Haters Disappointed as Assassin’s Creed Shadows Becomes Second Best-Selling Game in US, Trailing Only Monster Hunter Wilds

Despite facing a wave of criticism before its release, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is proving there’s a strong demand for it, at least on American soil. It has soared to become the second top-selling game in the U.S., trailing only behind Capcom’s blockbuster, Monster Hunter Wilds.

Data from Circana, a firm specializing in games industry analytics, underscores the game’s impressive performance in its initial weeks. Matt Piscatella, Circana’s executive director, shared these insights on Bluesky, noting, “Here’s a fun fact… Assassin’s Creed: Shadows has topped U.S. sales charts (dollar sales) for each of its first three weeks, according to Circana’s Retail Tracking Service, up till April 5.”

Ubisoft had a lot riding on this release. Prior to Shadows’ launch, the company was in a tough spot, grappling with a series of mediocre releases and even searching for potential buyers. This situation led to a strategic split of its major IPs into a partially Tencent-owned entity. Even though these shifts have already taken place, the triumph of Shadows stands as a crucial advantage for Ubisoft. It demonstrates that despite its shortcomings, Ubisoft can still deliver high-budget games that generate lucrative sales. Maintaining this momentum will be essential for the company in the upcoming years.

The game initially faced heavy online backlash, particularly around the character of the black samurai, Yasuke, among other elements. However, the continued strong sales in the U.S. show that this perspective isn’t representative of the broader gaming audience. While these American sales aren’t necessarily reflective of the global market, they signal a significant victory for the action game in a major region for AAA titles. Perhaps this renewed energy could motivate Ubisoft to finally advance Beyond Good and Evil 2! Is that too hopeful of me? Yeah, maybe so.

Have you tried your hand at Assassin’s Creed Shadows yet? We’d love to hear your thoughts below, and whether you think this could usher in a favorable new era for Ubisoft.