Ubisoft Urges Comparing Assassin's Creed Shadows' Launch to Origins, Odyssey, Mirage, Not Valhalla's 'Perfect Storm'

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

The gaming community is keenly observing Assassin's Creed Shadows' initial performance as an indicator of its success or failure. While Ubisoft has not disclosed specific sales figures, they announced that Shadows reached 2 million players within two days of its launch, outpacing the debut 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, becoming the most-played Assassin's Creed game ever on the platform. Notably, Shadows was the first in the series to launch day-one on Steam. For comparison, BioWare's Dragon Age: The Veilguard peaked at 89,418 players on Steam.

Evaluating Shadows' performance against Ubisoft's expectations is challenging without clear benchmarks. However, insights from an internal Ubisoft email, reviewed by IGN, shed light on the game's first weekend. Shadows secured the second-highest day-one sales revenue in the franchise's history, trailing only behind 2020's Valhalla, which benefited from pandemic-driven stay-at-home gaming and the launch of next-gen consoles.

Shadows also set a new record for Ubisoft's day-one launch on the PlayStation Store, indicating strong performance on the PS5.

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On the PC front, where Shadows was available on both Steam and Ubisoft's digital store, 27% of total "activations" occurred on PC. Ubisoft credits Steam for playing a "major role" in the game's PC performance, although specific sales figures remain undisclosed. Early results have validated Ubisoft's decision to return to the Steam platform.

Ubisoft emphasizes strong player engagement, which is at "record levels," and positive feedback on moderated, verified platforms. Shadows was the most-wishlisted Ubisoft game ever and has outperformed other Assassin's Creed titles on Twitch, including Valhalla.

Internal communications from Ubisoft provide context for comparisons with other franchise entries. While Shadows did not match Valhalla's launch performance, Ubisoft argues that Valhalla's success was due to unique circumstances such as the global pandemic and new console releases. They suggest comparing Shadows to more typical releases like Origins, Odyssey, and Mirage, against which Shadows sets a new standard.

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Ubisoft highlights that Shadows was released in March, deviating from the traditional pre-Thanksgiving launch window that typically boosts sales. They also eliminated the early access period and introduced their subscription service on Xbox, which impacts sales comparisons.

Ultimately, the financial success of Assassin's Creed Shadows will play a critical role in determining not only the game's future but also Ubisoft's overall trajectory. We'll have to wait for Ubisoft's next financial report for a comprehensive view of Shadows' performance.

For those embarking on the journey through feudal Japan, our comprehensive Assassin's Creed Shadows guide, including our Assassin's Creed Shadows walkthrough, detailed Assassin's Creed Shadows Interactive Map, and a guide to all the crucial aspects Assassin’s Creed Shadows doesn’t tell you, awaits.