For the first time since Assassin’s Creed 2 launched in 2016, Ubisoft will not have a new Assassin’s Creed game on the market. Instead, after the missteps made by 2014’s Assassin’s Creed Unity, and the declining sales the franchise had been experiencing ever since, Ubisoft have decided to take some time off, focusing on revamping the franchise with a new game that they take their time with, instead of rushing to the market.
Instead of Assassin’s Creed, this year will see Ubisoft push Watch Dogs 2 as their tentpole release. And according to Ubisoft, that game, as well as their other titles released through this year, will more than make up for the absence of Assassin’s Creed.
“Assassin’s Creed has been a fantastic seller for Ubisoft and really important to the market every year, but make no mistake, Watch Dogs 2 will certainly fill the gap this year,”Ubisoft’s UK sales director Darren Bowe said to MCV UK. “We are very fortunate to have such a strong and varied line-up so we don’t have to rely just one franchise. Following Watch Dogs 2, we also have Steep launching at the start of December along with strong back catalog sales on Tom Clancy’s The Division and Far Cry Primal which have been two of the biggest launches so far this year.
Let’s not forget live games like The Crew and Rainbow Six Siege which is really being embraced the community with 10m players worldwide. If that wasn’t enough we also have the Ezio Collection, so for those consumers who need a taste of Assassin’s Creed every year – and we know there are a huge number of people – they will still be able to purchase a great triple pack which covers the most loved period of Assassin’s Creed.”
In a sense, he is right- Ubisoft certainly have more than enough games to cover for the lack of Assassin’s Creed– plus, for that franchise’s long term health, it was probably best to let it breathe and take some time off than insist on having a new one every year, undermining the franchise’s long term viability in the process.
