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UK: AC Syndicate launch lowest of any AC except Rogue
- Thread starter AHA-Lambda
- Start date
Who knows, with a watchdogs 2 and one of their newer franchises like that narc game they showed at E3 they may have enough big games to skip a year of AC.
but with how much game design ubi games share across franchises they may need to change more than "just" their approach to AC
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
Not happy that one of only two huge AAA game franchises (note: I don't count Nintendo games as AAA) I like now starts running into problems :/.I guess soon enough I will completely be locked to niche gaming, considering the other AAA franchise I like, Batman, was intended to be finished with Arkham Knight.
BibiMaghoo
Member
People are tired of the same game. Some annuals get away with it because they are shooters for multiplayer, not narrative adventures. AC can't do that. Just make a future one and end the series.
iNvid02
Member
the next one should be in line with ac3 and unity if it follows the the tick tock pattern that seems to have been established - despite not many on here liking them they are the ones that tried to be more ambitious, and got a bigger marketing push with the RISE and UNITE campaigns. bets are on Japan if that abstergo image is accurate.
excaliburps
Press - MP1st.com
Indeed. And it seems a lot of the people commenting didn't even read to that part. I'm not a fan of AC, but man, people really, really need to learn how to read.
What you should've learned is: declining profits = declining franchise. "Make a profit" means nothing if the publisher believes it can make more profit by reallocating resources elsewhere.
Let's say this Assassin's Creed sells considerably worse than any previous game in the series (we don't know that yet), and then Ubisoft comes out with a Watch Dogs 2 in 2016 that is a blistering success. Both games were profitable, but obviously Ubisoft will switch a lot of its focus from AC to Watch Dogs if this happens, because they believe this is a more profitable venture.
To me personally, it doesn't matter if it's the best game in the series, series fatigue is well and truly set in and I don't know when it will go. I thought missing out on Unity and Rogue would be enough but nope. Granted I bought them every year so partly my fault for encouraging the practice, but ah well, it's done now.
I can't tell what the future holds so my stance can obviously change, but as it stands now I don't see myself getting back into the series at all.
I can't tell what the future holds so my stance can obviously change, but as it stands now I don't see myself getting back into the series at all.
digoutyoursoul
Member
Given the release cycle that will be a tough ask
Brutuspedia
Member
Ubisoft, you still have time to stop.
Yep, you're right. The article has been edited.
BeforeU
Oft hope is born when all is forlorn.
expected. This game never entered top 10 on Amazon.com rating which is pretty big deal that too during the launch week and that too in Oct when you don't have so many games coming out. This pretty much sums up the excitement. There is none lol
I know lot of people work on this franchise, I hope they start new project and move all their effort into that one.
I know lot of people work on this franchise, I hope they start new project and move all their effort into that one.
It's actually incorrect, not that it Tuesday V Friday tends to have a massive impact anyway.
Looked it up myself and he's right. Came out on Friday over here.
Katana_Strikes
Member
Most saw it coming. So hopefully Ubi's expectations were in check as well. I'm sure bundling it with PS4 saved it a heck of a lot more than being the very worst selling in the franchise. I unfortunately picked up Unity last year, but even outside of the bugs and unfinished game at launch, the gameplay was old and tired. Not sure how much Syndicate improves or it doesn't but I'm done with the series as it stands and I'm glad sales are tepid if that's all Ubi thinks it can put out year after year and get great sales from it. The franchise needs putting down and resting for a couple or so years.
I wish they would have made pirate creed a thing (turned it into a spin off series) I loved black flag. I just am not that interested in Victorian London so I will wait for a price drop on this one. Feudal japan, ancient Egypt, and Ming dynasty are all settings of the top of my head that would get me to day 1 the game so hard.
coolmast3r
Member
Good. Thank god people are slowly starting to get fed up with this particular series.
SolidSnakex
Member
As Daemul pointed out, that's incorrect. The game launched on a Friday in the UK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccElb8IDRvA
How are 10%-20% insignificant when judging a game's performance? That could be exactly the units missing compared to previous installments.
Worldwide digital Console game sales reached $326 million last month (http://www.cnbc.com/2015/10/22/digital-gaming-sales-jump-11-to-54b-in-sept-report.html), while retail game sales reached $465 in the states (http://venturebeat.com/2015/10/19/september-2015-npd-ps4-wins/).
And while retails software stales stagnate or decline, digital sales are on a constant rise. In a few months Digital game sales could account for the same money as the entire US-retail space - how is that insignificant in any way, shape or form?
You can't just ignore that number and go "eh, probably not important" when judging a game's performance.
