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

The launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows comes with significant expectations for Ubisoft, especially following the setbacks of last year's Star Wars Outlaws. The company has faced a series of challenges, including high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations leading up to the release of Shadows. Amidst these difficulties, the Guillemot family, Ubisoft's founders, are reportedly in discussions with Chinese giant Tencent and other investors about a potential buyout that would allow them to retain control over the company's intellectual property.

The gaming community is closely monitoring the initial performance of Assassin's Creed Shadows to gauge its success or failure. Although Ubisoft has not disclosed specific sales figures, they announced that Shadows reached 2 million players within two days of its launch, outpacing the initial performance of both Origins and Odyssey.

The game's performance on Steam is another focal point, with Shadows achieving a peak of 64,825 concurrent players over the weekend, making it the most-played Assassin's Creed game ever on the platform. It's important to note, however, that Shadows was the first in the series to launch directly on Steam. Comparatively, Dragon Age: The Veilguard from BioWare saw a peak of 89,418 players on Steam.

Without knowing Ubisoft's exact expectations, it's challenging to determine whether Shadows is underperforming, meeting, or exceeding them. However, an internal email reviewed by IGN sheds light on the game's first weekend performance. Shadows achieved the second-highest day-one sales revenue in the franchise's history, only surpassed by Valhalla in 2020, which benefited from the unique circumstances of the global pandemic and new console releases.

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

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On the PC front, Shadows saw 27% of its total "activations" on this platform. Ubisoft credits Steam for playing a "major role" in the game's PC performance, though exact sales numbers remain undisclosed. Early results are seen as a validation of Ubisoft's decision to return to the Steam platform.

Ubisoft highlights the high levels of player engagement and positive feedback across moderated, verified platforms, which are less susceptible to review bombing. Shadows was the most-wishlisted Ubisoft game ever and has outperformed other Assassin's Creed titles on Twitch, even surpassing Valhalla.

Internal communications from Ubisoft contextualize the launch of Shadows against other franchise entries. While it doesn't match Valhalla's launch performance, Ubisoft argues that comparing the two isn't fair due to the unique conditions under which Valhalla was released during the global pandemic and new console launches. Instead, Ubisoft suggests comparing Shadows to games like Origins, Odyssey, and Mirage, where Shadows sets a new benchmark.

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See your ResultsFinish playing for your personal results or see the community’s!Continue playingSee resultsUbisoft also noted that Shadows was released in March, deviating from the traditional pre-Thanksgiving launch window, which typically boosts sales. Additionally, Ubisoft did not offer an early access period for Shadows, and their subscription service is now directly available on Xbox, which complicates sales comparisons on Microsoft's console.

Ultimately, the financial success of Assassin's Creed Shadows will be a crucial factor in determining not only the game's future but also the broader fate of Ubisoft. A clearer picture of the game's revenue performance will likely emerge with Ubisoft's upcoming financial report.

For those eager to explore the world of feudal Japan in Assassin's Creed Shadows, dive into our comprehensive guide, including our detailed walkthrough, interactive map, and insights into the game's hidden aspects.