Assassin's Creed Shadows Hits 5 Million Players in Just Four Months

On July 22, 2025, Ubisoft announced that Assassin’s Creed Shadows had surpassed five million players. The update was shared via the official Assassin’s Creed X account, which included a message thanking the community and confirming that additional updates would arrive later in the week. The game launched on March 20, 2025, and reached this milestone within four months.

Ubisoft previously revealed that the title crossed three million players in its first week. Since then, it has gained another two million players. The game is available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Windows PC via the Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Connect, and Steam, as well as on macOS. The total player count includes access through Ubisoft+ Premium and is not limited to direct purchases.

Set in feudal Japan, Assassin’s Creed Shadows features two playable characters: Naoe, a shinobi, and Yasuke, a samurai – the first installment in the Assassin’s Creed franchise to take place in this historical period. According to Ubisoft’s social media post, players have collectively performed two billion stealth kills, traveled more than one billion kilometers in-game, and petted 38 million animals.

Ubisoft reported in May 2025 that Assassin’s Creed Shadows was the third best-selling game of the year in the United States at that time, with Monster Hunter Wilds and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered ranked first and second, respectively.

On July 18, 2025, GamesRadar reported that Ubisoft addressed the role of microtransactions in premium games like Assassin’s Creed Shadows. According to the company’s financial report, Ubisoft stated that microtransactions “help players experience more fun.” The company explained that these features are part of its digital strategy and include optional purchases such as customization items and time-saving tools. 

The announcement followed public criticism of these systems, with some comparisons being drawn to mechanics found in online gambling due to their randomized or incentive-driven nature. In response, Ubisoft confirmed the formation of a new working group to evaluate the ethics of monetization. The company did not disclose specific changes or guidelines related to this evaluation.

The game has continued to receive post-launch support. In May, an update modified the parkour system and introduced two crossover events. In June, Ubisoft released a new Nightmare difficulty mode and a quest featuring a collaboration with Critical Role. A major expansion titled Claws of Awaji is scheduled to release before the end of Ubisoft’s second fiscal quarter, which concludes on September 30, 2025. The expansion will add more than ten hours of new story content, as well as a new weapon, new skills, and new abilities.

Ubisoft confirmed in its July 22 post that further updates for the game are planned for this week. Details of those updates were not included in the post.

Ubisoft has multiple upcoming projects in development, including The Division 3, a Splinter Cell remake, and other Assassin’s Creed titles. The next mainline entry in the series, currently referred to as Codename Hexe, has been described as a departure from the gameplay format of previous titles such as Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla, and Shadows. A remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag has also been reported.

A new entry in Ubisoft’s Anno franchise is scheduled for release in November 2025. Additionally, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is set to receive a third-person mode in December, which will coincide with the theatrical release of Avatar: Fire and Ash.

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