

Shadows also set a record for Ubisoft's best 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 significant role in its success, according to Ubisoft's internal communications. Ubisoft emphasizes high player engagement and positive feedback from moderated 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 contextualize Shadows' performance by comparing it to other franchise entries. While it did not match Valhalla's launch, Ubisoft argues that Valhalla benefited from exceptional circumstances. Instead, they suggest comparing Shadows to Origins, Odyssey, and Mirage, where it sets a new benchmark.

It's also important to consider that Shadows launched in March, outside the typical pre-Thanksgiving window that boosts sales for Assassin's Creed games. Additionally, Ubisoft did not offer an early access period and introduced their subscription service on Xbox, which impacts sales comparisons.

Ultimately, the financial success of Assassin's Creed Shadows will be crucial for Ubisoft's future. Detailed revenue figures will likely be revealed in Ubisoft's upcoming financial reports.

For those exploring the world of Assassin's Creed Shadows set in feudal Japan, check out our comprehensive 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.