Assassin’s Creed Shadows Tops 1M Players at Launch

Ubisoft announced that Assassin's Creed Shadows achieved a milestone of over 1 million players on its launch day.

The game launched worldwide on March 20 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Ubisoft shared via social media that it surpassed 1 million players before 4 PM Canadian time.

"Assassin's Creed Shadows has already surpassed 1 million players—and it's not even 4 PM here in Canada!" Ubisoft stated.

"From our team to you, thank you for embarking on this journey through Feudal Japan. We're thrilled to begin this adventure together!"

While reaching 1 million players at launch is noteworthy, the game's success remains unclear without official sales figures or targets from Ubisoft.

Currently, Assassin's Creed Shadows leads Steam's global revenue charts, indicating stronger earnings than any other title on Valve's platform.

Early Steam data shows Assassin's Creed Shadows peaked at 41,412 concurrent players on launch day—a Thursday—with potential growth expected during its first weekend. Further performance insights will emerge in coming weeks. Console player counts remain undisclosed by Sony and Microsoft.

For comparison, BioWare's Dragon Age: The Veilguard launched on October 31, 2024, achieving 70,414 peak concurrent Steam players.

The Complete Assassin's Creed Timeline

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Following multiple delays and last year's commercial disappointment Star Wars Outlaws, Assassin's Creed Shadows carries significant weight for Ubisoft's global performance. The company has faced notable failures, staff reductions, studio shutdowns, and canceled projects leading up to this release.

The game has also encountered controversies, particularly in Japan. IGN confirmed Ubisoft discreetly deployed a day-one patch addressing concerns from Japanese politicians regarding sacred in-game locations.

During a recent government session, Japanese politician Hiroyuki Kada raised questions about Assassin's Creed Shadows, prompting a response from Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

On Steam, player reception remains strongly positive with an 82% approval rating from nearly 4,000 reviews. IGN's review scored the game 8/10, praising its refined open-world systems.

Reports indicate Ubisoft's founding Guillemot family—its largest shareholder—is discussing potential investment deals with Tencent and others to maintain corporate control.