Ubisoft, It's Time To Move On From Assassin's Creed

If there’s one franchise that’s defined Ubisoft over the past decade, it’s Assassin’s Creed. But it's time to let the franchise go - and here's why.

[-Foxtrot]

They have so many franchises they could easily have one big game a year

Prince of Persia
Splinter Cell
Rayman 4 - 3D Platformer
Beyond Good and Evil
Driver
Reboot Assassins Creed

That's not counting the multiplayer focused games like the Division, Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six, The Crew etc. They could easilly have one multiplayer game and one single player game a year. If they followed a pattern you'd not see Assassins Creed for 5-6 years if they wanted.

[NapalmSanctuary]

Assassins Creed needs to go back to being strictly about assassinations. They need to drop all the side mission crap, all the rpg crap, all that shit that distracts from the things we all bought the first Assassins Creed to do. It needs to be about planning and executing the kill, and thats it.

One thing though. They need to cut out all the pre-canned setups. Thats one thing Ive always hated about AC. They always force you to fight this target here and chase that target there, and even when they do let you just go for it, they so strictly design it so that theres only one or two ways to approach the situation. They need to open it up, stop treating us like idiots and let us be creative. Basically it needs a serious sense of emergence. Thats what I thought AC was going to be, back in the beginning, and thats why that first game had me so excited.

Also, they can cut the modern day bs. Its completely unnecessary and just gets in the way of the gameplay.

[Interloper]

Strange, I still find myself planning and executing assassinations in Origins and Odyssey... :(

[RDOUBLE]

I have to agree with you. I had fun with origins and I am having fun with odyssey, I just prefer the old combat better and the assassinations better.

[Dspdspes]

Assassins Creed meets Hitman!

[Christopher]

***Assassins Creed needs to go back to being strictly about assassinations. They need to drop all the side mission crap, all the rpg crap, all that shit that distracts from the things we all bought the first Assassins Creed to do. It needs to be about planning and executing the kill, and thats it. ***

Disagree. And you still assassinate in all AC games. They just added to it.

***One thing though. They need to cut out all the pre-canned setups. Thats one thing Ive always hated about AC. They always force you to fight this target here and chase that target there, and even when they do let you just go for it, they so strictly design it so that theres only one or two ways to approach the situation.***

This is how it is in Odyssey for most kills. In fact, some of them allow you to have alternatives to assassination as it ties into the story.

***Also, they can cut the modern day bs. Its completely unnecessary and just gets in the way of the gameplay.***

Agree in past games, but in Odyssey, there are literally two future scene elements and that's it.

[LegoIsAwesome]

So you want the original gameplay to be back? Where in press counter then instant kill then attacking the remaining enemy will be killed instantly until the battle ends? That's what you want until this day? Then complains when they change the gameplay? Then when they change the gameplay you will whine claiming the old gameplay is better?

[zahdab]

@christopher u cant assisnate any traget of a higher level no matter how sneaky u are assassination does very little damage it ends blowing ur cover and everyone chasing after you ...
Even ennemies of the same level sometimes have more health than u can do with an assasination ... these have become more like sneak attacks ... at least thats the game on hard.

The entire game levels up with you so ur level is irrelevant its more of hurdle blocking progression .... even if u level up if ur gear isnt leveled up ur screwed ...

Game has so much blocking player progression just to lure them i to microtransactions

[Christopher]

***@christopher u cant assisnate any traget of a higher level no matter how sneaky u are assassination does very little damage it ends blowing ur cover and everyone chasing after you ...***

Yes you can.

Maximize assassin bonuses over warrior and hunter on gear, also invest in critical% as assassinations can crit hit. For especially tough enemies, add either poison or flame damage before assassination attempt and invest in elemental damage. I suggest fire over poison.

Buy the skills Shadow Assassin, Rush Assassination, Critical Assassination, STealth Master, Hero Strike, Vanish, and Call to Arms.

Use Call to Arms to distract groups around targets. Use Critical Assassination to do most damage to target. Use Hero Strike to finish them off if they are still standing. If anyone sees you, use Vanish to evade without having to fight them.

This idea that a single attack assassinates everyone hasn't been true in the game since ACBrotherhood. Since then, there are various scenarios in which a single assassination is not the end result. Odyssey follows suit but gives you the tools to make the best of it. And even higher level targets can be assassinated.

