assassins creed
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How Assassin's Creed: Unity brings the brotherhood into co-op
It seems one major rule of cooperative assassination is "keep your distance." Few know that as well as Ubisoft, which reacted to some of our questions about Assassin's Creed: Unity's cooperative multiplayer component. Assistant Art Director Patrick Limoges told Joystiq that co-op missions are online only, so assassin buddies won't get to rub elbows while slashing at guards in the Xbox One, PS4 and PC game. "How it works is that you're playing the single mission in the story of Arno. He has his own mission, but when you play co-op it's like you're playing a brotherhood mission," Limoges explained. "So your friends joining you, they can walk through the city with you, they can actually join you in a specific mission, a co-op one."
EA / Ubisoft E3 2014 conference round-up: Prototypes and push-ups
The big three console manufacturers aren't the only ones having all the fun at E3; Ubisoft and Electronic Arts are known to get in on the party as well. These two publishers can do many things, but one thing they can't do is take you back in time in the event that you missed their press conferences. Fortunately for you, Joystiq does what reality don't. Ready to travel with us and wrangle up all the news from the Ubisoft and EA pressers? Let's go!
Assassin's Creed: Unity stalks the French Revolution on October 28
Hooded assassins have done an awful lot of dirty work on their own, but that trend will change on October 28, when the co-op supplemented Assassin's Creed: Unity plunges pointy things into Xbox One, PS4 and PC. [Image: Ubisoft]
'Assassins Creed: Pirates' now available as a free-to-play browser game
Here's the thing about Assassins Creed: Pirates (you know, aside from the obvious swashbuckling theme): It was made specifically for phones and tablets. In fact, Ubisoft warned from the get-go that we probably wouldn't see a PC or console version. Starting today, though, you can play it on your computer after all -- well, sort of. Ubisoft just released a free browser-based version allowing you to play in the browser, using either touch input or a mouse and keyboard. What's nice, too, is that although Ubisoft developed the web game with Microsoft, it actually works with every major browser -- Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari and, of course, IE. As a bonus, it runs full-screen, something most web-based titles can't do.
Assassin's Creed 4 ships 11 million copies
Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag shipped 11 million copies to date, including digital sales, Ubisoft revealed in its full-year 2013-2014 earnings report. That's one million more units than Ubisoft sent to retail as of February. It's the latest in the publisher's successful series, which achieved 73 million in sales as of last month. Ubisoft's next rooftop-running, throat-slitting game is Assassin's Creed: Unity, which was announced in March. The game takes place in Paris during the French Revolution of the 18th century, as was seemingly foretold through a scene in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. "We are extremely pleased that Assassin's Creed has become the fourth-biggest franchise in the industry," Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said during the publisher's earnings call today, adding that the Assassin's Creed development team has been progressively growing the brand "into a regular 10 million-plus elite franchise." [Image: Ubisoft]
Assassin's Creed series tops 73 million in sales
Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed series reached a total of 73 million in sales according to the publisher's corporate website, which lists its "worldwide best-selling franchises." Assassin's Creed, which has featured six releases in the main series since its 2007 debut and eight additional games on browser and portable platforms, leads Ubisoft's second-best-selling property Just Dance (48 million) by 25 million units. Assassin's Creed will likely continue to sell by the millions given that the next game, Assassin's Creed: Unity, will arrive on PS4, Xbox One and PC this holiday season. Unity was just announced in March and takes place in Paris during the French Revolution of the 18th century, a setting that was vaguely foretold at the end of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. The next three series in the publisher's top five in sales bear the late Tom Clancy's name: Splinter Cell (30 million), Rainbow Six (26 million) and Ghost Recon (25 million). Head past the break to see the rest of Ubisoft's sales list.
Assassin's Creed: Unity setting was foretold by AC: Brotherhood ending
Jeffrey Yohalem, writer of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, has revealed that, like an Assassin in a crowd of monks, the setting of the next Assassin's Creed game has been in front of us all along. Yohalem was asked by a fan on Twitter if the flashing symbols shown during the ending of Brotherhood were a hint for the upcoming Assassin's Creed: Unity, to which Yohalem responded: "Yup." Yohalem also noted that another symbol shown during the ending, the Eye of Providence, hinted at the setting for Assassin's Creed 3. Oo, this is fun! Let's see, what other symbols can we find? Well, there's what kind of looks like a Shinto shrine and ... is that a cave drawing of a monkey with a super curly tail? Man, we really should have paid more attention in History class. [Image: Ubisoft]
Assassin's Creed: Unity announced [Update: Trailer added]
It's just another day in the Animus, as Ubisoft announced Assassin's Creed: Unity today. The game is slated to arrive on PS4, Xbox One and PC this coming holiday season. Ubisoft offered a brief glimpse at the game in its early, alpha state in the trailer seen above. Although Assassin's Creed 3 was widely criticized for being an unpolished American frontier work simulator, last year's Assaassin's Creed 4: Black Flag reestablished the franchise's sea legs with sure footed piracy. It appears the stabby adventure through time will now take place in Paris during the French Revolution of the 18th century (finally!). Though we may be reading too much into this, it's interesting to note the presence of the PS4, Xbox One and PC logos in the Assassin's Creed: Unity trailer - but no Wii U. We've reached out to Ubisoft to see if a version is planned for Nintendo's home console. [Image: Ubisoft]
The Daily Grind: Do you still expect MMOs to be 'fun'?
