Before the debut of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the recent Assassin’s Creed games primarily launched on Ubisoft Connect, with Steam versions following at a later date. However, Shadows marked a significant shift as it was released simultaneously on Steam. The outcome of this decision has been remarkable, with the game achieving over 2 million players within just 48 hours, making it the fastest-growing RPG in the franchise’s history.
This new title has outperformed early engagement stats for both Assassin’s Creed Origins and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, both of which had impressive initial receptions. The successful return to Steam clearly demonstrates that Ubisoft’s strategy to include this platform from day one has paid off.
Significance of the Steam Release for Ubisoft
Ubisoft has faced a series of challenges recently, including financial difficulties and a declining stock price, alongside the release of several unsuccessful games. After investing heavily in XDefiant, which launched in May 2024 and was pulled shortly thereafter, and significant setbacks with its NFT ventures, the company was in dire need of success—enter Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Initially delayed from November 2024 to February 2025 for further development, this postponement turned out to be a valuable choice. Ubisoft recognized that another rushed release could jeopardize the franchise further and that Shadows needed to thrive following a lackluster 2024. The decision to launch on Steam concurrently proved beneficial.
How the Steam Release Elevates Sales
To PC gamers, Steam is not just a platform; it’s a vibrant hub where they manage their game libraries, track progress, earn achievements, and connect with friends—all in one interface. Launching significant titles outside of Steam often alienates a substantial portion of the player base, leading many to delay their purchases.
With Shadows’ release directly on Steam, players could seamlessly dive into the game without navigating multiple clients. This ease of access, along with features like cloud saving and automatic updates, played a crucial role in the game’s rapid rise in popularity.
While the game’s setting in Japan has been a long-desired feature among fans, it was Steam’s user-friendly nature that likely made a remarkable difference. This proved that Ubisoft’s previous approach of bypassing Steam releases was a significant miscalculation.