Joystiq

Amazon discounts the entire Assassin's Creed franchise for one day only

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:58:00 EST

We warned you yesterday, so if you picked up a copy of Assassin's Creed: Revelations yesterday afternoon and it wasn't severely discounted, that's kinda on you, dawg. Anyway, Amazon is holding a one-day-only sale on everything Assassin's Creed, from the first game all the way through to Ezio's closing act. That means Revelations for $36 (40 percent off), Brotherhood for $20 (that's half off), and AC1 and 2 for $15 a pop (pop, pop).

The PC versions offer similar discounts, though the DS and PSP games aren't discounted at all. Then again, let's not kid ourselves, you're really just looking for the major releases, aren't you? That's okay, we are too.

Amazon discounts the entire Assassin's Creed franchise for one day only originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Soulcalibur V launches on January 31, 2012; Ezio sneaks into the game

David Hinkle — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:09:00 EST

The rumors are true! Assassin's Creed: Revelations protagonist Ezio Auditore de Firenze is the secret guest character in Soulcalibur V, the latest trailer reveals, and it looks like he's coming packed with all of his trusty pointy objects. And a crossbow!

Namco Bandai also revealed a January 31, 2012 launch date for Soulcalbur V, and handed over the above trailer. Hidden wrist-blade Soul Edge, anyone?

Soulcalibur V launches on January 31, 2012; Ezio sneaks into the game originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft says always-on DRM is 'a success,' fans are confused

Jessica Conditt — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 14:30:00 EST

Ubisoft riled the masses with news that Driver: San Francisco will have always-on DRM, requiring that players be constantly connected to the internet for the game to function. Ubisoft has used constant DRM in previous titles, such as Assassin's Creed 2 and Splinter Cell: Conviction, arguing it combats piracy. Players argue DRM is an unfair, frustrating hassle, and Ubisoft is now counter-arguing this point, with the announcement that always-on DRM has been "a success."

Ubisoft said it has seen "a clear reduction in piracy of our titles which required a persistent online connection, and from that point of view the requirement is a success," speaking with PC Gamer. Ubisoft has also successfully angered many fans, who say its DRM policies only hurt those who pay for the game, and citing previous DRM titles that have been cracked, pirated and hacked anyway.

Ubisoft has previously removed DRM from its titles, but this year the restriction is making a comeback -- and we'll get to decide if it's on the level of Justin Timberlake or Vanilla Ice.

Ubisoft says always-on DRM is 'a success,' fans are confused originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 30 Jul 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft survey gauges interest in Assassin's Creed, Ghost Recon films

David Hinkle — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 21:30:00 EST

A survey floating around seems to suggest Ubisoft is entertaining the idea of bringing some of its franchises over to the big screen -- specifically, Assassin's Creed and Ghost Recon. The above image was submitted to Evil Avatar, which says the survey is geared the toward finding out what would most make those taking it want to see movies based on the franchises -- Ezio, Subject 16 and the like.

While we feel the world would probably be just fine without another war flick, we'd be all for an Assassin's Creed movie, granted that the project wasn't entirely about making money but also making a good movie. We're probably being a bit naive, though.

Ubisoft survey gauges interest in Assassin's Creed, Ghost Recon films originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jade Raymond optimistic of new studios, IP development

Alexander Sliwinski — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 18:30:00 EST

Ubisoft Toronto Managing Director Jade Raymond's presentation at DICE expressed her belief that despite the current upheaval in the industry, she believes now is a great time to start a studio. Referencing EA Sports boss Peter Moore's speech about the industry being on a "burning oil platform" -- the idea being that it only changes when it has to -- Raymond believes it's more like a burning oil tanker that can course correct. One would hope she'd be optimistic about current core development being viable, considering she manages, what will become in time, one of the biggest studios in the industry.

In terms of IP development, she explained that the Ubisoft team spent a year of pre-production building the foundations of the Assassin's Creed franchise. "We spent quite a bit of time during conception thinking about the franchise metastory and story arc. And, most importantly, thinking of how to make sandboxes that future game teams and future teams in other media would be able to experiment and come up with their own stuff in this franchise." Regarding the ability to do Assassin's Creed comics, TV or a movie down the road, "You'll never get the best out of people if you just hand them this stone tablet."

Clearly showing her roots working on The Sims Online, it's quite obvious Raymond is a disciple of Will Wright's ideas about fan involvement in franchises. "I think you need to rely on fans," believing that the fan community will identify the best ideas to work from. She Iterated a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson for the video game industry: Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small franchises.

Raymond made clear that Assassin's Creed was designed as a franchise that could be handed over to professionals to expand the world, she said that the next IP Ubisoft is creating in Toronto will hopefully be "handed over to fans."

