The Examiner are reporting that a ‘source’ of theirs, who is in some way involved with the Assassin’s Creed franchise, is convinced that the series will face a generation split. This effectively means that one game could be released for the Xbox 360 and PS3, while another new title is released for PS4 and Xbox One. The series is also apparently getting a new focus.
If this is going to happen it is unclear what effect this would have on the game’s story. Presumably if this is happening then the PS3/Xbox 360 would be a spin off title, similar to that of Assassin’s Creed: Liberation, while the new gen receive the next main story entry. Obviously Ubisoft will eventually stop developing for the previous generation, but splitting the story across generations seems odd. Also would the PC get both entries? What about Wii U?
Instead, in my opinion, the main story entries would be the same across both generations while separate downloadable titles could potentially do this. Ubisoft haven’t commented on this story, but if they do we’ll update you.
Source: The Examiner
Avenger
It’s not really strange as it has been done with mobile platforms. The PC version would likely have the new generation version, and the Wii U would probably have the last gen version. Splitting games is a decent way to handle things so the new gen games look nice and aren’t restricted, and the last gen games don’t run like a messy slideshow.
Vallon
Hope its true tbh, I don’t want a “prettier” version of AC titles on the new consoles, I want a truely “next gen” experience! That’s why I’ve not bothered with AC4 on PS4 as I’ve already got it on 360.
Let’s hope they can really start to use the hardware available to them :)
gazzagb
I really hope this isn’t true, while I agree the new gen consoles shouldn’t be ‘held back’ by last gen ones (same as PC), I don’t want to see the last gen become shunned so quickly.
cam the man
I can understand Ubi not wanting to develop the ‘main story’ game for the last gen as well as current gen, if that’s the route the take, as by the time the next installment is out there’ll be less and less folk using PS4/360. Also there’s extra cost developing a game for three different programming platforms.
cam the man
*PS3/360
KeRaSh
I’m glad they’re splitting it up (if true). That way they can focus on making the next gen version really look next gen. Black Flag looked really nice on the OS4 but I felt it could have looked even nicer if it wasn’t just an up-port from the current gen version.
Jim Hargreaves
I’d be up for this, but not sure it will happen- at least not next year.
Black Flag has been great on PS4 but honestly feels and looks no different from its last-gen counterparts in many places.
Luckily, given AC’s narrative capacity, Ubisoft could quite easily whip up two new storylines and pursue them as different games.
However, if this were to happen, I’d expect Ubi to release an upgraded version of the PS3/360 for current-gen at a later date ala AC3: Liberation.
nofi
Tried playing AC4 at the weekend, just wanted to throw it out of the window – it’s horribly scripted and fail states are so damned arbitrary. Not for me.
Moonpie
Just hope they come up with some better storylines, I really liked Edward, Haytham and Connor but the stories were so meh’
To be honest I think we were spoiled by how good ACII was, and all future games are measured against that story.