Just three days post-launch, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has achieved a remarkable feat, amassing over 2 million players. Ubisoft announced that this latest installment has outperformed the launches of both AC Origins and Odyssey, a testament to its immediate popularity. The game reached the 1 million player mark within its first 24 hours, swiftly breaking the record previously held by AC Valhalla. For context, when Valhalla debuted in 2020, Ubisoft heralded it as their largest PC launch to date, although its Steam player base was smaller compared to other titles in the franchise. Fast forward five years, and Shadows appears poised to surpass even that milestone.
Player Engagement and Records
Currently, Shadows is hovering around 60,000 concurrent players, tantalizingly close to Odyssey’s record of 62,069, while significantly outpacing Origins (41,551) and Valhalla (15,679). If this trend continues, it is likely that Shadows will break Odyssey’s record in just a matter of days. This swift ascent positions Shadows as one of the most significant game releases of the year, especially when compared to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, which took two weeks to reach the same player count.
Shadows’ success is particularly crucial for Ubisoft, which has faced challenges throughout 2024, relying on this title to rejuvenate its fortunes. Following a series of underwhelming releases, including Star Wars Outlaws and Skull and Bones, Shadows emerges as a refreshing change that arrives at a pivotal moment.
In light of this success, Ubisoft is reportedly in discussions with Tencent to invest in a new intellectual property unit that would encompass the Assassin’s Creed franchise. This potential partnership could enhance Tencent’s already significant stake in Ubisoft, further influencing the direction of future Assassin’s Creed titles. The triumph of Shadows may bolster Ubisoft’s confidence, potentially staving off speculation regarding a complete ownership shift within the company.
Community Response and Critical Reception
Interestingly, player engagement has remained steadfast despite a wave of controversy surrounding the game’s portrayal of Yasuke, a Black samurai co-protagonist. Critics, primarily from Western backgrounds, raised concerns about historical accuracy, despite Yasuke’s real-life existence as the first Black Samurai. Notably, these voices have been noticeably absent in discussions surrounding films like The Last Samurai, which starred Tom Cruise.
Both Ubisoft and the Assassin’s Creed subreddit have opted to downplay the outrage, choosing not to fuel the controversy further. The game has garnered predominantly positive reviews, with approximately 81.7% of Steam reviews being favorable at the time of writing. PC Gamer’s Morgan Park rated Shadows at 80%, emphasizing the gameplay experience over the surrounding debates. Park remarked, “As analysts prepare their insights on what Shadows signifies for the future of the industry’s legacy giants and their expansive open-world games, I have a more straightforward question: Is Shadows fun? The answer is a resounding yes. Shadows offers some of the most enjoyable stealth gameplay I’ve experienced in a decade, coupled with the most engaging combat this series has ever delivered.”
