740°

Ubisoft Settles Assassin’s Creed Lawsuit

The Assassin's Creed 3 release date is no longer at risk due to legal issues, as the lawsuit between Ubisoft and (*cough* cash-grabber *cough*) John Beiswenger has been settled out of court.

Trenta274763d ago

Just about every idea out there has already been taken. We just get rehashes of those ideas. That goes with movies, books, games, everything. This guy just wanted to cash in.

Nimblest-Assassin4763d ago

So stupid.... I hope this half-assed author doesn't get a single penny...

The definition of piracy is a blatant ripoff... he is complaining that one concept in the game is stolen as is suing for millions? He's also trying to back up the fact that they took religion and assassinations too?

Religion and assassinations happened alot in the past. This author is just upset his book was not bought and is trying to cash in... disgusting

morganfell4763d ago

The Nizari Ismaili should sue him. Or better still, pay him a visit...

Sucitta4763d ago

settled out of court usually means he got paid..

gatormatt804763d ago (Edited 4763d ago )

In this case no money was exchanged between either party at this time. How do I know you ask??? Google the term "dismissal without prejudice." It appears to me that the judge may have dismissed this case because there was not sufficient evidence to back this guys claim. If he somehow finds/gathers new evidence then he can bring this suit/claim back up.

It is also possible though this guy ended his own claim, though still retaining the right sue again at a later time.

RioKing4763d ago (Edited 4763d ago )

^Great detective work, Watson!

Frankfurt4763d ago (Edited 4763d ago )

I love how the fanboys have NO fucking idea if Creed stole it from the guy's book or not, but like sheep, they jump into AC's defense and bash the author. The guy is a published writer. For a long time. If anything, his credentials are far above most videogame writers (how many good scripts have we seen this gen in a videogame? Shit like GTA 4's writing gets praised in this medium! Videogame writing in 99.99% garbage).

Videogames are INFAMOUS for ripping off movies and books shamelessly (and i say that about even my favorite games, like Crysis 1). If you think ANYTHING in Assassin's Creed plot is even remotelly creative or new, you need to read an actual book some day and stop being a blind, alienated fanboy.

Danny Dan4763d ago

@Frank .. If you think there hasn't been any unique game experiences with awesome script writing, then you sir, are sadly mistaken.

Like Trenta said, the same stories are always being told... Its just HOW they are told is what sets them apart.

Nimblest-Assassin4763d ago (Edited 4763d ago )

@frankfurt

Im going to explain something to you. Many people are very aware that videogames like to take plot points and ideas from books and movies. Max Payne is based on Noir films, Uncharted is based on movies like Indiana Jones, and the pulp action genre. They have similar concepts and ideas... but do you ever see Stephen Speilberg suing Naughty dog for having similar ideas?

This lawsuit is idiotic based on the sole fact he is saying they "plagarized" and stole "page by page". If link was the story of a man named desmond kidnapped by a templar order due to the fact that he was a member of another secret group called assassins, and is forced to relive the lives of his past ancestors who were assassins.. then we have a problem.

This author is trying to say that Ubisoft stole the ideas of the animus, religion and assassinations...

Religion and assassinations were a big thing in the past... he is suing for them using history? Shouldn't that mean that people who wrote history books be suing him then? Or the ancestors of the people in history should be suing the people who wrote those textbooks? NO.

This author is trying to get attention and is making ridiculous claims and is suing for millions. Also why wait to AC3... his original plan was to have AC3 not released, which is what the settlement is about....

You don't need to be a fanboy of AC to see this is a desperate cry for attention from a writter who never got any. Also, I looked up critic reviews of this book, and many felt the plot was jumbled and ridiculous.

He is trying to sue for "similar ideas" but calls it plagerism. Thats why this lawsuit is a joke...

Also judging by your comment history... it seems like you are the alienated fanboy... mr I hate on the PS3 because I only own an xbox..jesus fanboys like you are the reason gaming today is so negative

lol kept reading your comments and they are hilarious

More sales means its a better game- Yeah then black ops would be the best game ever -_-

AC has crap combat compared to Bayonetta- BAYONETTA IS AN ACTION GAME AND AC IS OPEN WORLD! HOW DO YOU COMPARE THE 2 MR. HUGE AC FAN

Also love how you trash every ps3 game, every ps3 article bringing up UNCHARTED COPIED GOW EVERYWHERE... look ND said they researched cover in games like gow... if uncharted was a ripoff of GOW it would play exactly like GOW... also love how you try to trash the sales, story whatever you can get

Oh you poor MS fanboy.... don't even play the games you trash. I may not own an xbox, but I have played Halo and gears, and I actually love the Halo series and am looking forward to 4....