Jade Raymond optimistic of new studios, IP development originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSN Tuesday: UnderGarden, Bionic Commando: Rearmed 2

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:31:00 EST

This week's PSN update adds The UnderGarden and Bionic Commando: Rearmed 2, two titles that didn't review all too well on our little corner of the internet. Although, not all is lost, if you somehow missed out on playing one of the best games of 2009, Assassin's Creed 2 is available for $30. The "Deluxe Edition" includes the core game along with all the DLC.

Check out the Fight Night Champion demo if you're looking to play something punchy. The full PSN update can be found after the break... and please try to ignore the crickets hanging out in the PSP section.

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:

(Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)

Continue reading PSN Tuesday: UnderGarden, Bionic Commando: Rearmed 2

PSN Tuesday: UnderGarden, Bionic Commando: Rearmed 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Black Ops tops UK charts this holiday, NFS: Hot Pursuit gets sales boost

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 09:50:00 EST

For a second year in a row going into Christmas, the Call of Duty franchise is king of the Chart-Track UK All Formats chart, with CoD:Black Ops sales slightly up and occupying the space where CoD: Modern Warfare 2 was last year. FIFA 11 placed second, which is nothing unusual. However, coming out of nowhere, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit sales jumped 48 percent, which boosted the game from seventh to third.

Occupying the fourth and fifth spots respectively are Ubisoft's Just Dance 2 and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Just Dance 2 sales were up fifteen percent this week, which means, unless something very strange happens next week, a member of the Just Dance franchise will have been in the top of the UK charts for all of 2010. The first Just Dance owned much of the early part of the year.

Check out the UK's top ten -- keep hanging in there, Donkey Kong Country Returns! -- after the break.

Continue reading Black Ops tops UK charts this holiday, NFS: Hot Pursuit gets sales boost

Black Ops tops UK charts this holiday, NFS: Hot Pursuit gets sales boost originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon offering some great games for $20 or less

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 19:25:00 EST

Despite what you may think, it would be actually criminal to miss out on today's incredible Amazon game deals. Batman: Arkham Asylum (not the Game of the Year edition, alas) for $15? Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker for just $20? Chrono Trigger for $15? It's kind of like a fire sale over there.

You can peruse the entire list for yourself right here, and read our suggestions after the break. Frankly, we're inclined to buy each person on our holiday shopping list a copy of Assassin's Creed 2. It's only $20!

Continue reading Amazon offering some great games for $20 or less

Amazon offering some great games for $20 or less originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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JoyStats: 40% of players finished Assassin's Creed 2 campaign

David Hinkle — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, In The News, Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

During a recent press event, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood mission director Gaelec Simard disclosed to Joystiq that 40 percent of Assassin's Creed 2 players finished the game -- "which is huge," he added. The figure is up roughly 5 percent from the estimated 35 percent completion percentage of AC1 players on Xbox Live, who were tracked through their Achievements.

Ubisoft's AC2 data paints a more complete, cross-platform picture of the total player base's completion rate, as it was provided by the game's built-in Uplay service, which tracks gameplay statistics (in addition to providing a platform through which players can unlock in-game content). Still, players must have their consoles connected to the internet and must register Uplay accounts before the service begins tracking their data.

While 40 percent completion might seem low, especially for one of the best games of 2009, it's still significantly higher than the less than 30 percent rate of completion among a sampling of GTA IV players, as found in a study published by Gamasutra a year ago. "In the industry, the number of games that are finished is more like five to ten percent," Simard figured. "We all think people finish games, but when you start asking around, you'll find that a lot of people don't get to the end. We want the player to experience the whole package, so that's something we're trying to push."

JoyStats: 40% of players finished Assassin's Creed 2 campaign originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed artwork being showcased in Paris gallery

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 04:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Parisian gallery Arludik will feature concept art created for the Assassin's Creed series during the month of October. "Assassin's Creed L'Exposition" will run from October 5-30 and features 35 pieces of original concept art. Ubisoft claims the canvases have been appraised between €600 ($820) and €2,000 ($2,725).

If you'd like to own a piece of the exhibit, two pieces were selected to have a limited run of 149 lithograph prints. Those will go on sale, likely in the limited edition section of the gallery's website, for €80 ($110). Those pieces will come with a certificate of authenticity and will be hand-signed by Ubi's graphic art director. Proceeds from the sales will be donated to MO5, an organization seeking to preserve the history of video games.

Assassin's Creed artwork being showcased in Paris gallery originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed 2 now on XBL Games on Demand, Brotherhood Avatar items added

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Xbox Live Marketplace has gone assassin crazy today, throwing Assassin's Creed 2 onto Games on Demand and tossing a gondola-load of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood items onto the Avatar Marketplace. The game will run you $40, and the Avatar outfits aren't exactly cheap, weighing in at $5 each.

