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Assassin's Creed Unity Runs at 900p/30fps on Xbox One and PS4 to "Avoid Debates" [Update]

Limited by the consoles' CPUs, neither the Xbox One nor PS4 version of Unity will run at the reported target of 1080p/60fps.

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Update: Ubisoft has issued a statement denying it has downgraded the PS4 version of Assassin's Creed Unity.

Original story: The new current-gen and PC-only Assassin's Creed game, Assassin's Creed Unity, will run at a resolution of 900p and a frame rate of 30 frames per second on both Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Speaking with VideoGamer, senior producer Vincent Pontbriand revealed the figures, which come in below the 1080p/60fps figures that Ubisoft was reportedly targeting for both platforms. And while there is a technical reason for not being able to reach those numbers, Ubisoft decided to make the two console versions identical in the interest of parity. "We decided to lock them at the same specs to avoid all the debates and stuff," Pontbriand explained.

No Caption Provided

What holds Unity back is the processors that the consoles are equipped with. They are what's responsible for handling AI--and there is a lot of that to be handled, as Ubisoft has claimed the game can support crowds of 30,000 NPCs.

"Technically we're CPU-bound," Pontbriand said. "The GPUs are really powerful, obviously the graphics look pretty good, but it's the CPU [that] has to process the AI, the number of NPCs we have on screen, all these systems running in parallel.

"We were quickly bottlenecked by that and it was a bit frustrating, because we thought that this was going to be a tenfold improvement over everything AI-wise, and we realized it was going to be pretty hard. It's not the number of polygons that affect the frame rate. We could be running at 100fps if it was just graphics, but because of AI, we're still limited to 30 frames per second."

We've followed up with Ubisoft to see if we can learn anything more about the situation.

Both the Xbox One and PS4 versions of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag ran at 900p initially, but a patch released on launch day brought the PS4 version up to the vaunted resolution of 1080p. It isn't the only game to run at a high resolution on PS4, but more recently, thanks to an update, developers have increasingly reached 1080p with the Xbox One versions of their games.

Unity is one of two original Assassin's Creed games coming on November 11, the other being Assassin's Creed Rogue for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. For more on Unity, check out our newly published preview.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

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bunchanumbers

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lol at the overreactions. Ubisoft isn't obligated to give you the greatest thing that pushes the limits of the struggling console hardware. And you as gamers are not obligated to purchase said product. Instead of crying and throwing yourself on the ground in anger answer with your wallet. If you wanted the best experience you'd be gaming on a PC already.

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alenth

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<< LINK REMOVED >>


"f you wanted the best experience you'd be gaming on a PC already. "


Bullshit.


I bet you don't remember it, do you? since it appears that you and other users are only here to whiteknight your platforms and bash other users due to your preferences, I will refresh your memory a bit.


Could you please tell the others how many unoptimized ports has ubi released on PC? or how many times they have told consumers to gtfo and get a new card? ubi has a huge history of delivering unoptimized games due to their incompetence, since they only care to deliver a popcorn summer movie experience and not one that pushes the hardware they are developing games for, this has nothing to do with hardware, they outsource 9 different estudios to develop the game but they never deliver an optimized game and this has been a tradition since AC2, that's why I never buy ubi games for PC as a general rule now.


You people act as if ubi has the ultimate truth on this matter, when that's not the case, you just use that as an excuse to promote more toxicity on this topic.







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kujel

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Oh little pony tears taste so good *licks lips*

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bunchanumbers

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Its not just this game. Its all 3rd party games. Every game has the potential for higher resolution, higher frame rate, mods, free online, etc. etc. This is just one point in a long list of games that will end up being better on PC.

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WolfgarTheQuiet

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> I own every PS and i play on PC. Trust me only thing better on PC is graphics and some games can be modded. But with modern games going more and more online mods are considered hacks so expect that to die out soon.

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WolfgarTheQuiet

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<< LINK REMOVED >>Parity?????????????....Avoid debate?????????????

