Ubisoft financials tease Assassin's Creed 2

In announcing first-half profits, French publisher plays coy with release window for next installment in acrobatic stealth action series.

Ubisoft today reported profits for the first half of its fiscal year (the six months ended September 30), and acknowledged development on a key part of its profit plan in future quarters, the much-anticipated follow-up to Assassin's Creed.

While economic woes seem to be keeping other publishers down, Ubisoft has yet to feel the slowdown's effects. Following up on its second-quarter financial report, the publisher today cast a bit more light on its bottom line for the first half, posting operating income of €24.7 million ($31.9 million), nearly double that of the €12.5 million ($16.1 million) it raked in for the same stretch of the previous year.

While those numbers don't account for the last two months of volatility in the economy, Ubisoft executives were optimistic about their holiday sales outlook. In a question-and-answer session with analysts at the end of a conference call, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot and CFO Alain Martinez said that retailers are being cautious with their day-one orders, but it hasn't been a big issue as they're also quick to reorder when stock runs low. On top of that, they said all indications are that Ubisoft is on track to achieve its guidance for the year.

As for future years, one analyst asked if the second installment of Assassin's Creed would be released in Ubisoft's fiscal 2010. (The original was released to commercial success and mixed critical reception in 2007.) Guillemot flatly refused to give even a hint about the project, but did confirm it was in development.

"We're not answering that question," Guillemot said. "What we just can say is that we are working hard on the product."

508 Comments

  • Denveraic

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 9:41 pm PT

    I was let down with AC to be honest. I had high hopes for it, didn't enjoy the combat, or really anything to be honest.

  • EvrenDawn

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 8:20 pm PT

    While AC was an awesome game with great elements (fell in love with the free running from minute one), the sequel will have to be more than just "more of the same". I'm hoping for a bit more of a challenge this time in both combat and climbing but even if it was just a new setting and story, I'm pretty sure I would still buy it. Ubisoft has that effect on me.

    But Ubisoft isn't stupid. I know that they'll be paying close attention to what people liked and didn't like. Don't sweat it guys, I have high hopes for AC2 and you should too.

  • LOXO7

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 7:51 pm PT

    Why dont rpgs get called repetitive? or How many games are not repetitive...

  • nappan

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 7:28 pm PT

    Does it not occur to those of you who clearly didn't enjoy the fundamental gameplay ("the game plays itself", lack of realism) that maybe this is a matter of taste and not quality? I love to play games where I have to hardly blink to win (GoW), and puzzles, arcade, etc... I also like a game that does some of the work, has a weird story, and forgoes historical fidedlity in favour of fun. Surely there is room in the gaming world for more than one kind of third person action. Just because AC wasn't what you thought it should be, or what you excepted, doesn't make it bad. A little persepctive goes a long way in these matters.


    "De Gustibus non disputandum est" Really... some of you need to sip a hot beverage and just read that quote a few hundred times.

  • aryoshi

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 7:03 pm PT

    I really hope Ubisoft puts much more effort into this game to make it outstanding, way more than the first. First was okay, kept me attached to where I am now and I'm still going to beat it, but it's just not something I can play hours and hours on end like most games. It's tedious, often boring, drags on too long, and there are additional flaws that could be taken note of, but fixed in the next game.

  • kemar7856

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 6:18 pm PT

    I wonder if it will be released for pc? after last time

  • jorge69696 posted Nov 28, 2008 6:13 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    jorge69696

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 6:13 pm PT (hide)

    i dont know why gamespot gave an 8 to assassins creed.. it deserves a 7.. its too repetitive.. the first 2 hours were great but then it was the same all the game.. i got bored..

  • adawg9

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 6:11 pm PT

    cant waitttttttttttttttttttttt

  • penguino522

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 3:44 pm PT

    Hope you guys fix the long cutscene thing.

  • penguino522

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 3:40 pm PT

    Im looking forward to assassins creed 2.I don't care if you can swim or customize Altair ( or unknown character ) i just know its going to be an awesome game.