Assassin's Creed 2 now on XBL Games on Demand, Brotherhood Avatar items added originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft fiscal Q1 sales up 94% over last year

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Ubisoft has released a preliminary report on its fiscal first quarter, which ended June 30, revealing that software sales totaled €161 million ($207.8M). The company recorded a 94 percent revenue increase over the same period last year thanks to sustained sales of Assassin's Creed 2, Just Dance and Avatar. The company also reported "solid performance" from Splinter Cell: Conviction and shipped 1.9 million units of the game during the quarter. Ubisoft will reveal actual profit (or loss) figures for the quarter at a later date.

The company expects sales in the second quarter, which concludes at the end of September, to be flat year-over-year at an estimated €83 million ($107M). The company's Q2 releases are "highlighted" by plans to ship HAWX 2, Racquet Sports and R.U.S.E. -- although the strategy game has been known to live up to its name when it comes to sticking to a release date.

Ubisoft fiscal Q1 sales up 94% over last year originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Splinter Cell Conviction and Assassin's Creed 2 sneaking to Mac by September

Andrew Yoon — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Apple fans can expect two more games on their shiny Mac computers from Ubisoft in the coming months. Ubisoft updated its product lineup for its fiscal Q2, featuring Mac versions of the not-very-Microsoft-exclusive Splinter Cell Conviction and Assassin's Creed 2. Given the timespan of the fiscal quarter, that means these games will be available as early as July, or as late as September.

The Mac version of Assassin's Creed 2 is currently listed as an EMEA release, which means it's planned for release in Europe, Middle East and Africa. We'll contact Ubisoft to see if a North American release is in the works as well.

Splinter Cell Conviction and Assassin's Creed 2 sneaking to Mac by September originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XBL Deal of the Week: Assassin's Creed 2 DLC and Avatar gear

Richard Mitchell — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:20:00 EST

Just this once, we promise not to rely on killing metaphors to describe Assassin's Creed 2 deals. It's too easy. Instead, let's say that the AC2 DLC and Avatar items are at least 25 percent cheaper for Xbox Live Gold members this week. Suffice it to say that the prices have been cut ... Damn.

Continue reading XBL Deal of the Week: Assassin's Creed 2 DLC and Avatar gear

XBL Deal of the Week: Assassin's Creed 2 DLC and Avatar gear originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OnLive: The first few weeks

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST

Much like reviewing an MMO, I didn't really feel comfortable "reviewing" OnLive and I don't know that I ever will. I can (and will) make a handful of declarative statements about my feelings on the service as it stands right now, but, like an MMO, sweeping changes could occur tomorrow that obliviate all previous statements. That said, as of right now, OnLive works.

In my experience with the service -- on both coasts and three major US cities -- it was quick, responsive, and relatively free of bugs (though I did encounter a couple). And demos are available for almost every game, so I put at least a bit of time in with nearly every title currently playable. Dirt 2 with DirectX 11 running on my 10-month-old (Apple!) laptop? Speeds along without a hitch. Unreal Tournament 3? No issues (well, other than not finding anyone to play against outside of bots). I was also able to hook up a wired Xbox 360 controller without any additional installation and it worked flawlessly -- the Xbox guide button even brought up the OnLive guide and auto-paused games (madness!). And though I probably wouldn't suggest OnLIve for hardcore, twitch gamers -- and neither would the company itself -- I would absolutely recommend it to everyone else.

Gallery: GDC 09: OnLive debut

Continue reading OnLive: The first few weeks

OnLive: The first few weeks originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buy Assassin's Creed 2 on Impulse, get AC1 free

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:40:00 EST

Do you have a penchant for murder? Really athletic murder? Then you'd probably like to know that Impulse has a two-for-one deal on parkour-infused assassination this weekend. Snag Assassin's Creed 2 for $40 and you'll also get the original Assassin's Creed for free. No leap of faith required!

Buy Assassin's Creed 2 on Impulse, get AC1 free originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One vote at Ubisoft for giving the Assassin's Creed franchise a year off

JC Fletcher — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

"I don't think there's going to be an Assassin's Creed in 2011," Ubisoft associate producer Jean-Francois Boivin told Eurogamer. "I think we're going to let it breathe a bit and really focus on bringing something new and exciting for the next time around."

Since the release of Assassin's Creed 2, we've seen the release of three Assassin's Creed games, with two more on the way. Boivin seems justified in being concerned with franchise fatigue, even citing the case of music games like Guitar Hero, whose releases Activision has pledged to curtail.

"Honestly, I think for the benefit of everybody - and business can come back and override everything I say because at the end of the day it's about selling games," Boivin said, "I believe that this license needs a breather. You can't plough a field every year. Once every three years - or once every something - you have to let it breathe." We think he's right about one thing -- that the corporate side of the company can override even the best creative decision to sell some games. Which is exactly what's going to happen in 2011.

