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See The Final Fantasy XIII-2 Assassin's Creed DLC In Motion
By GameInformer, published 04-11-2012
We saw the Final Fantasy XIII-2 Ezio costume in stills this weekend, but now we can see it in motion. Just a heads up, this trailer does apparently have some spoilers in it. Check it out below at your own risk. (Please visit the site to view this media)
First Final Fantasy XIII-2 Assassin's Creed DLC Screens Hit The Web
By GameInformer, published 04-07-2012
The characters of Final Fantasy XIII-2 have modeled high fashion, Mass Effect costumes, and now we get to see them in Assassin's Creed garb. We knew Ezio's costume would make an appearance as DLC, but this is the first time we've seen it in action. The DLC featured in the screens below will arrive in Japan on April 10, but we're not sure if that means the same date for North America. [via Andriasang]
Special Edition Podcast: Assassin's Creed III
By GameInformer, published 04-06-2012
As part of our month-long coverage of Assassin's Creed III, our readers submitted questions for the game's creative director Alex Hutchinson. In this special edition podcast, cover story author Matt Miller and GI editor Matt Bertz pose the reader questions to Alex, giving listeners an in-depth look on this groundbreaking new title in the series. (Please visit the site to view this media) To learn more about Assassin's Creed III, click on the banner below.
Assassin's Creed III: The Redesigned Anvil Engine
By GameInformer, published 28-03-2012
Designing yearly installments to a popular franchise is a daunting task. Veer too far away from the formula that made the game successful and you can alienate the fan base. Stick too closely to the exact same formula and franchise fatigue can set in, with a gradual loss of consumers eventually burying you like Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk. For the third numbered entry in the popular Assassins Creed series, Ubisoft Montreal knew it needed to shake up the foundation. Fans have eagerly devoured every entry in the building climbing, backstabbing, generation jumping franchise, but the team wanted to do more than just take the latest entry into a new historical time period. To achieve the separation the team wanted to have between previous Assassin’s games and this one, they needed drastica...
You'll Probably Want To Play Assassin's Creed III PC With A Controller
By GameInformer, published 28-03-2012
Assassin's Creed III won't do much in the way of innovative keyboard and mouse controls. Ubisoft is actually recommending a controller. Speaking to GameSpy in a recent interview, Ubisoft Montreal creative director Alex Hutchinson said, "We're definitely supporting PC, we love PC, but I think it'll be PC with a controller. I don't see us investing hugely in a mouse and keyboard setup. "I think if you want to play on PC and you want to play Assassin's Creed, you have a controller." Assassin's Creed III for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC hits on October 30. [Source: GameSpy]
Assassin's Creed III Headed To Pax East
By GameInformer, published 28-03-2012
Going to PAX East next month? Want to see Assassin's Creed III in action? You're in luck! Ubisoft today announced it's bringing a number of its upcoming titles to Boston in April. This list includes Assassin's Creed III, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Future Soldier, and Far Cry 3. Assassin's Creed III won't be playable, but Ubisoft is giving a live gameplay demonstration at the publisher's booths at 824 and 836 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center April 6-8. Ubisoft is also offering fans the opportunity to get real tattoos designed from Far Cry 3.
How Assassin's Creed III Works On Wii U
By GameInformer, published 26-03-2012
Assassin's Creed III is coming to Nintendo's newest console. We don't have a release date for either yet, but details about how the game utilizes the controller have finally surfaced. Courtesy of the latest issue of Nintendo Power, the tablet-style controller does a variety of things for players. It displays a persistent map of the game and allows you to quickly switch between weapons in combat. The screen also acts as an alternative view for Eagle Vision using the built-in accelerometer. Additionally, the controller is linked to the Animus, allowing you to read character biographies and other database information. For more details, be sure to pick up the latest Nintendo Power. [Source: Nintengen]
Digital Issue 228 Is Live: Read About Assassin's Creed III Now
By GameInformer, published 03-06-2012
Get the full story on Assassin's Creed III and much more in the latest digital edition of Game Informer Magazine. If you're already a subscriber, make sure you're signed in to gameinformer.com, hover over the "Magazine" tab in the upper right of the site, and click the "Read Current Issue." On the following page, click the "Launch" button and enjoy. Check out our graphical guide on getting to your digital subscription for more details if you need help. Or you could just bypass all of that and launch the magazine here. Still make sure you're signed in, however. We've heard a few issues related to the launch button showing up in the Chrome browser so try Firefox or use the direct link for now. Those who are interested in subscribing to ...
Rumor: Will Assassin's Creed 3 Include Cooperative Play?
By GameInformer, published 03-06-2012
Rumors are circulating that Assassin's Creed III may include more than one assassin teaming up to fight the good fight. A recent article over at IGN offers some suggestion that AC III may include 2-4 player online cooperative play. What's the evidence? Well, it's pretty flimsy. For a short time, Microsoft put up a product listing for the game on its website with a bullet point that declared the game would have 2-4 player online co-op. The detail has since been pulled, and could just as easily been a misuse of a product listing template as an actual leak. Game Informer reached out to Ubisoft about the story, but Ubisoft declined to offer any official comment on the matter. While it's certainly possible that Assassin's Creed III could include an online cooperative compon...
Assassin's Creed III In Development For Wii U
By GameInformer, published 03-05-2012
Ubisoft casually dropped the news about Nintendo's next console into today's Assassin's Creed III press release.The wording in the official communication from Ubisoft is slightly odd. AC III is listed as "set to release" on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, but "in development for" Wii U. Seeing a difference there might be reading too much into a minor choice of language in a press release, but there's a small chance it could mean something.What are the chances you'll pick up the game for Wii U instead of one of your current platforms?Be sure to hit up our Assassin's Creed III hub for a constant stream of exclusive content over the coming weeks.
Assassin's Creed Composer Working On Darksiders II
By GameInformer, published 03-03-2012
Jesper Kyd may not be a familiar name to most gamers, but it's likely that you have heard his music before. Kyd is mostly known for working on the Assassin's Creed and Hitman series, and he also did work on Borderlands among many others. Darksiders II also features the work of Giles Lamb, but in a different way. Giles did the music for the Death Lives and Death Eternal trailers. Kyd said that Darksiders II is, "the most fun and creatively satisfying projects I have scored." Darksiders II is releasing for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC on June 26.
Assassin's Creed III Box Art Revealed
By GameInformer, published 03-01-2012
Along with our cover reveal this morning, Ubisoft unveiled the box art for Assassin's Creed III. This guy is about to find out what it's like to get a tomahawk to the face. Assassin's Creed III ships on October 30.
April Cover Revealed: Assassin's Creed III
By GameInformer, published 03-01-2012
For years now we've enjoyed the adventures of Ezio Auditore as he makes his way through the Italian Renaissance and Ottoman-controlled Constantinople. That story is over. Ever since the conclusion of Assassin's Creed II, a senior team of Ubisoft developers has been secretly toiling away on what comes next. That team aimed high, with plans to examine and rethink every element of the franchise from the ground up, build something new, and take a full three year development cycle to do it. The game that emerged is Assassin's Creed III. Set in the latter half of the 18th century, we'll see the war between the Templars and the Assassins escalate as it crosses over to the New World of America, and witness firsthand the events of the American Revolution. Caught in the conflict is a...
Assassin's Creed III Coming In October
By GameInformer, published 15-02-2012
Ubisoft today confirmed when it will release Assassin's Creed III this fall. The game will arrive on October 30, 2012, the publisher said. No other details were announced. "We will push the title a lot because it's a fantastic product that the team has been working for three years," said CEO Yves Guillemot. "What we have seen is just fabulous." Ubisoft also said it shipped 7 million copies of Assassin's Creed Revelations so far through December 2011. Note: The screenshot above is not from Assassin's Creed III
New DLC Suggested for Assassin's Creed: Revelations
By GameInformer, published 15-02-2012
It looks like Ubisoft could be planning more Assassin's Creed: Revelations DLC, as well as another edition of the game. Xbox 360 Achievements appears to have found achievements that point to a single-player focused DLC involving Desmond and more block jumping segments. In related news, different global retailers have also mentioned something called the Assassin's Creed: Revelations Ottoman Edition that contains the game itself as well as DLC. This would appear to be a sort of Game of the Year Edition, but we'll have to wait for more details and to see if it's something that is also releasing in the U.S. [via CVG]
Assassin's Creed Revelations: Mediterranean Traveler Map Pack Giveaway
By GameInformer, published 24-01-2012
We've got PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 codes for the new Mediterranean Traveler Map pack DLC for Assassin's Creed Revelations, and we want to give them to you!Well, some of you anyway. We've got 10 PlayStation 3 and 10 Xbox 360 codes to give away. Leave a comment below with your preference of system and I will randomly pick folks to receive a code over the next few hours. The code will be sent via direct message to your Game Informer profile.Get ready to start sitting on benches and hoping your target happens to walk by you! [Update] Hey everyone! All the codes have been handed out, so make sure to check your direct messages to see if you got one.
Assassin's Creed Revelations Creative Director Leaves Ubisoft
By GameInformer, published 01-11-2012
Alexandre Amancio, the creative director of Assassin's Creed Revelations, has left Ubisoft. Amancio left the studio to take a new role as chief creative officer at Cossette, a marketing company based in Quebec City, Canada. He first joined Ubisoft in 2005 and previously worked on FarCry 2."Video games and advertising have many common elements. In both industries, we are always looking for new ways to engage the consumer to the brand," said Amancio. "In addition, like advertising, the video game industry must now take into account and supply a very important social dimension in its development and strategies. The game is no longer just a game, it's a community, relations between players, and the brand. "Ubisoft declined to comment on his departure to Game Inform...
Assassin's Creed Revelations Multiplayer DLC Incoming
By GameInformer, published 01-10-2012
Assassin's Creed Revelations is getting a hunk of multiplayer downloadable content this month. The Mediterranean Traveller Map Pack adds six new maps to the Revelations multiplayer experience, including player-requested Italian maps from Brotherhood.The three maps span the following famous locations: Constantinople (not Istanbul) Dyers Jerusalem The Brotherhood maps come in the following Italian Renaissance flavors: Florence San Donato Siena The Mediterranean Traveller Map Pack for Assassin's Creed Revelations comes out January 24th for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. Xbox owners can pay 800 Microsoft points, while ten U.S. dollars can be exchanged for ownership of the DLC on PS3 and PC.
OnLive heads to the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play
By TechRadar, published 23-12-2011
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play may have debuted to lukewarm reviews in 2011, but game streaming king OnLive has given it a reprieve by making its service available on the smartphone.OnLive has managed to show the world that cloud gaming can actually work – especially on the big screen, where all you have to do is plug in its receiver to stream content.Its launch on handheld devices earlier this month, however, was a harder sell. Yes you play premium games on a tablet but you have to use either fiddly virtual controls or and external joypad, which is decent but not perfect when your screen is no bigger than 10 inches.Enter the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, the only smartphone around with analogue controls, and suddenly OnLive on a portable device begins to make sense.Game on"From the mome...
Updated: Wii U: all the latest details
By TechRadar, published 22-12-2011
Wii U: all you need to knowAs original Nintendo Wiis gathered dust in households across the UK, Nintendo confirmed it would unveil a second-generation 'Wii 2' at E3 2011.Nintendo has sold 86 million Wii consoles so far and is clearly keen to capitalise on that huge success with another offering that will appeal to casual gamers.Remember when you first heard the name Nintendo Wii? Many people laughed and said it would never catch on. It did. Nintendo is hoping that Wii U will capture people's imaginations in the same way.Since the launch at E3 2011, we've rounded up all the new details on the new console and even seen it - check out our Hands on: Nintendo Wii U review. brightcove : 1039086953001But first, more on the name. "You might remember how the Wii name began to make perfect sense...
Court overturns decision in Ubisoft-THQ labor dispute
By GameSpot, published 16-12-2011
Saints Row publisher is once again free to recruit employees from competitor's Montreal studio as Superior Court of Quebec reverses lower court's decision. In a matter of months, THQ lured away Assassin's Creed creative lead Patrice Desilets and three other key Ubisoft Montreal developers. Concerned with the defection of talent, Ubisoft pursued--and was granted--a court order preventing THQ from further recruiting from within the studio's walls. That ruling has now been overturned, and THQ is again free to hire as it pleases. Future staffers of THQ Montreal? THQ today announced that the Quebec Court of Appeal for the District of Montreal has unanimously struck down a provisional injunction that prevented it from soliciting employees from Ubisoft's Assassin...
Ubisoft Quebec working on Wii U project, AAA MMO
By GameSpot, published 12-06-2011
Publisher's newest job postings hint at new projects in the works at the studio behind Wii version of Black Eyed Peas Experience. In its six-year history, Ubisoft's Quebec City studio has specialized in DS and Wii development, handling Nintendo platform editions of games like The Black Eyed Peas Experience, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, and TMNT. The development house is trying new things, as job listings on the Ubisoft Quebec Facebook page posted yesterday reveal the team is working on a new AAA massively multiplayer online title, as well as a AAA Wii U project. The "U" in Wii U apparently stands for "Ubisoft." The MMO listing is for a tools programmer, and while it gives no concrete details about the project itself, it does tell candidates t...
Modern Warfare 3 ignites November retail growth - Analyst
By GameSpot, published 12-05-2011
Wedbush's Michael Pachter projects 3 percent software sales climb in US last month, led by Call of Duty; Saints Row hurt by crowd. The US retail industry has strung together back-to-back months of non-PC software sales growth, having posted 3 percent climbs in both September and October. And according to Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter, November non-PC software sales make three's a charm. Modern Warfare 3 earned $775 million during its first five days of availability. As part of his monthly NPD preview today, Pachter projected November software sales of $1.45 billion, up 3 percent compared to the same period in 2010. Unsurprisingly, the primary catalyst for this growth was Activision Blizzard's first-person shooter juggernaut Call of Duty: Modern War...
Assassin's Creed Recollection - Screenshots
By Game Revolution, published 12-02-2011
Key Features: ASSEMBLE A VIRTUAL GALLERY – Assassin’s Creed is renowned for the accurate representation of various historical locations around the world and for the high level of quality and fidelity in character design. It is now possible to go behind the scenes to amass and enjoy the artwork created by the talented artists who worked on all Assassin’s Creed games. TACTICAL DEPTH – The war between the Templar and the Assassins is now invading the iPad in this real-time board game. Players will be able to engage in deep tactical gameplay in order to outsmart their enemies in challenging political battles. PREPARE YOUR MEMORY SEQUENCE -With over 280 different Memories to discover, reconnect with some of the famous characters from Assassin’s Creed 2 and Assass...
