Assassin’s Creed Shadows Is Europe’s Best-Selling 2025 Release — What That Actually Means

Why This Caught My Eye

According to GSD data reported by The Game Business, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the best-selling new release in Europe so far in 2025 (January 1-July 28). No unit counts, just the rank-and that alone is enough to raise eyebrows. In a year stacked with heavy hitters like Monster Hunter Wilds and a new Mario Kart entry, Ubisoft’s long-awaited feudal Japan Assassin’s Creed has grabbed the top spot. As someone who’s played this series through its stealth golden age, its RPG sprawl, and Mirage’s course correction, this result actually makes sense-though there are caveats you should know.

Key Takeaways

• AC Shadows leads Europe’s 2025-release rankings through July, but GSD didn’t share unit totals.
• The chart covers PC and console sales in Europe; 71 million games sold overall in that period show a healthy market.
• It’s a win for Ubisoft’s Japan setting and dual-protagonist pitch, not proof of absolute dominance for the year.
• Nintendo digital sales historically aren’t fully tracked by GSD, which can understate competitors like Mario Kart.

Breaking Down the Ranking

Let’s separate the headline from the reality. GSD’s charts track a huge slice of European retail and digital sales across major publishers. For 2025 releases specifically, Assassin’s Creed Shadows sits ahead of the pack-including titles like Splint Fiction, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Mario Kart World—over the first seven months of the year. That’s impressive. It also doesn’t tell us by how much, or how sticky that lead is going into the holidays.

Context matters. Across PC and console, Europe moved roughly 71 million games in that window. Shadows leading its cohort means it captured a big chunk of gamer attention in a very competitive field. But with no units or revenue split, we can’t judge margin of victory, platforms where it’s strongest, or whether it’s coasting on a front-loaded launch. This isn’t a “game of the year sales crown” victory lap—it’s “best of the 2025 new-launch class so far.”

Why Shadows Landed This Hard

Ubisoft finally went to the setting Assassin’s Creed fans have asked for since the Ezio years: feudal Japan. Shadows’ dual-protagonist structure—Naoe the stealth specialist and Yasuke the armored powerhouse—gives the game two distinct playstyles. That alone solves a problem the RPG-era entries struggled with: trying to be everything to everyone inside a single build. Instead, it lets you indulge pure stealth fantasy one mission and wade into steel-clashing duels the next.

It also feels like a culmination of Ubisoft’s last few years of course-correcting. Mirage proved appetite for tighter stealth; Shadows plugs that feel into a bigger, richer sandbox. Add in the decade-plus of pent-up “samurai ninja AC” demand, and you’ve got a marketing slam dunk that even people who bounced off Valhalla were willing to try. From what I’ve played and seen, the tone and world-building aim closer to historical drama than anime fireworks, which likely broadened its appeal in Europe’s more simulation-leaning markets.

The Skeptic’s Corner

There are a few asterisks worth remembering:

• Missing numbers matter. Without unit counts or revenue, we can’t weigh Shadows’ lead against, say, Monster Hunter Wilds’ notoriously long legs.
• Nintendo digital is the recurring elephant in the room. Historically, GSD does not fully include Nintendo’s eShop data across all territories. If Mario Kart World is lighting up digital, this chart wouldn’t fully reflect it.
• Timing favors early-year releases. Being available from March gives Shadows more sales weeks than summer arrivals—and a head start before the Q4 avalanche.
• Ubisoft’s post-launch economy is the long-term test. Time-saver packs and cosmetics haven’t tanked AC before, but players are less forgiving in 2025. If the grind feels tuned around micro-spend, momentum will fade.

What This Means for Players

If you’re deciding what to buy next, a chart leader doesn’t automatically mean “the best game,” but it does signal a vibrant player base (matchmaking, guides, community content) and a higher likelihood of steady support. Ubisoft tends to patch quickly when the conversation is loud, and Shadows being the 2025 frontrunner ensures that conversation stays loud. Expect sales too—Ubisoft’s big releases usually see aggressive discounts within months, which could widen the audience further before year’s end.

For franchise fans, this is validation: Ubisoft can still deliver a crowd-pleasing Assassin’s Creed that respects stealth while embracing spectacle. For skeptics, it’s a reminder to check the fine print. Watch how endgame progression, cosmetic stores, and DLC planning shake out. A great 40 hours can turn sour if late-game pacing leans on “optional” boosts.

Looking Ahead

The July snapshot is just that—a snapshot. Holiday tentpoles can flip the table, and Monster Hunter games often climb steadily instead of spiking. Mario Kart’s family-fueled sales tail is basically a force of nature on Nintendo hardware. If Shadows keeps the lead by December, that’ll be the bigger story: not just hype fulfilled, but staying power in a brutally competitive year.

TL;DR

Assassin’s Creed Shadows currently leads Europe’s 2025 releases per GSD, with no unit counts disclosed. It’s a deserved early win powered by the long-demanded Japan setting and smart dual-hero design—just keep an eye on missing Nintendo digital data and the holiday surge before calling the year.