Assassin’s Creed Shadows Tops US Charts For 3 Weeks
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the newest entry in a long legacy of successful action-adventure games. Ubisoft has been the publishing studio behind the Assassin’s Creed franchise, from its first release back in 2007 to its newest release, Shadows, in 2025. Over that time, 14 different entries have been released in the series, each with its unique take on a historical event. It is that special take in the genre that has allowed the games to stand out for so long, and it now appears that Shadows is the newest game to become wildly popular.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Sales Surprising Everyone
Assassin’s Creed is popular, so Assassin’s Creed Shadows was always projected to make a ton in sales. The game features dual protagonists, something that has not been a part of the series for many entries. The series is known for its historical settings, and fans have been clamoring for a Japanese setting release. Shadows delivered that as well. It brought back a larger-scale game with open-world tendencies, interesting and engaging stealth and combat mechanics, and a gorgeous, immersive setting.
The game was incredibly well received across the board by the gaming community, both with critics and fans. Games Radar, for example, had this to say about the game: “There’s an examination of Ubisoft’s formula here, a lunge toward the texture that’s reshaped RPGs in recent years, but the studio’s moreish open world formula is still there. Not every idea comes together neatly, and two phenomenal protagonists feel wasted on a lackluster story, but this is a titan in the same leagues as series staples Assassin’s Creed 2 and Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag – and Ubisoft’s best RPG to date.”
More Positive Reviews
Games Radar also had this to say about the game’s ratings elsewhere in the industry. “Assassin’s Creed Shadows also boasts a ‘generally favorable’ Metacritic rating with a respectable score of 81 at the time of writing. Meanwhile, 80% of its 16,000 Steam user reviews are positive, ranking overall reviews as ‘very positive’.” These ratings speak not just to the critics and industry insiders, but also to fans and gamers at home playing the game for themselves.
These positive receptions have led to fantastic sales. As of April 14, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been the number one best-selling game in the United States for three weeks in a row. Although exact numbers have not been released, video game industry analyst Mat Piscatella at Circana confirmed the statement on Bluesky Social. He went on to further say that the game is the second highest seller of the entire year thus far, behind only Monster Hunter Wilds, another massive hit from an iconic franchise.
This is huge for Ubisoft and well beyond what was initially expected. Between some delays and controversial pre-release choices regarding the existence of Ubisoft+ subscriptions, industry experts predicted that Assassin’s Creed Shadows may struggle to get a foothold. To the contrary, it appears the game has actually helped return Ubisoft to the Assassin’s Creed early glory days.
Final Thoughts
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is one of the best entries to the franchise in a long time. Despite some flaws here or there, the overall entry is a classic that helps remind fans what the series can and should be. Since their shift into the RPG landscape, Assassin’s Creed has had a bumpy road, with mixed receptions. Shadows, then, has become one of the strongest of all the RPG era entries. At its core, it is still a historical action adventure, first, one that most video game fans can enjoy, whether new to the series or a fan since the start.
Fans looking for more can have something exciting to look forward to in the future as well. An expansion content, Claws of Awaji, is due to release at some point in 2025, giving players even more to enjoy in the game. The exact date is not yet released. Until then, the base game is available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC.
