Assassin's Creed and Mass Effect sales

Ubisoft announced that in the month since launch its love-it or hate-it epic Assassin's Creed has sold 2.5 million copies globally. The company said the title has "greatly outstripped" its sales expectation and the game is the fastest-selling new video game IP in US history. The company now expects to sell a minimum of five million copies of Assassin's Creed before the end of their fiscal year in March '08.

Ubisoft is also boosting its income expectation by 12%, it raised fiscal year projections by an extra €15 million to €840 million ($1.2 billion). The company also says that Tom Clancy's End War, Brothers in Arms and Far Cry 2 are scheduled for its next fiscal year beginning in April. Ubisoft plans to lay out its games portfolio for next year on Jan. 23, '08.

Assassin's Creed kills with 2.5 million sold; Ubi ups fiscal forecast

Prediction market the simExchange pegged Mass Effect at around 328,000 units for November (the title released on Nov. 20). That said, in less than three weeks on the market, the game has more than tripled the predicted November total. "We've... seen a strong response to both Halo 3 sales with more than 5 million, and Mass Effect which has sold more than a million copies in less than three weeks," noted Bell, highlighting consumers' reaction to Microsoft's holiday push.

Bell did not specify whether the one million figure is a global data point or for the U.S. only (Update: it's a worldwide sales total). Nevertheless, one million sold in under three weeks is a fantastic start and yet another reason for Microsoft to do everything in their power to keep the franchise exclusive to Xbox 360.

Mass Effect Amasses One Million Copies Sold