But your sheer love of MS would be funny... if it wasn't so pathetic

Oh what the hell... I'll laugh anyways

Also before you give me the oh... I played the PS3 games... Im a 5 foot 4 purple hippo who has had sexy times with hundreds of women... see I can be anything too on the internet

BISHOP-BRASIL4763d ago

@Nimblest-Assassin

You are absolutely right there! I don't know how so many people get away with those stupid lawsuits...

Wait, worst part is that we do know how they do it, they hold out to sue when the target can't deal with waiting on the not so fast judicial system, exploiting companies time schedulles to make money. How can the judges not be aware of it?

Sooner or later judges will start to be more and more demanded to realize that similar setting or themes is not the same of plagiarism. We don't need courts to discuss what is plagiarism and what isn't all the damn tine, it costs taxes money! Have some law specialist to just actually read the book and play the game would prevent the need for so much court arguing and prevent people exploiting the system.

Plagiarism is when you sign as yours something that isn't your work. It's not plagium unless you can pinpoint parts of one piece (speechs, situations, ideas, etc) that are being used THE EXACTLY SAME in the other piece. It's not just some similarities, they could out right had been inspired by someone else's book and not be commiting a crime if they are not using this original ideas and assets.

The religion conspiracies, the assassination conspiracies and the time travel are practically free domain as they are really old ideas that we can't even track the original author. A new books on these subjects appear literally every month.

The whole genetic access to past "memories" could be plagiarism if they were developed the same as in the book but they aren't. In Assassin's Creed universe they use a machine called animus and DNA of a subject to read into what it's ancestors were doing, not the actual memory of the subject, the subject experience it's ancestor's life. The subject itself (Desmond) is monitorated with what appear to be pretty common tech to read the brain in this universe.

In Link universe they have this major oposition between science and religion about how is memory storaged, while science claim to be the brain, religion (and it's billion of believers) claim to be the soul. A scientist group called Biochip or something accidenntly discover that inside DNA of every cell there is this quantum particle with no mass and atemporal stage that could storage everything that already happened, they travel through this "quantum DNA memories" to discover secrets of the soul and the moment of creation.

As you guys can see, it's completely different sci-fi going on there, the only common point is DNA and Past being related, but they are accessed in different ways, with different objectives, under different circustances in a different setting... And this correlation is not original to any of the pieces. In the 50's scientists started running researches to discover what kind of stuffs were genetically hereditary, brain work being one of the big questions, memory was brough up multiple times since then.

deep_fried_bum_cake4763d ago

Nimblest-Assassin @Frankfurt reply

*begins slow clap*

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 4763d ago
dark-hollow4763d ago (Edited 4763d ago )

but you know what? i think its pretty cleaver from author of this book, why? if he won the case he would get his money, and if he lost, he would gain more publicity from all the news outlets that spread his news.

now more people know about his book and maybe some will buy it out of curiousity to see the releation with AC franchise.

its pathetic? yes but thats how the world works.

orange-skittle4762d ago (Edited 4762d ago )

That was the intent(IMO), but reviewers took to amazon and shot his book review to 1 star because of it. He was a self published author, so you know he needed the attention. He didn't get squat and to make matters worse, the story resembled another from back in the 70's more so than his and that author didn't give a rats ass.

BTW, I pre-ordered AC3 because you can already see this game is going to be a breakout hit. They said the animation rivals Uncharted and is absolutely beautiful and seamless.

256bit4763d ago

maybe the author doesnt play video games.

BinaryMind4763d ago

In other news, John Beiswenger is being sued by Nintendo for its use of the name "Link."

awi59514762d ago

Yeah the frank herbert Dune books are full of genetic memory and reliving or remembering the past lives of your ancestors.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4762d ago
Summons754763d ago

like the game was at risk to begin with HA

Redempteur4763d ago

Pitifull uninspired author..
He should be sued by vatican for using the bible as a source of inspiration as well

KMCROC544763d ago

Maybe someone should let the Vatican know . lol

TekoIie4763d ago (Edited 4763d ago )

"Those same ideas were also present in books prior to Link, and this settlement basically proves that the whole suit was likely just a cash-grab by a failed author trying to make some quick coin".

