Assassin’s Creed Shadows Hits 1 Million Players on Launch Day: Ubisoft

Assassin’s Creed Shadows has made a powerful debut, drawing over 1 million players on its launch day, as officially announced by Ubisoft.

The game launched globally on March 20 across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Before 4pm local time in Canada, Ubisoft took to social media to share the milestone:

"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!"

What is clear is that Assassin’s Creed Shadows currently holds the title of the top-selling video game on Steam. Valve's ranking system organizes titles by revenue, meaning the game is generating more income than any other on the platform at the moment.

Additionally, early Steam player statistics show a peak concurrent player count of 41,412 on launch day. Since the release fell on a Thursday, it's anticipated that numbers will rise during the first weekend. A clearer understanding of the game’s performance will emerge in the coming weeks. Sony and Microsoft do not publicly disclose player counts.

For context, BioWare’s Dragon Age: The Veilguard, another high-profile single-player RPG, launched on Steam on October 31, 2024, and reached a peak of 70,414 concurrent players on the same platform.

The Complete Assassin's Creed Timeline

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The pressure was immense for Assassin’s Creed Shadows to succeed following several delays and the underwhelming sales of last year’s Star Wars Outlaws. Ubisoft has faced multiple challenges recently, including high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations leading up to this release.

The game also faced controversy, particularly in Japan. Recently, IGN confirmed that Ubisoft issued a day-one patch modifying certain in-game elements—most notably temples and shrines—likely in response to concerns raised by Japanese politicians.

In an unusual development, Japanese politician Hiroyuki Kada brought up Assassin’s Creed Shadows during an official parliamentary session, prompting a response from Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

Assassin's Creed Shadows - Early Skills Tier List

On Steam, player reception has been largely positive. The game currently holds a “very positive” user review rating, with 82% of nearly 4,000 reviews being favorable. IGN’s review awarded the game an 8/10, stating: "By sharpening the edges of its existing systems, Assassin’s Creed Shadows creates one of the best versions of the open-world style it’s been honing for the last decade."

Meanwhile, reports indicate that Ubisoft’s founding Guillemot family, the company’s largest shareholder, has been in talks with Chinese tech giant Tencent and other potential investors about a possible buyout deal that would allow them to retain control.