Ubisoft's Black Flag remake hits 2 M copies, DLC backlash

Ubisoft's remake of the classic pirate adventure "Assassins Creed Black Flag Resynced" has achieved a major commercial success since its launch on July 9, 2026, but its reception among players has been divided by a significant backlash over its extensive day-one microtransactions. The company announced that the game sold over two million copies on its first day, setting a new record for the franchise on the Steam platform with a peak of 99,451 concurrent players.

The remake, which updates the 2013 original for modern consoles and PC, has been praised by critics for its faithful recreation and enhanced experience. In a statement, Martin Schelling, head of the Assassins Creed brand, said the strong launch and positive reviews were a reward for the team's effort to honor the passion of the fan community. The sales performance notably outpaces the publisher's more recent major release, "Assassins Creed Shadows," signaling a strong market for high-profile remakes.

However, this commercial triumph has been accompanied by a vocal protest from a segment of the player base. On Steam, where the game's overall review rating has fluctuated between "Mixed" and "Mostly Positive," a primary...