  • SimulationStim

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 3:11 pm PT

    Apparently in 1191 there were no spears, shields, or crossbows. Also a fully armored templar knight could keep pace with an unarmored assassin in peak physical condition(who can't swim). I never knew the holy land was a massive gorge that could put the grand canyon to shame. Plus the story was half baked, and stolen from pop novels. It had the worst save game feature of almost any game I've played, and the fact that you can't skip the longwinded cutscenes was almost unforgivable. I had friends that would come over and want to play, and fifteen minutes later the game would be ready and we would be gone doing something else out of sheer boredom. The combat, and running was great though. But if the above issues aren't addressed in the next game, I won't be buying it. Games should be fun, not frustrating.

  • ayyash1991

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 2:14 pm PT

    assassin creed 2 !!! hell yes it will be the best game if they fixed some mistake on the aasassin 1

  • residude

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 2:07 pm PT

    it will never beat hitman in the assassin genre of games im afraid to say

  • wagner2002

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 1:29 pm PT

    Indeed an exiting gameplay for the first hour or two - after that it becomes boring. Got tired of doing the same thing again and again and didn't get to finish the game. Lets wait for the reviews when the second one comes out, to see if its worth buying.

  • Kolominas

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 1:15 pm PT

    if the makers of assassin's creed learn from the mistakes they made in the first game, foremost the lack of variation in gameplay, this is going to be one hell of a great game

  • Disgaea_Fan

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 12:24 pm PT

    Honestly I didn't like Assassin's Creed 1. It was too repetitive

  • StuDevo posted Nov 28, 2008 12:14 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    StuDevo

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 12:14 pm PT (hide)

    i hope this is during the french revolution.

  • biriarr

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 12:06 pm PT

    hope this one is abit beter than the first i liked combat in # but too many repetative missions I so enjoyed killing crusaders noow i kill frenchies too did they have escargo back then?

  • residude

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 11:26 am PT

    cartercity. actually its very easy to make a game thats not reptitive and open, its called diversity of missions, the repititive factor of assassins creed was that the missions were EXACTLY the same in all the cities, and so for the first half hour - hour of entering a new city, your just repeating what you did in the last city till you can get to the actual assassination

  • sunsetcrakcer

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 11:13 am PT

    can't wait to play the second game. i loved the first one.

  • Hillsy_

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 10:49 am PT

    I have to agree, Assassin Creed was boring and repetitive. The thieving aspect felt more like a mini-game than something which flowed within the game. The game itself was well...lacking to say the least. The only redeeming factor I can give to Assassin Creed were the graphics, animation and setting. The one thing I will say is.....before they do a sequel, look up the term 'gameplay' in the dictionary; it is what some people such as myself feel is important.

  • Koala49

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 10:42 am PT

    The first one was good and all but the only thing that kept it down was that it was to repetitive. I mean I think the fact that kind of disappointed me was that whenever I hear about a big open free world I usually expect it to have a lot to do and in assassins creed there was very little side missions to do besides just killing random people and guards but that got boring after a while. Again the first one was great for a month or so and had a really great storyline, but i just hope that if they make a second one they will add a lot more to do...

  • kweeni

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 10:15 am PT

    AC2? that sucks! i still need to play the first one first but thankfully i have time till 2010

  • necronaux

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 10:00 am PT

    Hope it's better than the first, I was kinda dissapointed. Hope there's more variety, less repitition.

  • zo70 posted Nov 28, 2008 10:00 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    zo70

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 10:00 am PT (hide)

    Assassin creed Was SOoooooo Bad

  • kindereggman

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 9:46 am PT

    Omg thats such a coinsidence i was thinkin the exact same thing last night when i was watching batman begins lol.

  • Princess_Jill

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 9:45 am PT

    Yay!

  • okassar

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 9:37 am PT

    I'm definitely buying it,but instead of French Rev setting(which is rumored),I would rather have a modern,street running assassin sort of thing,in between dark alleys and huge Gotham-type skyscrapers,jumping roofs with a silenced pistol in handAnd the same creed sort of thing.