Though the game is a bit out of our wheelhouse, Massively reader WNxArcticwolf tipped us off to a GDC talk this week about Assassin's Creed: Freedom Cry, in which the developers argued that games no longer have to be fun. Admittedly, the developers are were attempting to justify confronting players with hard choices and uncomfortable situations via the plot, but the brazenness of the statement struck me over here in MMOland too. How many MMOs actually promise us fun when they're rattling off their feature lists? They'll promise grinds and raids and PvP, but as players, we process those things as achievements and challenges, as activities that were satisfying to have done, not fun to do. In fact, fun is almost seen as a dirty word, something casuals might seek. Do you actually expect MMOs to be a fun experience, or are we playing for something else entirely? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Daily Grind: How would an Assassin's Creed MMO work?
I've finally gotten around to playing some Black Flag in recent days, and while I'm not sure how I feel about the annualization of Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed series, I'm having a rowdy good time in number IV. As with most of the single-player games I sample in between MMOs, I end up thinking about how they'd work as MMOs, and it seems to me that AC's lore, sci-fi stylings, and various historical settings would translate easily. I'm not sure about all of the mechanics, though. And that's where today's Daily Grind comes in! Do you think an Assassin's Creed MMO would work? Why or why not? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Assassin's Creed Mega Bloks will let you build the perfect killing machine
Mega Brands and Ubisoft will release Assassin's Creed branded Mega Bloks building sets later this year, the companies have revealed. The announcement offers no details about the sets though Ubisoft SVP of marketing and sales, Tony Key notes, "This collection captures the spirit of Assassin's Creed bringing to life the characters and rich historical settings in a fun way." It might seem strange to couple a murderous, traditionally M-rated series with a children's toy designed for tykes 8 and up, but it's not uncommon. Halo, another M-rated series known for violent gameplay, also has a line of Mega Bloks toys. If the Halo figures are anything to go by, the upcoming Mega Blok assassins should look just adorable while stabbing victims in the neck.
Ubisoft unveils Assassin's Creed: Arena board game
Ubisoft recently announced a tabletop board game based on its Assassin's Creed series. Titled Assassin's Creed: Arena, the game is intended for up to four players and has a relatively complex set of rules, which explains the age 15+ recommendation by Ubisoft. Players use cards to hide, move or attack guards and other players as one of four templars in Assassin's Creed: Arena, guiding their player token across rooftops on a grid-like board. The game ends when one player achieves 15 victory points from assassinations or when there are no more event cards to play. A few, but not all of the game's rules can be viewed on Ubisoft's announcement blog. Assassin's Creed: Arena is the latest creation from Cryptozoic Entertainment, the tabletop game developers behind projects like Batman: Arkham City Escape and games based on the Hawken, The Walking Dead and Street Fighter properties. It will launch February 26 for $50. [Image: Ubisoft]
Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD out on PSN today
Today marks the PlayStation 3 debut of Ubisoft's high-definition retread of Assassin's Creed: Liberation. As with its original Vita incarnation, Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD follows the adventures of Aveline de Grandpré, a female assassin operating in New Orleans in the aftermath of the French and Indian War. Like all Assassin's Creed entries, the game focuses on stealth, parkour-esque acrobatics and stabbing jerks in the spine, neck, face and whatever other body parts are within dagger-range. The biggest addition found in this entry is a new costume system that allows Aveline to alter her style of dress to pass unnoticed in certain echelons of 18th century society. New to this latest release are enhanced, high-definition graphics, improved audio, new missions and the addition of "Aveline's trademark whip," which is useful both in combat and when attempting to swing across gaps too large to jump. Today's PlayStation 3 release of Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD will be followed by PC and Xbox 360 versions tomorrow.
Watch Mario destroy Master Chief, Connor and Lara Croft
With all the advances in video game technology, it's easy to forget simpler times. Mario never needed guns or knives or a cybernetic super suit. Sometimes, as this video proves, all you need is a pair of overalls, some sturdy boots and one mighty impressive keister. A fortuitous Piranha Plant doesn't hurt either.
Report: Ubisoft surveys players about non-Assassin's Creed pirate game
Ubisoft recently sent out a survey to fans about the future of the Assassin's Creed series, IGN reports. The publisher seemingly asked players for thoughts on a hypothetical pirate-themed game similar to Assassin's Creed 4 that would take place outside the series. The survey reportedly asked whether customizable ships, characters and hideouts or a "deeper economy" and "additional activities at sea or on land" were more important to players, and also gauged fan interest in co-op and multiplayer naval battles. Ubisoft conducted similar questionnaires in the past. Coincidentally, the publisher also specifically asked players about cooperative multiplayer in December 2010 following the release of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and again in November 2012 after launching Assassin's Creed 3. Both of those polls were conducted by GMI Surveys, though the origins of the latest one is a little less clear.