One vote at Ubisoft for giving the Assassin's Creed franchise a year off originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed 2 Ezio figure sneaks into view

David Hinkle — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Looking to intimidate all of the other figurines on your toy shelf? You may want to check out Hot Toys' 1/6th scale recreation of Assassin's Creed 2 protagonist, Ezio Audisomethingorother -- which comes complete with a set of interchangeable hands, knives, swords and even a ponytail.

There's no word on price right now, but the figure is planned to launch in Q3. Considering its 30 points of articulation, 30cm height, real metal weapons and complex uniform -- not to mention the going rate on some of Hot Toys' other figures -- you'll probably want to start saving your Florins right now.

Gallery: Assassin's Creed 2's Ezio figure (from Hot Toys)

Assassin's Creed 2 Ezio figure sneaks into view originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed 2 'Complete Edition' spotted at UK retailers

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 19 May 2010 12:30:00 EST

When Assassin's Creed 2 publisher Ubisoft released the game's two missing chapters as DLC, some of our commenters claimed that they were going to wait for a "Game of the Year" edition to be created at some point in the future. Well, we hope that you futureseers live in the UK, as a listing for "Assassin's Creed 2: Complete Edition" has popped up on two UK retailers sites, brandishing new box art and packing every piece of content available for the game into the box.

CVG spotted it first at Play.com, though the new edition is also found on ShopTo.net, as well as on Amazon's UK site. For £27.99 ($41.35), buyers pick up the entirety of AC2, the Battle of Forli and Bonfire of the Vanities DLC packs, and "three Templar secret locations (Palazzo Medici, Santa Maria del Frari, and Arsenal Shipyard)" previously available only in a limited edition release. It doesn't appear that the re-release will be arriving in other parts of the world just yet, but we've reached out to Ubi all the same for clarification. And if the retailer listings are correct, we'll see the AC2 "Complete Edition" land on retailer shelves on June 4.

Assassin's Creed 2 'Complete Edition' spotted at UK retailers originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 May 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed 2 ships close to 9 million, Conviction sales reach 1.8 million

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 18 May 2010 14:50:00 EST

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot was fairly pleased to report during today's investor's briefing that two of the company's biggest games of the past year have been flying both onto and off of store shelves at breakneck speeds. According to Guillemot, Assassin's Creed 2 has shipped nearly 9 million units during the fiscal year, while Splinter Cell: Conviction, which only just launched April 13, has hit 1.8 million in sales.

Guillemot is banking on the continued sales of the latter title to increase Q1 revenues 75 percent year-over-year. We doubt the company will have any problem with that. Games which task the player with discreetly dispatching enemies are apparently in no danger of going out of style.

Assassin's Creed 2 ships close to 9 million, Conviction sales reach 1.8 million originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 May 2010 14:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft reports $76.2 million operating loss in fiscal year 2009-10

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 18 May 2010 13:00:00 EST

Ubisoft today released its financial earnings report to investors for fiscal year 2009-10 (ending March 31), reporting sales of €871 million ($1.1 billion) with an operating loss of €60 million ($76.2 million). CEO Yves Guillemot softened investor reaction by saying: "The global economic crisis had a pronounced impact on the video game industry in 2009, which contracted by nearly 10 percent year-on-year. Ubisoft's sales were hit particularly hard, falling 18 percent over the full year despite a stabilization in the second half of the year."

Ubi's Q4 sales were up 1.9 percent year-over-year to €210 million ($266.7 million), outpacing internal guidance by €10 million ($12.7 million). The company says the inflated numbers are due partially to "a strong increase in sales of Just Dance," the "ongoing exceptional performance delivered by Assassin's Creed 2 which sold-in nearly 9 million units during the year," and higher-than-expected sales of both Red Steel 2 and Avatar.

And Guillemot predicts a sunnier 2010-11. "We forecast a return to profitable growth in 2010-11 with positive cash flow generation, driven by a games line-up that is more closely tailored to growth segments based on strong franchises." He also notes his excitement for new technology driving increased sales, saying, "Lastly, the upcoming launches of new consoles, including Natal and Sony Move, should enable us to capitalize on the technology investments that we have undertaken in recent years and re-energize the casual games segment."

Source -- Ubisoft FY2009-10 Sales & Earnings Report (warning: PDF link)

Ubisoft reports $76.2 million operating loss in fiscal year 2009-10 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 May 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood announced and detailed by Ubisoft

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 11 May 2010 12:55:00 EST

Click to Colosseum-size

This morning, Ubisoft officially announced Ezio's return to the Assassin's Creed franchise, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Though the game was outed and cursorily detailed in some placeholder box art last week, the official press release shared some specifics: the single-player campaign ("set in the living, breathing, unpredictable city of Rome") is expected to last 15 hours, and sees Ezio recruiting and training "promising young Assassins" for deployment across the historical capital.

