The Director’s Cut of Ghost of Tsushima has achieved the status of PlayStation’s most successful single-player launch on Steam. This accomplishment comes despite challenges related to PlayStation Network connectivity requirements which led to the game’s delisting in over 170 countries. Released on May 16, the game reached a peak of 77,154 concurrent players on Steam, surpassing the previous record held by God of War.
According to data from SteamDB, which tracks active player counts on Valve’s gaming platform, Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut recorded its peak player count shortly after launch. This impressive figure firmly establishes the action-adventure title as the highest single-player PlayStation launch on Steam, taking over from God of War, which had previously launched on PC in January 2022 with a peak of 73,529 concurrent players.
Since its debut, Ghost of Tsushima has maintained a substantial player base, currently boasting 32,024 concurrent players on Steam. However, the game’s successful performance comes amidst controversy over the requirement for players to link their PlayStation Network account to Steam in order to access its Legends multiplayer mode.
In anticipation of the game’s release, major digital storefronts including Steam, Epic Games Store, and GMG had to cancel pre-orders and issue refunds to players in regions where PlayStation Network services were unavailable. Sucker Punch Productions clarified that while the single-player campaign could be accessed without linking a PSN account, doing so was necessary for players who wanted to enjoy the Legends online mode.
Additionally, Ghost of Tsushima has been delisted from various PC digital storefronts across more than 170 countries that do not support PlayStation Network. The game features the new PlayStation Overlay, which integrates the PS5 interface into the PC experience, allowing players to manage their PlayStation account, friend lists, trophies, and more. It’s important to note that this overlay is an optional feature.
While Ghost of Tsushima now stands as Sony’s largest single-player launch on Steam, it falls short of live service titles such as Helldivers 2. Released simultaneously on PS5 and PC in February, Helldivers 2 has made significant waves on the platform, breaking Steam records and becoming one of the most played games. The co-op shooter has also emerged as the fastest-selling PlayStation title, with sales reaching 12 million units in the first 12 weeks.