Easier said than done when that franchise is the driving force behind your holiday season revenue.
akilshohen
Member
Should have already done that. I don't know why they left Europe, just to go back. This year's setting didn't feel as inspired as last year did, and they seem to be shying away from the stories that the titles set in the America's were getting at
at least mention and acknowledging race in the US/America's
ISee
Member
I think Ubis expectations were indeed lower this time around. I had the feeling like they really didn't put much money into PR this time (at least much less in comparison to unity) to avoid 'unnecessary' investments. I still think Syndicate is profitable though.
I don't think Ubi would be too concerned about the figures as I am sure they expected a backlash from Unity.
Firstly this is the earliest timeframe Assassin's Creed game has been released in. Last year it was the 11th of November the beginning of the Christmas rush. Most other games are released in November so the software sales are usually higher.
After Unity people might hold off until later to see if it's broken or not. The game is getting very positive reviews and player reviews the sales will pick up. I have been linking these player reviews and people who would not buy the game this time around will now get it in November.
Firstly this is the earliest timeframe Assassin's Creed game has been released in. Last year it was the 11th of November the beginning of the Christmas rush. Most other games are released in November so the software sales are usually higher.
After Unity people might hold off until later to see if it's broken or not. The game is getting very positive reviews and player reviews the sales will pick up. I have been linking these player reviews and people who would not buy the game this time around will now get it in November.
Man Assassin's Creed 3 really kicked the series in the balls sales wise. I get why though, after these amazing locals in Europe and following one character in Ezio throughout his life, to then be shoved into such a boring setting that was America at that time with a lame character and an utterly shit ending with Desmond, I'm not surprised people didn't feel the need to come back.
It's a shame Ubisoft seem to be totally against sticking with one assassin and following their character through their life. I thought the real pull of the whole story with replaying the past through your genres was that your main character was related to these assassins. When they moved to anyone can visit anyone's ancestors they kind of ruined the whole present day story thing, at this point they should just scrap it, seems needless now.
Stone Ocean
Member
People will get bored of AC eventually but I don't think it'll be this one.
Games always release on Friday in the UK
levyjl1988
Banned
When can we get an Assassin's Creed game where you can create your own assassin, more RPG'esque like Skyrim? I think that would be a game changer.
Ubi getting lazy, I'm afraid. But, yeah, as a player I'd prefer having a choice between at least two different games, and it would most definitely help sales of the Assassin's Creed family.
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
Considering what Ubisoft did to Prince of Persia after AC was more sucessfull, I fear this could very well mean the death of AC. Which would be a shame, going from PoP over AC to Watchdogs, they'd really have changed their yearly tentpole release to the absolute worst for me.
Unity had pretty extensive customizations actually. You could choose different hood, jackets, wrist guards, trousers, belts, each with different stats as well as looking different. One combination of gear made him look almost like a clown.
DudeWithNoName
Member
I swear they're on a 3 month release cycle. I can't keep up with all the ACs out there.
AC has been far more profitable than PoP ever was. Doubt Ubi will drop AC that quickly even if Watchdogs 2 blows Syndicate out of the water.
chromatic9
Member
Not your fault but the game came out Friday in 2014, like nearly every game.
We had this shit with Forza 6 as well. People claiming a previous game was out Tuesday when comparing sales when it wasn't.
I actually remember the launch for Unity as I had a code for PC which was Friday as well.
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
Considering the high price to develop AC, which can probably not be helped with all too much, due to the nature of the game, I certainly see it threatened by a more sucessful Watchdogs. Ressources invested into AC could then better be spent on the next Watchdogs.
Regarding the person demanding personalization (or as I like to call it: Simsification): Please no, and if they need to do it, don't bother me with it, please :/.
iNvid02
Member
surprised eurogamer got that wrong lol, i guess fatigue and unity burning them was sizable then. they should address it in their earnings call for sure
Jimmyfenix
Member
Well ubisoft are done with last gen systems except for just dance so I presume there isn't a reason to release two ac games this year
I don't think it's.fair to say always. A lot of the bigger games of the year have worldwide launches aligned to the Tuesday.
A lot of people seemed hype for London as a setting but personally I like more "exotic" locales.
I think London naturally grabs a lot of UK based players interest just by association, though it does nothing for me.
Opus Angelorum
Member
Assassin's Creed : Syndication
chromatic9
Member
Gets worse. Check out last years article with the same author Wesley Yin-poole
Eurogamer have turned into IGN
Garrett Hawke
Member
A shame considering this one actually seems good from GAF impressions + reviews.
The game following a shit game always suffers more than the shit game, which sucks.
Unrelated but when you think about it even though Alien Isolation was fantastic it's still incredible they managed to pull 2M after Colonial Marines.
The game following a shit game always suffers more than the shit game, which sucks.
Unrelated but when you think about it even though Alien Isolation was fantastic it's still incredible they managed to pull 2M after Colonial Marines.