Rather than using money earned to bolster a villa, you'll fix up Rome itself, which will change Ezio's social standing, unlock missions and curry favor with various factions. The release promises collaboration with Da Vinci, Machiavelli, and Caterina Sforza, and describes new "secret weapons." Ubi is throwing in poison darts, parachutes, hidden blades and guns, not to mention an "advanced flying machine" -- which is presumably useful in more than a single mission this time.

Multiplayer -- developed by Ubisoft Annecy, who created the online component of Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory -- is said to feature "multiple authentic character classes" (presumably the characters seen in the gallery below) each of whom will use "signature weapons and killing moves." We'll look for more details and a more specific release date than "Holiday 2010" at E3, perhaps on a giant advertisement emblazoned on the side of the convention center.

Gallery: Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (5/10/10)

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood announced and detailed by Ubisoft originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 May 2010 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed 2, Dragon Age: Origins win Canadian game awards

David Hinkle — Thu, 06 May 2010 17:00:00 EST

We like to playfully rip on Canada every now and then (America's hat!), but we must admit that The Great White North knows how to make some quality games, evidenced by the winners at the inaugural Canadian Videogame Awards ceremony. While Game of the Year went to Bioware's Dragon Age: Origins, Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed 2 made out with the most awards, winning Best Console Game, Best Visual Arts, and Best Game Design, and sharing the award for Best Technology with Radical Entertainment's Prototype.

That's not to say all of the awards went to the triple-A titles, as Toronto's own darling, Capybara Games, received nods for two of its titles: Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes, which won Best Handheld Game, and Critter Crunch, which secured victory as the Best Downloadable Game. Maybe now that cute little guy will stop crying so much!

[Thanks, Alan Strangis]

Assassin's Creed 2, Dragon Age: Origins win Canadian game awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 May 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed viral message appears on Facebook

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 04 May 2010 12:00:00 EST

Those sneaky Templars, always threatening the world through Ubisoft-owned Facebook pages! Oh, is that a new development? Assassin's Creed series villain Dr. Vidic (we don't blame you if you don't remember who he is -- he's this guy) recently posted a sinister statement on Ubi's Assassin's Creed 2 Facebook page. "It is the time of our rising. A new age enters and a great battle looms. Templar destiny is at hand and waiting for you." Hey, at least he's not yelling at Lucy, right?

After Ubisoft's reveal of a forthcoming AC "episode" with multiplayer functionality coming by April 2011, we're happy to break out our jump to conclusions mat for some good ol' fashioned speculation, but we can't be sure if "Vidic's" words hint at an upcoming reveal of said game ("a great battle looms") or not. A domain registration by Ubi for Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood from earlier this year doesn't hurt our case either, but again, without the publisher's confirmation we're not sure exactly what the message means. But we are pretty sure that we're in for some not-so-exciting social media marketing.

[Via Eurogamer]

Assassin's Creed viral message appears on Facebook originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 May 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Driver: San Francisco domains registered by Ubisoft

David Hinkle — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 11:02:00 EST

Thanks to a good catch by Superannuation, we may now know the title of Ubisoft's proposed follow-up to Assassin's Creed 2: "Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood." That's the name of a currently inactive domain registered by Ubisoft earlier this year. Additionally, the publisher has scooped up "driversanfranciscogame.com," which could be the name and location of the announced Driver reboot.

"Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" would certainly be a suitable name for what's expected to be the first game in the series with "an online multiplayer mode" (not counting the iPhone game, of course). As for "Driver: San Francisco," what better place to jump start the drained franchise? Some of the world's greatest feats of driving have taken place in San Fran, after all. Ever seen the movie Bullit? Have you played San Francisco Rush? Don't tell us you missed San Francisco Rush 2049!

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Driver: San Francisco domains registered by Ubisoft originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft 'always on' DRM hated, hacked - circle of life continues

Mike Schramm — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:14:00 EST

Ah, the circle of life. Here's how it works: Game developers claim they've created some sort of unbreakable DRM that will lock pirates out, and then the pirates break their way in, leading to even more repressive forms of DRM. The snake has eaten its own tail once again, as Ubisoft's "Online Services Network" - also known as the obnoxious "always on" DRM that's already caused problems for paying customers - has reportedly been hacked. The hack, by a group named Skid Row allows users to circumvent the DRM entirely and play the affected games without connecting to Ubisoft's authentication servers.

In a statement attached to the crack's release, Skid Row proclaims that their crack "can't be compared" to other ways of hacking the games (which include having the software check in with an unofficial server), and that Ubisoft should "next time focus on the game and not on the DRM. It was probably horrible for all legit users. We just make their lifes [sic] easier."