AMD Issues Another Incremental Graphics Driver Update (Catalyst 11.11c)
By MaximumPC, published 12-02-2011
AMD has released another performance driver (yes, again) for its Catalyst 11.11 package. And once again, improved performance in Elder Scrolls: Skyrim takes center stage. New in Catalyst 11.11c is better CrossFireX performance scaling for AMD Radeon HD 5000/6000 series cards in Skyrim, 2-7 percent better performance in single GPU configurations, and a resolved corruption issue when enabling MSAA on Radeon HD 6970 cards. Catalyst 11.11c also addresses other popular games, including Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Batman: Arkham City, Rage, and Battlefield 3. In addition to improved performance, AMD packed quite a few bug fixes for Rage, everything from missing shadows to geometry corruption that's sometimes seen in the Bash TV entrance. You can download Catalyst 11.11c here. Image Credit: Ra...
Final Fantasy XIII-2 summons Ezio costume
By GameSpot, published 29-11-2011
Assassin's Creed: Revelations frontman shares his look with Square Enix for forthcoming RPG's downloadable content. The story of Ezio Auditore reached its conclusion with the release of Assassin's Creed: Revelations earlier this month, but Ubisoft's stealth action hero isn't dropping out of sight entirely. Ezio was already booked to be in SoulCalibur V for the fighting game's January 31 debut, and the assassin is at least lending a spare costume to another game debuting on the same day. Is he also wearing Ezio's undies? Square Enix today announced that Ezio's costume will be offered as downloadable content for Final Fantasy XIII-2's Noel Kreiss. The costume making the franchise jump will be Ezio's darker outfit from Assassin's Creed: Revelations, rat...
Updated: PS Vita: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 29-11-2011
PlayStation Vita: what you need to knowAfter much rumour and speculation, Sony announced the new PSP console - formerly codenamed NGP for Next Generation Portable - would be called the PlayStation Vita. And we've been playing with the new handheld. Read our thoughts in our Hands on: Sony PS Vita reviewBut when will the PlayStation Vita UK release date be and how much will it cost? Read on to find out.brightcove : 1091086359001PlayStation Vita UK release dateNobody expected Sony to miss the all-important Christmas shopping period, but it has happened. While the release date was originally planned for October 2011 - a flyer from Blockbuster put the original PS Vita release date at 28 October.Sony has now said that the PlayStation Vita UK release date is 22 February 2012 when 11 games will la...
Catalyst 11.11b drivers add CrossFire support for new games
By TechReport, published 28-11-2011
AMD's Catalyst team is on a roll, with its third graphics driver release out in just under two weeks. The Catalyst 11.11b "performance driver" actually went up late Friday, just four days after the previous release; you can grab it now from AMD's website.What's new this time? The change log looks pretty much the same as for last Monday's 11.11a driver , except AMD now touts "CrossFire performance scaling" for both Assassin's Creed Revelations and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ...Read more...
A Few Strange Assassin's Creed Revelations Glitches
By GameInformer, published 19-11-2011
No matter how much a developer playtests its latest game, a few bizarre things are bound to pop up once players get their hands on it. The videos below are a small collection of weird, funny, and disturbing things that Assassin's Creed fans have encountered while playing through Revelations. They may not be as purely hilarious as the Skyrim glitches, but I always like seeing the different ways people can break a game. Stretching In Place (Please visit the site to view this media)(Courtesy of user imBrandoM) Falling Through A Building(Please visit the site to view this media)(Courtesy of user T3HB3AR) Do Not Wear Benches(Please visit the site to view this media)(Courtesy of user 101Artik) The Unkillable Guard(Please visit the site to view this media)(Courtesy of user xSoulslayerx) Up T...
Rampage movie in planning stages - Report
By GameSpot, published 19-11-2011
Hollywood Reporter says New Line Cinema is making headway on a film adaptation for Midway's arcade monster game. Game-to-film adaptations are nothing new, but the space has been heating up in recent years with deals made for franchises such as Asteroids, Assassin's Creed, Dead Island, and more. Now another title can be added to the quickly growing list of games with movies in the works. The movie-inspired Rampage may be inspiring a movie of its own. The Hollywood Reporter has word that the 1986 city-destroying monster game Rampage is being developed into a movie for New Line Cinema. John Rickard, producer on films like A Nightmare on Elm Street and Final Destination, is said to be on board and currently searching out writers to develop the story. Th...
Reiner And Phil Play Assassin's Creed: Revelations
By GameInformer, published 17-11-2011
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood was one of our earliest Reiner and Phil videos. Now one year later we're back to take a look at the next entry in Ubisoft's history-spanning conspiracy story -- Assassin's Creed: Revelations. Reiner and I spend 25 minutes running around the new city of Constantinople and showing off the meager additions to this sequel, including the new hookblade. We also take a look at the first of a series of special levels played out as Desmond that mix up the gameplay in...less-than-ideal ways. Oh, also, dudes get stabbed in the face. (Please visit the site to view this media) Watch more Reiner and Phil videos on our hub page!
Assassin's Creed: Revelations DLC begins Dec. 13
By GameSpot, published 15-11-2011
Ubisoft launching first add-on for murderous action adventure next month with $4 multiplayer Ancestors Character Pack; PC version dated for Nov. 28. Anyone who has followed Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed franchise knows that today's release of Revelations is just the start of new content for the game. True to form, Ubisoft today detailed downloadable content on the way for Assassin's Creed: Revelations, with the first batch due out next month. Assassin's Creed's upcoming cast of characters. The Ancestors Character Pack leads the add-on content, and it will be available December 13 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game for $3.99 (320 Microsoft points). The pack augments the game's multiplayer mode with new playable characters: the Privat...
Assassin's Creed: Revelations - GR Review
By Game Revolution, published 14-11-2011
I seem to have backed myself into a corner here. The higher the grade, the harder it is to give out. When I was shocked, overjoyed even, to realize that Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood was a fully-fledged title, complete with a hearty single-player campaign and a so-good-I-can't-believe-it-works multiplayer component, I knew it deserved the A. Now, Assassin's Creed: Revelations arrives, iterates, but somehow doesn't feel so fresh, breathtaking, or surprising. Is it a better game? Yes. Does it deserve an 'A' too? Well... let's find out while I write and you read. Another year, another Assassin's Creed game from Ubisoft... the entirety of Ubisoft. It seems like every studio in the publisher's stables had its hands on Ezio's swan song and the start of...
Asia Shippin' Out Nov 13-19: Saints Row: The Third, AC: Revelations
By GameSpot, published 14-11-2011
This week, game shelves will be filled with tales from the streets and 1511 Constantinople. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it must be said that the month of November is a time when retail shelves will be flooded with a bountiful crop of titles, AAA or otherwise, for gamers to purchase and check out. First up is the third entry in the Saints Row series of open-ended action titles. Saints Row: The Third pits your highly customizable leader of the Third Street Saints against the city as he or she incites anarchy in Steelport while fighting off gang members made up of Luchador wrestlers and cyberhackers. The game was recently praised for its outrageous story missions and activities but panned for its glitches and less-than-stellar visuals. For more information, check out Gam...
Shippin' Out Nov. 13-19: Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Super Mario 3D Land
By GameSpot, published 13-11-2011
Ezio and Mario bring the Italian flavor to new release shelves alongside Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and Saints Row: The Third. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 may have come out last week, but that doesn't mean there aren't any more big multiplayer games or shooters on the way. Two Italians are back this week with Ezio in Assassin's Creed: Revelations and Mario in Super Mario 3D Land. Master Chief is set to deliver a big dose of nostalgia with Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, as could Jurassic Park: The Game. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 introduces more fighters, and Saints Row: The Third will do something…ridiculous. Ezio wraps up his Assassin's Creed run this week. Assassin's Creed: Revelations marks the clos...
Get Caught Up On The Assassin's Creed Story Before Revelations
By GameInformer, published 11-12-2011
Assassin's Creed Revelations, the fourth in Ubisoft's beloved, narratively dense series, launches in just a few days. Whether you're a long-time fan eager for answers but in need of a refresher or a series newbie wondering what's going on before you jump in, Ubisoft figured everyone could use a quick history lesson. In this video, Ubisoft provides a two-and-a-half-minute run-down of all of the major events that took place in Assassin's Creed 1 and 2 as well as last year's Brotherhood. There are a few big pieces missing -- such as that crazy twist Desmond goes through at the end of Brotherhood -- but all in all it's a good primer for what to expect next week. My only hope is that Revelations really digs in and provides some resolution -- or at least significant...
Nvidia's GeForce 285.79 Beta Drivers Beef Up Skyrim, Battlefield 3 And More
By MaximumPC, published 11-11-2011
Pardon us if we keep talking games, but we’re just as caught up in Skyrim fever as the rest of the world. While we’re talking Tamriel, is your PC primed and ready for fighting dragons in the Nordic mountains? Yesterday, Nvidia released a new Geforce 285.79 beta driver that included, amongst other things, improved SLI and 3D Vision support for – you guessed it – Skyrim (which now garners an “Excellent” 3D Vision rating by Nvidia, by the way). Nvidia also recommends that Battlefield 3 players download the new drivers, thanks to a trio of improvements specific to that title. Check out the full list of improvements below, and if they pique your interest, head on over to Nvidia’s beta drivers page and download Geforce 285.79. Includes several bug fixes and performance improvement...
'Full-fledged' Assassin's Creed title coming in 2012
By GameSpot, published 11-08-2011
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot says that stealth-action series will continue with another annual installment next year. The Assassin's Creed series has been an annual franchise for Ubisoft since 2009's Assassin's Creed II. It is now clear that the yearly release schedule will continue at least through 2012. Ezio's saga may wrap up in Revelations, but more assassinations are in store for 2012. During Ubisoft's 2012 first-half earnings call today, CEO Yves Guillemot took an opportunity to confirm that an Assassin's Creed title will launch next year. "I have the pleasure to announce today that there will be another full-fledged Assassin's Creed title next year. It will be another major release, and we will be communicating more about it in the coming months...
Driver: San Francisco fuels Ubisoft sales
By GameSpot, published 11-08-2011
Growing social and downloadable business helps publisher beat forecasts and lessen losses for first half of fiscal year, but overall revenues still down sharply. Ubisoft posted better-than-expected financial results today, thanks to Driver: San Francisco and a booming downloadable and online business. However, the publisher still posted a net loss for the first half of its fiscal year. Driver: San Francisco outperformed expectations. For the six months ended September 30, the French publisher reported revenues of €248.5 million ($343 million), down nearly 5 percent year-over-year. Ubisoft also posted a net loss of €37.1 million ($51.1 million), although that was a significant improvement from its first-half net loss of €89.8 million (...
New Assassin's Creed Coming In 2012
By GameInformer, published 11-08-2011
Ubisoft will release another Assassin's Creed title next year, the publisher said.Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot confirmed the news during the company's earnings call this morning. "There will be another great, full-fledged Assassin’s Creed title next year," he said. "It will be a major release and we’ll be communicating more about it in the coming months." This should come as no surprise to fans as Ubisoft has made an annual release of Assassin's Creed since the release of Assassin's Creed 2. Early details from a Eurogramer interview last month with Assassin's Creed Revelations' creative director Alexandre Amancio hint the new game will conclude Desmond's storyline. "In Assassin's Creed we set up a timeline with this whole ...
Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia Coming Soon
By GameInformer, published 11-08-2011
The brand new book tells you everything you've ever wanted to know about the growing fictional universe of the Assassins. Next week sees the publication of the Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia: White Edition, an exhaustive 256-page tome all about the fictional world of the games, which has been expanded through novels, comics, and films. The gorgeous artwork within does a great job of illustrating the different eras of history shown in the game, including some fascinating glimpses into the "First Civiliziation" that mysteriously shows up throughout the series. As a heads up, serious gamers will want to hold off on reading the new book too carefully until after playing Assassin's Creed Revelations; there are definitely some significant spoilers to be found within its pag...
Updated: Wii U: all the latest details
By TechRadar, published 11-08-2011
Wii U: all you need to knowAs original Nintendo Wiis gathered dust in households across the UK, Nintendo confirmed it would unveil a second-generation 'Wii 2' at this year's E3.And now the Wii U is out in the open and we've rounded up all the new details on the new console right here. Check out our Hands on: Nintendo Wii U review. The Wii 2 is called Wii UNintendo is calling the successor to the popular Wii console the Nintendo Wii U. It has sold 86 million Wii consoles so far.brightcove : 1039086953001Remember when you first heard the name Nintendo Wii? Many people laughed and said it would never catch on. It did. Nintendo is hoping that Wii U will capture people's imaginations in the same way."You might remember how the Wii name began to make perfect sense once you started hearing it...
Sound Byte: Assassin's Creed: Revelations OST preview
By GameSpot, published 11-07-2011
We present to you a short sample of Jesper Kyd's latest work in the next Assassin's Creed title. The last time we highlighted the soundtrack for the Assassin's Creed series, we interviewed composer Jesper Kyd about his start in the industry and his involvement with Ubisoft's open-ended adventure title. In light of the impending release of Assassin's Creed: Revelations, we are giving you a sneak preview of the game's soundtrack courtesy of Ubisoft and the composer himself. According to Kyd, he took the upcoming game's score in a new direction to match the setting of Constantinople. Because the city was a melting pot of different cultures and predominantly used Greek as its main spoken language, the game's soundtrack contains a lot of Greek influences and Middle Eastern elements. K...
Assassin's Creed film deal gives Ubisoft 'unheard of' control - Report
By GameSpot, published 11-04-2011
Hollywood insider predicts publisher's influence on adaptation of popular stealth action franchise will keep it from ever being made. When Ubisoft announced an Assassin's Creed movie, the publisher touted its creative control in the project. While that may have given fans of the series hope for a positive outcome, at least one Hollywood insider is predicting that the publisher's level of control will keep the film from ever being made. Some Hollywood insiders think the Assassin's Creed film is doomed from the start. New York Magazine entertainment blog Vulture reports that the terms of Ubisoft and Sony's Assassin's Creed film deal could spell doom for the adaptation. An unnamed Hollywood agent told Vulture, "The whole Ubisoft/Sony deal is a waste of ...
