Following two delays, the global release of Assassin's Creed Shadows has taken place. The game not only marks the series' return but also signifies Ubisoft's shift from a range of its established practices.
Assassin's Creed Shadows
Initial Performance of Assassin's Creed Shadows
In the first few hours post-launch, Assassin's Creed Shadows in Steam reached 25,863 concurrent users (CCU). It's important to note that in many regions, including the US, it's currently nighttime, so peak figures are expected closer to the weekend.
Currently, the highest peak online among the franchise's games is held by Assassin's Creed Odyssey with 62,000 concurrent users. This was the last installment released on Steam simultaneously with other platforms. Valhalla, with 15.6 CCU, appeared in Valve's store two years post-launch.
Shadows received predominantly positive press reviews: its average score on Metacritic ranges from 78 (PC) to 85 (Xbox Series X|S). It's too early to gauge audience reaction, but initial reviews on Steam were also positive, currently boasting that 80% of 751 reviews are favorable.
Ubisoft Abandoning Traditional Business Practices
Originally, Assassin's Creed Shadows was slated for release on November 15, 2024. However, in September, Ubisoft made an unprecedented move for the series by postponing the release from the lucrative fall-winter period to February. As a result, the company lowered its financial forecast for the upcoming quarter (partly due to weak starting sales of Star Wars Outlaws) and began a business audit.
In January, Ubisoft announced a second delay for Shadows, moving it to March 20, 2025. The publisher cited a desire to give developers more time for polishing and final adjustments.
The release of Shadows is also notable for marking Ubisoft's full return to Steam. In 2019, the company exited the platform to focus on its own service, Ubisoft Connect, and collaborated with the Epic Games Store. A couple of years ago, the publisher started releasing its titles in Valve's store with delays, but now has decided that from this year onwards, all new games will launch simultaneously across all platforms.
Another point is that Assassin's Creed Shadows launched without premium editions featuring early access. This is a significant change for Ubisoft, whose AAA games were previously offered with deluxe editions costing $100 or even $130. Shadows was initially to follow this model, but after the release was delayed, Ubisoft cut the versions down to two—standard ($70) and deluxe ($90).
Original Editions of Assassin's Creed Shadows Prior to Delay
Financial Prospects of Assassin's Creed Shadows
The main question is how Shadows will perform in sales. In February, Ubisoft noted that the game's pre-orders were on par with Assassin's Creed Odyssey— the second most successful part of the series. Valhalla remains the leader, being the first game in the franchise to earn more than a billion dollars.
According to insider Tom Henderson, a month before release, Shadows had about 300,000 pre-orders. This is lower than Odyssey but significantly higher than Ubisoft's recent AAA titles like Star Wars Outlaws, which had half as many pre-orders, with the company deeming its results disappointing.
Henderson speculates that first-month sales of Assassin’s Creed Shadows could reach around 3.5 million copies. At launch, Valhalla attracted 8 million players.
Shadows has the potential to be successful, as evidenced by the game's pre-order pace. For the week ending March 18, the game ranked 14th in the chart of top-grossing titles on Steam (11th among paid products), climbing 23 positions from the previous week.
Currently, Ubisoft is in a precarious financial situation. In the third quarter (ending December 31, 2024), net receipts fell by half. This is largely due to a series of unsuccessful 2024 releases—from the delayed Skull and Bones to Star Wars: Outlaws and the now closed shooter XDefiant.
It’s also important to consider that Ubisoft is negotiating with investors about the future of the company. A final decision is expected to be made right after the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. One possibility is the creation of a new legal entity that would include Ubisoft's key franchises. The publisher has contacted Tencent and other investors with an offer to share a minority stake in the new venture.