Ubisoft wants 'anticipation' for Assassin's Creed 2

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jun 24th 2008 at 7:30PM }

In a recent piece by Forbes, Laurent Detoc, president of Ubisoft North America, explains that the publisher won't release Assassin's Creed 2 until there is "more anticipation for it." Meaning: Ubisoft is in no rush to push Altair out of a window until it's sure there's a sufficient amount of rabid consumers below to break his fall.

Forbes uses The Prince of Persia series as an example of what Ubisoft does not want to repeat, writing that PoP: Sands of Time sold "2 million copies in its first month," followed by sequels which didn't perform as well (sounds fishy to us). Is that why the company waited three years to make a new Prince of Persia?

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

chris @ Jun 24th 2008 7:35PM

who would ever want assassin's creed 2? The first game was nothing more then a few tasks.. rinse and repeat

CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Jun 24th 2008 7:37PM

The first game didn't seem to challenging, doing the tasks was completely pointless because of how easy the countering system was. I pretty much jumped in on every guy, fought their army, and then killed them.

Titanium_Orchid @ Jun 24th 2008 7:40PM

agreed.

Ubi should have tried harder in making the first game more entertaining. Then more people would be excited about Assassin's 2.

GoldenS1104 @ Jun 24th 2008 7:57PM

Its sandbox nature saved itself. I had a lot of fun with it. Not necesarily with the campaign tasks, but everything else. I'm really hopeful for Assasin's Creed 2. There's a lot of potential there if they could just be more original and exciting with their mission design.

komamura @ Jun 24th 2008 7:58PM

The underpinning for the game was there, and the game had a great engine running under it. If the fleshed out the game alittle bit ( AKA more things to do, less repeating) I'd be intrested

WhoMe @ Jun 24th 2008 8:03PM

The first was OK. It's a powerful concept, the execution however was pitiful overall, which is a damn shame. Seriously some of the design choices were just.. *shudders*. The game was only saved by the whole Spiderman act, which had its flaws, but was overall pretty well done (well way better than expected at least).

I think the main thing for AC1 was that they had the whole "Hello my name is Jade Raymond, I'm a girl and this is my game. *giggle*" thing going for them. Couple that with their lame attempt at their SciFi twist which also created buzz and a holiday release date and voila: $$.

They were already working on AC2 before the first one shipped. They have to be pretty far along right now methinks since they basically have the tech now. Maybe another holiday release?

Titanium_Orchid @ Jun 24th 2008 8:10PM

I always assumed that AC2 would basically be the exact same game as AC1 but replace Altair with a ninja and the middle east setting with Japan.

Slayer @ Jun 24th 2008 9:59PM

HEAD ON! Apply directly to the forehead!

Slayer @ Jun 24th 2008 9:59PM

HEAD ON! Apply directly to the forehead!

Slayer @ Jun 24th 2008 9:59PM

HEAD ON! Apply directly to the forehead!

Johnny Lasley @ Jun 25th 2008 1:08PM

I loved it for the very reasons most of you hate it for. In regard to difficulty, I could make it as hard as I wanted. I loved killing dozens of Saracens to the point of death, using only a few counters for cinematic effect.

Repetitive? I would add plenty of more side quests. I loved the different routes the flag capture took, and I wanted more. In fact the only thing they had enough of were the towers and those damn flags. Maybe that was pushing it too far? Seriously, isn't there an element of repetition in all video games.

Still it wasn't perfect. The backdrop of the story was similar except for the Kingdom, which was kind of boring. The cities of Damascus, Jerusalem and Acre can't look that much alike. I often forgot what city I was in. The same was true for some of the bosses, very forgettable. Maybe the difficulty could have been upped for those.

Still in my top 5 for the PS3.

zefren @ Jul 13th 2008 4:34AM

the first game was awsome wth r u talkin bout first game kicked ass

ShadowAmongstTheCrowd @ Jul 29th 2008 7:56PM

Dude......the game was great.....what are you talking about. And definatly needs a 2nd one.

