The end of October sees the latest Assassin’s Creed launch, a game that has an actual number suffixed to the end of it. Assassin’s Creed 2 launched back in 2009, brining with it some much-needed improvements, before continuing the tale with annual releases in the for of AC: Brotherhood and AC: Revelations. And that’s a development cycle that will continue with the latest game as well, according to creative director Alex Hutchinson.
Speakking to CVG at Gamescom, Hutchinson said that the annual-release cycle in the Assassin’s Creed line would continue with the third game, and that it was all a part of the Triple-A process of game design. “Since when is something less amazing if you get a new one every year?” Hutchinson said.
If Breaking Bad was shown twice a week I’d watch it twice a week. If Radiohead put out an album every six months I’d gladly buy one every six months.
If people want these massive triple-A blockbusters, people will have to accept that we have to make our money back somehow. It’s rare that you’ll make your money back on the first one.
Assassin’s Creed 3 is a huge undertaking – we went back to basics on a number of things, including tech. Any revenue that a publisher can get to make riskier projects is cool with me.
People say it’s the dark side of capitalism but it’s more like communism; we have big projects whose success pay for the little projects.
Hutchinson said that Assassin’s Creed is no longer seen as just a trilogy by Ubisoft, that has its “ups and downs.”. We were reading reviews about Assassin’s Creed Revelations and a few people were asking whether this was the end of the franchise, and we were thinking ‘er slow down’,” Hutchinson said. “I mean, I’m no huge fan of Metacritic but the game got an eighty on there. That’s not too bad really.”
The way we see Assassin’s Creed 3 now is as a franchise, like Mario or Resident Evil, that will have its ups and downs. It wasn’t the original plan to be an ongoing series, no, but it became the plan. The curse of success, for want of better phrase.
But if you can keep a series interesting and fresh then I don’t see why it shouldn’t go on. Nintendo has been great at reinvigorating their franchises, as have other Japanese companies, so we feel we can too.
Personally, I adored the first annual release, Brotherhood, which I felt really added something to the growing franchise of this unique game universe. Revelations felt more tired though, and certain gameplay inclusions (Den Defense!) didn’t exactly help the game rise above that challenge.
Still, if AC3 can spin something that leans more towards Brotherhood in 2013, I’d be game for it. After all, Ubisoft needs something with which to buy time to craft the inevitable fourth game, which according to gaming rules, will be a prequel, after the trilogy has wrapped.
Which is why I’m imagining that we’ll be playing as a caveman with an extendable club fighting Templar Cro-Magnons riding Apatosauruses. Mark my words gentlemen, because when 2015 rolls around, you’ll see that game unveiled at E3 in Mexico.
Last Updated: August 20, 2012