Assassin's Creed film deal gives Ubisoft 'unheard of' control - Report
By GameSpot, published 11-04-2011
Hollywood insider predicts publisher's influence on adaptation of popular stealth action franchise will keep it from ever being made. When Ubisoft announced an Assassin's Creed movie, the publisher touted its creative control in the project. While that may have given fans of the series hope for a positive outcome, at least one Hollywood insider is predicting that the publisher's level of control will keep the film from ever being made. Some Hollywood insiders think the Assassin's Creed film is doomed from the start. New York Magazine entertainment blog Vulture reports that the terms of Ubisoft and Sony's Assassin's Creed film deal could spell doom for the adaptation. An unnamed Hollywood agent told Vulture, "The whole Ubisoft/Sony deal is a waste of ...
Casting Call: Assassin's Creed
By GameInformer, published 11-03-2011
Earlier this week, we updated you on the status of an upcoming Assassin's Creed film by Sony Pictures. Whenever we hear news of a gaming-based movie getting the green light in Hollywood, our minds start racing in an effort to fill the roles. Here are our picks for the cast of Assassin's Creed. Desmond Miles and Altair - Zachary Quinto Ezio Auditore - The Most Interesting Man In The World Leonardo da Vinci - Cleg from Eastbound & Down PaginateGrid();
Ubisoft acquires Trials studio
By GameSpot, published 11-02-2011
French publisher buys Finland-based downloadable game developer RedLynx, plans to bring physics-based motorcycle series to broader range of downloadable platforms. Ubisoft has bagged some big game. Today, the publisher announced that it has acquired RedLynx, the Finnish development house behind the Trials series of physics-based motorcycle games. Hopefully the acquisition goes smoother than a typical Trials HD run. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot explained the motivation for the pickup in a statement, saying, "Their expertise in asynchronous online games and physics-based game mechanics provides us with a great opportunity to bring their powerful brands, most notably Trials, to an even broader range of fast-growing digital platforms." To date, the Trials s...
Updated: Wii U: all the latest details
By TechRadar, published 31-10-2011
Wii U: all you need to knowAs original Nintendo Wiis gathered dust in households across the UK, Nintendo confirmed it would unveil a second-generation 'Wii 2' at this year's E3.And now the Wii U is out in the open and we've rounded up all the new details on the new console right here. Check out our Hands on: Nintendo Wii U review. The Wii 2 is called Wii UNintendo is calling the successor to the popular Wii console the Nintendo Wii U. It has sold 86 million Wii consoles so far.brightcove : 1039086953001Remember when you first heard the name Nintendo Wii? Many people laughed and said it would never catch on. It did. Nintendo is hoping that Wii U will capture people's imaginations in the same way."You might remember how the Wii name began to make perfect sense once you started hearing it...
Assassin's Creed Recollection Attacks November
By GameInformer, published 27-10-2011
The newly announced strategic iPad game is headed for release in just a few weeks.Even as we patiently wait for the release of Assassin's Creed Revelations, Ubisoft is sneaking another little surprise to AC fans this holiday season – at least if you own an iPad. Assassin's Creed Recollection is a new real-time board game designed for the Apple tablet. Details on gameplay remain scarce, but we've been told by Ubisoft that the game is built around assembling a virtual gallery of characters (represented by art from the console games). This collect-'em-all mechanic will come through some sort of "tactical political battles" (Ubisoft's words, not ours). The game promises an 8-10 hour storyline that includes 20 different missions, as well as a robust multipla...
Updated: PS Vita: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 27-10-2011
PlayStation Vita: what you need to knowIt's here! And by "here!" we mean "nearly here!"After much rumour and speculation, Sony announced the new PSP - formerly codenamed NGP for Next Generation Portable - would be called the PlayStation Vita. But when will the PlayStation Vita UK release date be and how much will it cost? Read on to find out.brightcove : 1091086359001PS Vita UK price will start at £229.99The UK pre-order price for the Sony PlayStation Vita has been revealed, with both Play and Game offering the handheld for £279.99 (3G) and £229.99 (Wi-Fi). The handheld appears to be $299 in the US.As the more eagle-eyed of you will notice, this is a near like-for-like dollar and pounds pricing strategy, something us in the UK are unfortunately getting used to now.PlaySt...
SoulCalibur V to get its own FightStick
By GameSpot, published 26-10-2011
Namco Bandai welcomes Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Soul Edition to its latest fighter's "Stage of History." Mad Catz has delivered more than a few fighting sticks through recent partnerships for game-specific controllers for Super Street Fighter IV, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and the upcoming Tekken hybrid. Hot on the heals of a deal for a Tekken controller, Namco Bandai went back to the hardware maker to ensure SoulCalibur V gets its own stick as well. No sick stick pics just yet, sadly. Product manager for Mad Catz, Mark Julio, provided a few details regarding the Arcade FightStick Soul Edition on the forum of fighting game fanatic site Shoryuken.com. The new FightStick will be similar to the Super Street Fighter IV Chun-Li Tournament Edition FightStick, bu...
Ubisoft setting up Abu Dhabi shop
By GameSpot, published 25-10-2011
French publisher establishing studio in UAE capital, plans to hire 100 over five years; games to cater toward international, Arab users. Ubisoft has made a number of studio acquisitions in the past couple of years, but the Assassin's Creed publisher is expanding by opening its own new studios as well. Today, Ubisoft announced plans to open a new development studio in the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi. Ubisoft is moving into the Arab gaming market. The studio will open its doors in December under the auspices of Abu Dhabi's twofour54 incentive program. Among other perks, twofour54 provides media and entertainment companies with a tax-free haven, as well as various broadcast, production, and networking facilities. According to today's announceme...
UPDATE: Sony Pictures Making Assassin's Creed Movie
By GameInformer, published 24-10-2011
UPDATE: Some recent website domain registrations make the likelihood of an Assassin's Creed movie deal almost certain. The folks over at Fusible have unearthed some further evidence that Assassin's Creed is on track for a film treatment in the coming years. Several distinct domain names were registered by Sony on October 20th, including:assassins-creed-movie.comassassins-creed.netassassins-creedmovie.comassassinscreed-film.comassassinscreed-film.netassassinscreed-movie.comassassinscreed-movie.netassassinscreed-thefilm.comassassinscreed-thefilm.netassassinscreed-themovie.comassassinscreed-themovie.netassassinscreedfilm.comassassinscreedfilm.netassassinscreedthefilm.comassassinscreedthefilm.netassassinscreedthemovie.netIf Sony isn't making an Assassin's Creed movie, they'...
Assassin's Creed sneaks into SoulCalibur V
By GameSpot, published 21-10-2011
Assassin's Creed: Revelations protagonist Ezio Auditore revealed as playable character for weapons-based fighting game; Namco Bandai confirms January 31 launch. Namco Bandai's SoulCalibur series focuses on crossed swords, but it also has a reputation for crossovers. Familiar faces like Link, Spawn, Kratos, Heihachi, Darth Vader, and Yoda have already sparred with series staples like Mitsurugi and Nightmare, and today the publisher revealed the featured guest fighter for the upcoming SoulCalibur V: Ezio Auditore da Firenze from the Assassin's Creed series. Ezio's next target is on the SoulCalibur roster. Ezio will enter the arena with his usual assortment of weapons, including a sword, a crossbow, and the series' iconic concealed wrist daggers. Namco Ba...
Portal 2 takes Game of the Year at Golden Joysticks
By GameSpot, published 21-10-2011
Valve's puzzler takes Ultimate Game of the Year at Golden Joystick Awards, Sonic awarded Outstanding Contribution. Portal 2 took the big prize at the 29th Golden Joysticks Awards, taking the Ultimate Game of the Year prize at the London award ceremony, with winners decided entirely by public vote. This year's awards, for which more than 2 million votes were cast, also saw FIFA pick up the Sports Game of the Year accolade for the second year running. Portal 2 wins big. The Call of Duty franchise bagged yet another award in the Best Shooter category for Black Ops, and there was also an award for Mojang's blocky sandbox build-'em-up Minecraft, which was named Downloadable Game of the Year. Awards were also handed to the Nintendo 3DS for Innovation and ...
UPDATE: Ezio From Assassin's Creed To Guest In Soulcalibur V
By GameInformer, published 21-10-2011
UPDATE: It's official. Ezio Auditore da Firenze is indeed a playable guest character in Namco Bandai's upcoming Soulcalibur V. The news was confirmed via a trailer showing the assassin holding his own against a few familiar faces. Unlike some of the past guest stars, Ezio's fighting style and appearance fit nicely into the Soulcalibur universe, and you can see it for yourself. (Please visit the site to view this media) ORIGINAL STORY: The Soulcalibur franchise is no stranger to visitors from other series and publishers. The last game had cameos by Darth Vader and Yoda and Soulcalibur II had a special guest character on each platform, such as the Zelda series' Link for the Gamecube version. Now the upcoming Soulcalibur V is rumored to be getting a deadly appearance from the...
Sony stalking Assassin's Creed film rights
By GameSpot, published 20-10-2011
Variety reports Sony Pictures in final negotiations with Ubisoft for big-screen adaptation of action game; publisher insists on maintaining a measure of creative control. Although Assassin's Creed has been an Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 mainstay since the first game's 2007 launch, Sony wants one aspect of the multiplatform franchise all to itself. According to the movie biz publication Variety, Sony Pictures is finalizing a deal to make a big-screen franchise out of Ubisoft's open-world action stealth series. Which characters should the Assassin's Creed film focus on? Who should play them? The trade magazine reports that several other studios had been bidding for the film rights in recent months, with Universal among the companies ultimately losing out ...
Rumor: Ezio From Assassin's Creed To Guest In Soulcalibur V
By GameInformer, published 18-10-2011
The Soulcalibur franchise is no stranger to visitors from other series and publishers. The last game had cameos by Darth Vader and Yoda and Soulcalibur II had a special guest character on each platform, such as the Zelda series' Link for the Gamecube version. Now the upcoming Soulcalibur V is rumored to be getting a deadly appearance from the current leading man from the Assassin's Creed games. Joystiq was sent a photo of the Soulcalibur V character select menu allegedly taken from a fighting tournament. The screen shows Ezio from the most recent Assassin's Creed games as a combatant. Unfortunately, the image was sent anonymously and has yet to be confirmed by either Namco Bandai or Ubisoft. Does Ezio fit in Soulcalibur? Would you be pleased with this addition to the cast?
Assassin's Creed: Revelations Achievements Revealed
By GameInformer, published 18-10-2011
The full achievement and trophy list for Assassin's Creed: Revelations has been published online. Courtesy of Xbox360achievements.org, the list reveals all 49 achievements, which include both single-player story and multiplayer. Some could be considered spoiler-y, so click with caution. Click here to check out the complete list. Assassin's Creed: Revelations hits stores on November 15 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and on November 29 for PC.
Deal of the week: A bounty of games and discounted gear
By TechReport, published 15-10-2011
Let's start this week's deal post with some gaming goodness. The fall release season is in full swing, and a quick look at Amazon's digital download sales will tell you as much. The e-tailer has a wealth of titles available at discounted prices:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (or, as we like to call it, AssBro ) has been out for ...Read more...
Assassin's Creed Revelations Gets 3D Support
By GameInformer, published 14-10-2011
Ubisoft today confirmed the upcoming release of Assassin's Creed Revelations will support 3D for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. This marks the first time the series has supported 3D on all platforms. Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 support TriOviz InficolorT 3D and are also compatible with all 3DTVs using top/bottom, side-by-side and frame packing through HDMI 1.4. while PC supports NVIDIA 3D VisionT. Assassin's Creed Revelations hits November 15, 2011.
Assassin's Creed: Revelations leaps into 3D
By GameSpot, published 14-10-2011
Ubisoft's latest time-hopping action adventure to offer 3D options on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Ezio Auditore, Altair, Desmond Miles, and the rest of the Assassin's Creed crew are set to make their 3D debut in Ubisoft's fourth entry in its open-world assassination series. Ubisoft announced today that Assassin's Creed: Revelations will be playable in stereoscopic 3D across all platforms, including the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Depth-of-field perception can be useful when dangling from 200 feet off the ground. On consoles, Revelations will support various modes of 3D display on 3D-capable televisions. It will also be compatible with TriOviz Inficolor, allowing for 3D gaming on traditional 2D HDTVs. Inficolor glasses are available for purc...
Updated: Wii U: all the latest details
By TechRadar, published 14-10-2011
Wii U: all you need to knowAs original Nintendo Wiis gathered dust in households across the UK, Nintendo confirmed it would unveil a second-generation 'Wii 2' at this year's E3.And now the Wii U is out in the open and we've rounded up all the new details on the new console right here. Check out our Hands on: Nintendo Wii U review. The Wii 2 is called Wii UNintendo is calling the successor to the popular Wii console the Nintendo Wii U. It has sold 86 million Wii consoles so far.brightcove : 1039086953001Remember when you first heard the name Nintendo Wii? Many people laughed and said it would never catch on. It did. Nintendo is hoping that Wii U will capture people's imaginations in the same way."You might remember how the Wii name began to make perfect sense once you started hearing it...
Poll: How should PC games deliver higher-quality art assets?
By TechReport, published 10-05-2011
A disturbing trend seems to be taking hold in the gaming industry: delays to the PC versions of cross-platform releases that otherwise come out on time for consoles. Having to wait longer than everyone else to play the latest big-name title is never fun. However, after spending hours watching blurry textures pop in and out of Rage, it's clear that some games should be using much higher-quality art assets on the PC. Crytek released a high-res texture pack that ratcheted up the eye candy in Crysis some time after that game's official release. Delayed PC versions of the next Batman and Assassin's Creed games have promised improved graphical fidelity, as well.In a perfect world, developers would have all the resources they need to make PC games look as good as they should and arrive alongside ...
Desmond's Story Ends In 2012, But Assassin's Creed Doesn't
By GameInformer, published 10-03-2011
When the first Assassin's Creed released in 2007, Desmond's struggle with Abstergo was set in the near-future: the year 2012. Pretty soon, that'll be the present, and Ubisoft aims to conclude Desmond's tale before the end of next year. Why is that date significant? If you've been playing the series, you know that events are veering toward an end-of-days scenario set to culminate in that timeframe. Revelations' creative director Alexandre Amancio explains: "In Assassin's Creed we set up a timeline with this whole end of the world plot of December 2012. That's fast approaching, and the story we have to tell, we obviously need to do it before we arrive at that point." Since we know that Revelations isn't going to be the game to conclude that plo...