I killed the #1 merceary at 47 using the above method, zero fighting. That's a massively HP holding mercenary with protections from assassinations, taken out 3 levels early by using the right gear, focusing on the right skills, and using them properly.

But, if you are commonly attacking enemies at a higher level than you, I wonder what you're doing as following the storyline and just doing the main storyline quests, you're going to be leveling out in the story-specific regions you are sent. So, perhaps the issue here isn't the game but your decision to go to areas on your own and expect for them to be the same level as you when in past games you would have been locked out of those areas all together because the story hadn't progressed to that region (or, if you're playing Black Flag, Unity, Syndicate, you would get your butt handed to you by higher level enemies easily).

***Game has so much blocking player progression just to lure them i to microtransactions***

Utter BS. Just pablum.

Just following the storyline you will outlevel regions you're in easily, but they will level up with you, early on being one level below you and later being two levels below you if they're lower level regions.

I have no clue how you're playing this game, but it's not the game holding you back if you're trying to explore areas not intended for you so early on. Are you trying to finish Artemis questline at level 20 or something? Or do you just not know that it's a quest to complete over the whole gameplay (up to about level 35)? Or are you trying to kill ever 'assassination hit list member' first even though that's supposed to be done as you progress the story as well?

And Legendary gear for armor is worse than epic, which drops aplenty in the game. Why? Because you're forgoing 3 engraving slots by using the 4th across each armor piece for just one. So, the microtransaction gear isn't holding you back, let alone doing those oricalcum (sp?) quests can net you stuff to get gear from the store, not locked behind mtx. Let alone the amount of legendary gear in the game freaking dwarfs the hell out of the store offerings. Let alone the mtx gear is all warrior focused, not assassin focused...

[Christopher]

I agree they should take a two-year break from it, but in two years, if you don't like AC, just don't buy it. I don't see why those who do like it and want them shouldn't have access to them.

I do want to see something new out of Ubisoft. And I don't mean Watch_Dogs 3. They've got The Division 2 coming up in 2019, but I'm hoping they have a new IP or evolve some older IP for a modern audience.

[Aries83]

@ -Foxtrot

Driver!!!

[ziggurcat]

the only thing this series needs is a longer release schedule.

and less designing the game around MTs.

[wwinterj]

I agree with your first point however not your second point as the games are no designed around MTs.

[ziggurcat]

I can give you a laundry list of things they removed from the game or put behind a paywall in order to lead people into buying their MTs.

But yeah, if they are going to stick with the RPG route, especially an open world one, then they really have to extend the release schedule. With the amount of bugs going on in this game compared to Origins (which was released two years after Syndicate), its quite evident that more time is needed to iron out the kinks.

[wwinterj]

You've gone on from "designing the game around MTs" to crying about bugs. I get the impression you've not even played the game because if you did you would know nothing is locked behind a paywall or has been removed.

[ziggurcat]

"You've gone on from "designing the game around MTs" to crying about bugs..."

No. It's stating that if the game is going to maintain its RPG route, a longer period of time to develop the game would result in less bugs (obviously). It's evident when you look at Origins (which had a 2-year gap), and Odyssey (which had a 1-year gap) that the shorter release schedule resulted in more bugs in the game. I experienced more issues in Odyssey than I ever did in Origins.

"I get the impression you've not even played the game..."

That's cute. You are free to look up my PSN profile if you feel so inclined.

"... because if you did you would know nothing is locked behind a paywall or has been removed."

Treasure maps you could purchase from merchants with in-game money that revealed all collectibles on the map, were placed behind a paywall. The passive method of generating money, which was a staple of the game leading up to Origins, is now completely removed from the game because if you have a method of generating in-game money hand over fist, there'd be no reason for anyone to want to buy their money packs. I could go on if you'd like.

[wwinterj]

I'd rather you not go on because all those so called points are simply invalid and I'd imagine your other things would be too. It's easy as hell to make money in the game so I don't care if apparently some "staple" has been removed. Something that I've never noticed before but eh. As for the collectable map thing alright you may have got me with that one. We know how very important these things are to playing the game. *rolls eyes*
Here is a spoiler though. AC is taking a year off so in 2020 when another game comes out you'll probably be here with the same none issue compliments no matter what you believe about dev cycles.

[PhoenixUp]

You really think Ubisoft is going to move on from their most profitable series?