So you are holding back the PS4 version just cause Xbox cant keep up. Thats like holding back PC capabilities because consoles cant keep up with certain aspects.


BTW im over AC games since second one, time to retire AC. Wont be buying one. Ubisoft sucks as usual as a publisher.

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bunchanumbers

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> I'm holding back the PS4 version? You're acting like 1080p and 60 fps is your god given right. Sorry bud but it doesn't work that way. The simple fact of the matter is that Ubisoft makes a product, and if you're not interested in said product, then you don't buy it.

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WolfgarTheQuiet

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@bunchanumbers @WolfgarTheQuiet I dont care about AC or graphics or frame rate. Just saying its holding it back because PS4 is a more capable system of accomplishing that. Also who said you, ubisoft did the game not you haha.


Also you dont have to say nothing. No matter what article is on this site you will feel obliged to give Sony some sh*it about anything. I have witnessed that, so talking with you any further is pointless because i know whats coming.

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bunchanumbers

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> If you don't care about this product, then why are you here complaining about it? Its really that simple.

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WolfgarTheQuiet

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Not complaining, just stating the fact that my fellow PS4 owners are getting ripped of by fu*king Ubisoft in a way cause Xbox cannot keep up. They will fu*k up PC version for the same reason.


So its not about the product, its about growing developer laziness.

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bunchanumbers

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Then your complaints would be better off aimed at the Ubisoft customer service forums. And by the way stating the fact that your fellow ps4 owners are getting ripped off is complaining.

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WolfgarTheQuiet

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Its a fact, not a complaint, blah i off to play some games. Haven Call of The King is awesome. Had my fun on here

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kujel

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This behavior of the ponies is why I tr0ll them, their corporate cult leaders have convinced them they are part of some elite group cause they bought a really weak PC with a closed OS. Mindless herdlings that fall for hype are way too easy to bait and irritate :)

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WolfgarTheQuiet

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Trust me with us PC gamers getting mainly ports i dont know if those few PC only games are worth upgrading or gaming on PC anymore. dont care about graphics much so that only wont do it for me. With consoles being more dev friendly i think even PC's beloved RTS games will start coming to consoles, its not expensive to buy official keyboard and mouse.


And lastly, cannot compare console and PC. one is mainly gaming device while PC is an open Platform for all sorts of stuff. PC's are actually used more for everything than gaming in general.

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hitomo

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> what are u talking about, more dev friendly? RTS games ? u still sleeping ^^

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WolfgarTheQuiet

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> What. RTS games will come to consoles, im referring to games that are made for keyboard/mouse. yes more and more PC only indie titles are in works for PS4 and that was PC only thing. Yes Sony is more friendly to devs.


think you are sleeping mate, look at Diablo 3, as a game not good as Diablo 2, but from technical perspective is much better on PS4. i own both versions PC/PS4

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Frozzik

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Diablo 3 on ps4 suffers horrible frame dips during intense sections. I hated it. No such problem on my pc.

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hitomo

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> then ur pc most clearly suck, impossible dude ^^

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> You are deluded, i said technically not higher grahics, fu*ck graphics man.


i5 and 680 is more than enough to run Diablo 3 with 12 GB RAM.

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alenth

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Sony and MS have nothing to do with this, just ubi, you're just using this crap as an excuse to promote your toxic attitude here.

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kujel

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@alenth @kujel Can't handle the truth can you little lady?

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RabbiSchmuley

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@kujel shut that hole up.


No one's wrong for buying in one way or another. It's how we've been sold. The PC is so much more than a gaming machine yet you're jumping on the bandwagon like there's even a comparison to be had.

The tears and frustration should be aimed elsewhere; like why the hell MS is strangling the PC market, why drm and a bunch of other trackerware is constantly being shoved up our collective rears.

As Bunchanumbers clearly said, "We should be answering with our wallets".

