180°

Ubisoft not expecting Assassin's Creed IV to outperform Assassin's Creed III

Ubisoft is not expecting this year's Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag to perform better than last year's Assassin's Creed III. CEO Yves Guillemot said today during a investor conference call that the French publisher is not modeling year-over-year franchise sales to increase.

"To come back to Assassin's Creed IV, in our numbers we have…we expect less than last year," Guillemot said today in response to an analyst question.

Assassin's Creed III has shipped and digitally sold 12.5 million copies to date.

Though Ubisoft is not forecasting Black Flag to outsell Assassin's Creed III, Guillemot said the potential for the game is greater compared to last year. He said this is due to the game's pirate theme being more relatable than last year's American Revolutionary War setting.

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Eldyraen4030d ago

Not a big surprise and smart of them--they accepted that eventually it would have to plateau after yearly releases. Plus multiple other open world games are coming out (GTA, Watch Dogs, Infamous: SS, SR, etc and there is a good chance something else will end up announced at E3 by someone for next gen as well) which are likely to cut into their sales.

I'm still watching it though as I like the setting in particular and hope it brings something new to the table. I'm more interested in the next big 3 though (GTA, WD, Infamous and hopefully even something for next gen Xbox).

BALLARD324030d ago

That says a lot about their confidence in their own product.

LOGICWINS4030d ago (Edited 4030d ago )

They ARE confident in their product, but they aren't stupid either. When your launching a game around GTAV and the launch of not one, but TWO next-gen consoles, you need to accept that most consumers arent rich and that there are other compelling choices on the market.

Ubisoft knows that Watch Dogs will be their heavy hitter this year, not AC. They WANT Watch Dogs to do better than AC because they need a new yearly franchise to replace AC with.

Outside_ofthe_Box4030d ago

I'd like to think or hope rather that Watch Dogs doesn't turn into a yearly franchise or else this upcoming Watch Dogs game may very well be my first and last Watch Dogs game I buy in the series.

LOGICWINS4030d ago

Same here. I'm not buying Watch Dogs for the foreseeable future, at least until I get confirmation that it won't be a yearly release.

R_aVe_N4030d ago

"I'm not buying Watch Dogs for the foreseeable future, at least until I get confirmation that it won't be a yearly release."

That makes no sense at all... If the game is good who really gives a crap.

LOGICWINS4030d ago

I don't care how good the game is, I'm not supporting yearly franchises.

sardaukarghola664029d ago

"I don't care how good the game is, I'm not supporting yearly franchises."

I don't see the logic in this

Outside_ofthe_Box4029d ago

***"That makes no sense at all... If the game is good who really gives a crap."***

True, but I don't see how you can make a good game within a year only. Look at AC. The last couple of games have taken a hit in their quality. I definitely don't want Watch Dogs going this route.

solidjun54029d ago

it's not like you buy games anyway.

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Hicken4030d ago

It says they're realistic about their product.

And maybe they're starting to realize they don't need to release an iteration every year.

ironfist924030d ago

I'm hoping after AC4, they stop, and give the series a break until next gen.

Legion214030d ago

@ironfist92 do you realize next gen starts this fall basically. So it wouldn't be much of a break. But I do agree they need to take a break from AC for awhile.

Simon_Brezhnev4030d ago

Naw because people saw how much of a shit game AC3 and will not be fooled again. lol

BeZdaBest4030d ago

wow i dont no what to say...

its going to be on five console...
dont know about any side games for the psv/3ds

do they know that ass creed is a sinking ship an are riding it into the ocean... i hope not i wanted to play a pirate themed game for a while... this type of game should have probably been a new ip..

Jek_Porkins4030d ago

I would think the mediocre reception the game got led to this thought. Although, AC4 has a chance to sell even better because it's on so many consoles, PS3, PS4 , Xbox 360, Xbox Next, Wii U..... AC3 kind of ruined the franchise for me to be honest.

Monkeysmarts4030d ago (Edited 4030d ago )

12.5 million copies sold is not mediocre... at all. Opinions don't really matter in light of this fact.

There are many factors that work against AC4 selling 12.5 million copies. A ton of great games are coming out this holiday season, with the PS4 and (we assume) the new Xbox as well. There is only so much money to go around. So while AC4 may be a much better game than AC3, I can definitely see where they don't expect it to sell as well.

Jek_Porkins4030d ago

I said mediocre reception, not sales. The game they showed at E3 looked amazing and fun, the game I brought home and played was the complete opposite. The fact that the game was mediocre in my eyes makes me hesitate on buying the next game in the series.

Monkeysmarts4030d ago

Fair enough. I do agree it was the weakest in the series, but with the setting and lead character being totally different I can see AC4 being a lot better. Edward Kenway seems a lot more interesting than Connor was. Connor was dreadful.

musashiden4030d ago (Edited 4030d ago )

I hope AC4: Black Flag to outperform AC3, Ezio saga is the best until now...

shivvy244030d ago

yea but theres huge ips coming out at the same time like GTA, WatchDogs, Infamous and many more

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450°

Ubisoft say AC Shadows protagonists will be "romantically attracted to different types of people"

Ubisoft recently shared more details about Assassin's Creed Shadows protagonists, confirming that both of them will romantically attract and be attracted to different types of people.

