As a dedicated fan of Ubisoft games, especially the iconic Assassin’s Creed series, I can’t help but feel a mix of anticipation and trepidation regarding the recent news about their planned release schedule for the franchise. I remember the golden days when Assassin’s Creed was a titan in the gaming world, and it’s heartening to see Ubisoft trying to reclaim that glory. However, the proposed six-month release cadence for the next decade feels like an ambitious endeavor, to say the least.
Previously a dominant force in the gaming industry, renowned for hit series such as Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six, Ubisoft has encountered some challenges lately. Several of their highly anticipated releases, including Star Wars: Outlaws and Skull and Bones, have fallen short of fan expectations. Even the critically acclaimed Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is said to have resulted in its development team’s disbandment due to underperforming financially. With so many promising titles missing their mark, Ubisoft appears to be betting heavily on its most successful franchise.
It’s confirmed that Ubisoft is developing several new installments of the Assassin’s Creed series, such as Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Invictus, Jade, Hexe, and a possible remake of Black Flag. Yet, there’s been talk that Ubisoft might increase the release pace of the franchise in future years, which could potentially lead to some apprehension.
The Dangers of Ubisoft’s New Release Plan
Tom Henderson, an industry insider, recently shared some intriguing insights about the future of Assassin’s Creed during an episode of the Xbox Two podcast: Ubisoft reportedly intends to release a new Assassin’s Creed game approximately every six months for the next ten years. Given that Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Assassin’s Creed Mirage are three years apart, this would represent a significant shift in the series’ usual release schedule.
It’s not unexpected that Ubisoft would stick with their release strategy, given the enduring success of the Assassin’s Creed intellectual property. Even though the company’s popularity and profits have dwindled, the Assassin’s Creed franchise remains a cash cow. While Assassin’s Creed Mirage might not have been a blockbuster, the main series entries have collectively sold over 200 million copies, making it one of the most successful video game franchises ever. Ubisoft seems determined to leverage its most profitable franchise, but there’s a risk they could overdo it and potentially exhaust the series – a problem they’ve faced in the past.
Annual Assassin’s Creed Releases in the Past
After the triumph of Assassin’s Creed 2 in 2009, Ubisoft deemed the series as a top priority. Consecutively from Assassin’s Creed 2 until Assassin’s Creed Syndicate in 2015, Ubisoft launched a fresh installment of Assassin’s Creed annually. The company even experimented with simultaneous releases, putting out both Assassin’s Creed Unity and Assassin’s Creed Rogue in 2014 on the same day.
The high frequency of releases significantly boosted the popularity of Assassin’s Creed, leading to the impressive sales figure of 200 million copies. However, it came with its own set of problems over time. Rapid annual releases led to fatigue among players, many of whom struggled to keep up due to lack of time, funds, or interest in continuous Assassin’s Creed content. This fast pace also negatively affected the series’ quality. With such a short development cycle of just one year, teams had insufficient time to develop rich narratives and refine gameplay, a fact that was evident in the numerous bugs and poor performance of Assassin’s Creed Unity at launch.
Despite Ubisoft’s efforts to continue annual releases, the shortcomings of Unity led to a sluggish sales launch for Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. This setback prompted Ubisoft to reassess its strategy for the series entirely. Instead of releasing an installment annually, they opted for a role-playing game (RPG) style, which is more amenable to monetization, with Assassin’s Creed Origins in 2017.
The new path Ubisoft has chosen for the recent Assassin’s Creed games, including the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows, has generally been successful, despite some longtime fans finding it hard to identify with the series in its current form. However, it’s quite astonishing that, according to reports, Ubisoft isn’t just repeating past errors, but amplifying them. Given their challenges in releasing an Assassin’s Creed game annually, there are concerns whether they can sustain a high-quality standard or keep players interested by launching an Assassin’s Creed game every half a year.
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2024-11-02 20:44