Assassin's Creed books canned

By Robert Purchese Published 5 November, 2007

Real life descendants stamp feet.

Intervention from descendants of real-life assassins - the Ismaili Nizaris - has lead to work on the Assassin's Creed books being indefinitely halted.

Author Steven Barnes who also likes yoga aired the news on his blog, where he said the Ubisoft-sanctioned tampering had made he and his publisher so "unenchanted" that they decided to call it all off.

"They... suggested that Ubisoft, the game company, show more respect for their ancestors, and Ubisoft went all pitter-patter," fumed Barnes, a martial arts devotee, on his blog. "Next thing we knew, they wanted to remove all religious references from the book."

"The book was turning into puree of bat s***, and I was no longer amused. The whole three-book project died. "

The books were part of a new marketing strategy by Ubisoft to offer auxiliary entertainment experiences to compliment its big new games, as Assassin's Creed producer Jade Raymond told us earlier this year.

Assassin's Creed is set in ancient Jerusalem amid the Third Crusade, where you play as killer Altair, who leaps across rooftops as he dispatches his prey.

Assassin's Creed is due out for 360 and PS3 on 16th November, followed by a PC version early next year.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (20) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Squire #1 4 years ago

    weak

  • Optyk #2 4 years ago

    Dis shiz be whack

  • Rirekon #3 4 years ago

    "Next thing we knew, they wanted to remove all religious references from the book."

    That's like demanding books about WWII don't mention the Nazis, how bloody stupid.

    (Before anyone goes off on one, I'm referring to how central to the setting they are. I'm not suggesting that religion is responsible for genocide... which it is but that's another matter :-P)

  • Razorus #4 4 years ago

    OH FOR FUCKS SAKE!

    I'm considered a descendant of the Hashashin too, but I was really looking forward to these books. I swear they were already written and ready. The first one was supposed to be released within the month!

    Next, they may ask for the game to be cancelled. Well screw them, they should be happy that they have a positive protagonist in a game finally. I was over the moon when I first heard about this game.

    I apologise on behalf of my asshole "cousins" for getting these books cancelled.

    Edit: I just read the dude's blog. The people that made the demands are an offshoot of the Ismailis; they're not even the real deal. I should go over there and put them back in their place. Bastards.
    Edited by 1 at 05/11/07 @ 11:10

  • urban #5 4 years ago

    steven barnes looks like a pedo tbh.

  • IAmBatman #6 4 years ago

    I have a suggestion for an "auxiliary entertainment experience" to compliment Assassin's Creed - it involves Jade Raymond and a bath full of jelly.

  • makememoo #7 4 years ago

    at least the guy had some balls and canned it instead of releasing a lemon.

  • kangarootoo #8 4 years ago

    @Razorus

    "I should go over there and put them back in their place. Bastards."

    I suggest a poisoned dart ;)

  • BadBoyBonner #9 4 years ago

    If you go back long enough aren't we all related to them?

  • Poorandugly #10 4 years ago

    "Finally a news article about Assassin's Creed that doesn't mention Jade Raymond", he thought as he naively clicked the link...

  • menage #11 4 years ago

    It's not like I was going to read them:p

    But to be fair. Could every small group of people who are insulted or hurt by entertainment media get that stick out of their ass and get a life. It's not personal. It's fucking fiction.

    Company's need to stop catering to every loony on the street. Society is going down the censorship gutter because of it.
    Edited by 3 at 05/11/07 @ 11:34

  • TriggerHippie #12 4 years ago

    "Don't mention the war! I did it once but I think I got away with it"

  • Razorus #13 4 years ago

    @ BadBoyBonner who said: "If you go back long enough aren't we all related to them?"

    Errm. No.

  • Freek #14 4 years ago

    How can you be forced not to mention history?

  • Kyle #15 4 years ago

    @ menage

    I agree. I wouldn't have read them either, but FFS...

  • makememoo #16 4 years ago

    most continental europeans would most likely find some kind of lineage from the mongols, not these people.
    Edited by 1 at 05/11/07 @ 12:41

  • SBfistfun #17 4 years ago

    Unless the books feature Jade Raymond getting gaped I ain't interested.


    surprise!

    /gaped

  • Miths #18 4 years ago

    If I hadn't just checked my calendar you could have fooled me into thinking it was April 1 :).

  • kangarootoo #19 4 years ago

    I saw a great quote recently, which is sort of relevant, a bit.

    "History teaches us that history teaches us nothing"

    It strikes me as funny that people get upset about slight differences of opinion regards fictional retelling of stories set in a time from which insufficient records exist for anyone to be really that sure of anything.

    Some people just have thin skins, but being able to wave a flag of some sort makes it seem more important than the base insecurity it really is.

    Edit: christ, I really can't type today.
    Edited by 2 at 05/11/07 @ 14:00

  • The-Bodybuilder #20 4 years ago

    Wait wait wait.....

    What's this got to do with Jade?