Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced's Day 1 DLC Controversy Nets $1 Million on Steam Alone

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced's controversial $85 day-one DLC bundle has earned Ubisoft an additional $1 million on Steam, according to a report from Alinea Analytics' Rhys Elliott. The data focuses on PC sales, while Ubisoft has officially announced 2 million copies sold across all platforms within the first 24 hours.

Although the game itself has been well-received, players are less thrilled about the optional extra packs, which total $85—more than the base game's price. One Steam user commented, "Come on Ubisoft, you just couldn't hold yourself, huh?! Releasing a €70 game and on day one you slap us with €85 worth of DLC packs that give gameplay advantages—this is why piracy exists. I will be refunding!"

The backlash has impacted the game's Steam user review score, with many upset about the principle of launching with a DLC collection pricier than the game itself, as well as in-game pop-ups promoting these packs.

The cheapest add-on, the $4.99 Map Pack, has a 6.34% attach rate on Steam, meaning roughly 1 in 15 players bought it. This pack highlights collectibles on the map, a staple in Assassin's Creed titles. The $9.99 cosmetic packs, offering skins for Edward Kenway or his ship the Jackdaw, have a lower attach rate of about 2% (1 in 50 players). Despite offering no gameplay advantage, they contributed to that extra $1 million, explaining why Ubisoft continues to produce them.

In response to the backlash, a Ubisoft community spokesperson stated, "We've seen your feedback since launch, and we're reading all of it. Thank you for caring this much about Black Flag Resynced. We want to be clear: the standard edition is the full, complete experience. Every mission, island, story, and world is there, with nothing held back. The additional packs are entirely optional extras for players who want them, never a requirement to enjoy or complete the game. We'll keep listening as you play!"

IGN's review of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced gave it a 9/10, calling it "more than just a shinier version of the same game you remember; it brings what was already one of the best games in the series up to today's standards."

Before diving into the Golden Age of Piracy, check out our guides on essential first steps and tips to smooth Edward Kenway's journey. While exploring the Caribbean, don't miss any collectibles, especially shanties to keep the crew entertained. Use our naval combat guide to blow enemy ships to pieces and save Reales for your next Jackdaw upgrade to become the mightiest pirate.