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Assassin's Creed series taking 'breather' in 2011

  • By Eddie Makuch, GameSpot
  • Posted Jul 8, 2010 12:03 pm PT

Ubisoft producer says no new franchise title planned for next year; ACII, Brotherhood protagonist Ezio hanging up robes.

Ubisoft achieved near overnight success with its all-new Assassin's Creed franchise in 2007, selling some 6 million units in less than six months. The publisher wasted little time ramping up development for 2009's top-rated, top-selling Assassin's Creed II and even less time with Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, the multiplayer-enabled installment due this fall. However, it would appear as is if Brotherhood will be the last Assassin's Creed for at least a year.

Ezio's killing days are numbered.

Ezio's killing days are numbered.

"I don't think there's going to be an Assassin's Creed in 2011," Ubisoft Montreal producer Jean-Francois Boivin told Eurogamer."I think we're going to let it breathe a bit and really focus on bringing something new and exciting for the next time around. This [Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood] is the end of Ezio's story. This is it."

Further, Boivin addressed the perceived danger of oversaturating the market by too quickly releasing new installments in a franchise. However, he also noted that letting a franchise lie fallow for too long can cool enthusiasm among gamers.

"I believe that this license needs a breather. You can't plough a field every year. Once every three years--or once every something--you have to let it breathe. You have to let the minerals back in. I think it's the same thing with any license, really. I don't think we do a service to this license if we pull a Duke Nukem on people, you know what I'm saying? It's hard to answer."

For more on the series' latest installment, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, check out GameSpot's E3 2010 Ubisoft Booth Tour (embedded below).

305 Comments

  • Veldon56

    Posted Nov 22, 2010 2:34 pm GMT

    with the cliffhanger ending i cant wait a whole two years for the next game

  • GothamKnight13

    Posted Nov 8, 2010 6:22 pm GMT

    and this breather is actually a very good thing because when it comes back it'll be better than ever because people love a comeback

  • GothamKnight13

    Posted Nov 8, 2010 6:20 pm GMT

    Taking a breather is fine but this isn't the end for AC series they make too much money and get too much popularity for the company to just throw it away or forget about it.

  • marvel456

    Posted Sep 10, 2010 4:34 am GMT

    Assassin's Creed 3 will be the last! Well ubisoft did say the Assassin's Creed series was meant to be a trilogy and if they would make like 5 games then the main storyline(Desmond's) would make no sense.

    I like what @Sukharevskaya said it would be good.

  • LiL_Bandit33

    Posted Sep 1, 2010 11:53 am GMT

    Well i like assassin's creed 1 and AC2 was better and i hope Brotherhood will Blow up even better than AC2, the break makes me sad but i hope when they come back they keep up the good work of progression.

  • legosora73

    Posted Aug 9, 2010 9:21 pm GMT

    finally, someone knows how to make a series without making it repetive and over-saturated

  • JLCrogue

    Posted Aug 9, 2010 12:48 pm GMT

    It's just like Goldilocks, don't take too long to release a game, but don't come out with another one every year, do it just right...

  • Junior_AIN

    Posted Aug 9, 2010 12:02 pm GMT

    Better this way, then they won't saturate the series looking for easy money.

  • Sukharevskaya

    Posted Jul 28, 2010 2:34 pm GMT

    I hope the next game either sums up the trilogy by bringing in multiple memories from all his ancestors (Egypt, Rome, Modern Times, etc.) with some huge assassination attempt at the end where their memories all overlap and they work together....or they keep putting out installments. Don't burn out the series but don't ditch it--and keep it fresh, dont rely on the license alone

  • Slavadil

    Posted Jul 26, 2010 10:05 pm GMT

    fair enough, just don't forget about it!

  • Pumpkinhead3

    Posted Jul 19, 2010 12:15 pm GMT

    I'm tentative about this new one, so I'm glad they are taking a breather.

  • bizzySGS

    Posted Jul 13, 2010 1:43 pm GMT

    if they would make an assassin's creed movie it will be awsome !

  • Jebril

    Posted Jul 13, 2010 2:47 am GMT

    For such a huge publisher Ubisoft tends to be one of the smarter publishers in the industry, I did begin think they were starting to milk AC after the announcement of Brotherhood, I still kinda think they are but I'm glad they're going to give the series a breather, it's a nice part of video games hype and development that should be appreciated, that creates higher quality in the end. Way to go Ubisoft.

