Assassin’s Creed Shadows has reached 2 million players in just three days following its launch, according to Ubisoft. The publisher confirmed that Shadows has already surpassed the launches of AC Origins and Odyssey, marking a significant achievement for the Japanese-themed installment. Ubisoft’s latest entry in the Assassin’s Creed franchise is showing extraordinary momentum just days after release, potentially establishing itself as the series’ most successful title to date.
2 MILLION PLAYERS!
We’re thrilled to celebrate this incredible milestone!
Assassin’s Creed Shadows has now surpassed the launches of AC Origins and Odyssey. Thank you for joining the journey in Feudal Japan! #AssassinsCreedShadows pic.twitter.com/a6YezXNtYI
— Assassin’s Creed (@assassinscreed) March 22, 2025
The game’s performance has been remarkable from day one, crossing the 1 million player threshold within its first 24 hours and breaking the record previously held by Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. When Valhalla launched in 2020, Ubisoft celebrated it as their biggest PC launch ever, making Shadows’ ability to exceed those numbers particularly noteworthy.
Industry analysts attribute part of this success to Ubisoft’s distribution strategy. Unlike Valhalla, which didn’t arrive on Steam until two years after its initial release, Shadows was available on the popular platform at launch. This decision appears to have paid dividends, with Shadows’ concurrent player count on Steam reaching approximately 60,000 – approaching Odyssey’s record of 62,069 and significantly outperforming both Origins (41,551) and Valhalla (15,679).
If the current growth trajectory continues, Shadows could surpass Odyssey’s peak player count within days, cementing its position as the franchise leader. The game’s success comes at a crucial time for Ubisoft, which has faced challenges throughout 2024 following underperforming releases like Star Wars Outlaws and Skull and Bones. As the company reportedly engages in discussions with Tencent regarding investment in a new IP unit encompassing the Assassin’s Creed franchise, Shadows’ strong performance may strengthen Ubisoft’s position in these negotiations.
