Assassin’s Creed Shadows Achieves 2 Million Player Milestone in Record Time
Just three days following its debut, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has reached a significant player milestone, surpassing 2 million players. Ubisoft has announced that “Assassin’s Creed Shadows has exceeded the launches of AC Origins and Odyssey.”
Rapid Player Growth Outpaces Previous Titles
Shadows swiftly exceeded 1 million players within its initial 24 hours, effortlessly breaking the record previously held by AC Valhalla. For context, upon Valhalla’s release in 2020, Ubisoft touted it as their largest PC launch to date, although its Steam player base remained smaller compared to other entries in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Five years later, Shadows appears to have overshadowed even that benchmark of success.
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Steam Launch Contributes to Success
This unprecedented influx of players at launch is partially attributed to Ubisoft’s decision to release Shadows on Steam concurrently with other platforms. In contrast, Valhalla was not available on Steam until two years after its initial launch. This delay may explain Valhalla’s smaller Steam player base compared to Shadows, Odyssey, and Origins, all of which were accessible on Steam from day one.
Concurrent Player Numbers Approaching Odyssey’s Peak
Currently, Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ peak concurrent player count on Steam is maintaining around 60,000, nearing Odyssey’s record of 62,069. This figure significantly surpasses Origins (41,551) and Valhalla (15,679). Should Shadows maintain its current trajectory of attracting players, it could potentially exceed Odyssey’s record in the coming days.
Potential for Game of the Year Contender
Indeed, Assassin’s Creed Shadows appears poised to be among the year’s most prominent game releases. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, previously lauded as a major success this year, took two weeks to reach the 2 million player mark, a milestone Shadows achieved in a fraction of that time.
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Ubisoft Relies on Shadows for Positive Turnaround
The triumph of Shadows represents a crucial victory for Ubisoft. Following a challenging year in 2024 marked by underperforming titles such as Star Wars Outlaws and Skull and Bones, Ubisoft is depending on Shadows to reverse their fortunes. Shadows arrives as a welcome resurgence, offering revitalization at an opportune moment for the company.
Tencent Investment and Ubisoft’s Future
Reports indicate that Ubisoft is engaged in discussions with Tencent regarding investment in a new IP unit that will include the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Such an agreement could grant Tencent, already a major shareholder, even greater influence over future Assassin’s Creed installments. The success of Shadows may reinforce Ubisoft’s position and potentially postpone a complete ownership change, which has also been speculated, at least in the near term.
Player Base Unfazed by Pre-Release Controversy
Players appear undeterred by the pre-release “controversy” surrounding Assassin’s Creed Shadows. This controversy involved primarily Western influencers and commentators spreading racially biased reactions to the Black samurai co-protagonist, Yasuke, under the guise of “historical accuracy” concerns. This occurred despite Yasuke’s status as a historical figure and the first Black Samurai. Notably, these self-proclaimed history enthusiasts have remained conspicuously silent regarding films like “The Last Samurai” starring Tom Cruise.
Both Ubisoft and the Assassin’s Creed subreddit took decisive stances, refusing to amplify the manufactured outrage. The game has garnered predominantly favorable reviews, with 81.7% positive user reviews on Steam at the time of this report.
Positive Reviews Highlight Gameplay
PC Gamer’s Morgan Park awarded Shadows an 80% score, concentrating on the core gameplay experience rather than the surrounding debates concerning representation and Ubisoft’s financial status. Park stated, “As analysts prepare their assessments of what Shadows signifies for the future of established industry giants and their expansive open-world games, I aim to address a simpler question: Is Shadows enjoyable?”
Park concluded, “I am pleased to confirm an affirmative response. Shadows provides some of the most engaging stealth gameplay I have experienced in a decade, and remarkably, it also features the most refined and responsive combat mechanics the series has offered.”