Assassin's Creed Shadows Hits 2 Million Players 2 Days After Release, Ubisoft Says It’s Now Surpassed Origins and Odyssey Launches

Ubisoft has celebrated another significant milestone for Assassin's Creed Shadows, announcing that the game has attracted 2 million players since its launch on March 20. This impressive figure marks a notable increase from the 1 million players reported on its debut day. Ubisoft highlighted that this player count surpasses the launch figures of both Assassin's Creed Origins and Odyssey, expressing gratitude to fans with the message, "Thank you for joining the journey in Feudal Japan!"

Despite this success, Ubisoft has not yet disclosed specific sales figures for Assassin's Creed Shadows. However, the game has achieved top-selling status on Steam, where Ubisoft recently made a return following years of PC exclusivity on the Epic Games Store. At the time of this report, Assassin's Creed Shadows boasted 58,894 concurrent players on Steam, placing it within the top 30 most-played games on Valve's platform. Analysts anticipate that this peak will rise further over the game's opening weekend.

For context, Assassin's Creed Origins reached an all-time peak of 41,551 concurrent players on Steam, while Odyssey peaked at 62,069. Given these numbers, it's likely that Assassin's Creed Shadows will soon claim the title of the most-played Assassin's Creed game on Steam.

It's important to note that the total concurrent player peak for Assassin's Creed Shadows will be significantly higher, considering its simultaneous launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. Unfortunately, neither Sony nor Microsoft release player numbers publicly.

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The release of Assassin's Creed Shadows comes at a critical time for Ubisoft, following multiple delays and the commercial disappointment of last year's Star Wars Outlaws. The company has faced numerous challenges, including high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations. The situation has become so dire that the Guillemot family, Ubisoft's founders and largest shareholders, are reportedly in discussions with Tencent and other investors about a potential buyout that would allow them to retain control.

Assassin's Creed Shadows itself has not been without controversy, particularly in Japan. This week, IGN confirmed that Ubisoft released a day-one patch addressing concerns raised by some Japanese politicians regarding the depiction of temples and shrines in the game. In a notable political exchange, Japanese politician Hiroyuki Kada brought up the issue in an official government meeting, prompting a response from Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

On Steam, Assassin's Creed Shadows has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with an 81% positive user review rating from over 6,000 reviews. IGN's review awarded the game an 8/10, praising it for refining the open-world experience Ubisoft has been developing over the past decade.

For those embarking on their journey through feudal Japan, IGN offers a comprehensive Assassin's Creed Shadows guide, including a detailed walkthrough, an interactive map, and insights into elements the game doesn't explicitly explain.