Assassin's Creed: Shadows received first update. Game shouldn't be compared to AC: Valhalla's „perfect storm” launch
We learned details of Ubisoft's internal message about Assassin's Creed: Shadows, which received a minor patch 1.0.1.
Ubisoft released patch 1.0.1 for Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, but it doesn't include ideas suggested by players, only minor fixes that will improve stability and remove issues with the photo mode occurring on PC and PS5.
Its small content may surprise, especially if we look at its size. The patch on individual platforms takes up respectively:
- Xbox Series X/S - 8.88 GB;
- PlayStation 5 - 1.41 GB;
- PC - 7.03 GB;
- MAC - 9 GB.
The French company must take exceptional care of the new "Assassin" through similar updates, as its continued success in the market as an independent developer depends on this game. There is probably no need to remind that the company has recorded several high-budget blunders (including Skull and Bones and Star Wars: Outlaws) and has lost the trust of a large part of the community.
Ubisoft is expected to address these and other issues in AC: Shadows, which has been played by over 2 million people since its release. Although this outcome appears impressive, the number of copies sold, which dictates financial success, remains undisclosed.
About AC: Shadows in Ubisoft's internal message
An internal email obtained by IGN enables us to more accurately evaluate the first weekend of the discussed title's market presence. We can find out that Shadows generated the second highest revenue in the brand's history (after Valhalla) on day one.
Assassin's Creed: Shadows performed the best in the PS Store out of all the series' installments. Furthermore, it seems that 27% of the game's activity was generated on PC, with Steam reportedly playing a "significant role" in this. Ubisoft decided to return to Valve's platform while continuing to use its own launcher.
The message circulated among the employees of the French company allegedly also informed that Shadows has become the most frequently added title to the Ubisoft wishlist, and on Twitch, this installment performs better than any other entry of the Assassin’s Creed series.
Do not compare
Despite these excellent statistics, the Japanese "Assassin" probably isn't doing as well as Valhalla shortly after its release. The author of the email noted that Shadows cannot be compared to the Nordic installment, as the situations are completely different. Instead, we should compare the latest game with Origins, Mirage, or Odyssey.
Valhalla launched under extraordinary conditions — in the middle of a global pandemic, with widespread lockdowns and brand-new console hardware [PS5 and XSX/S, which, like AC: Valhalla, were released in 2020]. It was a perfect storm we may never see again. That’s why it’s more meaningful to compare Shadows to entries like Origins, Odyssey, and Mirage — games released in more typical cycles. And in that frame, Shadows is already setting a new bar as illustrated above.
Furthermore, it was emphasized that AC: Shadows was released in March, whereas games from this series are typically scheduled for launch before Thanksgiving (November). What will be the outcome for the latest installment of the assassin story, and what impact will it have on Ubisoft's current situation? We still have to wait a bit to get the answers.
- Assassin's Creed: Shadows is not a „feudal Japanese movie.” Game's director explained Ubisoft's take on Naoe and Yasuke's story
- Assassin's Creed: Shadows is a success, but not enough to save Ubisoft
- Elon Musk called AC: Shadows a terrible game, and got an official response. „Is that what the guy playing your PoE 2 account told you?”
