Since its launch on May 20, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has attracted over 3 million players within just seven days, surpassing the initial player counts of both Origins and Odyssey. Ubisoft reported that the game reached 2 million players by the second day, indicating a strong start for this latest installment in the franchise.

Ubisoft's internal data, previously shared by IGN, placed Shadows' opening weekend performance in a favorable light when compared to Origins and Odyssey, rather than against the exceptional launch of Valhalla in 2020. Shadows achieved the second highest day one sales revenue in the history of the Assassin's Creed series, only behind Valhalla, and recorded the highest day one sales ever on the PlayStation Store for Ubisoft. Additionally, players have logged over 40 million hours in the game so far.

The success of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is crucial for Ubisoft, following a series of challenges including delays, the sales disappointment of Star Wars Outlaws, and other setbacks such as high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations. Amidst these difficulties, the Guillemot family, founders of Ubisoft, were reportedly in discussions with Tencent and other investors about a potential buyout to retain control of the company's intellectual property. The gaming community is keenly observing Shadows' early performance as an indicator of Ubisoft's future.

On Steam, Shadows set a record for the series over the weekend with a peak of 64,825 concurrent players, becoming the most-played Assassin's Creed game on the platform since Odyssey launched in 2018. In comparison, Dragon Age: The Veilguard by BioWare achieved a peak of 89,418 players on Steam.

The Complete Assassin's Creed Timeline

25 Images

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

For those eager to explore the feudal Japan setting of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, our comprehensive guide includes an Assassin's Creed Shadows walkthrough, an Assassin's Creed Shadows Interactive Map, and insights into things Assassin’s Creed Shadows doesn’t tell you.