Assassin's Creed DS prequel confirmed

  • By TomM_GScom, GameSpot
  • Posted Jan 11, 2008 12:22 pm PT

Last July, Ubisoft unloaded the entirety of its holdings in mobile-game developer Gameloft in an effort to refocus the reportedly $112 million in funds on other growth opportunities. However, as noted by Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot at the time of the transaction, the two companies would remain in...

Last July, Ubisoft unloaded the entirety of its holdings in mobile-game developer Gameloft in an effort to refocus the reportedly $112 million in funds on other growth opportunities. However, as noted by Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot at the time of the transaction, the two companies would remain in cahoots, though now only at an operational level.

It now appears that one of the offsprings of that relationship will be the Nintendo DS edition of Assassin's Creed, as revealed by box-art scans obtained by enthusiast blog Go Nintendo. The game--which has yet to be officially announced, though retailer listings and its appearance on Nintendo's 2008 release lineup have all but confirmed it--will apparently be a prequel to its console counterparts, and go by the subtitle Altair's Chronicles. In the course of telling the story of the titular medieval murderer, the game will allow players to use the DS stylus to "interrogate informers" and pickpocket strangers.

Altair's Chronicles will be the second version of Assassin's Creed developed by Gameloft. The France-based developer also created the mobile edition of the game last year--a demo of which is available on Gameloft's Web site--as well as the Xbox Live Arcade revamping of the classic platformer Prince of Persia.

187 Comments

  • GaryFeltner

    Posted Jan 22, 2008 12:58 pm PT

    This game is being released in 2 weeks and there are only 3 screen shots and no video previews? I'd love for this game to be good, but this is a very bad sign. The same thing happened with Splinter Cell for the DS and that game was lousy.

  • BulletBrigade

    Posted Jan 19, 2008 7:11 am PT

    It gives me that warm fuzzy feeling to know that there is a Assassin's Creed for DS and not PSP.

  • Silent_Raven92

    Posted Jan 18, 2008 5:16 pm PT

    Okay, I'm getting just a TINY little bit peed off. I don't really know if Assassin's Creed on the DS will be good or not - only time will tell. But I can tell you know that it has a higher chance of being good then if it was ported to the PSP. So many people whine and complain, "oh why not psp, psp pwns the DS" well I can answer that question honestly. PSP sucks. I'll keep it simple. Sure, as many people point out, PSP can support better graphics, but the controls are almost always bodgy and the games themselves are dodgy too. do you know how many times i see a psp game glitch? And plus, the popularity for psp games are pretty low too. A single game on the DS could top sales of ten psp games conjoined. So stop whining for christs sake. Plus, the controls on the DS are usually the pros! And with good controls, good gameplay works smoothly. As for good gameplay, thats up to Gameloft. Good luck to them. This good turn out good, or it could become gimmicky. But now is too early to judge that! Just bite your lip and hope for the best

  • Slash_out

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 4:57 pm PT

    They didn't make any wii version... they should before making a DS one...
    I know every DS owner isn't suposed to have a Wii... but still..

  • Dreski83

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 1:29 pm PT

    with solid controls on the console version, I'm extremely curious to see how a DS game will turn out

  • 02sfraser

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 12:58 pm PT

    sounds like a good idea.....hope they dont mess it up

  • hobobski

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 11:48 am PT

    i hope this isn't complete touch control...

  • kojaraty

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 11:18 am PT

    not interesting

  • trenken

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 10:18 am PT

    Those pix on the back of the box look like a joke.

  • landcrow

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 7:24 am PT

    It sounds good.

  • el_haslemo

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 6:37 am PT

    hmm just makes me wonder will we be faced with the style of game that assasins creed fans will be used to it would be a shame to ruin the series with a prequel

  • monkeytoes61

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 6:37 am PT

    It looks ok, but I'm not a huge fan of stealth games.

  • Pastehunter

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 5:33 am PT

    Well if it turns out OK , I might buy it

  • Leick3

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 4:51 am PT

    SWEEEEEEET! I really wanted to get the first one but i dont have a 360 or PS3, getting that fo sho

  • XileLord

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 11:23 pm PT

    I have a psp and have never touched a DS....though if anybody is planning on getting a handheld make sure its the DS. PSP just flat out sucks in my opinion.

  • theGrynch

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 10:01 pm PT

    Typical Ubisoft, milking everything they can from their successful franchises. There's a reason Halo games or GTA games only come out once every few years: that way the quality stays high. Take note, Ubi.

  • 90caliber

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 8:33 pm PT

    Lets just be honest. We all know that this is going to suck. Why didnt they just put the energy and resources into an expansion for the consoles? DUH!!!!

  • 13lackfriday

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 8:14 pm PT

    oh jeez, handheld additions to the franchise might do bad for the story and rep...

  • DEWMAN08

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 6:40 pm PT

    Thats gonna be dumb and nowhere near the level of the next gen games.

  • Nintendus21

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 6:19 pm PT

    This is a big thumbs up!

  • Xiloa

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 6:05 pm PT

    wtf the devs said that they wouldn't bring ac to wii because the graphic capabilities weren't there, so they go to the ds?

  • ChuckNorris82

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 5:59 pm PT

    I'm not much of a DS fan, but I wonder how this will turn out....sounds cool. But I agree, if this game was on the Wii.......wow....I can't "even" explain how hard that would be!!!

  • dsplayer1010

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 5:18 pm PT

    sounds cool

  • ligerz76

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 4:42 pm PT

    A Wii version would be so fun. The controls might be bad though because Altair's movements are pretty complex.