That saying rings even truer for the PC market where the technological onslaught is unrelenting; no matter how you justify it, the state of this industry/business is ruthless and begging for an overhaul from yours truly...me, you, and ever other shmuckster that put their chips into this machine.

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bunchanumbers

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Well said. When we swallowed DLC without complaint we were pretty much doomed. If no one fell for it, publishers would have just shrugged their shoulders and moved onto the next scheme.

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RabbiSchmuley

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<< LINK REMOVED >> it's like: shame on us for being around long enough to know we're being screwed.

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nnn2004

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If they want parity then they should do the same for PC version !

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beazermyst

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<< LINK REMOVED >> "Pitchforks, get your pitchforks and torches here!" Pc gamers proceed to burn down ubisoft headquarters.


If they had true parity on the pc in a locked resolution sales on pc would plummet. Not so much graphics matter, but resolution, that would cause absolute hatred. They already know they stand on shaky ground with pc users, resolution parity would be death.

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Daian

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<< LINK REMOVED >> even they're not that crazy.

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Sohaim

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> wait, dont do that plz, remenber Watch dogs, dont challenge ubisoft.

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kujel

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You have no life pony.

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PSXp-ONE

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I don't want degraded games Ubisoft...can't you fkn get it? I skipped watchdogs for this reason and now AC? Really? thats only good news for Xbots....another game im gonna skip thanks to your stupidity.

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Aaronp2k

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this wouldn't have happened if stubborn xbots just accepted ps4 is the better console and bought it instead. microsoft need to go out of business, they are holding pc and ps4 back. look at the wii u, that is weaker than both the ps4 and xbox one but no developers have downgraded our graphics to wii u quality. there is no excuse, just because its xbox and owned by microsoft they get preferential treatment. its bullshit and you all know it is.


linux, steam os & mac > windows

ps4 > xbox 1


just die microsoft.

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kujel

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Mmmmm pony tears

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VoidSECT

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The game looks good on every other aspect graphic wise. so i don't give half a f.u.c.k about this 1080p BS.

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alaskancrab

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All I know is if the game is that close on being CPU bound, expect the game to have fluctuating frame rates, stutters and tearing.

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gamer20482

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In other words Microsoft's console couldn't do 1080p so they locked both versions

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ABIBASS

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Then im pirating this cr@p on pc. End of debate.

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isshiah

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O....kay.


But the game's still fun, right?


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kujel

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That's all that really matters in this debate.

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XAF1

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Ubisoft feels that it's more important to have a ton of rag dolls on the screen than generate a quality game specifically situated to the two consoles. Their engine is supposed to be scalable---what happened to that concept. I could careless about 30,000 NPCs on screen at once, just make the game within the confines of the specifications of what you have to work with as you have always done in the past. What's so hard about that? I get a feeling consoles are really going to get screwed this go around and I don't think it's just about the specs but outright laziness and a desire to make a quick buck on multiple platforms. Consoles were there when some developers needed them in the past generations now they don't feel that they are as important any more. It's not about Consoles vs PC's, it's about giving a crap what you put out. Simultaneous releases don't always work if it's going to pull down quality.

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kujel

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It's not a problem with consoles but rather lazy greedy AAA publishers and casual gamers who buy their crap.

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RabbiSchmuley

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@kujel lazy is right. Ubisoft loves getting its' eggs in one basket.

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FrigidShadow85

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<< LINK REMOVED >> They do in the sense that they make a lot of money, and that's the only think Ubisoft cares about, unfortunately...

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XAF1

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<< LINK REMOVED >>

Yeah I've noticed that more than ever with a few developers/publishers. It seems like they care less about their craft this gen and how they represent it.

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blueinheaven

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The way the industry is going at the moment it wouldn't surprise me if Ubisoft release a 1080p patch for PS4 as day one DLC.

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ForsakenWicked

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Just cut the drama and don't buy the game if you're not comfortable with this. Their loss, not yours. As long as the gaming community keeps bending to whatever practices the industry wants to impose, we'll keep on loosing quality, features, and even more.

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