  • my13drive

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 9:17 am PT

    yes yes YES oooo wait Nooooo okok thes is a good game but so what ill be happy when they giv me a vido

  • kamikaze_pigmy

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 8:50 am PT

    As long as the actual assassinations get built upon and the investigation stage is scrapped, this could be a real must-buy for a lot of people.

  • musicaz70

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 7:59 am PT

    I wasn't a fan of the first game too much. The game was just really repetitive after the first three assassinations, then the whole "wow" factor started to wear off on me. The story was pretty good though, I hope they learn from the mistakes of the first, and keep the story just as good.

  • Laksamanama

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 7:59 am PT

    hope they make it less repetetive, the assassination missions were great, but teh side missions were what made me want to destroy my 360

  • dmish82

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 7:54 am PT

    Much like GTAIV I found Assassin's Creed to be disappointing.

  • captain110

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 7:29 am PT

    its hard but sweet to wait!

  • Fool619

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 7:26 am PT

    YESSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • jahoousa

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 7:13 am PT

    I thought AC1 was a really boring game, after the first few hours. Everybody thought it was just grand you could climb to every rooftop and get a view of the city. I can do the same thing from a Helicopter in GTA..... I hope the sequel is more entertaining than it's predacessor. The system needs a massive overhaul to really work, but it has potential.

  • Samfisher_1

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 6:00 am PT

    Cant wait

  • jmartin1016

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 5:50 am PT

    It took four years to make the first one. 2010 isn't a big surprise

  • CamiKitten

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 5:31 am PT

    I really liked Assassin's Creed, despite the repitivity. Finally a sequel is coming out, but why so late? That's depressing.

  • Killer2401

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 5:31 am PT

    I loved the first game, can't wait to see where the story goes and assasinate some more noobs

  • LYTEK

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 4:26 am PT

    Maybe that's where the Animus action occurs b/c there's another hidden treasure there like there was in the Assassin's Temple, and Desmond will also get to move around in the real world. Just a thought.

  • cartercity2005

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 4:22 am PT

    So what the over opinionated gamers want is something more evolved than what they got? Here's an idea; STOP GAMING AND BECOME AN ACTUAL ASSASSIN!!! Unfortunately people, just about all games have a certain level of repetitiveness to them but for the size of the game and the amount of open world exploration. AC1 is a classic. The only thing I don't understand is why are they going to place AC2 in the French Revolution. If you remember the story line of Desmond, they should just continue from there. Everything else is going to be awesome. For those that don't believe, it would be moronic on the part of Ubisoft not to improve on the system so there will be major improvements (does anyone remember the evolution of the Prince of Persia series). Bottom line, AC2 is going to be awesome.

  • jmebaby25

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 4:13 am PT

    Lets just hope they actually get round to finishing the game.

    The first one was ok. It looked great and was fun to play initially but then it did get repetitive. I kept playing to see how the story ended.

    And then... it didn't. You're just trapped in a room walking from door to door, knowing that there is a gun battle taking place.

    £40 and it ends with Ubisoft effectively giving us the finger and saying: "this will make you purchase the sequel"

    Well I ain't that much of a sucker.

  • Ballardbird posted Nov 28, 2008 3:45 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Ballardbird

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 3:45 am PT (hide)

    Why make a seguel when the first one wasnt that good to begin with?

  • TekkenLordIRI

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 3:03 am PT

    hmm where is Tom Clancy's? lol

  • Smooth-A

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 2:33 am PT

    i hope we get a trailer soon cause #1 was awesome

  • residude

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 2:22 am PT

    agreed with canofownage, they need to get rid of the rubbish side missions as someone said of beating up the informant, collecting flags etc. and make each mission all just one big thing. Make the actual assassinations last longer, greatly improve the AI. And a major thing, when your on teh rooftops and lock onto a guard, he doesnt suddenly spot you and is alerted.

  • venom55521

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 1:55 am PT

    i'm expecting a trailer VERY soon

  • KoM-EgeN

    Posted Nov 28, 2008 12:42 am PT

    ah hann... tell me something i don't know. I mean, it's obvious we know AC2 is in development =P

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