Assassin's Creed 2011 confirmed

By Fred Dutton Published 15 November, 2010

Ubisoft backtracks on year-off promise.

There will be a new Assassin's Creed game in 2011, Ubisoft has confirmed, despite earlier promises that the series would be taking a year off.

Speaking at an investor call today, CEO Yves Guillemot revealed, "There will be something around Assassin's [next year]. That's all we can say."

No clarification was offered as to exactly what form the game might take, but CFO Alain Martinez said "Maybe after Christmas in January we'll be able to talk about what kind of product we have."

This goes against what Ubisoft Montreal's Jean-Francois Boivin told Eurogamer earlier this year. He insisted that the franchise would need a break in 2011.

"Honestly, I think for the benefit of everybody – and business can come back and over-ride everything I say because at the end of the day it's about selling games – 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."

It would appear that the Ubisoft higher-ups are indeed taking a different view and have set their hearts on an annual release schedule for the hugely successful franchise.

"That is the ultimate goal," Guillemot explained elsewhere in the investor call. "We can't say we're already there. We want to come out every year with three or four major brands that will deliver a high level of profitability. That's the goal we have today."

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About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (32) Latest comment 2 years ago

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  • Gambit1977 #1 2 years ago

    Didn't 'get' brotherhood when I played it, but maybe you have to love AC for that. Does this mean PofP is dead now?

  • Gearskin #2 2 years ago

    When are they going to end Desmond's story? I thought Brotherhood was a side, and that Assassin's Creed III would end the trilogy proper?

  • Shikasama #3 2 years ago

    Hopefully Hitman 5 will be out by then.

    You know...a game where you play an actual assasin

  • Cjail #4 2 years ago

    I am starting to think that they were not joking about making 35 games before ending the series!

  • the_dudefather #5 2 years ago

    Might not be a proper console release, could be more info on the 3DS game which due out in 2011, or some kind of DLC expansion to Brotherhood, or assassin's creed horse+kart racer.

    hope they don't overdo it, I liked AC1, loved AC2, have AC:B preordered...but who knows if would work a 3rd year in a row

  • smithdown #6 2 years ago

    Not a bad thing if they have enough fresh ideas. But I strongly suspect it'll be just a retread with new shit to collect and more storyline. This consistent move towards Hollywood style franchises is suffocating gaming.

  • uglygamer #7 2 years ago

    The amazing success of the yearly Call of Duty games, means we might see other mega publishers follow. Wouldn't be surprised if games like GTA are released every year in the future

  • Lexx87 #8 2 years ago

    So instead of keeping quality up they just go for speed... someone's been running scenarios with Gave Dev Story it seems.

  • Lexx87 #9 2 years ago

    uglygamer COD is made by several different studios so you can't really link it to one studio.

  • Vin #10 2 years ago

    I can see it being something akin to the recent Tomb Raider; Guardian of Light.

    A Live arcade title expanding the story in some way, shape or form. But deffo not a new retail game.

  • darkmorgado #11 2 years ago

    Hang on, wasn't there something on here earlier saying that pre-orders on Brotherhood were 25% up compared to AC2?

    /boggle
    Edited by darkmorgado at 15/11/10 @ 18:53

  • darkmorgado #12 2 years ago

    @teamonkey

    That's the one.
    EG, can we get some clarification?

  • Markitron #13 2 years ago

    This is, literally, the 4th time they have filp-flopped on this issue. When AC1 came out they said they werent gonna do a release every year because of what happened to the PoP trilogy in the last generation. Then after AC2 they said they WERE gonna make a game every year. Leading upto AC:B they said it would take 2 years before AC3, and now they are saying its coming out next year. Personally I dont care cos I loved the first 2, Just thinks its pretty funny is all

  • drxym #14 2 years ago

    A proper AC sequel would be a welcome thing. I'm hoping it's set in reformation England this time - lot's of opportunity for the game there - civil war, restoration of the King, great fire of London, Samuel Pepys, war with the Dutch etc.

