Ubisoft announced that Assassin's Creed Shadows surpassed 1 million players on its launch day, March 20th. The game launched on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Ubisoft celebrated this milestone on social media, expressing gratitude to players for joining the adventure in Feudal Japan.
While the 1 million player mark is impressive, Ubisoft hasn't released sales figures or targets, making a complete success assessment difficult. However, Assassin's Creed Shadows currently holds the top spot as the best-selling video game globally on Steam, indicating strong revenue generation on that platform.Steam's concurrent player count peaked at 41,412 on launch day. This number is expected to increase throughout the weekend. A more comprehensive assessment of Steam performance will be possible in the coming weeks. Sony and Microsoft haven't disclosed their player numbers. For comparison, Dragon Age: The Veilguard reached a peak of 70,414 concurrent players on Steam upon its release.
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The success of Assassin's Creed Shadows is significant for Ubisoft, following delays and the underperformance of Star Wars Outlaws. The company has faced several challenges recently, including high-profile game failures, layoffs, studio closures, and cancellations.
The game also faced controversies, particularly in Japan. Ubisoft released a day-one patch addressing concerns raised by Japanese politicians regarding in-game depictions of temples and shrines. This issue was even discussed in an official government meeting.
Assassin's Creed Shadows has received overwhelmingly positive feedback on Steam, boasting an 82% positive user review rating from nearly 4,000 reviews. IGN awarded the game an 8/10, praising its refined open-world gameplay.
Meanwhile, Ubisoft's Guillemot family, the largest shareholders, are reportedly exploring a buyout deal with potential investors, including Tencent, to maintain control of the company.