The dust is starting to settle following the high-profile launch ofAssassin’s Creed Shadowson March 20, which received more pre-release attention than mostACprojects in recent memory. Despite the controversy that surrounded the project prior to launch, the early figures forAC Shadowsbode well for the title, putting the game on track to be quite a successful entry to the longstanding Ubisoft IP.
The release ofAssassin’s Creed Shadowshas drawn some comparisons to another massively anticipated upcoming project,Ghost of Yotei. The core mechanics, premise, and setting ofShadowsandGhost of Yoteiare extremely similar, and the positive early reception of the latestAssassin’s Creedis a good sign for Sucker Punch Productions' own hopes of exceeding the experience ofGhost of Tsushima.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Should Only Feed the Passion and Potential Behind Ghost of Yotei
Fans are now firmly getting to grips with everything thatAssassin’s Creed Shadowshas to offer. The game finally delivers on the much-anticipated Japanese setting thatACplayers have been wanting for quite some time. While unrecognizable from the earliest entries to the Ubisoft franchise,Shadowsboldly carries forward the new open-world formula ofAssassin’s Creed, evolving to center around two simultaneous protagonists and a wide range of fresh game mechanics.
Despite the significant divisiveness that surroundedAssassin’s Creed Shadowsin the months leading up to its release, many players are reporting positive experiences with the game, with the early figures for the title indicating a respectable level of success for the title. Ubisoft has already reported that over three million players have engaged withShadows. The game reportedly also holds the title of the second-highest day-one sales revenueacrossAssassin’s Creed’s entire history.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows' sales revenue has only been beaten by 2020’sValhalla, although it has been reported thatShadowshas already beatenValhalla’s player record.
While the impact ofShadowshas not been ground-breaking for the AAA industry, its relative success is still worth commending. It is fair to say that Sucker Punch will likely be following the overall impact ofAssassin’s Creed Shadowsquite closely in the run-up toGhost of Yotei’s release.Ghost of Yoteiis the heavily anticipated sequel to 2020’sGhost of Tsushima, so the game already has a massive reputation to live up to. The success ofShadowsis hopefully a good indicator ofYotei’s own eventual reception.
Ghost of Yotei and AC Shadows Releasing So Closely Adds Another Layer of Competition
Ghost of Yoteiis currently aiming for a 2025 release window, with the game carrying forward the same Feudal Japanese setting as its predecessor, only 329 years later. LikeShadows,Yoteiis set to be an open-world third-person experience centered around action adventure, and the massive heights reached byGhost of Tsushimaput a huge amount of pressure onYoteito evolve its predecessor’s experience.
Not only doesYoteipossess the same setting and general gameplay framework asShadows, but it has even faced its own controversies surrounding its choice of protagonist, andthe early success ofAssassin’s CreedShadowsshould bode even better forYotei’s ambitions. If anything else, another AAA Japan-set action adventure title releasing in the same year asYoteiwill surely add even more thorough dedication to the game’s development process, while giving Sucker Punch a directly comparable title to learn lessons from, either good or bad. IfGhost of Yoteidoes end up delivering on its current 2025 release window estimations, then a serious impact will be needed on the gaming industry to hold the title in its own esteem away from any similar project, meaningShadowscould end up being a partial catalyst in pushingYoteito strive for even greater heights.