Aw man, I'm hurt dog!

This guy is bring the insults like mad and he should! AC is one of the best franchises this gen and if it got "cancelled" it would be a big blow to Ubi and us gamers. Without AC where would we get our awesome "What the F**K" endings?

sjaakiejj4763d ago

I'd say this lawsuit wasn't started with the intention to finish. In fact, I'd say that this author was looking to promote his book. Any publicity is good publicity, and with the media exposure surrounding this lawsuit there's been plenty of publicity...

tarbis4763d ago

suing just to freely advertise his book. his books must be being eaten by moths now.

TekoIie4763d ago (Edited 4763d ago )

He did see the amazon reviews right? He's gonna be really impressed with the "publicity" he got =|

sjaakiejj4762d ago (Edited 4762d ago )

The publicity increased exposure of this author to the world. Regardless of Amazon reviews, some people will buy it.

Quote from one of the reviews:
"After hearing all the trouble being caused by it I went about finding a copy outside of amazon and read it over the course of 4 days (on break from college so had plenty of time)."

Show all comments (35)
60°

Report: Inside Ubisoft's Project Renaissance, a Cancelled Minecraft-Like Voxel Game

In recent years, Ubisoft has canceled several games, one of them being a project code-named Renaissance.

100°

16 Ubisoft Titles Can Now Be Purchased on The Xbox PC Store

In a very intriguing and interesting move, 16 Ubisoft titles can now be purchased on the Xbox PC Store. Of course, this is a first as Ubisoft PC titles have never been purchasable on the Xbox PC Store previously.

Read Full Story >>
clouddosage.com
jznrpg29d ago

Servers are going to be bogged down by that 1 guy who will use this.

SimpleDad29d ago

Ahhh, the good old... Xbox PC store?
Who tf uses that?

Tacoboto29d ago

Kind of weird without them being updated to Xbox Play Anywhere purchases

MrDead28d ago

I uninstalled it as I was sick of the ads popping up on my login screen.

180°

Ubisoft Announces Weak Financial Results, Delays Games, but Assassin's Creed Shadows is Going Strong

Ubisoft announced its financial results for the fiscal year 2024-2025, and they're not good, but Assassin's Creed Shadows is doing well.

Read Full Story >>
simulationdaily.com
neutralgamer199229d ago

Three companies keep showing their true faces and telling us who they are but for some weird reason we refuse to believe them. Even when everything they show just makes their greediness even stands out more

Keep messing with the consumers and keep being greedy. Keep telling your consumers to get comfortable now owning your games and we will. You only have few IP's that gamers care about anyways so

"soon enough tencent will buy you out. They already own 49%. Keep deleting games from gamers libraries and getting sued over it instead of making offline play possible for the crew" it's sad that I believe in 10 cents more than UBI because atleast tencent knows how to run a proper business

These executives can taking millions and bonuses and stock options yet they fire those actually making the games without thinking twice. Gaming has become so greedy that their own greed will be their downfall. Companies like Capcom have realized making good quality games and treat gamers with respect

AC series started with a soul but now it's just a soulless empty option world with icons filling the game map. They make their own games so grindy so that they can see the XP boosters to even the odds. As a gamer in my 40's all I want to know is when did gaming just stop being about Fun and all about greed. Double XP weekends selling cosmetics and dances. I use to be a big sports game guy when I was in my 20's the other day I wanted to play NBA 2k and after doing some deep research I realized the best NBA game was 2k17 and NBA 2k25 at $9.79 I couldn't pull the trigger on that 2k25 for how egregious the micro transactions were. So much of the fun is behind a pay wall

dveio29d ago

True words, buddy.

Q: "So how many units did Shadows sell?"

Ubisoft: "Well, look, we ... it's been a busy week."

neutralgamer199229d ago

For over a decade, the price of video games remained steady. We paid $50, then $60 for full, content-rich experiences. Developers found creative ways to deliver incredible games without charging more. From the PS2 era through the PS4/Xbox One, pricing consistency gave players a sense of value and trust.

But then came the jump to $70 during the PS5 and Xbox Series X launches—justified by "rising development costs." And now, barely four years later, we’re seeing $80 price tags becoming more common for standard editions. At this pace, by the time the next generation of consoles launches around 2027, $90 games could be the norm. And with a behemoth like GTA 6 on the horizon, a $99.99 base price wouldn’t be shocking at all.