Assassin's Creed: Revelations delayed for PC - Report
By GameSpot, published 10-01-2011
News of a PC postponement for Ezio's latest excursion said to surface briefly on Ubisoft's Czech Facebook page; GameStop also lists later launch. Pushing back the PC release for multiplatform games is becoming Ubisoft's standard operating procedure. The PC versions of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Tom Clancy's HAWX 2, Driver: San Francisco, and Call of Juarez: The Cartel all trailed their console counterparts, and the publisher might be adding one more to that list. Revelations might come to pass two weeks later on PC. According to a Eurogamer report, Ubisoft's official Czech Facebook page was updated with news that the PC edition of Assassin's Creed: Revelations would hit stores on December 2, a couple of weeks after the console versions' November 15...
Assassin's Creed: Revelations delayed for PC - Report
By GameSpot, published 10-01-2011
News of a PC postponement for Ezio's latest excursion said to surface briefly on Ubisoft's Czech Facebook page; GameStop also lists later launch. Pushing back the PC release for multiplatform games is becoming Ubisoft's standard operating procedure. The PC versions of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Tom Clancy's HAWX 2, Driver: San Francisco, and Call of Juarez: The Cartel all trailed their console counterparts, and the publisher might be adding one more to that list. Revelations might come to pass two weeks later on PC. According to a Eurogamer report, Ubisoft's official Czech Facebook page was updated with news that the PC edition of Assassin's Creed: Revelations would hit stores on December 2, a couple of weeks after the console versions' November 15...
PC delays hit Serious Sam, Assassin's Creed
By TechReport, published 30-09-2011
Apparently, no one wants to launch a new video game the week before Battlefield 3 hits. Batman: Arkham City was supposed to launch on October 18, but the PC version has been delayed to some time in November. Throwback shooter Serious Sam 3 was also supposed to hit the street on the 18th, but Rock, Paper, Shotgun is reporting that it, too, has been pushed to the following month. ...Read more...
Modern Warfare 3 tops gamer holiday wish list - Nielsen
By GameSpot, published 30-09-2011
Activision's shooter leads tracking company's survey of most anticipated titles, followed by Gears of War 3, Madden NFL 12. This holiday season sees the release of numerous high-profile titles, and according to tracking firm Nielsen, Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the most wanted game of all. Online conversations about Modern Warfare 3 are driven by launch parties and talk of a "darker mood." Nielsen recently published its "Top 20 Games to Watch" and the Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games-developed shooter topped all others by a significant margin. According to Nielsen, 27 percent of respondents designated Modern Warfare 3 as one of the top five titles they intend to purchase during the 2011 holiday season. The next two most coveted ...
Assassin's Creed: Revelations For PC Pushed To December
By GameInformer, published 30-09-2011
If you're one of the PC fans who's been eager to get your hands on Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed: Revelation, your wait just got a little longer.According to an official statement sent to Joystiq, Ubi is delaying the game until December. Here's the official word:"Assassin's Creed Revelations will launch on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on November 15 and PC in December."
OnLive launches in UK, partners with GameSpot UK
By GameSpot, published 22-09-2011
Cloud-based games platform OnLive made available to British gamers; the service's instant demos integrated into GameSpot UK. OnLive has launched in the UK, offering its cloud-based gaming platform to British gamers for the first time. The company has also partnered with GameSpot UK, letting users play demos of such games as Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine and Dirt 3 directly from the site. OnLive lets users play games on lower-end computers and the company's microconsole device by performing the bulk of processing on remote servers and live streaming the results over an Internet connection. The OnLive Game System, which includes the console and a wireless controller, retails for £70 in the UK, with GAME the first High Street store to sell the system. Among the OnLive games availa...
Assassin's Creed: Revelations for PS3 packs-in original game
By GameSpot, published 20-09-2011
Altair's complete first adventure bundled as bonus for first run of Ubisoft's latest historical adventure game on Sony's console. The mythology of the Assassin's Creed franchise has grown with every new installment of the series, and Ubisoft is offering gamers a chance for a refresher course on the series' roots with the upcoming Assassin's Creed: Revelations. The PS3 version of Assassin's Creed: Revelations will include Altair's first outing as well. Ubisoft today announced that the initial run of the PlayStation 3 edition of Assassin's Creed: Revelations will come packed in with a copy of the original Assassin's Creed on PS3. The publisher said the promotion was made possible by a partnership with Sony Computer Entertainment America. Hitting stores...
Assassin's Creed: Revelations for PS3 packs in original game
By GameSpot, published 20-09-2011
Altair's complete first adventure bundled as bonus for first run of Ubisoft's latest historical adventure game on Sony's console. The mythology of the Assassin's Creed franchise has grown with every new installment in the series, and Ubisoft is offering gamers a chance for a refresher course on the series' roots with the upcoming Assassin's Creed: Revelations. The PS3 version of Assassin's Creed: Revelations will include Altair's first outing as well. Ubisoft today announced that the initial run of the PlayStation 3 edition of Assassin's Creed: Revelations will come packed in with a copy of the original Assassin's Creed on the PS3. The publisher said the promotion was made possible by a partnership with Sony Computer Entertainment America. Hitting st...
Updated: PS Vita: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 14-09-2011
PlayStation Vita: what you need to knowIt's here! And by "here!" we mean "nearly here!" After much rumour and speculation, Sony has announced that the new PSP - formerly codenamed NGP for Next Generation Portable - will be called the PlayStation Vita. So what are the PlayStation Vita specs, when will the UK release date be and how much will it cost?brightcove : 1091086359001PS Vita UK price will start at £229.99The UK pre-order price for the Sony PlayStation Vita has been revealed, with both Play and Game offering the handheld for £279.99 (3G) and £229.99 (Wi-Fi).As the more eagle-eyed of you will notice, this is a near like-for-like dollar and pounds pricing strategy, something us in the UK are unfortunately getting used to now.There was originally a credible previously...
Assassin's Creed Multiplayer Beta Opens To All PS3 Owners
By GameInformer, published 09-08-2011
Assassin's Creed Revelations' multiplayer beta kicked off last week, but it was only available to PlayStation Plus or Uplay members. Starting today (and running through September 11), anyone with access to PSN can download the beta and participate. A post on the PlayStation Blog claims that opening up the doors and ending the exclusive access is a result of the beta "going so well." I can't help but wonder, though, if the restricted access over the last several days resulted in fewer people playing than Ubisoft anticipated. At any rate, if you're interested in taking part, you'd better act quickly. The beta ends this Sunday, so you've only got a few days to stab and sneak. After that, you'll have to wait for the game's November release. (Source: ...
Assassin's Creed: Revelations beta extended to all PSN users
By GameSpot, published 09-08-2011
PS3 gamers can gain a free advance look at Ubisoft's latest Ezio-led action adventure from Sept. 8-11. As it turns out, it's not just PlayStation Plus and select Uplay members who will get an early crack at Assassin's Creed: Revelations' online multiplayer modes. Today, Ubisoft confirmed that all PlayStation Network users will be able to engage in the latest Assassin's Creed multiplayer test phase from September 8-11. Ezio's motley crew assembles in advance for all PS3 gamers on September 8. Assassin's Creed: Revelations' multiplayer beta opens up access to nine characters, three maps, four modes, and eight abilities. More specifically, the nine characters offered in the beta are the Sentinel, the Vanguard, the Guardian, the Vizier, the Thespian, the...
Sony PS Vita pre-order opens at Amazon
By TechRadar, published 09-07-2011
Amazon.co.uk has opened pre-order for the PS Vita, with both the Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 3G models available to stake your claim on.Although the UK site doesn't give anything away on the delivery date front, the US site Amazon.com reckons pre-orderers will get your new console on New Year's Eve. It'll set you back £279.99 to pre-order the Wi-Fi and 3G version, while the Wi-Fi only model saves you fifty quid, coming in at £229.99. Wooo-oooah Vita-liteThe 3G-toting PS Vita doesn't list a network partner for the provision of the data in the UK, but we expect you'll need to pay a little bit extra for your non-Wi-Fi internet connectivity no matter who it's with. And what do you get for your money? The complete spec hasn't been made public yet, but we do know it'll bring you a 5-inch OLED touch...
The Making Of The Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia
By GameInformer, published 09-01-2011
The Assassin's Creed series is a unique blend of history and sci-fi, and the writing team has been working with members of the community to write the definitive encyclopedia that ties together the fact and the fiction. Below, you can see the official "Making Of" video, where the Ubisoft staff and community contributors discuss the collaborative process necessary for such an ambitious undertaking. You'll also learn that some exclusive info about the universe will be revealed in the finished product. If you're interested in ordering the encyclopedia for your coffee table, check out the product page over at UbiWorkshop. Or, if you're just desperate for comprehensive Assassin's Creed info, you can turn to other sources. (Please visit the site to view this media...
Assassin's Creed: Revelations Animus Edition Unboxing Video
By GameInformer, published 27-08-2011
I'm having a difficult time keeping up with all of Assassin's Creed: Revelations' special editions. Two days ago we broke news on the Ultimate Bundle, which is different than the Signature Edition. Today, I stumbled upon a video (below) for Assassin's Creed: Revelations' Animus Edition. Before you start panicking over which version to buy, you should know that this collection will not be sold in the U.S. On the other hand, our European and Australian readers have reason to be excited. The Animus Edition unboxing video shows off some of the content coming in all of the different versions, including a look at the Vlad the Impaler single player mission, the new Crusader and Ottoman Jester multiplayer characters, the three weapon capacity upgrades, the animated shor...
Game devs get power from the people
By GameSpot, published 27-08-2011
PAX 2011: Community managers from Ubisoft, Insomniac, Sucker Punch, and more talk about the future of forums and how to engage the fans. Who Was There: The panelist consisted of community managers J Goldberg from Volition, Evan Berman from En Masse Entertainment, Collin Moore from Sucker Punch, Gabriel Graziani from Ubisoft, and James Stevenson from Insomniac Games. Ubisoft's Graziani said his job was to help fans engage with the Assassin's Creed universe. What They Talked About: Forums may have been the venue of choice when engaging the community more than 10 years ago, but with the rise of broadcasting channels such as Youtube, Justin.tv, Tout and Twitch.tv, the community has grown from sharing their thoughts via text format to broadcasting their en...
Game devs get power from the people
By GameSpot, published 27-08-2011
PAX 2011: Community managers from Ubisoft, Insomniac, Sucker Punch, and more talk about the future of forums and how to engage the fans. Who was there: The panel consisted of community managers J Goldberg from Volition, Evan Berman from En Masse Entertainment, Collin Moore from Sucker Punch, Gabriel Graziani from Ubisoft, and James Stevenson from Insomniac Games. Ubisoft's Graziani said his job was to help fans engage with the Assassin's Creed universe. What they talked about: Forums may have been the venue of choice when engaging the community more than 10 years ago, but with the rise of broadcasting channels such as YouTube, Justin.tv, Tout, and Twitch.tv, the community has grown from sharing their thoughts via text format to broadcasting their enti...
Skyrim DLC to be Xbox 360-exclusive for 30 days
By GameSpot, published 26-08-2011
First two add-ons for The Elder Scrolls V will debut on Microsoft's console a month before any other platform. While it's increasingly rare for a third-party publisher to release a highly anticipated game exclusive to one platform, that hasn't stopped Sony and Microsoft from trying to secure an edge on the competition. As a result, PlayStation 3 players have seen console-exclusive content for games like Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Dante's Inferno, while Xbox 360 fans of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Homefront have been able to get early access to the first-person shooters' add-ons. Whoa there, PC and PS3 DLC! Microsoft is furthering that approach, as today the company announced timed Xbox 360 exclusivity for Bethesda's upcoming open-world role-play...
3DS third-party publishers split on effect of price cut
By GameSpot, published 19-08-2011
Ubisoft "very pleased" with eight-fold boost to European software sales, but unnamed publisher's rep describes retail reaction as "not euphoric." Sales charts have already shown the 3DS price cut has spurred sales of the system significantly, and it appears to be boosting software sales as well. Ubisoft European marketing and sales director Geoffrey Sardin told Gamesindustry.biz that the publisher has seen an eight-fold jump in game sales on the continent since the price cut went into effect. Business is picking up for Ubisoft. However, the software boost may not be universal. Gamesindustry.biz also reported a conflicting account from another third-party publisher who wished to remain anonymous. That source told the site that Nintendo still needs to pu...
How To Save Your Game Data When You Change Hard Drives
By MaximumPC, published 17-08-2011
Don't Leave The Past Behind There's an old saying that goes "You can't take it with you when you die," but we disagree. Sure, you might suffer an XP loss or have a nifty +3 bastard sword disappear from your inventory, but all in all, your belongings remain intact in the event of an untimely character death. The saying should be "You can't take it with you if you don't save your game data." We can't help with your lack of FPS skills, but we can help you transfer your game data to a new PC or hard drive. Find Your Save Backing up a save game is easy; finding the location of your save data is the tricky part. Game makers just can seem to settle on a common saved game spot. There are some common locations for saved games in Windows 7 and Vista, though, such as: Your save games usually hide de...
In Depth: PS Vita: what you need to know
By TechRadar, published 17-08-2011
It's here! And by "here!" we mean "nearly here!" After much rumour and speculation, Sony has announced that the new PSP - formerly codenamed NGP for Next Generation Portable - will be called the PlayStation Vita. So what are the PS Vita specs, when will the UK release date be and how much will it cost?PS Vita UK price will start at £229.99The UK pre-order price for the Sony PlayStation Vita has been revealed, with both Play and Game offering the handheld for £279.99 (3G) and £229.99 (Wi-Fi).As the more eagle-eyed of you will notice, this is a near like-for-like dollar and pounds pricing strategy, something us in the UK are unfortunately getting used to now.There was originally a credible previously rumoured pricing. Given that the Wi-Fi only version of the new PlayStation Vita would be ...