This crack is specifically for Assassin's Creed II but if the method works, it could theoretically be tweaked to include all of the games protected in this manner, including the upcoming Splinter Cell: Conviction. And thus, the circle, the circle of life continues on.

Ubisoft 'always on' DRM hated, hacked - circle of life continues originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed 2 enters Guinness World Records 2010

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:45:00 EST

Yes, Assassin's Creed 2 has been awarded with a Guinness World Record. You might be surprised, however, to learn that it has nothing to do with how good the game is. No, Assassin's Creed 2 has been awarded the world record for "being the most cover-featured video game." In other words, it appeared on more magazine covers between April 2009 and April 2010 than any other game.

According to the press release, Assassin's Creed 2 appeared on 127 covers throughout 32 different countries. Said Gaz Deaves, editor of the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition, "I'm sure plenty of commentators (including myself) would have predicted another well-known game winning the title instead, and this achievement is even more impressive in view of the other 2009 releases that Assassin's Creed 2 was able to beat."

While it's an impressive feat by any standard -- and one Ubisoft marketing must be proud of -- we have to wonder if the record would hold up to closer scrutiny of games released before 2009. After all, there aren't as many gaming magazines around as there used to be, and a few games -- Street Fighter, Tomb Raider and Mortal Kombat come to mind -- appeared on quite a few magazine covers in the past. What do you say, Ubisoft competitors? Anyone want to do some research and challenge the record?

Assassin's Creed 2 enters Guinness World Records 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed 2 half off at Amazon for unknown time

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:55:00 EST

For an unspecified period of time, Assassin's Creed 2 is $30 on Amazon for Xbox 360 and PS3. If this is anything like yesterday's incredibly random Xbox 360 Arcade sale, we're just going to go ahead and say, if you have any interest in picking up AC2, this is a good (and likely time-sensitive) deal.

...

Why are you still reading? Seriously, interested? Go!
[Via Destructoid]

Assassin's Creed 2 half off at Amazon for unknown time originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed 2 takes seven at MI6 Awards

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 18:15:00 EST

As if Assassin's Creed 2 hadn't already taken enough prestigious awards (not to mention a number two spot in our best of 2009 list), the MI6 released word today that the game also earned seven gold awards in marketing at the fifth annual MI6 Awards on April 1 in San Francisco. From "Outstanding Overall Integrated Marketing Campaign" (though all the cool kids call it the "OOIMC" -- pronounced "oo-imp-ka") to "Outstanding TV or Theatrical Ad Campaign," AC2 swept the awards show, only closely lead by Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles and NBA 2K10 at four each (remember folks, these are awards for marketing).

If you'd like, the whole list is available here (in PDF format, so you know). And yeah, if you hadn't already guessed, the Darkside Chronicles shirt was totally voted "Best Swag." Deservedly so.

Assassin's Creed 2 takes seven at MI6 Awards originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Apr 2010 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Snag Assassin's Creed 2 for $30 at Amazon

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:40:00 EST

As every assassin knows, nothing is true and everything is permitted. That includes Amazon's ability to drop the Assassin's Creed 2 price whenever it wants and especially when GameStop is doing it. The online retailer has slashed the price of both the Xbox and PS3 versions to a mere $29.99, matching GameStop's price. No matter where you buy it, that's a great price for one of Joystiq's favorite games of 2009. So hurry up and tell all of your Firenze that buying it is no leap of faith, Animus be said that this is one killer deal.

Snag Assassin's Creed 2 for $30 at Amazon originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft compensating PC gamers for DRM server outage

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:10:00 EST

Ubisoft is trying to make amends to legitimate PC gamers that were blocked out of recent DRM-enabled titles due to a recent server outage. Hackers, angry at Ubisoft's draconian DRM protocol, which requires a persistent internet connection, even for single player games -- knocked out the publisher's authentication servers, preventing owners of games like Assassin's Creed II from being able to play at all.

While Ubisoft has modified its DRM protocol, it doesn't seem the publisher has any plans to discontinue using it any time soon. In light of the recent outage, the publisher has started to send letters offering gamers either a free game or DLC, depending on the product originally purchased. A support forum for Assassin's Creed II appears to confirm that those affected by the outage may receive an offer to upgrade the standard edition to the "Black Edition," which includes additional areas not found in the original. Those that already have the Black Edition will be able to receive either HAWX, Heroes Over Europe, EndWar, or Prince of Persia.

Certainly, this is the right move for the publisher to take, offering a virtual olive branch for a policy that has only generated negative press thus far. However, the Ubisoft forums are alight with those that have yet to receive any compensatory offer. We're reaching out to Ubisoft to find out more details of this offer, and will update if we hear a response.