  • FF_fan2004

    Posted Jul 12, 2010 2:15 am GMT

    It's a more prudent strategy.

  • Slagar

    Posted Jul 12, 2010 12:42 am GMT

    ... So they pretty much just figured out what normal people have known for years?

  • Shantmaster_K

    Posted Jul 11, 2010 10:24 pm GMT

    its a good idea. i loved all the assassin creed games. maybe taking a break they can develop an even better AC game. its a good idea to because they arent making numerous games fast

  • Flint247

    Posted Jul 11, 2010 7:42 pm GMT

    I don't play the AC games but at least Ubisoft has enough common sense to know NOT to milk this series, unlike a few other companies...

    It's good to take breaks in life. If you overdo it, you will get messy results.

  • dylan417

    Posted Jul 11, 2010 7:10 pm GMT

    2 Ezio games is far enough. I want AC3 set in future with Desmond.

  • ZachBobBob

    Posted Jul 11, 2010 3:51 pm GMT

    AC3 should be set in feudal japan, that would be epic ninja assassins and such what. haha Climbing up temples and things, I think it would look brilliant. But I wouldn't mind really if it was more centered around desmond and the future,

  • greasemonkey42

    Posted Jul 11, 2010 1:11 am GMT

    'taking a breather' simply means ''increase development time of next installment'

    As if they won't be slaving away all next year on AC3, they're just making sure it's going to be as big as an improvement as AC2 was over its predecessor.

  • akiwak

    Posted Jul 10, 2010 10:44 pm GMT

    I have no doubt that Ubi will deliver in spades when it comes to next AC title. They did not release one in 2008 but in 2009 they delivered one of the best games of the year!!!

  • solidsnake7882

    Posted Jul 10, 2010 8:49 pm GMT

    @MooncalfReviews
    Um how do you know that Brotherhood won't advance the story? According to Ubisoft it will answer many questions about Desmond and Ezio and conclude Ezio's story.

  • MooncalfReviews

    Posted Jul 10, 2010 4:13 pm GMT

    Oh son of a...!! They shouldn't have bothered with Brotherhood, they should just have finished the trilogy. And now because of this money milking middle prequel that won't advance the story in any way or give us the art we saw in the first game, we wont see number 3 for ages.

  • Takeno456

    Posted Jul 10, 2010 3:03 pm GMT

    I love assassin's creed and it is good to see that Ubisoft is managing it carefully. Unlike well I really don't need to say it. Just read the many comments below mine.

  • flashyspeed

    Posted Jul 10, 2010 2:13 pm GMT

    I think it's a good idea giving the Assassin's Creed series a break. This is a good move by Ubisoft. Activision needs to follow suit with the Call of Duty series, because to me it's getting old.

  • flashyspeed

    Posted Jul 10, 2010 2:05 pm GMT

    I think it's a good idea to give the Assassin Creed series a break. A smart move by Ubisoft. Activision GIVE Call Of Duty a break!!!

  • solidsnake7882

    Posted Jul 10, 2010 10:49 am GMT

    @bioshockraptor
    They are still making ACIII most likely to coincide with the in game and real life 2012 prophecy. That's what I'd do.

  • Ewangotkool

    Posted Jul 10, 2010 8:33 am GMT

    It true what the producer said about having a years break from making a new game but it will be boring. hope the wait will be worth it.

  • Cipher_8

    Posted Jul 10, 2010 8:30 am GMT

    @ sensei_hEnRY -- That's exactly what they'll be doing I bet. I know a guy who works for Ubisoft and he said they are already in early development on the next Rainbow Six, when I first read this it got me that much more excited cuz now I can believe him a little bit more.

  • Cipher_8

    Posted Jul 10, 2010 8:28 am GMT

    Here's what I think about this. http://forums.xbox.com/33343906/ShowPost.aspx (too long for a comment)

  • Cartybowls

    Posted Jul 10, 2010 7:35 am GMT

    I like this thinking. So many games to play, I need a break from one series to play the other games I have piled up.

  • Gezquester

    Posted Jul 10, 2010 3:48 am GMT

    Whatever games they come out with I'm going to be getting them! AC is awesome!

  • 021-Vincent

    Posted Jul 10, 2010 3:25 am GMT

    I Hope When They're Designing AC3 They Could Alow Us Players To Use The Piece Or The Apple Of Eden Manually When Ever We Want It !!! Hope They Think Of That !!

