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Assassin's Creed 2 takes seven at MI6 Awards
As if Assassin's Creed 2 hadn't already taken enough prestigious awards (not to mention a number two spot in our best of 2009 list), the MI6 released word today that the game also earned seven gold awards in marketing at the fifth annual MI6 Awards on April 1 in San Francisco. From "Outstanding Overall Integrated Marketing Campaign" (though all the cool kids call it the "OOIMC" -- pronounced "oo-imp-ka") to "Outstanding TV or Theatrical Ad Campaign," AC2 swept the awards show, only closely lead by Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles and NBA 2K10 at four each (remember folks, these are awards for marketing). If you'd like, the whole list is available here (in PDF format, so you know). And yeah, if you hadn't already guessed, the Darkside Chronicles shirt was totally voted "Best Swag." Deservedly so.
Snag Assassin's Creed 2 for $30 at Amazon
As every assassin knows, nothing is true and everything is permitted. That includes Amazon's ability to drop the Assassin's Creed 2 price whenever it wants and especially when GameStop is doing it. The online retailer has slashed the price of both the Xbox and PS3 versions to a mere $29.99, matching GameStop's price. No matter where you buy it, that's a great price for one of Joystiq's favorite games of 2009. So hurry up and tell all of your Firenze that buying it is no leap of faith, Animus be said that this is one killer deal.
Ubisoft compensating PC gamers for DRM server outage
Ubisoft is trying to make amends to legitimate PC gamers that were blocked out of recent DRM-enabled titles due to a recent server outage. Hackers, angry at Ubisoft's draconian DRM protocol, which requires a persistent internet connection, even for single player games -- knocked out the publisher's authentication servers, preventing owners of games like Assassin's Creed II from being able to play at all. While Ubisoft has modified its DRM protocol, it doesn't seem the publisher has any plans to discontinue using it any time soon. In light of the recent outage, the publisher has started to send letters offering gamers either a free game or DLC, depending on the product originally purchased. A support forum for Assassin's Creed II appears to confirm that those affected by the outage may receive an offer to upgrade the standard edition to the "Black Edition," which includes additional areas not found in the original. Those that already have the Black Edition will be able to receive either HAWX, Heroes Over Europe, EndWar, or Prince of Persia. Certainly, this is the right move for the publisher to take, offering a virtual olive branch for a policy that has only generated negative press thus far. However, the Ubisoft forums are alight with those that have yet to receive any compensatory offer. We're reaching out to Ubisoft to find out more details of this offer, and will update if we hear a response. [Thanks, Rockr90! Via Exophase]
Assassin's Creed Space coming to PlayStation Home
One of the coolest aspects of Joystiq's #2 Game of 2009, Assassin's Creed II, had to be the search for "the truth." The meta game was hidden across the entire experience, and had players solving puzzles in an effort to unlock a video that would explain one of the franchise's biggest mysteries. That mystery and intrigue is coming to Sony's online community this week, in a brand new Space for PlayStation Home. The Personal Space will include a multiplayer tower defense game that "pits Assassins against Templars," and includes access to developer blogs, concept art, the Animus 2.0 database, and the full "Assassin's Creed: Lineage" live action short film. The Space will cost $4.99, but for hardcore Assassin's Creed fans, the ability to have your Home Avatar walk around the Hideout from ACII may be worth the price of entry.
Swag Sunday: Assassin's Creed 2 (PC) [update]
Update: Your time is up! We'll be shooting an email to the winner's commenter-tied email address, so keep an eye out. Sure, you've read about the always-on internet connection required for playing Assassin's Creed 2 on PC, and you may have even heard about the alleged hacker attacks on Ubisoft's authentication servers, but we'd like to offer you a chance to get right in there on the action. That's why this week's Swag Sunday is offering up one DVD copy of the game for Windows XP/Vista/7-equipped readers to win -- all you need to do is tell us what your favorite DRM solution is (an actual solution, "no DRM" will not be accepted) in the comments below. We'll choose a winner at random this week and let you know if you won through your commenter-tied email address, so keep an eye out! Leave a comment telling us what your favorite DRM solution is (an actual solution, "no DRM" will not be accepted). You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec -- due in part to Jean Charest and his friend Barry). Limit 1 entry per person per day. This entry period ends at 7:01PM ET on Monday, March 22. At that time, we'll randomly select one winner to receive one copy of Assassin's Creed 2 for PC (ARV: $49.99). For a list of complete rules, click here. What is Joyswag? Since we don't keep the games and merchandise we receive for review or promotional purposes, it becomes "Joyswag," which is passed along to our readers. Please note that Joyswag may be in "used" condition. For more info on our policy, click here. %Gallery-49869%
GDC: Designing Assassin's Creed 2 (or: Dodging a curveball from upper management)
Though Uncharted 2 may have snatched away most of the Game of the Year trophies, Assassin's Creed 2 stands out as another of 2009's most acclaimed and successful titles. Lead game designer Patrick Plourde candidly discussed Ubisoft Montreal's development process at one of the final panels during this year's Game Developers Conference and gave some surprising insight into what happens when a project's scope is altered in the midst of development. From the outset, Assassin's Creed 2 took aim at the commercial success of the first game, as well as its vocal group of detractors. "I'm not gonna lie about it," Plourde said, "some people liked it, some people despised it. That's the way it is." The way things would be took a surprise turn in the middle of 2008, months after the game had begun development in earnest. As Plourde puts it, a "curveball from upper management" requested a change in the game's scope. Ordinarily, ambitious plans may get trimmed down as a launch date draws near, but Ubisoft had decided to increase the number of features dramatically.