Kelso @ Jul 29th 2008 11:01AM

Assassin's Creed was the funnest sword fighting I have ever played. If they don't have a sequal I would be dissapointed. You can't leave a game open for a sequal and then not do it.

what?~ @ Aug 3rd 2008 11:27PM

What are you talking about?
the only flaw with the first one was no online play and no free play

if you didnt like the first one, why are you looking up the second one
there will be three, so get used to it

what?~ @ Aug 3rd 2008 11:45PM

hey
try not using the countering system if its so easy
combo kills look cooler anyway

Selphius @ Aug 11th 2008 8:10PM

i couldnt agree more! the ending was lameas well.

chris_lee_ninjas @ Aug 14th 2008 2:29AM

make number 2. im so pissed at the ending because it was horrible. well not really i just hate the cliff hanger. the game was amazing i think, hell of a lot of fun....why end it like you did though. i was expecting to escape in some bad ass way from that "prison" i was trapped in....i wanted to kill the damn doctor and escape. that would have made it better....not ending it with not being able to do anything except kill templars and get flags....why ubisoft why....hurry and make a part two please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Woody @ Aug 28th 2008 5:59PM

It was not about the TASKS, it was definately more about the storyline and what happened

Tommy @ Sep 7th 2008 3:01PM

Assassins Creed is the best game i have ever played! so good i got a tattoo of the Creed on my left arm. i got the action figures and all the merch i can get. I am highly anticipated for Assassins Creed 2. the game is truely Amazing, the story, everything about it. I can't wait for the follow up! "Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted."-Altair.

Flakundenga @ Jun 24th 2008 7:36PM

damn it i hope they do release cuz i want it so badly!!! i dont want to be left hanging...i want to know what happens to altair/desmond (i think that's his name)

J @ Jun 24th 2008 9:43PM

Thank you flakundenga!

I didn't mind the game play, i thought it was repetitive but what i kept repeating was FUN.

This reminds me of Crysis, guess what i spent hours doing on one of the levels. i did a quick save right before a vehicle is about to pass me and i'm cloaked. I kept reloading that save and destroying the vehicle in different ways because the physics was amazing. Grenade, rocket, strength punch... the car would go spinnin and exploding. Repetitive? Yes, give me more.

And no, i didn't give a shit about the flags in the game... but i liked the other activities.

I liked stabbing ppl, and pushing guards off roofs and throwing daggers in a dramatic fashion.

Most of all, i loved the story. I love stories like this - conspiracy theories, utopia, futuristic, and the graphics weren't too shabby. That's what made me love the deus ex series. and controversy between religions and cults and atheists.

The ending of Assassin's creed was definitely a cliff hanger, and i want more.

DON'T MAKE A FUCKING ENDING LIKE THAT WITHOUT OFFERING A SEQUEL!!!!!!!!! or else... i will frown. =\

Assassin's creed sold a lot of copies too... "fix" the gameplay, (which i thought was fine), but please continue the story in a sequel.

and please don't do some bullshit prequel.

what?~ @ Aug 3rd 2008 11:27PM

i agree with both of you
i loved the gameplay and everyone is complaining about the fighting

oh the counter system made everything easy

well then try using combo kills (they look much cooler)
and try not to counter so much

i just hope the fist fighting becomes better, it was so funn to try to kill the guards like that, but i want more variety as far as fist fighting goes

even disarms would be cool

what?~ @ Aug 3rd 2008 11:27PM

alaso i heard there will be a thrid

somthing about a trilogy....

RobLink (Return of the McElroy Defence Force) @ Jun 24th 2008 7:39PM

Let me finish the first one before you start on this. Though I haven't touched it in 4 or 5 months.....

tc @ Jun 24th 2008 7:54PM

Well i won't offer any spoilers, but don't do it.

just don't finish the game. Believe me.

Residentevil72501 @ Jun 24th 2008 7:43PM

Umm i for one would kill and kick a puppy for this game! Is that enough anticipation for you!? I like.... I love Assassin's Creed! Just make part 2 less repetative :) thanks!

Mr.ESC @ Jun 24th 2008 8:16PM

“i for one would kill and kick a puppy for this game!”

You sir have serious issues.

I say fix the story and give it a conclusion this time and not a crappy cliffhanger. Give the player more stuff to do and for the love of all that is good and pure in this world don’t put flags or at least have compassion for example:

Search 32 flags in Acre poor okay.

