Ubisoft has delivered one of the biggest game launches of 2026, with Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced selling more than 2 million copies within 24 hours of release. The game was released on July 9 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. This shows that even though there have been complaints about monetization in the gaming industry, nostalgia is still a major driving factor.
Furthermore, the game saw an all-time high of 104,756 concurrent players on Steam for an Assassin’s Creed game. According to Ubisoft, the game reached its highest-ever Twitch viewership on launch day and received scores of 85 on OpenCritic and 84 on Metacritic.
While the game's commercial success impressed investors, the game has also brought back the debate surrounding microtransactions in premium single-player games.
There is much condemnation from players about the in-game store, cosmetic packs, resource packs, and convenience items included on the day of launch by Ubisoft. There are many Steam players who feel that these paid extras compromise the gameplay of a full-fledged remake of the 2013 game.
“Seeing two million players set sail on day one, along with the great reviews from critics, is the greatest reward we could have hoped for,” said Assassin’s Creed brand head Martin Schelling.
Ubisoft has countered by saying that the standard version offers the entire gameplay experience. All missions, islands, progress, and other game elements are available in the full version with no need for any extra purchase. Ubisoft said that all the additional content is completely optional and intended for those who wish to make their gameplay more convenient and enjoyable.
However, gamers do not seem to agree. Many members of the gaming community find such additional elements intrusive in a premium single-player game. Others argue that these items should be earned through gameplay rather than purchased separately.
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