Ubisoft's PC DRM verification was out because 'servers were attacked'
Ubisoft today offered up a bit of an explanation to those of you on PCs yesterday who were desperately trying to play the publisher's games with the cumbersome new DRM (Assassin's Creed 2 and Silent Hunter 5), only to find yourselves unable to authenticate said DRM because of the outage. Apparently it was (gasp!) ... hackers! "Servers were attacked which limited service from 2:30PM to 9:00PM Paris time [8:30AM to 3:00PM ET]," the company announced via Twitter. It also noted that most folks were unaffected by the outage, saying "95% of players were not affected, but a small group of players attempting to open a game session did receive denial of service errors." Needless to say, the company of course apologized to anyone who wasn't able to play its games yesterday. We would once again like to point out that this situation would never have occurred if such a poor DRM system weren't in place to begin with.
Ubisoft DRM authentification server is down, Assassin's Creed 2 unplayable
Earlier today, our tips inbox and the official Assassin's Creed 2 forum were set ablaze by incensed owners of the PC version of the aforementioned Italian revenge epic. According to numerous reports from prospective players of the game, Ubisoft's DRM authentification servers have crashed, forcing some players to suffer lengthy login periods when booting up Assassin's Creed 2, and locking some folks out of the game entirely. A Ubisoft representative responded to a particularly rage-filled forum thread, stating "clearly the extended downtime and lengthy login issues are unacceptable, particularly as I've been told these servers are constantly monitored." The representative added "I'll do what I can to get more information on what the issue is here first thing tomorrow and push for a resolution and assurance this won't happen in the future." We've got a really great suggestion for how to make such an assurance: Find a less abominable DRM policy. [Thanks, Marc!]
Ubisoft updates PC DRM, denies rumored cracks
Ubisoft's new DRM program for PC games has garnered a lot of attention from the games media, thanks to its controversial mandate for a persistent internet connection. While most PC gamers likely have access to an online connection, there are concerns that a service outage -- either locally or at Ubisoft -- could lock players out of their games altogether. Even worse, players may lose progress in a game, if a connection drops before reaching a checkpoint. It appears the publisher has addressed the latter problem, updating its DRM protocol for Assassin's Creed II with the ability to resume the game from the exact moment an internet connection was lost. Although the DRM remains draconian, it shows that Ubisoft is willing to respond to at least one of the many criticisms it has received. It's easy to side against the French publisher, but it's also impossible ignore the PC community's continued efforts to dismantle every effort of publishers to make the platform profitable. Pirated copies of various PC games from Ubisoft are apparently making the rounds online, sparking allegations that the DRM has already been defeated. A Ubisoft spokesperson responded to Edge, stating, "this rumor is false and while a pirated version may seem to be complete at start up, any gamer who downloads and plays a cracked version will find that their version is not complete." Still, it seems pirates will continue to up their efforts against publishers -- resulting in a vicious cycle that only harms legitimate gamers. Source - Ubisoft: No DRM Crack [Edge] Source - Ubisoft - Assassin's Creed II, via VG247
Assassin's Creed II multiplayer, Rayman 2 out now on the iPhone
Two major league games have hit the App Store already this week, one of them for the surprise price of free. Ubisoft has released the multiplayer version of their Assassin's Creed II game on the App Store, and it's available for free for the first 48 hours. The game's a top-down multiplayer game that has you walking around the world of the console version, both targeting other players and being targeted yourself. All the reports say it's definitely worth a try, and if you can catch it before they raise the price back up (sounds like Ubisoft is trying to find a place for their releases), you should. And as expected, Rayman 2 is also out on the App Store -- it's a port of the 3D Playstation platformer that was actually a Ubisoft property, but as you can see from the trailer above, this one's been ported by Gameloft. As with most iPhone platformers, the game uses virtual controls, but Touch Arcade says they work just fine. The save system is the biggest issue -- your iPhone is not the best platform for playing games for long stretches of time, and any game that kicks you back out to a menu if you happen to step away for a second will cause frustration eventually. Still, it sounds like a solid platformer port, and there are certainly fans of those out there. The game is $6.99 on the App Store right now.
