Ubisoft has always been known for its single-player IPs, with Assassin’s Creed being the biggest of the bunch. However, the studio also capitalizes on microtransactions within the IP, benefiting from both commercial sales and small purchases within the game.
In fact, new information suggests that the French publisher made millions from microtransactions in just two Assassin’s Creed titles alone.
A leaked internal Ubisoft document shared by insider Jonathan reveals how much Ubisoft made from microtransactions in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Valhalla. These documents were uncovered recently, following the publisher’s latest layoffs, which led to employees reaching out to the insider with confidential information.
According to Jonathan, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey made €94 million from microtransactions in total. Half of this amount came from what Ubisoft calls ‘Time Savers,’ while gear and cosmetics contributed to the rest of the amount.
In Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s case, Ubisoft made €112 million in total, the majority of which came from gear and cosmetics, this being €77 million. Time Savers still raked in €35 million, making up a significant amount of the French publisher’s earnings for the game.
The insider also provided a more detailed breakdown regarding these figures, sharing that Assassin’s Creed Valhalla sold 48 cosmetic packs and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey sold 20 cosmetic packs during their respective lifespans. Similarly, the Time Savers breakdown consists of consumer spending on boosters, maps, in-game currency, etc.
Ultimately, this breakdown makes it clear why Ubisoft pursues microtransactions for Assassin’s Creed so frequently.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows also collaborated with Attack on Titan not too long ago, with Ubisoft noting how microtransactions pay for Assassin’s Creed’s many post-launch updates. If these figures are any indication, this new post-launch model for the series is here to stay.