[Thanks, Rockr90! Via Exophase]

Ubisoft compensating PC gamers for DRM server outage originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed Space coming to PlayStation Home

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 18:13:00 EST

One of the coolest aspects of Joystiq's #2 Game of 2009, Assassin's Creed II, had to be the search for "the truth." The meta game was hidden across the entire experience, and had players solving puzzles in an effort to unlock a video that would explain one of the franchise's biggest mysteries. That mystery and intrigue is coming to Sony's online community this week, in a brand new Space for PlayStation Home.

The Personal Space will include a multiplayer tower defense game that "pits Assassins against Templars," and includes access to developer blogs, concept art, the Animus 2.0 database, and the full "Assassin's Creed: Lineage" live action short film. The Space will cost $4.99, but for hardcore Assassin's Creed fans, the ability to have your Home Avatar walk around the Hideout from ACII may be worth the price of entry.

Assassin's Creed Space coming to PlayStation Home originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 18:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Swag Sunday: Assassin's Creed 2 (PC) [update]

Ben Gilbert — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST

Update: Your time is up! We'll be shooting an email to the winner's commenter-tied email address, so keep an eye out.

Sure, you've read about the always-on internet connection required for playing Assassin's Creed 2 on PC, and you may have even heard about the alleged hacker attacks on Ubisoft's authentication servers, but we'd like to offer you a chance to get right in there on the action. That's why this week's Swag Sunday is offering up one DVD copy of the game for Windows XP/Vista/7-equipped readers to win -- all you need to do is tell us what your favorite DRM solution is (an actual solution, "no DRM" will not be accepted) in the comments below. We'll choose a winner at random this week and let you know if you won through your commenter-tied email address, so keep an eye out!

Leave a comment telling us what your favorite DRM solution is (an actual solution, "no DRM" will not be accepted).
You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec -- due in part to Jean Charest and his friend Barry).
Limit 1 entry per person per day.
This entry period ends at 7:01PM ET on Monday, March 22.
At that time, we'll randomly select one winner to receive one copy of Assassin's Creed 2 for PC (ARV: $49.99).
For a list of complete rules, click here.

What is Joyswag? Since we don't keep the games and merchandise we receive for review or promotional purposes, it becomes "Joyswag," which is passed along to our readers. Please note that Joyswag may be in "used" condition. For more info on our policy, click here.

Gallery: Assassin's Creed II

Swag Sunday: Assassin's Creed 2 (PC) [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC: Designing Assassin's Creed 2 (or: Dodging a curveball from upper management)

Ludwig Kietzmann — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

Though Uncharted 2 may have snatched away most of the Game of the Year trophies, Assassin's Creed 2 stands out as another of 2009's most acclaimed and successful titles. Lead game designer Patrick Plourde candidly discussed Ubisoft Montreal's development process at one of the final panels during this year's Game Developers Conference and gave some surprising insight into what happens when a project's scope is altered in the midst of development.

From the outset, Assassin's Creed 2 took aim at the commercial success of the first game, as well as its vocal group of detractors. "I'm not gonna lie about it," Plourde said, "some people liked it, some people despised it. That's the way it is."

The way things would be took a surprise turn in the middle of 2008, months after the game had begun development in earnest. As Plourde puts it, a "curveball from upper management" requested a change in the game's scope. Ordinarily, ambitious plans may get trimmed down as a launch date draws near, but Ubisoft had decided to increase the number of features dramatically.

Continue reading GDC: Designing Assassin's Creed 2 (or: Dodging a curveball from upper management)

GDC: Designing Assassin's Creed 2 (or: Dodging a curveball from upper management) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft's PC DRM verification was out because 'servers were attacked'

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:40:00 EST

Ubisoft today offered up a bit of an explanation to those of you on PCs yesterday who were desperately trying to play the publisher's games with the cumbersome new DRM (Assassin's Creed 2 and Silent Hunter 5), only to find yourselves unable to authenticate said DRM because of the outage. Apparently it was (gasp!) ... hackers! "Servers were attacked which limited service from 2:30PM to 9:00PM Paris time [8:30AM to 3:00PM ET]," the company announced via Twitter.

It also noted that most folks were unaffected by the outage, saying "95% of players were not affected, but a small group of players attempting to open a game session did receive denial of service errors." Needless to say, the company of course apologized to anyone who wasn't able to play its games yesterday. We would once again like to point out that this situation would never have occurred if such a poor DRM system weren't in place to begin with.

Ubisoft's PC DRM verification was out because 'servers were attacked' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft DRM authentification server is down, Assassin's Creed 2 unplayable

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST

Earlier today, our tips inbox and the official Assassin's Creed 2 forum were set ablaze by incensed owners of the PC version of the aforementioned Italian revenge epic. According to numerous reports from prospective players of the game, Ubisoft's DRM authentification servers have crashed, forcing some players to suffer lengthy login periods when booting up Assassin's Creed 2, and locking some folks out of the game entirely.