'Assassin's Creed 2 Multiplayer' iPhone game free until Wednesday
It's been almost a month since a new Assassin's Creed game was released on iPhone. For those of you suffering from withdrawal, Ubisoft today launched Assassin's Creed II: Multiplayer on the App Store, and we recommend that you get it -- soon. Even if you aren't sure about the game, or don't even like Assassin's Creed, or are borrowing an iPod Touch from someone, you should get it. Because, for the next two days, ACII: Multiplayer is free (regular price is $2.99). The App Store listing confirms this promotion, so the release definitely isn't a mistake this time. As for the game itself, ACII: Multiplayer features a top-down perspective from which players attempt to find and kill each other, while blending into crowds in such a way as to avoid being spotted first. Assassin's Creed II: Multiplayer (Free):
Assassin's Creed 2 is only $36 at Walmart right now
Talk may be cheap, but so is murdering people in 15th century Italy -- for now. Walmart is selling Assassin's Creed 2 at a discounted price of $36, both online and in-store. For some reason, the PC version of the game is still full price, but maybe that's not such a bad thing. As for other titles on sale, it would appear this reduction in price is isolated only to Assassin's Creed 2. [Thanks, Luis]
Ubisoft explains Assassin's Creed 2 PC DRM restrictions
Earlier this week, PC Gamer got its hands on a retail copy of Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed 2 for PC, only to discover that its digital rights management was a bit ... shall we say, "restrictive?" Aside from the initial online registration procedure, the game allegedly requires a persistent connection to the online game server in order to continue stabbing fools. In practice, this means if you were to lose the connection during play, you'd lose your progress and, if and when the connection was re-established, you'd be kicked backed to the last checkpoint -- not exactly diggable management, right? Ars Technica followed up with Ubisoft on the DRM issue (that also affects The Settlers 7), which said, "As long as you do not quit the game, the game will continue to try to reconnect for an unlimited time ... once the game is able to reconnect, you will immediately be returned to your game ... AC2 reconnects you at the last checkpoint ... There are many checkpoints so you're back to the point where you got disconnected in no time." Ubisoft also assured that the required internet connection speed is supposedly minimal. "Our online services platform will require a maximum of 50kbps of available bandwidth, so even with the slowest connection, gameplay won't be affected," an Ubisoft representative told Ars. That said, it seems that gamers lacking an online connection (or, say, those on a plane or in the armed forces, as Ars points out) may be out of luck if they're hoping to play Assassin's Creed 2 on PC.
Assassin's Creed 2 'Bonfire' DLC and 'Black Edition' content out today
Heads up, dear readers -- we know you're excited to check out the recently released Assassin's Creed 2 DLC, Bonfire of the Vanities, but before you blindly snatch up the new content from your console's designated online marketplace, make sure you check the descriptions. There are actually two different versions of the Bonfire DLC: one that includes the new Bonfire of the Vanities game sequence and the three secret Templar lairs which were included in the game's "Black Edition" (560 / $6.99); and one that only comes with the new sequence (320 / $3.99). Make sure you purchase the one that suits your needs! We'd hate for your enjoyment of the new stabbing opportunities to be sullied by buyer's remorse. %Gallery-85721% [Thanks, Rene.]
Uncharted 2 & Assassin's Creed 2 headline GANG Award finalists
We thought we'd reached a point in the year where Uncharted 2 and Assassin's Creed 2 would stop being nominated for awards; apparently, we were wrong. The Game Audio Network Guild adorned both games with nine nominations in its 8th annual Audio Awards. Winners will be announced and awards will be distributed on March 12 in San Francisco, alongside the Game Developers Conference. Check out the full list of nominees after the jump. They seem pretty fair, though House of the Dead: Overkill's absence from the "Best Dialogue" category almost ensures that we'll be boycotting the event.
