Ubisoft announced that *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* achieved a remarkable milestone, surpassing 1 million players on its launch day. The game, released on March 20 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S, hit this impressive figure before 4pm in Canada. Ubisoft expressed their gratitude on social media, stating, "It's not even 4pm here in Canada and Assassin's Creed Shadows has already passed 1 million players! Thank YOU from the bottom of our hearts for joining this adventure in Feudal Japan. We are beyond excited to start this journey with you!”
While reaching 1 million players on launch day is a significant achievement, it's challenging to determine the game's overall success without specific sales figures or targets from Ubisoft. However, *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* currently holds the position of the top-selling video game on Steam globally, indicating strong revenue performance on Valve's platform.
Early data from Steam shows that *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* reached a peak concurrent player count of 41,412 on its launch day. Released on a Thursday, the game is expected to see increased player numbers over the weekend. We'll have a clearer picture of its performance on Steam in the coming weeks. It's worth noting that neither Sony nor Microsoft disclose player numbers publicly.
For context, *Dragon Age: The Veilguard*, a single-player RPG from BioWare, launched on Steam on October 31, 2024, and achieved a peak of 70,414 concurrent players.
The Complete Assassin's Creed Timeline
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There is substantial pressure on *Assassin's Creed Shadows* to perform well globally for Ubisoft, especially following several delays and the disappointing sales of last year's *Star Wars Outlaws*. Ubisoft has faced numerous challenges recently, including high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations leading up to the release of *Assassin's Creed Shadows*.
The game has also been embroiled in several controversies, particularly in Japan. IGN reported that Ubisoft released a day-one patch for *Assassin’s Creed Shadows* addressing concerns raised by some Japanese politicians about in-game temples and shrines. Notably, Japanese politician Hiroyuki Kada brought up the issue in an official government meeting, prompting a response from Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Assassin's Creed Shadows - Early Skills Tier List
Assassin's Creed Shadows - Early Skills Tier List
On Steam, *Assassin's Creed Shadows* has received a 'very positive' user review rating, with 82% of nearly 4,000 reviews being positive. IGN's review scored the game an 8/10, praising it for refining existing systems to create one of the best open-world experiences in the series over the past decade.
Amidst these developments, the Guillemot family, founders of Ubisoft and its largest shareholders, have reportedly been in discussions with Tencent and other investors about a potential buyout deal that would allow them to retain control of the company.