Ubisoft working on Project Osborn - Report
By GameSpot, published 17-08-2011
Publisher rumored to be working on a new IP featuring descendent of George Washington who turns to terror to save the country from itself. When Ubisoft launched Assassin's Creed as its big new intellectual property of 2007, there was concern about how people would react to the game's depiction of organized religions. The publisher handled that touchy topic deftly, as the series went on to post blockbuster sales figures and spawn numerous sequels without much public outcry. The publisher might be flirting with controversy again, as Siliconera is reporting that Ubisoft has a new IP in the works centered around a domestic terrorist looking to take down the US government. Would Washington (shown here in Civilization V) be proud of his descendant following in his...
Assassin's Creed, Rayman Origins lead Ubisoft's PS Vita slate
By GameSpot, published 16-08-2011
Publisher confirms six games in development for Sony's next portable PlayStation product; Lumines, Michael Jackson, Asphalt, and Dungeon Hunter Alliance also headed to new handheld. Third-party software support will be vital to the PlayStation Vita, and Ubisoft is clearly on board with Sony's upcoming handheld. The publisher today announced that it has six games in development for the handheld, including new installments of some of its highest-profile properties. Ubisoft's Asphalt is speeding to the PS Vita. Leading the way are a pair of iconic Ubisoft franchises in Assassin's Creed and Rayman. While the publisher did not detail the PS Vita debut of the free-running stealth action game, it did say that the phantom-limbed mascot Rayman would be making h...
Assassin's Creed And More Coming To PS Vita
By GameInformer, published 16-08-2011
While drumming up interest for the PS Vita at its Gamescom press conference, Sony announced that Ubisoft is working on a portable Assassin's Creed for 2012, complete with a new story. The mysterious new Assassin's Creed title was not named or shown, but Sony Europe's new CEO Jim Ryan stated that it is one of six games that Ubisoft is currently developing for the PS Vita. This was accompanied by the splash screen of other third-party support shown above, which includes high profile franchises like BioShock and Call Of Duty, the FIFA and Virtua Tennis sports franchises, and the colorful platformer, Rayman Origins. Again, no gameplay was shown from any of these games, but given the graphic quality of the demos we've seen so far, it looks like the hardcore crowd will have plen...
OnLive launches in UK September 22
By GameSpot, published 08-11-2011
British launch of on-demand streaming game service facilitates gaming on HDTVs, PC, Mac, iPad, and Android-based tablets; free membership lets users demo technology. Since OnLive first launched in the US in 2010, its expansion has largely been limited to platforms like HDTVs, iPads, and Android-based tablets. The game streaming service is set to add geographic expansion to the mix, as today OnLive announced it would be debuting in the UK on September 22. OnLive is out soon in the UK. OnLive gives gamers access to its library of games--including Homefront, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, and Borderlands--in a variety of ways. Customers can purchase the games outright, rent them for up to five days, or get unlimited access to about half the service's catalog fo...
Assassin's Creed: Revelations beta opens Sept. 3
By GameSpot, published 08-10-2011
PlayStation Plus-, Uplay-only multiplayer trial period runs until September 11; nine characters, three maps, four modes, and eight abilities included. Assassin's Creed: Revelations isn't due out on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC until November 15. However, not all gamers will need to wait that long to get their hands on the multiplayer component of the game. Assassins come in all shapes, but apparently not all sizes. Ubisoft today announced that a multiplayer beta for Assassin's Creed: Revelations will open on the PlayStation 3 for PlayStation Plus and Uplay members on September 3. The trial period will let gamers sample nine characters, three maps, four modes, and eight abilities from the upcoming title's multiplayer component. The beta will en...
Ubisoft calls always-on DRM a success
By GameSpot, published 29-07-2011
Despite foul-ups and inconveniences for users, publisher insists that requiring a connection to its servers has produced "a clear reduction in piracy." Earlier this week, Ubisoft confirmed that the PC version of Driver: San Francisco will require a constant connection to Ubisoft's servers to run, even in single-player mode. It's a digital rights management scheme the publisher has used to much controversy, but one that it insists works. But is always-on DRM any more effective than The Club? According to PC Gamer, a representative of the publisher defended the practice this week, saying it has seen "a clear reduction in piracy of our titles which required a persistent online connection, and from that point of view the requirement is a success." Ubisoft...
Driver slips to September 6
By GameSpot, published 27-07-2011
San Francisco-set racing game gets pushed back a week in North America; Ubisoft confirms constant online connection needed for PC version. Driver: San Francisco is putting on the brakes. Ubisoft has released word through the game's official Twitter feed that the mission-based racing game has been delayed until September 6, a week after its previously announced August 30 launch date. The delay is specific to North America, and the game's debut in other territories has not been affected. No speeding tickets for this one. In a follow-up tweet, the publisher explained the cause for the delay was not due to a need for extra development time. According to Ubisoft, "The delay has to do with shipping considerations and getting the best exposure in NA, not prod...
Assassin's Creed Embers Coming November 15th
By GameInformer, published 25-07-2011
The teaser trailer for this animated short is enough to give you chills. Are these the final days of Ezio Auditore? Ubisoft today announced a new animated short entitled Assassin's Creed Embers. The new film will release alongside Assassin's Creed Revelations on November 15th, and is developed by UbiWorkshop. Embers will ship with the Signature Edition of the game, or you can download the short through Xbox Live or PSN The short film appears to explore the life of Ezio after Revelations, and shows the familiar assassin far older than we've ever seen him.Check out the trailer for the animated film, which includes narration from the starring assassin of AC 2, Brotherhood, and Revelations. (Please visit the site to view this media)
Assassin's Creed: Embers hits November 15
By GameSpot, published 25-07-2011
A 20-minute animated short film will be free with GameStop preorder of Revelations, or available separately on Xbox Live, PlayStation Network. On November 15, Assassin's Creed: Revelations will wrap up the story of Ezio after three games that have followed the Italian rapscallion since his birth. The game will have some help in bringing Ezio's tale to a close, as Ubisoft has announced it will arrive alongside Assassin's Creed: Embers, a 20-minute computer-animated short film that serves as a companion piece to Revelations. Ezio is ready for his close-up. Embers follows Ezio in his later years, living with his wife and children and the fear that, one day, someone will try to hurt them. The short uses assets taken directly from the game as part of a Ubis...
Growing the Assassin's Creed universe
By GameSpot, published 24-07-2011
Ubisoft reaffirms plans for Assassin's Creed III amidst details of the franchise's increasing scope and Ezio's legacy in it. Who was there: Darby McDevitt (writer), Brent Ashe (presentation designer), Louis-Pierre Pharand (transmedia producer), and Cameron Stewart (writer and artist for Assassin's Creed: The Fall. [ Watch Video ] Comment on this videoWatch this video in High Def What they talked about: McDevitt kicked things off by explaining that a writer in his position generally gets orders to craft his story to compliment the pre-determined location and overall narrative structure for an Assassin's Creed game. Then he and his team go into research mode to learn as much as they can about a location. Eventually, this leads to something emerging that they can ...
Growing the Assassin's Creed universe
By GameSpot, published 24-07-2011
Ubisoft reaffirms plans for Assassin's Creed III amidst details of the franchise's increasing scope and Ezio's legacy in it. Who was there: Darby McDevitt (writer), Brent Ashe (presentation designer), Louis-Pierre Pharand (transmedia producer), and Cameron Stewart (writer and artist) for Assassin's Creed: The Fall. [ Watch Video ] Comment on this videoWatch this video in High Def What they talked about: McDevitt kicked things off by explaining that a writer in his position generally gets orders to craft his story to complement the predetermined location and overall narrative structure for an Assassin's Creed game. Then, he and his team go into research mode to learn as much as they can about a location. Eventually, this leads to something emerging that they can...
Ubisoft beats Q1 guidance, sales fall 36%
By GameSpot, published 21-07-2011
French publisher narrows release window for Driver 3DS as April-June revenues come in at $146 million. Ubisoft may have killed off Assassin's Creed 3DS, but the publisher isn't nixing all of the games it announced at the 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo to support Nintendo's 3D-enabled handheld. As part of the publisher's earnings report for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, Ubisoft offered a narrowed release window for Driver: Renegade, saying the detective drama will arrive on the 3DS sometime before September 30. Driver: Renegade will be peeling out before October. Otherwise, Ubisoft didn't have much to get excited about during its first quarter. Revenue during the period fell to €103 million ($146 million), down 36.3 percent from the same...
Pokemon Rumble Blast, Captain America 3DS drop in October
By GameSpot, published 19-07-2011
Monster-battler heads to Nintendo's new handheld on October 24, while Sega delays Super Soldier to October 25. A spate of dour news has surrounded Nintendo's 3DS over the past couple of weeks, with word emerging of delays for Shinobi and Crush3D and cancellations for Mega Man Legends 3 and Assassin's Creed: Lost Legacy. Now comes some good news, by way of updated release dates for Nintendo's Pokemon Rumble Blast and Captain America: Super Soldier, which will launch within days of each other on October 24 and October 25, respectively. Pokemon Rumble Blast offers some 600 toy soldiers. Pokemon Rumble Blast bears the distinction of being the first game in Nintendo's blockbuster franchise to appear exclusively on the 3DS. It is a follow-on from the 2009 ...
Shinobi, Crush3D for 3DS delayed
By GameSpot, published 19-07-2011
Sega pushes ninja action game back two months to November 15 as spatial puzzler release date slides to February 21, 2012. It has been a bad stretch for the 3DS's third-party software lineup. Last week, Assassin's Creed: Lost Legacy was confirmed dead. Yesterday, Capcom announced the outright cancellation of Mega Man Legends 3, and Sega followed that news up today with delays for two of its 3DS games, Shinobi and Crush3D. Shinobi fans must bide their time. Shinobi is now slated to debut November 15, while Crush3D has been pushed all the way back to February 21, 2012. Both titles had previously been announced as September releases. Developed by Griptonite Games, Shinobi will follow Jiro Musashi, the father of the original Shinobi, Joe Musashi. The game ...
Wii U's Assassin's Creed Isn't Revelations
By GameInformer, published 18-07-2011
At E3 2011, Ubisoft revealed that it was working on an Assassin's Creed game for Nintendo's recently announced Wii U console. Beyond that, details were scarce. Aside from providing a few tidbits on how the developers could take advantage of the device's dedicated touchscreen – pulling map duty, showing off database entries, providing a "window" for Eagle Vision – there wasn't any info on what the game would actually be. Would it be a port of an older game? Could it be a version of the upcoming Assassin's Creed: Revelations? Is it something entirely new? According to an interview with a Swedish publication, you can now scrub those first two options off the list. Eurogamer has translated an interview on Swedish site Aftonbladet, in which Ubisoft hea...
Ubisoft confirms Uplay Passport online program
By GameSpot, published 15-07-2011
Pass will be bundled with new copies of "core" games beginning with Driver: SF, offer gamers "additional content" and full access to online modes; second-hand players can opt-in for $10. Yesterday, it was rumored that Ubisoft would join major publishers Sony, THQ, Warner Bros., and Electronic Arts in offering an online pass for its games called the Uplay Passport. Today, the French publisher has made it official, confirming the program and detailing it. Driver: SF will be Ubisoft's first game to use the Uplay Passport. The Uplay Passport will come bundled with new copies of Ubisoft's "core" games, beginning this August with the racing game Driver: San Francisco. The onetime-use code will give gamers full access to the game's online modes as well as un...
Ubisoft confirms Uplay Passport online program
By GameSpot, published 15-07-2011
Pass will be bundled with new copies of "core" games beginning with Driver: SF, offer gamers "additional content" and full access to online modes; secondhand players can opt in for $10. Yesterday, it was rumored that Ubisoft would join major publishers Sony, THQ, Warner Bros., and Electronic Arts in offering an online pass for its games called the Uplay Passport. Today, the French publisher has made it official, confirming the program and detailing it. Driver: SF will be Ubisoft's first game to use the Uplay Passport. The Uplay Passport will come bundled with new copies of Ubisoft's "core" games, beginning this August with the racing game Driver: San Francisco. The onetime-use code will give gamers full access to the game's online modes as well as uns...
Assassin's Creed: Lost Legacy For 3DS Ended Up Being AC: Revelations
By GameInformer, published 15-07-2011
When the 3DS was announced, Ubisoft pledge big support for the handheld. One of the lynch pins of its 3DS plan was Assassin's Creed: Lost Legacy -- which was planned as a launch title but then quickly fell off the face of the Earth. Well, now we know why: many of Lost Legacy's story concepts ended up being the foundation for Assassin's Creed: Revelations.In an interview with Joystiq, Revelations lead writer Darby McDevitt revealed the truth: "You may have heard of the game 'Lost Legacy' for the 3DS. It was announced, but that kind of morphed into this idea…The story that was announced about Lost Legacy was that Ezio goes to Masyaf and investigates the holy land."So, it looks like Lost Legacy is indeed lost, but something tells me we're better off w...
Assassin's Creed 3DS KIA
By GameSpot, published 15-07-2011
Ubisoft lead writer Darby McDevitt says handheld installment morphed into AC: Revelations. Saints Row: Drive By isn't the only title bailing on the 3DS. As part of an interview with Joystiq, Assassin's Creed: Revelations lead writer Darby McDevitt confirmed that Ubisoft pulled the plug on Assassin's Creed: Lost Legacy, which was announced as part of the 3DS's coming-out party during the 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo. Assassin's Creed: Revelations started out as an idea for the 3DS. Assassin's Creed: Lost Legacy was to follow Ezio as he investigated an ancient castle at Masyaf, a city in modern-day Syria. According to Assassin's Creed lore, the castle served as the traditional home of the Assassin's guild. According to McDevitt, it's no coincide...
Assassin's Creed Movie Coming To DVD
By GameInformer, published 14-07-2011
The recent live-action film further fleshes out the franchise's storyline, and you can watch the full tale on the upcoming home release. If you're a big Assassin's Creed fan, you may have another product to look forward to this holiday season beyond Revelations. Assassin's Creed Lineage is coming to Blu-ray and DVD on November 15th. The collection of short live-action films follows the actions of Ezio's father, Giovanni, and helps to set up many of the events we see at the beginning of Assassin's Creed II. The release will include a making of featurette, trailers for the movie, developer diaries, and the entire Assassin's Creed Ascendance animated short. If you'd like a sneak peek, the full series of short films has already released online, and you can chec...
