One message that can be derived from the problems Assassin’s Creed Unity faces at launch is that Ubisoft should consider a change in strategy. Instead of trying to get a new installment of Assassin’s Creed out every year, take some more time to develop and polish the game. That way, Ubisoft and its development teams are not struggling to get out a new triple A title out every November.
Since 2009, Ubisoft has released a new, major Assassin’s Creed title every year, around November. It was only a matter of time before things went wrong. A major issue with Assassin’s Creed Unity entailed taking the game next-gen and getting it out one year after Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. In hindsight, that was clearly the wrong move to make. If Ubisoft was so gung-ho about getting another Assassin’s Creed title out this year, that only game should have been Assassin’s Creed: Rogue, which does not seems to possess the problems of Assassin’s Creed Unity.
The practice of trying to produce a yearly game title for a franchise, especially one as massive as Assassin’s Creed, is a potential recipe for disaster. For the past several years, Ubisoft has been able to release a new title every year. The games launched fairly successfully. However, things slipped up with Unity. Clearly, the game was not given the necessary development time to avoid the glitches and bugs it suffers from at launch. Publishers must have a more realistic view about developing and releasing game titles like this. Rocksteady knew that October 2014 was not going to work for Batman: Arkham Knight. The game was later delayed about eight months to June 2015, which probably constituted a major loss for Warner Bros. Interactive. However, it would have been much worse to release a disappointing final game in the Arkham franchise. Events like the problem with Unity hurt the reputation of Ubisoft and the integrity of the Assassin’s Creed franchise.
Is it necessary to produce a major Assassin’s Creed title every year? Had the developers taken more time to polish Unity, the game would not be getting lynched by the gaming public. Could taking additional time impair the yearly stock quotas? Perhaps; but it is equally risky and damaging to the company’s bottom line to damage the company’s standings among consumers. I do not believe the solution entails the boycotting of Ubisoft or Ubisoft products. However, Ubisoft should learn something from the experience with Unity.
Players want to see the best possible game. If the making of a brand-new, first-time next-gen experience means taking more time so that a new game is not delivered every year in November, it would not be so terrible to wait for the new gaming experience.
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