  • Bioshockraptor

    Posted Jul 10, 2010 1:57 am GMT

    They didn't say they're not making AC3 though, perhaps 2012?

  • sensei_hEnRY

    Posted Jul 9, 2010 9:34 pm GMT

    what about new Rainbow Six game, Ubi Montreal?

  • ALTAIR360

    Posted Jul 9, 2010 8:13 pm GMT

    in the mean time.
    pleasee give advise to the prince of persia team cuz they ruined the hell out of it.

  • hannify

    Posted Jul 9, 2010 7:06 pm GMT

    Activision - take note of these gurus

  • hardeman

    Posted Jul 9, 2010 6:35 pm GMT

    now mabe activision will follow suit and stop raping call of duty

  • The_Gaming_Baby

    Posted Jul 9, 2010 6:34 pm GMT

    I like this decision.

  • tremor33

    Posted Jul 9, 2010 3:49 pm GMT

    Finally... Someones thinking with their heads. Now if only they can relay the message to those morons making a new guitar hero every 5 minutes...

  • RHoque92

    Posted Jul 9, 2010 3:44 pm GMT

    good move, gives them time to think of some good new ideas and material so this series doesn't turn in to Call of Crappy.

    but don't want AC3 to be the final one (the one with Desmond in modern times) as i'd like to explore a new ancestor in a new location and time period, perhaps a hot female assassin??

  • solidsnake7882

    Posted Jul 9, 2010 3:33 pm GMT

    I have to agree that this is a great call. AC3 will still come we just have to wait a bit. It will mean a high quality game and at least we will have Brotherhood to keep us busy.

  • TheTrueMagusX1

    Posted Jul 9, 2010 3:29 pm GMT

    Very good move. I have to agree with this....now...

    @SunOfAtom I disagree with you highly. For me Ezio was far from a substandard character, as that he was far more interesting then Altair. Altair, seemed imo bland, for me in the original Assassins Creed, Desmonds story was far more interesting....Altair, was just I am an assassin, I lost all my stuff cause I broke a rule, now I got to earn it back and discover this sort of hidden agenda. Ezio for me, was a character with faults and more believable. He started out as a punk rich kid whose sole purpose was to fight with rival houses and womanize and drink. You got to know his family, and you got know his roots. And then when his world shattered and he was forced to become an assassin, it was great playing him out and seeing that growth take place. And the Ezio at the begging of the game was a substantially different character, at the end of the game then he was in the beggining. He grew up, as he progressed through the game. Far more interesting imo then Altair, who I found was too bland imo.

  • StaticKornSlipX

    Posted Jul 9, 2010 3:02 pm GMT

    @SunOfAtom
    The setting of Assassin's Creed 2 was amazing. Being in the middle of the Italian Renaissance, the heart of civilization at the time, was exhilarating. Ezio climbing up legendary structures like Santa Marie del Fiore and brushing shoulders with Leonardo da Vinci and Lorenzo de Medici submerges the gamer in one of the grandest times in Western history. This game made it feel like I was alive in a real Venice and real Florence, I now hope to visit these two cities in the future.

  • SunOfAtom

    Posted Jul 9, 2010 2:39 pm GMT

    I hope they return to Altair's story - I see no reason why they simply downed tools on he and Desmond and began work on Ezio, a frankly substandard character, as far as I'm concerned. The original Assassin's Creed's setting was much more engaging - as was the time period and even the gameplay felt a lot more like a title centered around assassination should feel.

  • Ramiro00

    Posted Jul 9, 2010 1:18 pm GMT

    if the game is going to be played in 2012 it s going to be modern warfare. No more eagle vison ... now it s thermal googles

  • kakashi6666

    Posted Jul 9, 2010 1:17 pm GMT

    this is propbably the best decision ubisoft will ever make every franchise in the gameing industry should take time betwean there sequils every so ofton which ofcourse alot of them dont call of duty everone

  • Ramiro00

    Posted Jul 9, 2010 1:14 pm GMT

    @ lampshade820 I liked "knowing"...XD

  • junaid6030

    Posted Jul 9, 2010 12:35 pm GMT

    Well i would want them to return every year, but i think i can manage without ac for a year, wouldnt want it turning into something crappy like the nfs franchise.

  • dragonstealer

    Posted Jul 9, 2010 12:23 pm GMT

    @altair360

    if you read the sequel section at wikipedia it tells you were the might take place. ill put a link
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassin's_Creed_II

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