Search for 100 flags bad.

Even if in total are 500 flags at least you know where not to look and makes the hunt easier. At least tell me where not to look or tell me where I found the ones I got so I don’t spend 2 hours searching the damn place over and over. The official guide sucks; I ended using a fan made (Thank you xbox360achievements.org).

what?~ @ Aug 3rd 2008 11:39PM

Mr. esc
the game was great from the perspective that they accomplished what the title told

ASSASSIN'S CREED
That means they added the flags and sidemissions for more awesomeness
THEY WERE'NT PRIOITIES
yes i agree i would kill and kick a puppy for this game
and the fact that you cheated and looked up a game guide just adds to my point
you didnt play it for assassins creed, you played it for acheivements

ballistic3188 @ Jun 24th 2008 7:45PM

the are following a philosophy that kinda makes sense. cause if they release something every year they get placed in the madden problem too many to soon and not much differences in game play. spacing them out to every few years works as people will be wanting another after a while without it.

The major question is will they take this extra time to fix the myrid of problem of the orginal.

but i contend the reason that 2 and 3 didn't sell well. is cause 2 sucked bad and turned off people to 3

Brodie-san @ Jun 25th 2008 4:29AM

I enjoyed PoP:WW but it did have some serious design issues. The fighting got repetitive and I definitely experienced bugs when shifting time period and getting "stuck" on a certain place because there was no way to continue. I had to consult walkthroughs (which I detest doing) only to see such comments in the guides like: "Don't do X here. If you do, you're screwed later on. This is a bug in the game." WTF?

I picked up PoP: TTT but never got around to playing it. I heard it was shorter than the second game and corrected some of the previous game's imbalances. I don't know if I'll ever get to it now though.

Jenks @ Jun 24th 2008 7:47PM

I don't think much gameplay will carry over to Assassin's Creed 2, assuming it takes place in the present. I welcome a continuation of the story.

KiraXD @ Jun 24th 2008 7:48PM

i loved Assassins Creed... but anticipation could turn into forgotten.

mcatrage @ Jun 24th 2008 7:59PM

Yeah games with no replay value really don't create anticipation. Plus we know it's a trilogy so no rush really.

KiraXD @ Jun 24th 2008 7:49PM

"who would ever want assassin's creed 2? The first game was nothing more then a few tasks.. rinse and repeat"

At least Assassins Creed was better than GTA IV.

KiraXD @ Jun 24th 2008 7:51PM

Reply directed @ to Chris

RobLink (Return of the McElroy Defence Force) @ Jun 24th 2008 8:00PM

"At least Assassins Creed was better than GTA IV."

For the first hour or two, I'd agree with you. But once you realise that you'll be doing the exact same thing throughout, it really does start to grate.

Mr.ESC @ Jun 24th 2008 8:04PM

KiraXD Said:”At least Assassins Creed was better than GTA IV”

Are you serious? In that case may I borrow your copy of AC? Mine most have something wrong It is this sandbox game with little to nothing to do after the main story except collecting flags, the story mode was predictable and irritating from the beginning to the end which is ”buy the sequel” and if you played the first missions you practically played all the game.

I mean if your version of AC is better than GTA IV then I see why Ubisoft bragged so much abut Ac and said it was the shit and not a prententious game.I mean the graphics are visualy amazing but after that is failure flakes and sour milk.

Mr.ESC @ Jun 24th 2008 8:09PM

Talking about Failure flakes.

*I mean if your version of AC is better than GTA IV then I see why Ubisoft bragged so much about Ac and said it was the shit and not a pretentious game. I mean the graphics are visually amazing but after that is failure flakes and sour milk.

Edit.

KiraXD @ Jun 24th 2008 8:21PM

For the first hour or two, I'd agree with you. But once you realise that you'll be doing the exact same thing throughout, it really does start to grate.

yeah GTA IV really does have that effect doesnt it?
wait.. what game are you talking about?

This is my point... both games are basically the same repetitive crap over and over go out kill a bastard.. get another request from someone... do it again... only AC looks better doing it.