It’s official, Ubisoft is back on Steam.
Two weeks after the discovery of backend data indicating Ubisoft’s return to Steam, it’s now official: the return will begin with Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, which will debut on the store in December. 6.
Outside of your online store, UbiSoft is an exclusive publisher of Epic on PC since early 2019. It has maintained great releases including The Division 2, Far Cry 6, Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Watch Dogs Legion, Rainbow Six Extraction and of course Steam’s Valhalla which is from by far the most popular digital store for PC gamers.
“We are constantly evaluating how to bring our games to different audiences wherever they are, while also providing a consistent ecosystem of gamers through Ubisoft Connect,” Ubisoft said in a statement sent to PC Gamer. “Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Anno 1800 and Roller Champions are among the Ubisoft titles coming to Steam”.
Because Ubisoft is coming back
UbiSoft hasn’t given any indication as to why it’s now chosen to return to Steam, but one interpretation is that it marks the end of the big publishers’ fight against Steam, and more specifically the 30% of sales it’s asking for. Ubisoft joins Microsoft, Electronic Arts, and Activision as major publishers who have come or gone back to Steam after dabbling in solo adventures. Valve hasn’t bat an eye in their absence, and Steam remains the dominant digital distribution platform for PC games, the place you want to be if you’re a large publisher looking to sell a few games. And with the holiday season upon us, there’s no better time for Ubisoft to capitalize on its Assassin’s Creed game which is now, in case you forgot, a few years old.
As with the Epic and Ubisoft stores, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla on Steam will be available in four editions — standard, deluxe, Ragnarok and complete — each offering a different mix of bonuses, including content packs, the Dawn of Ragnarok expansion and a season pass. As stated in Ubisoft’s statement, Valhalla will also continue to use the Ubisoft Connect client.
Anno 1800 and Roller Champions are not currently listed on Steam and return dates have not been announced.