  • Cjail #15 2 years ago

    I have just found out the title of the next game:

    Assassin's Creed: Send in the Money!

  • uglygamer #16 2 years ago

    uglygamer COD is made by several different studios so you can't really link it to one studio.

    You referring to Rockstar?

    Doesnt Rockstar have a lot of separate studios. For example Rockstar San Diego make the Red Dead games, Rockstar Leeds make the GTA portable games, Rockstar Vancouver make the Bully Max Payne games and Rockstar North make the GTA and manhunt games. If they think they can sell almost as many games as they do with the Call of Duty series every year, they'll find a way ;)

    Edited by uglygamer at 15/11/10 @ 19:03

  • Penguinzoot #17 2 years ago

    A proper AC sequel would be a welcome thing. I'm hoping it's set in reformation England this time - lot's of opportunity for the game there - civil war, restoration of the King, great fire of London, Samuel Pepys, war with the Dutch etc.

    Funnily enough I've been thinking along similar lines, although Elizabethan England would be kinda cool. IMO obviously ;)

  • Beano #18 2 years ago

    Another AC in 2011?... is Kotick running Ubisoft now?

  • space_ace #19 2 years ago

    lol @ corporate b.s. we smelled in the linked previous article

  • darkmorgado #20 2 years ago

    I'd like a Victorian England AC, but with a more steampunk vibe than sticking too closely to historical accuracy.

  • Ninja_Tino #21 2 years ago

    Christmas in January?!?!

  • The-Bodybuilder #22 2 years ago

    I'd like ACIII to be se in modern times; in Afghanistan, with guns, and a war, killing arabs.
    I don't think that kind of setting has been done before.

  • tjcrooke #23 2 years ago

    I think reformation-era Britain is a bit too close historically to the setting in ACII. I reckon the French revolution could be a good bet, even though it was mooted as a possibility for ACII. You have a nice urban setting with Paris, you could infiltrate the Bastille and have fun with guillotines. There are also some great characters, like the scarlet pimpernel who you could team up with.

  • makeamazing #24 2 years ago

    Victorian Britain would be ace... you could even have a guest appearance by Queen Vic and Jack the Ripper...

    I dont like the idea of them going for this yearly release idea, hopefully its not another Console release, and maybe a handheld device. Dont do a COD (which is beginning to be all the rage these days)... which is get your best money making franchise and release yearly... me does not agree with that strategy.

  • darkmorgado #25 2 years ago

    Victorian Britain would be ace... you could even have a guest appearance by Queen Vic and Jack the Ripper...

    Don't forget Babbage!

  • cheekyjay #26 2 years ago

    Well, if another guaranteed money-spinner gives Ubisoft the confidence to 'risk' a potential commercial failure like Beyond Good and Evil 2, then I for one think it's a very good thing. Huge fan of the first game (BG+E I mean, not Assassins, though I did enjoy that too).
    Edited by cheekyjay at 15/11/10 @ 21:21

  • Cannibal #27 2 years ago

    They'll run interest in the franchise to the ground like they did with Prince of Persia. I bout the first two but will be skipping Brotherhood because it doesn't feel like that long ago I played 2. I doubt there are any major changes when they are developing them within a year of each other.

  • Triggerhappytel #28 2 years ago

    Of course they were going to do yearly instalments when they're selling 8 million copies per instalment. In fact, I think they're going to get 2 studios to alternate development, just so they can copy the CoD model with real gusto.

    I also think they'll run the franchise into the ground, which is a shame.

  • lcrochke #29 2 years ago

    money money money.
    milk me milk me milk me
    lets have AC in a submarine and destroy 2 series with one stone ?

  • mushroomyakuza #30 2 years ago

    If they milk this cow anymore they'll be naught left but skin and bones in no time.

  • midnight_walker #31 2 years ago

    Forget all this renaissance and victorian and templar rubbish. I want Assassin's Creed: Stone Age.

  • Ninja_Tino #32 2 years ago

    Assassins' Creed B.C.!!!