"Assassin's Creed Shadows Surpasses 2 Million Players in Two Days, Outperforming Origins and Odyssey"

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 substantial increase from the 1 million players it achieved on its debut day. Ubisoft proudly stated that this surpasses the launch numbers of both Assassin’s Creed Origins and Odyssey, expressing gratitude to players for embarking on the journey through Feudal Japan.

While Ubisoft has not disclosed specific sales figures for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the game has quickly risen to become the top-selling title on Steam. This marks a notable return for Ubisoft to the platform after years of exclusivity on the Epic Games Store for PC launches. At the time of writing, Assassin’s Creed Shadows had reached a concurrent player peak of 58,894 on Steam, securing a spot in the top 30 most-played games on Valve’s platform. This peak is anticipated to increase over the opening weekend, potentially making Shadows the most-played game on Steam.

For context, Assassin’s Creed Origins peaked at 41,551 concurrent players on Steam over seven years ago, while Odyssey reached 62,069. The true peak for Shadows will be even higher, considering its simultaneous launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, although player numbers for these platforms are not publicly disclosed.

The success of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is particularly crucial for Ubisoft, following multiple delays and the disappointing sales of last year’s Star Wars Outlaws. The company has faced several challenges, including high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations. The pressure has been so intense that the Guillemot family and Ubisoft's largest shareholder are reportedly in talks with Tencent and other investors about a buyout that would allow them to retain control.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows has not been without controversy, especially in Japan. This week, IGN reported that Ubisoft released a day-one patch addressing concerns from some Japanese politicians about the depiction of temples and shrines in the game. The issue was significant enough to be discussed in an official government meeting, where Japanese politician Hiroyuki Kada raised the matter, and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba responded.

Despite these challenges, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is receiving positive feedback on Steam, with an 81% positive user review rating from over 6,000 reviews. IGN’s review gave the game an 8/10, praising it for refining existing systems and delivering one of the best open-world experiences in the series. For those exploring the game’s setting in Feudal Japan, IGN offers a comprehensive guide, including a walkthrough, an interactive map, and insights into key aspects the game does not explicitly mention.