The incredibly successful launch of crushing sales records for Capcom since its release.
According to Mat Piscatella (via Bluesky), an industry analyst at Circana, Assassin's Creed Shadows has ranked number one in dollar sales for each of the three weeks it has been available, through April 5, where available data ends. This notable run places Shadows as 2025's second highest-selling game behind Monster Hunter Wilds, which released nearly a month prior.
Here's a fun one... Assassin's Creed: Shadows has been the best-selling video game in the US for each of its first 3 weeks in market, according to Circana's Retail Tracking Service (dollar sales, latest data through April 5th). Currently ranks #2 year-to-date trailing only Monster Hunter: Wilds. — Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 2025-04-14T15:21:04.109Z
Assassin's Creed Shadows Is Poised To Continue Its Dominance Through 2025
DLC & Upgrades Are On The Way
The blistering start to Assassin's Creed Shadows is impressive already, but the series has proven to have legs in the past. Assassin's Creed Valhalla, for instance, had multiple years of , including five major story expansions. AC Shadows is well on its way to the same treatment, with the 10-hour-long Claws of Awaji DLC already on the docket for later in 2025. It will include not only a new storyline, but a brand-new area to explore.
Aside from bespoke new content, Shadows is also something of a work in progress. Alongside continuing updates to address bugs and tweak quality-of-life features, AC Shadows was given a PS5 Pro upgrade, introducing PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) for those who have Sony's latest hardware. PSSR is an upscaling technology, similar to NVIDIA's DLSS, that allows for better image quality at higher frame rates in AC Shadows' Balanced graphics setting.
Our Take: Assassin's Creed Has A Promising Future After Shadows' Uncertainty
Investment From Tencent Will Help
Despite feudal Japan being a frequently requested setting for the long-running franchise to explore, there was some trepidation surrounding Assassin's Creed Shadows prior to its release. Multiple delays threw its technical quality into question, and some controversy surrounding AC Shadows' historical accuracy – despite the series' long and obvious tenure as historical fiction – made for a tense launch, which only exacerbated discussions about Ubisoft's financial future.
Following AC Shadows' generally positive reviews, though, Ubisoft announced a new subsidiary with significant investment from Tencent. The new branch will oversee the development of Ubisoft's major franchises: Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (other Tom Clancy's series remain outside Tencent's purview). The transaction and subsequent restructuring aren't expected to take place until later in 2025, but following Assassin's Creed Shadows success, it would appear the series is in a safe place to continue its consistent and profitable output.
Source: Mat Piscatella/Bluesky
Assassin's Creed Shadows
- Released
- March 20, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Quebec
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
- Engine
- AnvilNext
- Franchise
- Assassin's Creed
Set during Japan’s Sengoku period, two distinct protagonists—Naoe, a shinobi, and Yasuke, a historical African samurai—must navigate political intrigue and violent clashes between the Assassins and Templars. Players can switch between stealthy, shadow-based gameplay with Naoe and Yasuke’s direct combat approach, exploring the duality of their missions in a beautifully rendered open world.
- Number of Players
- 1
- Platform(s)
- PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
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