Yet we’ve also seen proof that this kind of pricing isn’t necessary for success. Look at the recent launches of Expedition 33 and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. Both released at $49.99 and have been met with strong sales and positive reception. These games show that there’s still plenty of room for high-quality, mid-budget (AA) titles that offer great value—and gamers are more than willing to support them at fair prices.

But here’s the problem: the big publishers don’t care. If we as consumers keep paying for deluxe editions, early access, and overpriced base games, they’ll keep pushing the limits. They’re not going to back down unless we speak with our wallets—because that’s the only language they listen to. If they see record sales, they’ll take it as validation.

It’s frustrating when these same companies report record-breaking revenue and profits—yet still complain about tariffs, still find excuses to raise prices, and still hand out bigger bonuses to their CEOs. If they’re doing so well financially, why are they passing more of the burden onto players?

It’s because gaming has become the second biggest entertainment market in the world. And with that comes attention from hedge funds, investors, and boardrooms focused on short-term profit, not long-term player trust. To them, your passion is just a revenue stream. They care about quarterly numbers, not the health of the industry or the joy of the experience.

And unless we—as players—take a stand, the greed won’t stop. The monetization will grow, the price hikes will continue, and the soul of gaming will keep slipping away. The choice is ours. We can either keep paying more for less, or we can push back. One purchase—or one refusal to purchase—at a time

dveio29d ago

"And unless we—as players—take a stand, the greed won’t stop."

And that's the tough part about it.

Look at those annual figures showing billions and billions of money being spent on the most ridiculous add-ons, DLCs, pre-release accesses, even pre-orders, digital deluxe crap, etc.

I mean - we've stood together at times. I don't say it didn't happen before.

But within all of our communities there's so much passive aggressive defensiveness.

Look at the debates regarding physical vs digital.

Publishers can't keep a straight face reading our discussions in which many people abandon physical.

Playing straight into the cards of publishers out there.

neutralgamer199228d ago (Edited 28d ago )

Like I said gamers are the biggest issue with gaming. We may united on a issue but as soon as our favorite gaming franchise gets a release we will support it. If there any doubt Mario kart will be one of the best selling games on switch 2?

Things we use to unlock by simply playing a game has not be sold to us as extra content

Rainbowcookie28d ago

I think people arebgetting tired of the formula. We see it in sales. People just want fun again.

neutralgamer199228d ago

I just want games to be fun and not geindy and full of micro transactions

anast28d ago

Even the $130 ultimate editions of UBI games are only a bit less grindy and they still beg people to buy helix coins throughout the whole experience.

It's a travesty what 2K did to NBA 2K.

neutralgamer199228d ago

It really is because NBA 2K is simply unplayable without spending money and you can't even respec for a new my player you are required to spend again

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 28d ago
SimpleDad29d ago

When you don't disclose units sold... and your stock goes down... how is this doing well?

CantThinkOfAUsername28d ago

"According to the company, Assassin’s Creed Shadows achieved the second-highest Day 1 sales revenue in franchise history, following Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. It actually had the best Day 1 performance of Ubisoft’s history on the PlayStation Store."

S2Killinit28d ago

AC Shadows is doing good yes.

gigoran829d ago

but but 2,000,000 players...

Chocoburger28d ago

Ubishit burned so many bridges with fans, releasing filler dreck that was purposefully designed to push you towards micro-trash-actions. It didn't have to be this way, they could have respected us players more, instead of making players waste countless hours of their life just to see stupid "experience points and resources numbers go up" and attempt to profit off us in such a disrespectful way. I stopped supporting them a long time ago. Keep burning bridges, and keep burning your company from within.

S2Killinit28d ago

Which UBI games did that? Im legit asking.

Chocoburger27d ago (Edited 27d ago )

Any game (be it Ubisoft or any other company) with an unnecessary shoe-horned in experience points system, endless resources collection, and a micro-trash-action store that sells you boosters that alleviate the grind.

They do it on purpose to nudge players towards spending more money, and its something I refuse to support. Nearly all modern Ubisoft games have experience points and skill trees these days, not because it makes the games better, but because it can potentially make them more money by exhausting people into giving in and buying boosters.

Assassin's Creed, Ghost Recon and more series are offenders of this game design blight.

S2Killinit27d ago

I see. And I agree. I dont like these trends either. Although I dont remember AC having paid upgrades (given that my last one was black flag)

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