Ubisoft Admits Assassin's Creed Shadows Will Bomb! Needs 10 Mill Sales!

Assassin’s Creed Exec Reveals AAA Games Need 10 Million Sales to Break Even

Marc-Alexis Côté, the Executive Producer for Ubisoft’s Assassin's Creed series, disclosed that AAA games must sell around 10 million copies to break even. Speaking at XDS24, Côté highlighted the rising development costs and fierce competition in the gaming industry, emphasizing how the budget for AAA titles has skyrocketed in recent years.

"The cost of making games has increased tenfold since the first Assassin's Creed," Côté explained, noting that both production complexity and team sizes have expanded significantly. He stressed that only a handful of games each year manage to reach the 10 million mark, pointing to sports titles, established franchises, and surprise hits as the main drivers of success.

Côté further revealed that Ubisoft’s competition extends beyond other studios—it’s also competing against its own back catalog. When a new Assassin's Creed title is released, it often faces stiff competition from older, still-popular games like Assassin's Creed Odyssey, which continues to look good and offers a cheaper price tag.

Côté’s statements are especially relevant given Ubisoft's recent struggles with Star Wars Outlaws, which reportedly sold just 1 million units in its first month. Despite some positive updates and upcoming content, the game's performance on Steam has been dismal, with only 651 peak concurrent players on its launch day—far lower than many anticipated.

This reveals the tough reality of AAA gaming: with rising costs and slim margins, only a few major hits make the cut each year.