Hugodastrevas5d ago

That should please everyone I'm sure...

RpgSama4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

Feudal Japan DEI LGBTQ+ Samurai, sounds very accurate for the time period. Surely a decision made only with historical accuracy in mind.

Crows904d ago

Or even modern day accuracy.....

Lexreborn24d ago

You have no idea what you are talking about, bet you didn’t know nobunaga was bi-sexual. Or ran maru his is often depicted as androgynous was a “beautiful boy”.

So yeah, feudal Japan had tons of lgbtq and kawaii enough… A BLACK SAMURAI! All without the need of offending a Caucasian because the world is diverse.

VenomUK4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

This story has cracked me up so much! Bravo Ubisoft, bravo! 🤣. So last week everyone was upset that in the long-awaited first Assassin’s Creed: Japan game the protagonist is black. But NOW he is also LGBTQ+ ! It’s like the Ubisoft creative team sat around a table and said “How can we best impress our Kotaku/IGN/Polygon friends and antagonise gamers? Let’s make it woke x 100!’ And then they all silent clapped!

Just you wait until the Star Wars: Outlaws details come out, there better not be anybody complaining about Kay Vess’ dating preferences and the gay droid armies.

Christopher4d ago

It actually is.

Japanese were very Greek in their sexual experiences.

lodossrage4d ago

Lexreborn2 is right

Go read up on Japan's feudal era homosexuality and bisexuality was a very common thing in that time.

I just have to laugh because the same people complaining about this are the same ones crying about wanting "historical accuracy". When it's clear most of the whiners don't even know history themselves.

Christopher4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

Facts don't care about downvotes, btw. You either claim to understand historical accuracy or you just admit you don't like the stuff people did throughout history.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wi...

thorstein4d ago

Japan had no Christian stupidity about sexuality.

That's where your nonsensical puritanical view comes from: the Abraham's faiths.

It's feudal Japan, they don't believe in your religion's made up nonsense.

I mean, if you're going to embrace a particular viewpoint, you should at least be aware of where it comes from. Most of the world doesn't care about your ideals.

In those days, they certainly didn't care about your religion.

Get over yourself.

RpgSama4d ago

All of you guys missed the point, I even said I'm very sure they did it ONLY because they wanted to be historically accurate. Stop defending this, we all know why they did it and who they want to pander, it's not out newfound respect for history.

lodossrage4d ago

@RpgSama

Nobody is defending anything.

People are just pointing out the fact that after they just cried about the game not being historically accurate, when they SHOW they're accurate, they cry about it because they don't like certain parts of history

Not to mention you contradicted yourself RPGSama. You just pointed out you said they "ONLY because they wanted to be historically accurate". Then turn around and accuse them of pandering and/or having an agenda. Those two things are opposing statements

Cacabunga4d ago

Dumbest decision ever.. always online was a pass for me but now not even for free I’ll try it..

LordoftheCritics4d ago

It's made by Ubisoft Montreal.

Obviously we'll be allowed to bang anything that moves.

RiseNShine4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

Yeha pretty sure.

H94d ago

People actually telling you that Japan had sexual deviancy which is correct however what's hilarious is that they will act as if it holds the same moral value that the LGBT community holds today, oh the things men used to say about themselves when they are attracted to other men, it's not empowering in the least bit

senorfartcushion4d ago

It was more common to be attracted to the same sex before the crusades.

4d ago
Tapani4d ago

You are completely lost on Japanese history. Japan was one of the most liberal places in the world, and in many ways still is. You can slice and dice it from your western hubris and whatever point of view, but the reality is that history tells great stories about freedom of choice and people not being judgemental on this island. Also one of the reasons I want to raise my family here, no need to have those whatever Western woke bullshit here, because everyone just respects each other without using all that nonsense.

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CrimsonWing694d ago

Geezus, just make a good game… holy sh*t this is becoming insufferable.

Crows904d ago

Oh yeah!!!! What about being inclusive???

I'm sorry
..please replace the word inclusive with stupid.

Hofstaderman4d ago

You asking UbiSoft to make a good game? This is not 2002.

thorstein4d ago

I thought you crybabies wanted "historical accuracy." Now that your going to get it, you're going to cry more.

PRIMORDUS4d ago

It's past the point of retarded, everyone seems forced to do this bullshit now in games. 😑

Barlos4d ago

Hell no. A good game or film is secondary now to the agenda and the 'message'.