Ubisoft PC DRM doesn't sound like such a good idea anymore
In January, Ubisoft revealed plans to streamline its DRM policy across all PC titles, making players log in to Ubisoft servers to authenticate before playing. Although it sounded dubious at first, Ubisoft's Brent Wilkinson assuaged our fears, explaining the new process would allow gamers to play on any computer and continue a game's progress through a cloud-based save system. According to PC Gamer, tests of upcoming Ubisoft PC titles Assassin's Creed 2 and Settlers VII proved how flawed the system actually is. If, for whatever reason, your connection experiences an issue (be it router reboot or a momentary pause in connectivity) the software will immediately boot you to the main menu of the game. Oh, and all that progress you made after a previous save or checkpoint? That's gone. But that isn't the worst part. If Ubisoft's "Master Servers" encounter any errors, then all players with working connections logged in to the servers will not be able to play their games until the servers are back online, and lose all unsaved progress if this scenario occurs during gameplay. There is something to be said about protecting your property from rampant PC piracy, but when draconian concepts such as Ubisoft's new DRM policy are in place, the publisher seemingly punishes the players who do support its wares. The cloud concept is great, but not at the expense of saving every thirty seconds out of fear that a server on the other side of the world might decide to act up. [Via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]
Modern Warfare 2, Assassin's Creed 2 and L4D2 all $40 on Amazon
Are you looking for an addictive multiplayer shooter with a rabid, unimaginably skilled player base that will simply eviscerate you, a first-time player, during your first hundred matches? Good news, masochist: Amazon has discounted Modern Warfare 2 for the Xbox 360 down to a cool $40 (the PS3 version is selling for $50). The zombie apocalypse sim Left 4 Dead 2 has also had its price reduced to a couple of Jacksons, as have both versions of Assassin's Creed 2. Update: You can also score a copy of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 for only $20. Wait! We know you're excited about these delicious deals, but allow us to play the devil's advocate: Would you rather purchase all three, or -- for roughly the same price -- buy the entire series of Miami Vice on DVD? We're sorry to put you this position. We expect your decision by the end of the day.
Assassin's Creed 2 'Bonfire of the Vanities' DLC comes Feb. 18
High-res armpits are only a click away! The second of two promised Assassin's Creed 2 DLC add-ons is set to release on February 18 on Xbox Live and PSN, a recent Ubisoft press release reads. On top of a release date, Ubisoft has offered two new screens and some details on Bonfire of the Vanities (AKA Sequence 13), which will be comprised of ten memories following Ezio's attempt to aid Machiavelli in freeing Florence from the influence of one Savonarola. It's up to Ezio to target key citizens under Savonarola's control and attempt to win them over through diplomatic discourse, including meetings over tea and the occasional quilt party. Oh, wait -- sorry, we had that wrong. He kills them. All. The chapters of the lost memory sequence take Ezio to several of Florence's well-known locales, such as the Palazzo Medici, Santa Maria dei Frari and -- wait, the Arsenal Shipyard? What, did you run out of awesome Italian names, Ubisoft? %Gallery-85721%
BAFTA video game award nominees announced
The BAFTA awards represent a rare opportunity to get the thrill of watching your favorite high-profile games rack up more plaudits long after the end of the year. They also represent the opinions of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, but whatever. The nominations for the 2009 awards have been released, with mostly unsurprising games occupying the "Best Game" category -- Batman, Assassin's Creed II, Modern Warfare 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Joystiq.com Game of the Year 2009 Uncharted 2 -- and FIFA 2009. In the "people's choice" GAME Awards, all of the Best Game nominees but Left 4 Dead 2 make repeat appearances, joined by The Beatles: Rock Band, GTA Chinatown Wars, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, Street Fighter IV, and Wii Sports Resort. "Everyone's" tastes are much more diverse! See more nominations for specific genres and achievements at the BAFTA site. The winners will be revealed in an award ceremony on March 19.
NECA making action figures based on Borderlands, BioShock 2 and more
[Image via Figures] If you appreciated the handiwork of the National Entertainment Collectibles Association on the BioShock 2 props revealed a couple weeks ago, then you'll be pleased to know the company has revealed that additional video game-themed products are in the works. According to a Figures forum post, five franchises will receive replicas by early 2011: BioShock 2, Street Fighter, Gears of War, Dante's Inferno and Dead Space 2. Three other projects were mentioned, but not detailed: Assassin's Creed 2, Splinter Cell: Conviction and Borderlands (which includes an "articulated Claptrap with sound effects"). You can find a full list of the characters that the company will toy-ify on the Figures forum. Most of them are based on the aforementioned franchises' nightmarish enemies -- but hey, if you feel like lining your desk with Necromorphs and Unbaptized Babies, that's your prerogative. [Via Big Download]