You’d have a better time at trying to convince Nintendo to move on from Mario, Sega to move on from Sonic, Square Enix to move on from Final Fantasy, Sony to move on from Gran Turismo, Activision to move on from Call of Duty, Capcom to move on from Resident Evil, EA to move on from FIFA, Rockstar to move on from Grand Theft Auto, Microsoft to move on from Halo, Bethesda to move on from Elder Scrolls, & Blizzard to move on from World of Warcraft.

Yeah obviously many of those games don’t release mainline titles as frequently as Assassin’s Creed, but realistically Ubisoft has no reason to abandon the franchise.

[starsi360]

Can you list more examples? Not sure you've got enough there to explain your point....

[Switch4One]

To be fair, Sony don't release GT yearly. They've got a lot of profitable franchises and spread them out quite nicely.

[zahdab]

Except we dont get a mario every year .... i eish we did ... bcoz ea h mario is u ique and esch zelda is unique they dont recycle 80% of the game

[Vetalka83]

i love my assassins creed every year

[UltraNova]

You my friend are a different breed of masochist.

[bignosepig]

I guess some people are just satisfied with playing the same game over, and over, and over, and over again. I wish I could be that easily entertained.

[UltraNova]

Have I ever told you the definition of insanity?

[BigTrain]

Really. Franchise needs to burn. Greatest example of a dumbed-down cash cow that wont go away already.

[LegoIsAwesome]

Do you play sports game? Weird, its release yearly with minimal change and no complain. CoD? No complains. This? Really

[starchild]

Except it's not the same game over and over again. That's complete nonsense. This series evolves more than most other series I've played.

[porkChop]

Why? Between Origins and Odyssey, the series finally got its footing back. What they need to do is go a bit easier on the MTs, scale back the world size a bit, and focus on more densely populating their worlds with fun stuff to do.

[Psychotica]

Scale back world size?? They need to increase it in my opinion, the bigger the better..

[monkey602]

They already pack the massive world with a stupid amount of mundane collectibles and uninteresting side missions to pad out the map. It certainly doesn't need to be any bigger

[TheColbertinator]

-Makes money
-Dedicated fans
-Positive Reviews

I doubt Ubisoft will shelve AC anytime soon.

[Dark_Knightmare2]

Gtho author I love ac it’s one of the most unique franchises out there and they’ve just been getting better these last three entries

[TheDarkArtisan]

Ubisoft do make some great, value for money games. Assassin's Creed is a popular IP, but has strayed from it's roots to the point that, as spectacular as a game it may be, the whole Assassin's Creed ethos has become pointless, and annoying in parts. They clearly can make amazing and detailed open worlds now, so just drop the Assassin's Creed element, and just release as a new dedicated RPG IP; be it ancient Greece with some historical mythology thrown in, or a pirate epic which is solely about the world of pirates. Instead, release a genuine Assassin's Creed game every 4 years or so, going back to basics with the whole conspiracy idea, and concentrate on the assassin abilities more.. perhaps taking Dishonoured's style of gaming. This should prevent the series getting stale and it's originality from being washed out. I agree with some other people posting on here, why don't Ubisoft resurrect an older IP.. Prince of Persia is begging for a new release, with the experience Ubisoft now have with open world creation, and vehicles in games, surely they could now give Rockstar a run for their money, with a new Driver game, perhaps pushing the boundaries further in gameplay (and with a better control system, which has always been Rockstar's Achille's Heel).

[Mr Marvel]

Keep Assassin’s Creed... lose the Animus.
IMO Odyssey & Origins are easily the best of the series.

[chris235]

lol i thought so since ac2, but kids of today are crazy about the next generic experience.

[BigTrain]

Say that!! Wouldn't know a good game if it smacked them in the face. The hobby is overwhelmed with annual sequels and originality has been squashed by corporate takeover and MT's.

[Kosic]

I recently just started Origins. If they kept with the same gameplay as the previous games I'd agree. They'd need to move on. But origins is a nice change.

They could've made a new IP out of the reboot, and it would've done well as it's a fairly solid game.

But what Ubisoft need to do and that is change the formula. Every game they make feels like an Ubisoft game. The bugs feel like ubisoft. Combat , world map etc. It's really easy to tell who made it.

[jinjojuice]

Origins and odyssey are fantastic games in the franchise. can't wait for their next one in 2020 probably.

