Don't Compare Assassin's Creed Shadows' Launch to the 'Perfect Storm' Valhalla Benefitted From, Ubisoft Internal Email Says, Compare It to Origins, Odyssey, and Mirage

The launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows is under intense scrutiny due to Ubisoft's recent challenges, including delays and the commercial disappointment of last year's Star Wars Outlaws. Ubisoft has faced a series of setbacks including high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations leading up to the release of Shadows. Amidst these struggles, the Guillemot family, founders of Ubisoft, are reportedly exploring talks with Chinese mega-corp Tencent and other investors on a buyout deal to maintain control over the company's intellectual property.

The gaming community is closely monitoring the early performance of Assassin's Creed Shadows for indicators of its success or failure. While Ubisoft has not disclosed specific sales figures, they announced that Shadows reached 2 million players within just two days of its launch, surpassing the initial performance of both Origins and Odyssey.

There's also significant interest in Shadows' concurrent player numbers on Steam, which are being benchmarked against other recent triple-A single-player titles and previous Assassin's Creed games. Over the weekend, Shadows achieved the highest peak concurrent players for any Assassin's Creed game on Steam, with 64,825 players, though it's the first in the series to launch on day one on the platform. In comparison, Dragon Age: The Veilguard by BioWare peaked at 89,418 players on Steam.

Determining whether Shadows meets, exceeds, or falls short of Ubisoft's expectations is challenging without knowing the specific targets set by the company. However, insights from an internal Ubisoft email, reviewed by IGN, shed light on the game's performance over its first weekend. Shadows achieved the second-highest day-one sales revenue in the franchise's history, only behind Valhalla from 2020, which benefited from the unique circumstances of the global pandemic and next-gen console launches.

Shadows also set a record for Ubisoft's best day-one launch on the PlayStation Store, indicating strong performance on the PS5. On the PC front, 27% of Shadows' total activations were on PC, with Steam playing a "major role" in its success, according to Ubisoft's internal communications. Ubisoft is emphasizing high player engagement and positive feedback from moderated, verified platforms, noting that Shadows was the most-wishlisted Ubisoft game ever and is outperforming other Assassin's Creed titles on Twitch, including Valhalla.

Ubisoft's internal communications contextualize the comparisons between Shadows and other franchise entries. While Shadows did not match Valhalla's launch performance, Ubisoft argues that Valhalla benefited from a "perfect storm" of conditions unlikely to be replicated. Instead, Ubisoft suggests comparing Shadows to games like Origins, Odyssey, and Mirage, which were released under more typical circumstances. In this context, Shadows is setting new benchmarks.

It's also important to note that Shadows was released in March, deviating from the traditional pre-Thanksgiving launch window that typically boosts sales. Ubisoft also chose not to offer an early access period for Shadows, and their subscription service is now available directly on Xbox, which impacts sales comparisons on Microsoft's console.

Ultimately, the financial success of Assassin's Creed Shadows will be crucial not only for the game itself but for Ubisoft's future. A clearer picture of its financial impact will likely emerge with Ubisoft's next financial report in the coming months.

For those exploring the world of feudal Japan in Assassin's Creed Shadows, be sure to check out our comprehensive guide, including our Assassin's Creed Shadows walkthrough, our detailed Assassin's Creed Shadows Interactive Map, and our guide to all the crucial things Assassin’s Creed Shadows doesn’t tell you.

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