PlayStation Store Update: L.A. Noire DLC, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
By GameSpot, published 13-07-2011
Sony updates virtual storefront with new content for Rockstar's game and full version of Ubisoft's stealth action title; Catherine demo now live. Get the full article at GameSpot "PlayStation Store Update: L.A. Noire DLC, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" was posted by Eddie Makuch on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:25:37 -0700
Ubisoft acquires Owlient
By GameSpot, published 07-12-2011
French publisher expands its free-to-play developer stable with purchase of tween-targeted Howrse maker. Ubisoft has pursued a "why build what can be bought" strategy for amping up its online presence in recent years, and the next move in that gambit occurred today. The publisher said that it has purchased Owlient, a Parisian game development studio specializing in free-to-play games. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Ubisoft's Ponyz now has a stable mate in Hawrse. Founded in 2005, Owlient boasts a development team of 40 and specializes in creating online communities and monetizing free-to-play games. The studio's development expertise lines up with Ubisoft's tween-targeted Imagine and Petz line of games, having created such online titles as Ho...
Updated: Wii U: all the latest details
By TechRadar, published 07-11-2011
As original Nintendo Wiis gathered dust in households across the UK, Nintendo confirmed it would unveil a second-generation 'Wii 2' at this year's E3.And now the Wii U is out in the open and we've rounded up all the new details on the new console right here. Check out our Hands on: Nintendo Wii U review. The Wii 2 is called Wii UNintendo is calling the successor to the popular Wii console the Nintendo Wii U. It has sold 86 million Wii consoles so far.Remember when you first heard the name Nintendo Wii? Many people laughed and said it would never catch on. It did. Nintendo is hoping that Wii U will capture people's imaginations in the same way."You might remember how the Wii name began to make perfect sense once you started hearing it as Wii. It was clear how much fun we all had playing tog...
In Depth: Is there a future for handheld 3D gaming?
By TechRadar, published 07-08-2011
Following the recent release of Nintendo's auto-stereoscopic 3D ("glasses free") 3DS handheld earlier this spring, there has been a lot of discussion and debate amongst gamers and games developers about the future of interactive 3D entertainment in the palm of your hand.Sony is set to release its new PS Vita handheld in the UK early next year, although there has – to date – been no mention of any plans for 3D handheld content on the new portable PlayStation device. It's also fair to say that the commercial and critical response to the 3DS, to date, has been somewhat muted. Nintendo hopes that the recent launch of a 3D remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and 3D versions of a number of other hardcore favourites such as Mario, Kid Icarus and Starfox slated for release later thi...
Ubisoft Red Storm enlists former Kaos head
By GameSpot, published 29-06-2011
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier studio signs on David Votypka as new senior creative director following closure of Homefront dev. THQ shuttered Homefront creator Kaos Studios just over two weeks ago, but it hasn't taken long for the studio's creative leader to land a new gig. Kaos' former creative director and general manager David Votypka has updated his LinkedIn profile to indicate that he has been hired on at Ubisoft Red Storm as the studio's new senior creative director. David Votpyka Ubisoft Red Storm is best known for its work on the Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six franchises. The studio, which is based in Cary, North Carolina, is currently at work on Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, which is slated to arrive for platforms that include the Xbo...
E3 2011: BioShock Infinite scores at Game Critics Awards
By GameSpot, published 28-06-2011
Irrational's action adventure lands four trophies, including Best of Show; Battlefield 3, Sound Shapes, Elder Scrolls V nab two each; Bastion, Forza 4, PS Vita also honored. The votes are in for the Game Critics Awards Best of E3 2011 honors, and BioShock Infinite has won big. Irrational Games' agoraphobic-terrifying action adventure racked up an award for every category it was nominated in, including Best of Show, Best Original Game, Best PC Game, and Best Action/Adventure Game. BioShock Infinite flew away with top honors at the Game Critics Awards' Best of E3 2011. The 2K Games title's haul bested that of fellow quadruple nominee Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, which was shut out completely. Coming in at two wins each were Battlefield 3 (Best Acti...
E3 2011: BioShock Infinite, Uncharted 3 lead Game Critics Awards nominations
By GameSpot, published 22-06-2011
Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Skyrim, Star Wars: The Old Republic, From Dust, Tomb Raider also lead nods from critics' panel. In addition to GameSpot's own Best of E3 Awards, each year the Game Critics Awards honors the top games from the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo. This year was no exception, with the press organization today announcing its nominees from the 2011 trade show in Los Angeles, which took place earlier this month. Uncharted 3 tied for first place with four Game Critics Awards nominations. Two titles--BioShock Infinite and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception--each garnered four nominations, making them the most-honored by the panel. Seven titles--Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, From Dust, Sound Shapes, Star Wars: The Old Re...
E3 2011: BioShock Infinite, Uncharted 3 lead Game Critics Awards nominations
By GameSpot, published 22-06-2011
Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Skyrim, Star Wars: The Old Republic, From Dust, Tomb Raider also lead nods from critics' panel. In addition to GameSpot's own Best of E3 Awards, each year the Game Critics Awards honors the top games from the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo. This year was no exception, with the press organization today announcing its nominees from the 2011 trade show in Los Angeles, which took place earlier this month. Uncharted 3 tied for first place with four Game Critics Awards nominations. Two titles--BioShock Infinite and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception--each garnered four nominations, making them the most-honored by the panel. Seven titles--Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, From Dust, Sound Shapes, Star Wars: The Old Re...
Assassin's Creed creative director begins work at THQ
By GameSpot, published 15-06-2011
Patrice Desilets starts in on new IP at Montreal studio after yearlong non-compete clause with Ubisoft expires. Patrice Desilets is finally ready to get to work at THQ. Eight months after THQ announced that it had wooed the Assassin's Creed creative director away from Ubisoft, the publisher said today that Desilets has officially begun work on an all-new property at the newly formed THQ Montreal. Patrice Desilets THQ has not offered any indication as to the nature of Desilets' first project for the publisher. However, the new studio head hasn't wasted time with bringing over talent from his former employer. Earlier this year, THQ VP Danny Bilson confirmed that the publisher had recruited three "key members" of Ubisoft Montreal. Of course, those hire...
Analysts weigh in on Vita, Wii U
By GameSpot, published 14-06-2011
EEDAR's Jesse Divnich and Wedbush's Michael Pachter give thumbs up to Nintendo's new console and price of Sony's portable, explain lack of investor enthusiasm for Mario maker stock. Last week's Electronic Entertainment Expo provided gamers with an advance look at the games and systems people will be playing for years to come. While that leaves plenty of time to form fully fleshed out opinions, Electronic Entertainment Design and Research analyst Jesse Divnich and Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter shared their first impressions of some of the show's biggest news with GameSpot. The Wii U controller is already a hit with analysts. New hardware drew a lot of attention at E3, with Sony naming its next handheld the Vita and pricing it at $250 for the base unit...
Analysts weigh in on Vita, Wii U
By GameSpot, published 14-06-2011
EEDAR's Jesse Divnich and Wedbush's Michael Pachter give thumbs-up to Nintendo's new console and price of Sony's portable, explain lack of investor enthusiasm for Mario maker stock. Last week's Electronic Entertainment Expo provided gamers with an advance look at the games and systems people will be playing for years to come. While that leaves plenty of time to form fully fleshed out opinions, Electronic Entertainment Design and Research analyst Jesse Divnich and Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter shared their first impressions of some of the show's biggest news with GameSpot. The Wii U controller is already a hit with analysts. New hardware drew a lot of attention at E3, with Sony naming its next handheld the Vita and pricing it at $250 for the base unit...
THQ shutters Kaos, Digital Warrington
By GameSpot, published 13-06-2011
Publisher shuts down Homefront, Juiced studios as part of "strategic realignment"; Homefront IP moved to Montreal. Kaos Studios' first-person shooter Homefront created quite the headache for THQ upon its release in March, after investors threw an apoplectic fit over the game's generally mixed review scores. And though the game has gone on to ship more than 2.6 million units, Kaos will not be around to develop the game's proposed sequel. Homefront proved to be Kaos Studios' last stand. THQ has confirmed for GameSpot today that it has closed New York-based Kaos Studios as well as its UK-located outfit Digital Warrington (formerly Juice Games). THQ declined to comment on how many employees will be let go as part of the studio closures, noting only that ...
E3 2011: Nintendo stock continues post-Wii U decline
By GameSpot, published 06-09-2011
House of Mario's share price drops another 4.6 percent two days after new console is announced. LOS ANGELES--Investors are not giving the Wii U a vote of confidence. Two days after the new console was unveiled at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, Nintendo's stock continued a two-day slide on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Today, the company's share price shed another 4.6 percent of its value, ending trading at ¥16,160 ($201.21). Nintendo's share price is taking a beating following the Wii U unveiling. The continued decline comes in the face of increased third-party support for the Wii U. Last night, Nintendo and Ubisoft held a joint press event at which the latter publisher announced it had five titles in development for the console. ...
A New Faction Joins Assassin's Creed Revelations
By GameInformer, published 06-09-2011
Constantinople looks like a cool new location for Ezio's adventures, but one aspect of the usual experience isn't making a return: Courtesans. Instead, a new faction will be taking their place. It turns out that the...delicate...service the Courtesans perform wasn't really acceptable in Constantinople during this time period. As a result, the team at Ubisoft Montreal is implementing the Romani -- gypsy performers that serve a similar function. According to the Ubisoft representative giving me a demo, the Romani can also distract and act as mobile cover, but without the added ethical baggage.Though they don't have the telltale icon above their heads, the Romani are briefly visible in the game's E3 demo, dancing and playing instruments. The thieves and mercenaries are li...
E3 2011: Assassin's Creed: Revelations preorder bonuses detailed
By GameSpot, published 06-09-2011
Buying Ubisoft's latest in advance for 360 or PS3 earns in-game mission, multiplayer character, short film, soundtrack. Get the full article at GameSpot "E3 2011: Assassin's Creed: Revelations preorder bonuses detailed" was posted by Tom Magrino on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 10:17:23 -0700
E3 2011: OnLive coming to iPad, Android tablets this fall
By GameSpot, published 06-08-2011
On-demand game-streaming service opening up service to on-the-go gamers using Apple's or Google's OS later this year. LOS ANGELES--OnLive has been steadily marching its on-demand game-streaming service to new platforms since it first launched in 2010. Last week, that effort resulted in the release of an OnLive application for Facebook, whereby gamers can launch games directly from the ubiquitous social-networking site. Soon, OnLive will also be bringing its service to a variety of portable devices. iPad and Android tablets are OnLive's next frontier. Today, OnLive said that it would be integrating iPad and Android tablet operability into its game-streaming service beginning this fall in the US and Europe. The OnLive Player App will let on-the-go gamers acc...
E3 2011: Activision supporting Wii U
By GameSpot, published 06-08-2011
Activision publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg confirms console support, saying "you bet against Nintendo at your peril." LOS ANGELES--When Nintendo unveiled the long list of third-party publishers backing the Wii U this morning, one name was conspicuously absent. The world's biggest independent publisher, Activision, was nowhere to be seen during a montage of third-party games for the console or afterward during the media briefing. Activision is on board the Wii U bandwagon. However, that's not to say that Activision is ignoring the first console of the next generation. "We will be supporting the Wii U," Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg told GameSpot earlier today. "You bet against Nintendo at your peril." The executive declined to say how man...
E3 2011: Nintendo Wii U: Everything You Need to Know
By GameSpot, published 06-08-2011
Get all of the latest details on the Wii U, Nintendo's brand new gaming console and controller. At its E3 2011 press conference, Nintendo confirmed some details about the successor to the Wii and even gave its new platform an official name: Wii U. While the name might not suggest much of a difference from Nintendo previous system, the Wii U has some significant upgrades and changes, the most important of which is undoubtedly its new controller. While the Wii U supports all of the Wii's controllers, the controller designed for this new platform is not unlike a tablet. It has a large touch-sensitive 6.2-inch screen in the middle surrounded by a plastic enclosure that features traditional console-style control characteristics, including a D pad, two sets of shoulder buttons, four fac...
Updated: Wii U: all the latest details
By TechRadar, published 06-07-2011
As original Nintendo Wiis gathered dust in households across the UK, Nintendo confirmed it would unveil a second-generation 'Wii 2' at this year's E3.And now the Wii U console is out in the openand we're rounding up all the new details on the new Wii U console - check back for more information as we get it.The Wii 2 is called Wii UNintendo is calling the successor to the popular Wii console the Nintendo Wii U, the company has revealed.Remember when you first heard the name Nintendo Wii? Many people laughed and said it would never catch on. It did. Nintendo is hoping that Wii U will capture people's imaginations in the same way."You might remember how the Wii name began to make perfect sense once you started hearing it as Wii. It was clear how much fun we all had playing together," said Nin...
E3 2011: Nintendo Wii U: hardcore games announced
By TechRadar, published 06-07-2011
The first impression of the new 6.2-inch touchscreen controller for the Nintendo Wii U console - both announced at E3 2011 this week - is that it is huge, yet it seems to be attracting lots of major publishers and developers.Wii U: all the latest detailsMany of the devs were at Nintendo's E3 press conference today to sing the praises of the new console.Nintendo's keynote speech contained all the usual new content on its own iconic franchises – Mario, Zelda, Starfox and others are always crowd-pleasers – yet perhaps the key difference in this year's event was the fact that EA, Ubisoft, Sega and lots of other third party games developers were showing off new adult-themed, hardcore games that they are making for Nintendo's Wii U.Graphically impressive gamesGraphically, many of the games l...
E3 2011: Wii U boasts M-rated third-party support
By GameSpot, published 06-07-2011
Nintendo confirms Assassin's Creed, Ghost Recon Online, Tekken, Ninja Gaiden 3, Darksiders 2, Batman coming to new console; Ubisoft also confirms Rabbids, two new brands en route; Aliens not a lock. LOS ANGELES--As part of its 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo press conference today, Nintendo formally unveiled Wii U, marking its entry into the high-definition console market. Though it trails behind Microsoft and Sony by more than five years, Nintendo has wasted no time in attracting third-party publishers' more violent wares to its new, more powerful console. Assassin's Creed is coming to the Wii U. In a sizzle reel promoting the Wii U, Nintendo confirmed that a number of previously announced titles will also be coming to its new console. These titles inc...