[FloydianAndroid]

Origins was fantastic and odyssey is good too. I disagree that it’s time to move on.

[CarlDechance]

No AC is still a great series. I'm loving Odyssey. Like it better than Origins personally.

[cyber_daemonx]

This article is about 5 years overdue.

[Zeref]

Uhm well thats like your opinion man. They already moved away from making it a yearly franchise. And look at what that has done for the series. They essentially rebooted it. AC is fine.

[Psychotica]

It may be time for you to move on, there is no need for Ubisoft to move on since plenty of people still like AC..

[HeisenbergX]

For the love of god please move on .. bring back Prince of Persia and Rayman

[BigTrain]

Those games are nice but just come with something new already. There's been enough money made to finance a 6 year long developed mega hit. That's what we need.

[Eldyraen]

AC is alternated by 2 or 3 main studios. Just keep one on a 2-3 year cycle and have the others expand to other games again.

That way AC fans get the game we want still but also games we either no longer get or more new and unique IPs again (Skulls and Crossbones will be a new IP but is clearly inspired by AC Black Flag, so uniqueness factor gets dropped some). Put one of the AC teams on PoP though.

[frayed]

It all depends how well they can innovate. The gameplay revamp in Origins was smart and impactful. If they can keep doing that why not? But yes, the concept needs some restraint for it not to get tired. Iteration can be dull if it seems like minor additions here and there, but it can also push the genre forward. I think Ubi has definitely brought new ideas to the table for open world game design. Frankly though, I still don't think I've enjoyed an open world game more than Arkham City (that felt like the perfect videogamer power fantasy where story, character, exploration, action and progression all flow seamlessly together at the players whim).

[sampsonon]

Agreed

[yomfweeee]

Odyssey is selling faster than any previous AC game. So maybe it is time for you to move on from the games if you've grown tired of them. Ubisoft isn't going to move on from a successful franchise that is growing in popularity.

[Saijahn]

I still want an AC game about the origins of the ninja and an AC game that finishes the franchise but it's all in present time. After that they can bury the Assassin's Creed title

[Eldyraen]

China or Japan for sure before they drop AC, unless they make a stand-alone IP dropping sci-fi bits so no longer really AC even if similar.

A ninja AC though would be the perfect time to bring back more varied assassination options. Tenchu for example had melee combat, stealth, poisoned food, etc to add to stealth mechanics which would be great for an AC game.

[Saijahn]

Man I miss tenchu, that game would be incredible on the powerful consoles we have now and with the right devs

[Dugard]

How about Ubisoft jsut wrap up the god dam story of AC in present day once and for all, give us that final battle of Assassins and Templars rather than more historical locations. I mean whats next AC Mayans? Viking? Just finish the story.

[Ogygian]

"Assassin's Creed" is just the franchise name for their historical action-RPG games.

I hope they keep on going with the series because it allows us to game while feeling we're actually learning something about history.

[Grown Folks Talk]

Give me a true co-op version 1st. Not that half step stuff from a few games ago. An actual co-op campaign I can play with another person, or maybe up to 3 other people. Strategize & plan missions & hit targets together. Then you can go.

[Kaiou]

Played every AC game except for Rouge and with Origin and Odyssey, I'm finally having more fun than I ever had in any AC game including 2 and Black Flag. This is one franchise I never wish to stop and I'm one of those who agreed that Dark Souls deserved a break.

[Magog]

The new games should have had a new name. They are so far removed from the original games they aren't even related anymore.

[starchild]

Nonsense. Nothing but extreme hyperbole. The series has evolved, which is a good thing, but it's still by and large the same type of game it was since the start. I still feel like I'm playing Assassin's Creed, just one that has evolved and improved over time.

[1nsomniac]

Amen brother!

[micdagoat19]

Only one Iv'e ever hated was part 3 and that was because of the combat change. Iv'e always loved the story

[Knightofelemia]

I like my Assassin's Creed but yearly releases are bad that's when the game becomes buggy and a pile of crap. To be honest I am waiting for Ubisofts Skull and Bones game that one has my interest peaked.

[Artemidorus]

Give us Sam Fisher.

[Elda]

I like AC but I think it needs to do go back to it's original style but set somewhere in the future with a futuristic setting.

[XxINFERNUSxX]

This and COD should just move on. Not even worth it for me to torrent when its cracked.