Ubisoft's video game adaptation of James Cameron's Avatar universe is experiencing a remarkable renaissance on PC, with its player count multiplying more than ten times over following a strategic cross-promotion with the latest cinematic release.
A Strategic Release Reverses Fortunes
Originally launched in 2023, Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora was a competent if familiar open-world adventure, often described as a Far Cry clone featuring the iconic Na'vi. However, its release a full year after Avatar: The Way Of Water meant it missed the peak of the film's hype, and a lack of official sales figures suggested it fell short of commercial expectations for Ubisoft.
The publisher appears to have learned from this timing misstep. For the December 2025 release of the third film, Avatar: Fire And Ash, Ubisoft prepared a new downloadable content expansion titled From The Ashes. This coordinated launch has catalysed a dramatic surge in interest for the two-year-old game.
Player Numbers Skyrocket on Steam
Data from tracking service SteamDB reveals the scale of the resurgence. Since arriving on Steam in June 2024, the game's concurrent player count had fluctuated, reaching highs around 2,614 and lows near 409. On Friday, 19 December 2025—the day both the DLC and new film debuted—the count jumped to over 3,000.
This was not a brief spike. Interest has sustained and grown, culminating in a new all-time peak of 12,496 concurrent players over the past weekend. Compared to its Steam launch peak of 1,117 players, this represents an increase of more than 1,000%.
The revival isn't solely driven by returning owners. Frontiers Of Pandora has also climbed Steam's top-sellers chart, now sitting at number 12, positioned behind heavyweights like Battlefield 6 and Baldur's Gate 3. A concurrent discount, reducing the price to £16.74 from £24.99, has undoubtedly aided this sales momentum.
Cross-Promotion Success Amid Mixed Film Reception
Ironically, the game's resurgence may be partially fuelled by a comparatively lukewarm reception for the latest cinematic instalment. While not a flop, Avatar: Fire And Ash opened to a significantly smaller box office than its predecessor and has received more mixed critical reviews.
This scenario presents a clear case study in effective cross-media promotion. By offering fresh content—the well-received From The Ashes DLC—alongside a related major film release, Ubisoft has successfully reignited engagement with an older title.
Despite this positive uptick, industry observers suggest it may not immediately lead to a sequel. Developer Massive Entertainment is currently occupied with The Division 3. Furthermore, Ubisoft's corporate strategy has indicated a shifting focus towards free-to-play and live-service models over traditional full-price games.
This shift, coupled with the modest performance of last year's Star Wars Outlaws, may make the publisher more cautious about licensed properties, preferring instead to invest in its own established franchises.