App Preview: Assassin's Creed: Pirates trades blades for waves
Despite sharing its name with a series where free-running and throat slitting are everyday occurrences, Assassin's Creed: Pirates is less about one-on-one combat and more about warfare on the open seas. I recently got a chance to go hands-on with a preview build of the game and play the first couple of missions to get a feel for it. In short, it's like no other Assassin's Creed game before it, for better or worse. The game starts at a breakneck pace as the main protagonist, Alonzo Batilla, goes from prisoner to sea captain in the matter of about 45 seconds. Although he is in control of his own ship, he remains subordinate to his pirate master, who teaches him the ropes, literally. Combat takes place between ships using various projectiles (mainly cannonballs, of course), and you're given the ability to dodge incoming shots by timing your actions perfectly. In the early battles, it wasn't particularly difficult to slam on the "brakes" and let the hostile shots whiz by, but I imagine the difficulty will ramp up in later levels. You'll also frequently have to fight multiple ships at once, which means you'll be dodging more shots than you're delivering. Once you've made your foes miss, you can volley shots back at them, and eventually sink them. Things get a bit deeper (no pun intended) when it comes to upgrading your vessel. There are several different ships to unlock as well as perks that can give you an edge, and since the game is slated to be US$4.99, it looks like you'll have to unlock them the old-fashioned way (read: without in-app purchases, at least for now). The most surprising thing about the game is how good it already looks. The preview version of the game featured stunning water effects and rendered huge distances with a large amount of detail. I was running the game on an iPhone 5s, so it remains to be seen whether it will sail so smoothly on older devices, but what I got to play was quite promising. Assassin's Creed: Pirates may not look like a Creed title, but that might not matter in the long run. I'll be able to render a proper verdict when I play the full version -- launch is scheduled for December 5 -- but from what I was able to experience in the preview, it looks like an interesting spin-off with the potential to satisfy in short spurts, which is really what mobile gaming is all about.
Assassin's Creed: Pirates launches for phones and tablets on December 5th
Sure, it's not the first Assassin's Creed title to make it to mobile, but hey, it's the first one with pirates to hit your handset. On December 5th, you'll be able to download Assassin's Creed: Pirates on Android and iOS for $5. You'll be playing as captain, naturally, commanding a pirate ship and combatting with other vessels while looking for buried treasure. It will also feature characters from Ubisoft's other pirate-themed title, Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag. According to the game developer, the title uses a new 3D graphics engine made specifically for phones and tablets -- don't expect a PC or console-compatible version. While you'll have to wait till next week to start playing, you can watch the trailer here now.
Assassin's Creed 4 updated to 1080p on PS4; drops anchor on PC, Xbox One today
The piratical, bloody adventures of Edward Kenway can now be found on the PC and Xbox One. As we stated in our review, Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is "a vibrant historical adventure, drawn from bold characters and edge-of-your-seat sailing." It offers a massive variety of things to do, from hunting iguanas with a sword to swinging from one ship to another like Errol Flynn. Obviously, there's quite a bit of high seas assassination as well. Three versions of the game are now available on PC: the Standard Edition, the Gold Edition and the UPlay Gold Edition. That first incarnation includes only the game, while the latter two offer players access to the game's Season Pass and a host of exclusive downloadable content. The Xbox One game only offers two variations, the Standard and Limited Editions, though the latter offers far more booty than any other version of the game. If those extras aren't enough to satisfy your rum-swilling, plank-walking tendencies, McFarlane Toys has revealed plans to launch a 1,000-piece set of Edward Kenway statues. The images on the company's site look stunningly detailed, but you'll have to shell out $295 for that level of craftsmanship. In related news, a patch has just been released for the PlayStation 4 version of Assassin's Creed 4 which allows it to display its already-attractive graphics in full 1080p resolution. Like all PlayStation 4 game updates, this patch will be automatically downloaded to your system.
Assassin's Creed movie delayed, new target is August 7, 2015
Most recently slated for release on June 19, 2015, 20th Century Fox has opted to delay the Assassin's Creed film adaptation for two months. Barring further delays, the film will now debut on August 7. No specific reason is given for the delay, but as The Hollywood Reporter points out, Assassin's Creed is just one of three action films being pushed back by Fox. Matthew Vaughn's spy flick Secret Service has moved from November 2014 to March 2015, while the company's Fantastic Four reboot has shifted from March 2015 to June. There seem to be no nefarious reasons for these delays, and they are most likely the result of Fox executives ensuring a nice, even distribution of big-budget action features for the near future. Though little is known of the film, we can say that Assassin's Creed will star Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class) as an ordinary, modern man sent into the Animus to relive the historic adventures of his ancestors, many of whom made a habit of stealthy murder.
Next-gen loving pirates circle UK in anticipation of PS4/Assassin's Creed 4 bundle
Come November 29, those in the UK will be able to purchase a PlayStation 4 bundle that includes Assassin's Creed 4 (and nothing else). Though that's great news for citizens of a nation that spent the Age of Discovery actively funding piracy, it's also the sum total of what we know about the bundle. Ubisoft has yet to divulge pricing information for the package, or any word on if these bundles will be available in limited quantities. We have contacted Ubisoft for further clarification.