Special Edition Podcast: Assassin's Creed: Revelations
By GameInformer, published 06-03-2011
Our cover story on Assassin's Creed: Revelations has created a stir among the millions of fans of Ubisoft's cryptic action/adventure series. As always, AC:R blends science fiction with voluminous historical research to further the adventures of Ezio. This game promises to end Ezio's saga, so many have questions as to what this new title brings to the table. We solicited questions from readers on our site, and compiled the best of them for this special edition podcast. Host Matt Helgeson reads your questions cover story to writer Matt Miller and GI editor Joe Juba, both of whom have seen the game in action, on some of the most important aspects of the game, from the plot to the multiplayer. For more on Assassin's Creed: Revelations, check out our hub page for a host of spec...
Respawn agent Blackley leaving CAA
By GameSpot, published 27-05-2011
Xbox designer-turned-power player leaving Hollywood agency that represents Insomniac, Will Wright, Ken Levine, and Patrice Desilets to form game production company. One of the bigger behind-the-scenes players in the game industry is moving on. Variety is reporting that Seamus Blackley is stepping down as the head of the games division of Creative Artists Agency. According to the trade, he is leaving the Hollywood talent powerhouse, whose film clients include Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, to form his own game production company. His exit will be gradual, allowing for a transition through the end of the year. Blackley is saying sayonara to CAA. Blackley leaves behind a game division at CAA that has amassed a massive client roster since he joined in ...
Respawn agent Blackley leaving CAA
By GameSpot, published 27-05-2011
Xbox designer-turned-power-player leaving Hollywood agency that represents Insomniac, Will Wright, Ken Levine, and Patrice Desilets to form game production company. One of the bigger behind-the-scenes players in the game industry is moving on. Variety is reporting that Seamus Blackley is stepping down as the head of the games division of Creative Artists Agency. According to the trade, he is leaving the Hollywood talent powerhouse, whose film clients include Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, to form his own game production company. His exit will be gradual, allowing for a transition through the end of the year. Blackley is saying sayonara to CAA. Blackley leaves behind a game division at CAA that has amassed a massive client roster since he joined in ...
Shinobi 3DS comes out of the shadows
By GameSpot, published 26-05-2011
Sega confirms reports of ninja's next adventure with debut trailer, sets side-scrolling action revamp for September release. Sega's venerable video game ninja Shinobi may be slipping. The stealthy ninja's latest adventure, a 3DS action title from Griptonite Games, was spotted this week while still running in stealth mode. Today, Sega fessed up, officially confirming that the game does exist and will hit stores this September. Shinobi's scarf isn't the only flash of red on display in the game. Simply titled Shinobi, the 3DS game will follow Jiro Musashi, the father of the original Shinobi, Joe Musashi. The game will combine side-scrolling levels with 3D action sequences to pit the titular assassin against a variety of threats from helicopters to henchme...
Ubisoft Details Assassin's Creed Packages For Play For Japan
By GameInformer, published 21-05-2011
Ubisoft is putting together a whole bunch of Assassin's Creed exclusives to sell on eBay with all proceeds going toward gaming relief effort Play For Japan. All of the packs are up for bid right now and feature loads of signed content from the Assassin's Creed team including all of the games released so far on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, posters, and a rare Ezio statue. For more details on the auction items, take a look at the video below featuring AC community developer Gabe Graziani. (Please visit the site to view this media)
[Update]: Assassin's Creed Revelations' First Screenshot And Wallpapers
By GameInformer, published 20-05-2011
We've updated the available desktop wallpapers with art from our cover in one of three handy sizes. UPDATE: Due to popular demand, we've prepared three new wallpaper images, each of which shows an unblemished view of the awesome cover image from Ubisoft. Right click and save the link of your choice from the list below to get the Assassin's Creed Revelations cover art for your desktop. 1920x1080 1680x1050 1280x1024 ORIGINAL STORY: As you may have already seen in our June cover reveal, Assassin's Creed Revelations is on its way this November. If you're as eager as we are to check the game out, you can whet your appetite with the first screenshot for the game. In the image you can see the sprawling city of Constantinople, along with some interesting changes to Ezio's...
E3 2011: what to expect from this year's show
By TechRadar, published 17-05-2011
This year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) is soon upon us, with the sixteenth outing of the games industry's biggest international trade show in LA on 7-9 June 2011 sure to reveal a wide range of interesting new videogames, as well as the latest console, PC and handheld gaming tech from Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft and many others.The biggest E3 news announcements, E3 rumours and the annual E3 press conferences from the likes of the aforementioned big three, alongside major games publishers such as EA, Konami, Square Enix, Ubisoft, Activision and many more, are closely watched, monitored and pored-over by games designers, publishers and committed gamers alike. TechRadar will bring you full details of all of the major E3 2011 news announcements from all of the major gaming hardware brands...
Ubisoft Motion Pictures Pitching Assassin's Creed 3D Movie & More
By GameInformer, published 17-05-2011
Ubisoft already got a Prince of Persia movie last year, and the company's new movie division is pushing to have Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell, and Ghost Recon 3D movies by Hollywood. Ubisoft Motion Pictures is working with the game franchise's producers to keep the spirit of the games intact, including storylines. "We want to keep ownership, retain control over the film content, and we're open to work with studios on the development of our projects, and eventually collaborate on the pre-casting, pre-budget, and script," Ubisoft Motion Pictures head Jean-Julien Baronnet told Variety. Baronnet and the other UMP executives are traveling to Hollywood this summer to meet with studios and agents. The company also has a 3D CGI Raving Rabbids series of seven-minute s...
Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon feature films en route
By GameSpot, published 17-05-2011
Ubisoft Motion Pictures already planning trio of live-action projects based on games; Rabbids animated series also in the works. Two weeks ago, Ubisoft announced the formation of Ubisoft Motion Pictures, its television and film production studio. Today, the company revealed to Variety that it is wasting no time turning its portfolio of successful game franchises into live-action--and animated--projects. A live-action Assassin's Creed is already in pre-production. According to the show business trade, Ubisoft is currently working on three live-action feature films based on the Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell, and Ghost Recon franchises. The series have sold 28 million units, 22 million units, and 17 million units life-to-date, according to the trade....
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood ships 7.2 million, Ubisoft teases 'ambitious' PC announcement
By GameSpot, published 05-12-2011
French publisher posts 19% revenue growth during fiscal 2011 to $1.87 billion; reveal of online title in "top gamer franchise" coming in days. The Assassin's Creed franchise continues to make a killing for Ubisoft. As part of the French publisher's 2011 fiscal year earnings report today, the Ubisoft announced that Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood has shipped 7.2 million units through March 31. That figure comes in at 1.8 million units less than Assassin's Creed II during the same period of time, and franchise shipments now stand at 29 million units. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood has found an army of followers. As for the rest of Ubisoft's 2011 fiscal year earnings report, the publisher said revenues came in at €1.31 billion ($1.87 billion), up 19 percen...
The Multiplayer Of Assassin's Creed Revelations
By GameInformer, published 05-09-2011
We start our coverage of Revelations with a bang. Our video interview reveals how multiplayer is evolving in the new game. Andreane Meunier is the Live Team Producer on Assassin's Creed Revelations, which is a fancy way of saying that she helps coordinate all the online features and interactivity that will help Revelations shine. During our recent visit to Ubisoft Montreal, she was kind enough to sit down and share some details about exactly what is changing about the multiplayer experience in Assassin's Creed Revelations. Like Brotherhood, Revelations' multiplayer mode is a central element of the experience. The cat-and-mouse gameplay concepts that were so popular in Brotherhood will return, but they'll be accompanied by a number of changes that increase flexibil...
Shippin' Out May 8-14: Brink, Lego: Pirates of the Caribbean
By GameSpot, published 05-09-2011
New release slate led by Bethesda's shooter, Travellers Tales' swashbuckling adventure game; Sega's tennis title, MX vs. ATV Alive also out this week. From a far-future Ark to the antiquated high seas, gamers have a range of possible points in time to visit this week. Leading the charge is Splash Damage's Brink for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The game takes place in the year 2035 in a floating city called The Ark following Earth's near-total destruction. Two warring factions, the Security and the Resistance, are going head-to-head for control of the city. After choosing sides in the fight, players will pick from a variety of classes and complete specific mission objectives related to those roles. Multiplayer will also factor heavily into the first-person shooter. ...
Assassin's Creed Revelations stalking in November
By GameSpot, published 05-05-2011
Ubisoft's murderous action adventure will conclude Ezio's storyline on 360, PS3, PC this fall; E3 appearance a lock. It's been seven days since Ubisoft began ramping up its teaser campaign for the fourth installment in its 28 million-unit-selling Assassin's Creed franchise, and today came the payoff. This morning, the publisher officially announced Assassin's Creed Revelations, saying the game will arrive for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC this November. After Revelations, Ezio can't go back to Constantinople (which is no one's business but the Turks). Calling it "the final chapter of the Ezio trilogy," Ubisoft said that Revelations will follow its Renaissance-era wetworks maestro, who was first introduced in Assassin's Creed II. This time out, ...
Assassin's Creed Revelations' First Screenshot
By GameInformer, published 05-05-2011
Along with our cover story reveal, you can check out the first screenshot from the game, and download it as a desktop wallpaper in one of three handy sizes. As you may have already seen in our June cover reveal, Assassin's Creed Revelations is on its way this November. If you're as eager as we are to check the game out, you can whet your appetite with the first screenshot for the game. In the image you can see the sprawling city of Constantinople, along with some interesting changes to Ezio's outfit and equipment. if you'd like to stare at the screen for a little longer, we've prepared desktop wallpapers in three convenient sizes. Just right click and save the link of your choice below to get a high res version to serve as your desktop background. 1920x10801680x1050128...
June Cover Revealed: Assassin's Creed Revelations
By GameInformer, published 05-05-2011
You've heard the rumors; now get the facts. Ezio's final chapter will bring the answers that fans have been waiting four years to uncover. The June issue of Game Informer is on its way, and Assassin's Creed Revelations will grace the cover. Our exclusive, first look, 12-page cover story reveals extensive details on the franchise's next major installment, due out this November. You'll learn how each of the franchise's major characters -- Altaïr, Ezio, and Desmond -- play a part in the story, and how you'll control each of the three as playable characters. Uncover a brand new part of the world as Ezio travels abroad for the first time to explore the wonders of Constantinople at the height of the Ottoman Empire. Learn about all the new features that set Revel...
Ubisoft Motion Pictures launches
By GameSpot, published 05-03-2011
French publisher unveils studio to make TV programs and films based on video game properties. Variety (subscription required) reports today that Ubisoft has announced the formation of Ubisoft Motion Pictures, a new studio dedicated to turning the publisher's library of games into television shows and motion pictures. The announcement represents the next step in a series of moves by the French publisher to expand its intellectual properties beyond the video game realm. Assassin's Creed: Lineage is the first taste of Ubisoft's self-produced live-action film efforts. The Hollywood trade reports that the new studio will be based in Paris and will be headed by Jean-Julien Baronnet. The executive previously served as CEO of EuropaCorp, the production comp...
Ubisoft Motion Pictures launches
By GameSpot, published 05-03-2011
French publisher unveils studio to make TV programs and films based on video game properties. Variety (subscription required) reports today that Ubisoft has announced the formation of Ubisoft Motion Pictures, a new studio dedicated to turning the publisher's library of games into television shows and motion pictures. The announcement represents the next step in a series of moves by the French publisher to expand its intellectual properties beyond the video game realm. Assassin's Creed: Lineage is the first taste of Ubisoft's self-produced live-action film efforts. The Hollywood trade reports that the new studio will be based in Paris and will be headed by Jean-Julien Baronnet. The executive previously served as CEO of EuropaCorp, the production comp...
Assassin's Creed: Revelations teased, will be Altair spin-off?
By GameSpot, published 30-04-2011
Ubisoft's Facebook page urges gamers to "spread the word to reveal the next Assassin's Creed game"--and may have prematurely revealed its title. Given that Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood shipped 6.5 million copies, it should come as little surprise that Ubisoft has already confirmed it is cooking up another installment in the series. The question is, why is the company being so cagey about promoting it? Will Ubisoft soon be offering some revelations about the next Assassin's Creed title? That issue arose this afternoon, when the Assassin's Creed Facebook page began teasing a new entry in the series. Earlier in the day, the page urged gamers to "spread the word to reveal the next Assassin's Creed game" with a Flash application that allows for e-mail, Twitte...
Assassin's Creed: Revelations teased, will be Altair spin-off?
By GameSpot, published 30-04-2011
Ubisoft's Facebook page urges gamers to "spread the word to reveal the next Assassin's Creed game"--and may have prematurely revealed its title. Given that Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood shipped 6.5 million copies, it should come as little surprise that Ubisoft has already confirmed it is cooking up another installment in the series. The question is, why is the company being so cagey about promoting it? Will Ubisoft soon be offering some revelations about the next Assassin's Creed title? That issue arose this afternoon, when the Assassin's Creed Facebook page began teasing a new entry in the series. Earlier in the day, the page urged gamers to "spread the word to reveal the next Assassin's Creed game" with a Flash application that allows for e-mail, Twitte...
Shippin' Out April 24-30: Darkspore
By GameSpot, published 25-04-2011
Maxis action role-playing game and IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover headline light week at retail as Outland makes downloadable debut. After a week that saw the debuts of Portal 2, Mortal Kombat, and SOCOM 4: US Navy SEALs, a comparatively light release schedule might give gamers a chance to actually play their latest acquisitions. "They look like good, strong hands. Don't they?" The biggest release of the week is Electronic Arts' Darkspore for the PC, the latest effort from the publisher's Maxis development studio. Inspired partly by the creature creator feature of the developer's previous title, Spore, Darkspore lets players assemble a stable of creatures with complementary super powers and use them to plow through a sci-fi action role-playing game. ...
Shippin' Out April 17-23: Portal 2, Mortal Kombat, SOCOM 4
By GameSpot, published 17-04-2011
Plentiful new release slate led by puzzle, fighting, and shooting games; Conduit 2, Xbox Live Arcade Triple Pack, Final Fantasy IV: Complete Collection also out. It's a busy week at retail, as a slew of high profile new releases make their debut on Tuesday including Valve's long-awaited puzzle game and Warner Bros.' fighter reboot. Leading the pack this week is Valve Software's Portal 2. The game follows the events of the first Portal, which saw gamers taking on the role of a human lab rat, Chell, who used a portal gun to create interdimensional openings on ceilings, walls, and floors in an effort to escape the Aperture Science labs. Along the way, players were guided through the diabolical tests by the deceptively sincere, yet altogether sadistic, artificial intelligence known as...