  • masori

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 3:04 pm PT

    nice

  • Darkjak95

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 3:01 pm PT

    The DS game selection is growing to games on consles including this one

  • joshi1s3

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 1:39 pm PT

    this could turn out to be a masterpeice....i hope

  • WSGRandomPerson

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 1:24 pm PT

    Nice, now hopefully it won't be a flop prequel

  • PumpkinBoogie

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 1:04 pm PT

    @ ne0man

    My point exactly, man! I have to be honest and say I'm not too sure Ubisoft made a wise decision in jumping straight into putting AC right onto a handheld.....and to be frank I have serious doubts as to whether they, meaning Gameloft, can translate their success with AC mobile version into a handheld. I mean really looking at the images again personally, I don't think that it looks that much better than a very advanced pocketpc or smartphone game (and that's not a knock on the DS, I just think that this game hasn't truly utilize the graphics of the DS like it could, yet I could be wrong).

    I mean maybe I wouldn't feel so weird about it if they would have chose to also release a full console version of the prequel (or at best a downloadable versions for PSN or XBL)--hell, they could have at least even the Wii a try first. It just all seems like a cash-in move to me....to have a DS version thrown together that fast--sh***, Gamefly even has it already listed as a soon to be release title for future renting--just gives me the bad vibe that this damn game could have the potential to bomb. I mean on real, who the hell drops a portable version of a game just no more than 3 mon. or so after its major console counterpart??? It took God of War freakin' 1-2 YEARS before they decided to make its prequel for the PSP......but 3 MONTHS *shakes head*, c'mon now.....

    Now either they were working on this damn thing side-by-side as they were developing the original PS3/XBOX 360 version, or they're being greedy and only AFTER they realized the massive success of AC they decided to straight rush into milking it onto the equally success DS. Let's just hope it's not the latter, b/c if so then we all know what some games can look like when they're rush on the market too soon, one word....."sh**ty".

  • JiminycricketX

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 12:45 pm PT

    I'm interested to see how they'll manage fitting Assassin's Creed into that tiny package. I also wonder how it will control. I would be interested in seeing full blown stylus control, like in Phantom Hourglass. It would offer more precise, 3 dimensional control than a normal control pad, which seems like something that would be almost necessary in a game like this. I assume it will be more similar to Prince of Persia. In other words, linear platforming levels mixed with a good helping of swordplay. A slightly more open world would be nice, but I can't see it working well on the DS.

  • PumpkinBoogie

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 12:17 pm PT

    You know, sampateman, I totally see where you're coming from; I mean that's not to say all prequel-type spin-offs or sequels are not bad for some games if the original game does have some potential of being delve into deeper--of course that what makes such great franchise series like DMC, Silent Hill, and FF (just to name a fraction). But of course, prequels and sequels--whether in video games or even movies--do tend to (almost) always turn out lame as hell when it's done just to capitalize on riding the wave of a successful console game. Personally, I think it's kinda odd for Ubisoft to already be comissioning a prequel so soon even as the original is still doing so hot--and even more so with putting it on the DS (no offense to the DS, just saying). Sounds like a profit move to me.....

    I just hope Ubisoft ain't making no mistakes on the choice of developers--Gameloft. After all it's a big difference in jumping from making mobile games to handheld consoles....

  • f15srcool

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 11:12 am PT

    Aw... no PSP version? Oh well... The DS one looks awesome though.

  • randympm

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 11:11 am PT

    awsome

  • ne0man

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 10:01 am PT

    @PumpkinBoogie :S now i'm fearing for it too...picturing a side scroller like gameloft's mobile adaptations of splinter cell and prince of persia, with mini games like "pickpocket " and "interrogate" and where the "real" 3d sections of the game would be the fighting and not much more than that. and looking at the small thumbnails again, the one on the left side of the cover gives the side scroller feel... ='(

  • kojaraty

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 9:53 am PT

    the original game on the console was boring, so you can imagine how boring it will be on the DS.

  • p0rkp1e74

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 9:35 am PT

    this will be one to add to the collection in hopefully a long line of DS classics

  • rose_please

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 9:14 am PT

    psp version would be way better

  • Negemite

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 8:53 am PT

    Looks Interesting for my Nintendo DS!

  • okassar

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 8:38 am PT

    Omg,I enjoyed it on my 360 and now I can enjoy it on my sister's DS :p

  • okassar

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 8:37 am PT

    Omg,I enjoyed it on my 360 and now I can enjoy it on my sister's DS :p

  • jakeisdisturbed

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 7:48 am PT

    Guys, I think if they can put God of War on the PSP, they won't hesitate to put an Assasin's Creed on it too.

  • Halochief_101

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 7:28 am PT

    looks good i just hope they don't make this one repetive, too bad i broke my DS

  • Girman

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 7:22 am PT

    Yes! The 'DS gets some glory. This'll b great!

  • ImSpartacus811

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 6:36 am PT

    Ick, it looks like a side scroller from those shots. I want to want it, but idk.

  • lorpatbru

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 5:46 am PT

    this will rock i have a ds

  • sampateman

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 4:52 am PT

    I know most of you will probably disagree, but I hate it when companies make a great game, and then have to make a million more prequels and sequels and prequels of the sequels of the game's name, just to drain it of every possible scrap of money and destroy its very name. It makes me very, very sad. I mean, I'm scared that they'll make a Bioshock 2 or something and it'll be crap, because the original Bioshock was brilliant.

  • NdsGuru

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 3:11 am PT

    No Gear of War for GBA?

  • Sammojo

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 1:16 am PT

    This is dumb, should have been on PSP. AC is on 360 and PS3, so why did they make a prequel on a nintendo console when it is inferior to the PSP?

  • GC4ever

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 12:40 am PT

    interesting
    this is way out in left field......
    maybe its worth checking out now

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