It’s been a few days since Assassin’s Creed Shadows was released, and so far, it has been a smooth launch! While the game received months of hate leading up to release, people are enjoying it. On Steam, it currently holds a Very Positive rating.
Yasuke’s Reception vs. Pre-Launch Backlash
Many players feel the game is an improvement—though not perfect—over Valhalla. Watching streamers and playthroughs, it’s clear that because Naoe is squishy, Yasuke’s brute-force playstyle comes in handy. The massive backlash Yasuke received before launch isn’t reflected in actual gameplay discussions. If anything, the opposite is true. Players did not like how long it took to be able to play as Yasuke again after his introduction. On average, it took over six hours before he reappeared. The gameplay significantly improves once players can switch between characters.
Pacing Issues and Streamer Reactions
Unfortunately, I’ve seen some people stop playing out of frustration with the game’s pacing—most notably, streamers. In their defense, trying to enjoy a game while viewers inject negativity into the experience can be exhausting. One streamer even had a full-on rant, frustrated by the nonstop complaints in chat.
Interestingly, many YouTubers and streamers who spoke negatively about the game before launch still ended up playing it for hours. If they truly believed the game was bad, why continue? Wouldn’t making a statement by refusing to play it be stronger? Yes. Instead, they’re profiting off a game they claim to hate. So much for standing by their convictions.
Not that it mattered. Their rage baiting didn’t work. Guess who has over 2 million players?
Player Count vs. Sales
It’s important to note that this number reflects players, not sales. The peak number of Steam players sits at 60K, meaning most people are likely playing on Ubisoft+ for $18.00 at launch. It’s refreshing to see players ignore the hate and decide for themselves whether they wanted to play. Liking what they saw, they dived in.
Microtransactions and Pacing Problems
I have some criticisms. It would be remiss of me not to mention the game includes microtransactions that help players bypass pacing issues. For example, for real money, you can purchase a map pack that shows all the points on the map. Or, you can purchase resources to quicken your progression. This is in addition to the cosmetic microtransactions one could argue should be in the game for free since the box price for the game is $69.99.
Normally, I don’t care what people do in single-player games. But in this case, the fact that these microtransactions exist suggests Ubisoft knows the pacing is a problem—and instead of fixing it, they saw an opportunity to make money. That’s not consumer-friendly, and I fully support players who choose not to play because of it just as I support those that want to use them. My issue is Ubisoft purposely creating the problem to monetize it.
Ubisoft’s Missed Communication Opportunities
Ubisoft should have announced much earlier that a day-one patch would address certain concerns, like the destruction of Japanese shrines. While footage showed Yasuke being destructive in a shrine, Naoe could do it too. If Ubisoft had addressed this sooner, some of the negative discourse could have been avoided.
Yasuke’s Story and Late-Game Payoff
Previously, I was concerned that Yasuke’s story wouldn’t be fully fleshed out. He does have a story, but it wraps up at the end of the game. I’m curious to see if Ubisoft releases stats on how many players actually finish the game to experience Yasuke’s story. Since I wanted to see how things played out, I found a full playthrough, skipped to the end, and now I can watch a streamer fill in the middle. I wish Yasuke’s story had been woven in much earlier.
Final Thoughts
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a typical Assassin’s Creed game. While I have criticisms, it’s not a bad game. I’m happy to see people enjoying it—even if I don’t want to play it myself. My goal is to be honest and objective, not emotional.
I don’t agree with the microtransactions, because I strongly believe they negatively impact the game’s pacing. But if someone wants to buy them in their single-player experience, go for it! Am I going to shame them for it? No. It’s a video game. While multiplayer games need rules for fairness, single-player games should be about playing your way.
Have FUN!
