Being the remake of one of the most beloved entries in the series, there's little doubt that Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is going to be a smashing success when it launches on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S on July 9. However, it seems the remake is poised to be an even bigger win for Ubisoft, as it is already outselling not only Skull & Bones - the game which started development as a multiplayer expansion for the original - but also the latest main entry, Assassin's Creed Shadows.
Industry analyst Rhys Elliott of Alinea Analytics provided an early look at pre-launch sales, confirming the game is “poised for a hearty PC showing, already clearing 300K copies sold on Steam ahead of launch, worth almost $14M in gross revenue.”
The data is telling. By comparing its performance to both Skull & Bones and Assassin's Creed Shadows, the trend is clear. “Resynced has already outsold the entire Steam lifetime run of Ubisoft Singapore’s previous pirate venture, Skull & Bones, before it’s even out,” wrote Elliott. “And our estimates have Black Flag Resynced tracking far above AC Shadows on Steam pre-launch, too. At the same two-days-out milestone, Resynced has sold 5.39x more Steam copies than Shadows did in its equivalent pre-release window.”
Looking at these numbers, there's little doubt that the remake will significantly outperform Assassin's Creed Shadows in short order. While nostalgia and pricing play a factor, this proves that the series can return to the spotlight if Ubisoft provides what players actually want.
It's no mystery that Assassin's Creed Shadows remains a controversial entry in the series. From the debate surrounding its protagonists to the content bloat now synonymous with the franchise, the game ultimately left many fans wanting.
What will make Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced a long-tail success, however, is its focus. After powering through the unnecessary RPG bloat of Odyssey, Valhalla, and Shadows, playing a smaller, more focused experience with some modern improvements feels very refreshing. With no unnecessary upgrade systems, a dense map, and a formula that masterfully combines stealth with naval mechanics, the remake is an engaging experience that is set to bring back lapsed players and show Ubisoft that chasing trends isn't the only way for the series to thrive.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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