It's not enough to be simply entertained these days, there has to be an overarching real world narrative. I mean look at Dr Who as a recent example. Disney have completely destroyed it all in the name of 'diversity'.

senorfartcushion4d ago

You sound like you don't have a very active sex life ,😅

CrimsonWing694d ago (Edited 4d ago )

Are you projecting? 😝

senorfartcushion4d ago

It's the only thing that explains the incel crap. They can't simply be angry virgins who don't get any, so then a lack of a sex life i.e. a dad of three or something, is also a good additional explanation. They're either lonely and don't get any or too busy to get any. There's a horrible news for sexual control with incels, and they're angry because they simply aren't the right people to achieve that control. They're weaker animals.

notachance4d ago

dude’s too busy commenting on other people’s sex life to actually stay on topic.

That or he’s angry but didn’t have half the brain needed to refute back so he went for the classic ad hominem fallacy.

senorfartcushion3d ago

Notachance

It's a fact that remains true. The only way it can't be true is if humans were not greedy and heavily reliant on procreation.

Your username is fitting.

CrimsonWing693d ago (Edited 3d ago )

dude, let’s be real, you’re on a video game news site going into the comments section and taking time out of your life to go to war with people you think don’t f*ck. You sound as much of a virgin as any incel does.

Let’s be real, bub you’re just as pathetic as the rest of them. Anyone who would look at this who doesn’t waste their time on a video game news site or video games in general probably thinks the only thing you f*ck is your crusty ass pillow.

C’mon, man. Anyone who f*cks doesn’t immediately go into a comment section claiming others have no sex life. It’s just one of those things if you are getting your d*ck wet. It just comes off like you’re projecting in hopes to god nobody figures out you can’t get any, so you try to flex, even though you’re completely full of sh*t.

I mean, that’s the only thing that makes sense to me 😅.

senorfartcushion3d ago

I'm engaged without children - I'm doing just fine.

This is just nerd sites now. Users are just so angry and for basically the same reasons. Most people go through phases with this type of stuff but it's scary seeing the same attitudes being regurgitated over and over again. From what I've seen it's a strange mix of sexual frustration, lack of proper financing and the need to have 100% control over both so that they aren't taken away from the users.

CrimsonWing692d ago

@fartcushion

Look, man, people are allowed to have opinions and show frustration with stuff. It has no bearing on them not getting sex or not making money.

I have no idea how people commenting on being tired of hearing about SJW sh*t being shown in the spotlight like some carnival sideshow where publishers are wanting some pat on the back for means they’re financially unstable and don’t have a sexual relationship.

What, are you on the spectrum? Like how do you come to that conclusion and make multiple responses to the discourse with “virgin alert” or “you need to have sex?” That right there is kind of sus to me.

I don’t know in what world you lived in where this hasn’t been a nerd site, but people are allowed to comment their thoughts on things and still have relationships. You’re just as much of a nerd as everyone in here.

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4d ago Replies(3)
darthv724d ago

Is that genuinely a selling point for people?

RpgSama4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

They sure as hell want to see if it is, time and time and time again.

VincentVanBro4d ago

You have to understand they’re incapable of writing a good story so this is the best they could come up with

thorstein4d ago

Well, after last weeks crying about historical accuracy. Now Ubi days, " Oh, okay, historical accuracy: here you go."

Now you're saying you don't want the accuracy? Can you guys just make up your minds?

4d ago
notatallsurprisinggg4d ago

It's a genuine click-bait snippet to rile up people like you to push traffic.

4d ago
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210°

Ubisoft to Focus on "Return to Leadership" in Open World Genre, Expand Live Service Experiences

Ubisoft says they are focusing on two "core verticals," and that's to return as a leader in the open world genre, and live service games.

enkiduxiv12d ago

Calling Ubisoft a leader in open world gaming at any point in time would be like calling Dollar General a leader in retail.

excaliburps12d ago

Well, to be fair, they did pump out good open world games before. It was used as a template so much that people now know what it means when you say it's like an Ubi open world collectahon.

shinoff218312d ago

What though? I can't think of one game they had where I liked anything about it. Atleast since the ps3/360 Gen

Kornholic12d ago

If they have never been the leader in open world gaming, then explain me this: why does almost every open world game follow the same tired old Ubisoft open world formula?

Follow the Leader.

Aphrodia11d ago

YO dont' talk bad about the General. There'll be problems...

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isarai12d ago

You were never the leader bro 🤣

shinoff218312d ago (Edited 12d ago )

I don't think they were ever the leader tbh. I've never really cared for any of their open world games. I do wanna try watch dogs 2 because it looks like it's set in San Fran. Looked interesting

Show all comments (36)
60°

Ubisoft's Recent Antics Have Me Fearful For The Sands of Time Remake

Hanzala from eXputer: "With Ubisoft's practices becoming increasingly anti-consumer lately, the destruction of The Sands of Time Remake looks almost inevitable."

thorstein40d ago (Edited 40d ago )

Hey Ubi, here's a gun, don't shoot yourself in the foot.

*Ubi takes gun, aims at foot, empties clip*

Chocoburger40d ago

At this point, only dummies have any hope left for Ubi-junk games.