A Ubisoft representative responded to a particularly rage-filled forum thread, stating "clearly the extended downtime and lengthy login issues are unacceptable, particularly as I've been told these servers are constantly monitored." The representative added "I'll do what I can to get more information on what the issue is here first thing tomorrow and push for a resolution and assurance this won't happen in the future." We've got a really great suggestion for how to make such an assurance: Find a less abominable DRM policy.

[Thanks, Marc!]

Ubisoft DRM authentification server is down, Assassin's Creed 2 unplayable originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft updates PC DRM, denies rumored cracks

Andrew Yoon — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:30:00 EST

Ubisoft's new DRM program for PC games has garnered a lot of attention from the games media, thanks to its controversial mandate for a persistent internet connection. While most PC gamers likely have access to an online connection, there are concerns that a service outage -- either locally or at Ubisoft -- could lock players out of their games altogether. Even worse, players may lose progress in a game, if a connection drops before reaching a checkpoint.

It appears the publisher has addressed the latter problem, updating its DRM protocol for Assassin's Creed II with the ability to resume the game from the exact moment an internet connection was lost. Although the DRM remains draconian, it shows that Ubisoft is willing to respond to at least one of the many criticisms it has received.

It's easy to side against the French publisher, but it's also impossible ignore the PC community's continued efforts to dismantle every effort of publishers to make the platform profitable. Pirated copies of various PC games from Ubisoft are apparently making the rounds online, sparking allegations that the DRM has already been defeated. A Ubisoft spokesperson responded to Edge, stating, "this rumor is false and while a pirated version may seem to be complete at start up, any gamer who downloads and plays a cracked version will find that their version is not complete." Still, it seems pirates will continue to up their efforts against publishers -- resulting in a vicious cycle that only harms legitimate gamers.

Source - Ubisoft: No DRM Crack [Edge]
Source - Ubisoft - Assassin's Creed II, via VG247

Ubisoft updates PC DRM, denies rumored cracks originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Assassin's Creed 2 Multiplayer' iPhone game free until Wednesday

JC Fletcher — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:40:00 EST

It's been almost a month since a new Assassin's Creed game was released on iPhone. For those of you suffering from withdrawal, Ubisoft today launched Assassin's Creed II: Multiplayer on the App Store, and we recommend that you get it -- soon. Even if you aren't sure about the game, or don't even like Assassin's Creed, or are borrowing an iPod Touch from someone, you should get it. Because, for the next two days, ACII: Multiplayer is free (regular price is $2.99). The App Store listing confirms this promotion, so the release definitely isn't a mistake this time.

As for the game itself, ACII: Multiplayer features a top-down perspective from which players attempt to find and kill each other, while blending into crowds in such a way as to avoid being spotted first.

Assassin's Creed II: Multiplayer (Free):

'Assassin's Creed 2 Multiplayer' iPhone game free until Wednesday originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Assassin's Creed 2 is only $36 at Walmart right now

David Hinkle — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:30:00 EST

Talk may be cheap, but so is murdering people in 15th century Italy -- for now. Walmart is selling Assassin's Creed 2 at a discounted price of $36, both online and in-store. For some reason, the PC version of the game is still full price, but maybe that's not such a bad thing.

As for other titles on sale, it would appear this reduction in price is isolated only to Assassin's Creed 2.

[Thanks, Luis]

Assassin's Creed 2 is only $36 at Walmart right now originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft explains Assassin's Creed 2 PC DRM restrictions

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 11:03:00 EST

Earlier this week, PC Gamer got its hands on a retail copy of Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed 2 for PC, only to discover that its digital rights management was a bit ... shall we say, "restrictive?" Aside from the initial online registration procedure, the game allegedly requires a persistent connection to the online game server in order to continue stabbing fools. In practice, this means if you were to lose the connection during play, you'd lose your progress and, if and when the connection was re-established, you'd be kicked backed to the last checkpoint -- not exactly diggable management, right?

Ars Technica followed up with Ubisoft on the DRM issue (that also affects The Settlers 7), which said, "As long as you do not quit the game, the game will continue to try to reconnect for an unlimited time ... once the game is able to reconnect, you will immediately be returned to your game ... AC2 reconnects you at the last checkpoint ... There are many checkpoints so you're back to the point where you got disconnected in no time."

Ubisoft also assured that the required internet connection speed is supposedly minimal. "Our online services platform will require a maximum of 50kbps of available bandwidth, so even with the slowest connection, gameplay won't be affected," an Ubisoft representative told Ars. That said, it seems that gamers lacking an online connection (or, say, those on a plane or in the armed forces, as Ars points out) may be out of luck if they're hoping to play Assassin's Creed 2 on PC.

Ubisoft explains Assassin's Creed 2 PC DRM restrictions originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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