Shippin' Out April 17-23: Portal 2, Mortal Kombat, SOCOM 4
By GameSpot, published 17-04-2011
Plentiful new release slate led by puzzle, fighting, and shooting games; Conduit 2, Xbox Live Arcade Triple Pack, Final Fantasy IV: Complete Collection also out. It's a busy week at retail, as a slew of high-profile new releases make their debut on Tuesday, including Valve's long-awaited puzzle game and Warner Bros.' fighter reboot. Leading the pack this week is Valve Software's Portal 2. The game follows the events of the first Portal, which saw gamers taking on the role of a human lab rat, Chell, who used a portal gun to create interdimensional openings on ceilings, walls, and floors in an effort to escape the Aperture Science labs. Along the way, players were guided through the diabolical tests by the deceptively sincere, yet altogether sadistic, artificial intelligence known as GLaD...
PlayStation Store Update: Killzone 3, Bulletstorm DLC
By GameSpot, published 13-04-2011
New digital wares available for Sony's systems include add-on content for shooters; Dungeon Hunter: Alliance, Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes, and Assassin's Creed hit PS3 hub; Patapon 3 added to PSP download space. Get the full article at GameSpot "PlayStation Store Update: Killzone 3, Bulletstorm DLC " was posted by Eddie Makuch on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 09:11:07 -0700
Is This Assassin's Creed III?
By GameInformer, published 04-06-2011
A provocative new image has popped up on the Internet, and rumors are already claiming that it's from Assassin's Creed III. However, critics are already calling the shot a fake. So which is it? You be the judge... VGHQ posted the image, which the site says was sent to them by a tipster. Readers in the post's comments section claim that it's a fake taken from Deviantart, but it's an exciting possibility nonetheless. Here's the full image: What do you think? Could it be legit, or is it just the wishful thinking of a talented fan? Thanks to Kyle Sondergaard for the news tip!
12 Ways Consoles Are Hurting PC Gaming
By MaximumPC, published 31-03-2011
It's happened to everyone at one point or another. You're playing your favorite FPS and minding your own business when your character finally succumbs to that pesky stream of bullets that's been bouncing off his face for the past two minutes. “Aw man,” you say aloud while a big, ominous Game Over screen stares you down. “Well, at least I can jump right back in and...” But you can't. Suddenly, you're 30 minutes away from where you kicked the bucket – your previous progress rotting at the bottom of some virtual wastebasket. “Well, at least I can vary up my tactics and see the game from a different angle this time.” Nope. So many invisible walls that you may as well be a mime. “Well, at least I can--” Nuh-uh. Can't do that either. So you pause to take a breather, but they im...
Ubisoft-THQ dispute yields recruitment injunction
By GameSpot, published 31-03-2011
Following January order, Canada court grants French publisher's additional request to prevent further poaching after Assassin's Creed creative director's departure. THQ entered Montreal in a big way in 2009, announcing plans to open a 400-member development house with a focus on core titles, the first of which is due in 2013. To head up this studio, THQ scored a coup in 2010, luring Assassin's Creed creative director Patrice Desilets from Ubisoft Montreal. Not long thereafter, THQ core game boss Danny Bilson bragged that the Montreal studio had poached three more "key members" from Ubisoft to aid Desilets. A picture is worth a thousand words. Ubisoft, as it would turn out, is none too pleased about the defections. French-Canadian newspaper Rue Fronte...
Atari attempting a new Warlords remake
By GameSpot, published 29-03-2011
Griptonite Games working on "whimsical reinvention" of arcade classic for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network this summer. Atari is taking another crack at reinvigorating its arcade classic multiplayer game Warlords. The publisher today announced that it has enlisted Griptonite Games to develop a new Warlords for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 with a summer release in mind. It's the arcade classic, not the turn-based strategy series. The downloadable revamp is being billed as a "whimsical reinvention" of the arcade classic, which saw players slide Breakout-like paddles around castle walls, attempting to deflect a fireball away from their own keep and into the heart of their opponents' strongholds. The Griptonite remake will retain the premise and multip...
Ubisoft seeking Assassin's Creed historian
By GameSpot, published 24-03-2011
Publisher looking to hire a writer with a thorough knowledge of stealth action series and spin-offs to work on a franchise encyclopedia; no previous experience necessary. Get the full article at GameSpot "Ubisoft seeking Assassin's Creed historian" was posted by Brendan Sinclair on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 14:08:57 -0700
Shippin' Out March 20-26: Crysis 2, Lego Star Wars III, Dissidia 012
By GameSpot, published 21-03-2011
New release slate championed by Crytek's multiplatform shooter, TT Games' latest block game, and Square Enix's fighting game; The Sims Medieval, Ghostbusters: SOS, Tomb Raider, Splinter Cell Trilogies, and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood PC also out. Next Sunday Nintendo will release its new portable, the 3DS. But this week's focus is placed on aliens, building blocks, and fighting. Leading the week is Crytek's Crysis 2 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and the platform that birthed the series, the PC. The shooter sees players fend off an alien threat once again, aided by a nanosuit that grants the user superhuman abilities ranging from speed boosts to active camouflage. The sequel features two major distinctions from its predecessor. The original Crysis featured lush tropical enviro...
Heavy Rain, Mass Effect 2 win big at BAFTAs
By GameSpot, published 17-03-2011
Heavy Rain proves a critical favourite, picking up three British Academy awards; Mass Effect 2 wins the Best Game prize; Peter Molyneux awarded the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement. Heavy Rain and Mass Effect 2 were the big winners at the British Academy Video Game Awards, with the PlayStation 3-exclusive Heavy Rain picking up prizes for Technical Innovation, Story, and Original Music, and Mass Effect 2 bagging the Best Game award. This year's awards were announced by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in a ceremony at the London Park Lane Hilton, presided over by celebrity host Dara O'Briain. Super Mario Galaxy 2 was awarded the gong for Best Gameplay and iOS title Cut the Rope was given the award for Best Handheld Game. To be eligible for nomination, games...
Heavy Rain, Mass Effect 2 win big at BAFTAs
By GameSpot, published 17-03-2011
Heavy Rain proves a critical favourite, picking up three British Academy awards; Mass Effect 2 wins the Best Game prize; Peter Molyneux awarded the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement. Heavy Rain and Mass Effect 2 were the big winners at the British Academy Video Game Awards, with the PlayStation 3-exclusive Heavy Rain picking up prizes for Technical Innovation, Story, and Original Music, and Mass Effect 2 bagging the Best Game award. This year's awards were announced by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in a ceremony at the London Park Lane Hilton, presided over by celebrity host Dara O'Briain. Super Mario Galaxy 2 was awarded the gong for Best Gameplay and iOS title Cut the Rope was given the award for Best Handheld Game. To be eligible for nomination, games...
Is Ubisoft Considering Ghost Recon And Assassin's Creed Movies?
By GameInformer, published 16-03-2011
Survey says...maybe. The publisher is at least asking its gamers what they would want out of those potential films. A posting over at Evil Avatar seems to suggest that Ubisoft may be investigating the possibility of films related to both movies. The website received details from a reader regarding a survey that reader received from Ubisoft. Within the survey, Ubisoft appears to ask its respondents about what they might want to see in a Ghost Recon or Assassin's Creed film. It's pretty flimsy evidence at this point. And even if the survey is genuine, the questions seem to indicate that Ubisoft is much more in the concept and exploration phase regarding a film, rather than having a straight up greenlight. Nonetheless, it's an interesting thing to ponder. In case anyone from Ubis...
Insomniac opens Facebook, mobile division
By GameSpot, published 13-03-2011
Resistance developer unveils Insomniac Click, forges "Contract With The Audience" promise to layout priorities like fun, gameplay depth. Insomniac Games is expanding into the world of social games. In a post on the developer's official blog, chief creative officer Brian Hastings today announced the formation of Insomniac Click. Insomniac is now the company behind Ratchet and Click. A new division within the Ratchet and Clank and Resistance developer, Insomniac Click will focus on games for mobile devices and web platforms like Facebook. In his post, Hastings stressed that the move will not impact Insomniac's traditional console-based development focus, noting that all Click employees--excluding himself--were newly hired for the project. Additionally,...
Insomniac opens Facebook, mobile division
By GameSpot, published 13-03-2011
Resistance developer unveils Insomniac Click, forges "Contract With the Audience" promise to layout priorities like fun, gameplay depth. Insomniac Games is expanding into the world of social games. In a post on the developer's official blog, chief creative officer Brian Hastings today announced the formation of Insomniac Click. Insomniac is now the company behind Ratchet and Click. A new division within the Ratchet and Clank and Resistance developer, Insomniac Click will focus on games for mobile devices and Web platforms like Facebook. In his post, Hastings stressed that the move will not impact Insomniac's traditional console-based development focus, noting that all Click employees--excluding himself--were newly hired for the project. Additionally,...
THQ's vision for core games
By GameSpot, published 03-05-2011
GDC 2011: EVP of core games Danny Bilson holds court with studio heads from Kaos, Volition, Relic, and Vigil; Saints Row coming to Facebook. Who was there: A host of THQ developers, including Vigil Games general manager Dave Adams, Relic Entertainment GM Jonathan Dowdeswell, Kaos Studios lead designer Chris Cross, and Volition GM Mike Kulas. Overseeing the event was THQ executive vice president Danny Bilson. It's a whole new THQ. What they talked about: With the Game Developers Conference in full swing, THQ grabbed a handful of the gaming press for a roundtable discussion of its latest core gaming initiatives. The latest of these, the foundation of a new studio in Montreal, saw the Southern California-based publisher recruit Assassin's Creed creative...
Red Dead Redemption lassos Game Developers Choice Awards
By GameSpot, published 03-03-2011
GDC 2011: Rockstar San Diego's Western triumphs at Game Developers Conference's annual ceremony; Mass Effect 2, Limbo, Minecraft, also honored; full video inside. [ Watch Video ] Comment on this videoWatch this video in High Def Each year, the Game Developers Conference's crowning event is the Game Developers Choice Awards, one of the most prestigious ceremonies in gaming. Hosted once again by the comically gifted head of Double Fine Productions, Tim Schafer, the evening wasted no time in getting started, awarding the Best Audio trophy to Red Dead Redemption. John Marston can put the GDCA GOTY trophy on his shelf. After making a crack about his onetime legal foe Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, Schafer went on to introduce the Best Debu...
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Gets PC Release Date, Less DRM
By GameInformer, published 23-02-2011
Gamers without a console will soon be able to join in on Ezio's latest adventure, and this time they won't have to deal with such restrictive digital rights management. Joystiq spoke with Ubisoft today and confirmed that Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood will hit PC on March 22. The game will be available in two versions. The first is a $50 version that includes the two multiplayer DLC updates and the new Da Vinci Disappearance DLC, and a $60 version that contains two additional multiplayer characters, two single-player maps, and and some other little goodies like an extra character skin. Of equal import for many PC gamers, Brotherhood will release without the frustrating DRM that plagued Assassin's Creed II. In that game, players needed to stay perpetually connected to Ubis...
US game sales down 5%, Black Ops tops again - NPD
By GameSpot, published 18-02-2011
Sinking hardware, software sales send overall stateside revenues sliding; Just Dance 2, Dead Space 2, Little Big Planet 2, Zumba Fitness make top 10. Following months of sales declines in 2010, the US game industry started 2011 with…another month of sales declines. According to NPD figures released today, overall sales of PC games, non-PC games, hardware, and accessories sank 5 percent during the January reporting period, going from $1.22 billion to $1.16 billion. Of the various sectors, hardware sank the most, falling 8 percent to $324 million. The only company to release sales figures was Microsoft, which reported that 381,000 Xbox 360s were sold during the month, a 15 percent year-on-year increase. Neither Sony nor Nintendo issued sales figures for their platforms as of p...
US game sales down 5%, Black Ops tops again - NPD
By GameSpot, published 18-02-2011
Sinking hardware, software sales send overall stateside revenues sliding; Just Dance 2, Dead Space 2, Little Big Planet 2, Zumba Fitness make top 10. Following months of sales declines in 2010, the US game industry started 2011 with…another month of sales declines. According to NPD figures released today, overall sales of PC games, non-PC games, hardware, and accessories sank 5 percent during the January reporting period, going from $1.22 billion to $1.16 billion. Of the various sectors, hardware sank the most, falling 8 percent to $324 million. The only company to release sales figures was Microsoft, which reported that 381,000 Xbox 360s were sold during the month, a 15 percent year-on-year increase. Neither Sony nor Nintendo issued sales figures for their platforms as of p...
New Assassin's Creed DLC emerging in March
By GameSpot, published 17-02-2011
The Da Vinci Disappearance updates Brotherhood with new single-, multiplayer content on Xbox 360, PS3 next month for $10. Get the full article at GameSpot "New Assassin's Creed DLC emerging in March" was posted by Tom Magrino on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 10:36:49 -0800
Ubisoft: New Assassin's Creed Info Coming Soon
By GameInformer, published 15-02-2011
Yesterday Ubisoft revealed some robust financial numbers for its last quarter, and amidst the great news that Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood has done well was a nugget about the next game in the series. Ubisoft says that it plans to reveal some details about the next Assassin's Creed title in May when it announces the company's full year financial numbers. Ubisoft also teased that the game will come out sometime before the end of March 2012 when the next fiscal year ends. We can't wait to hear more about the new game, and it's even better that we don't have to wait until E3 in June to do so. Hopefully Ubisoft will reveal some juicy details in May.
New Assassin's Creed in the works
By GameSpot, published 15-02-2011
Ubisoft confirms it is readying another entry in its award-winning action adventure series; more details due in May. This morning, Ubisoft revealed better-than-expected earnings for the quarter ending December 31, 2010. As part of the earnings report, the company also announced that it had shipped 6.5 million units of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, the latest installment in its award-winning, critically acclaimed action adventure series. Another Assassin's Creed game will arrive during Ubisoft's next fiscal year. Given the critical and commercial success of the Assassin's Creed series, it should come as little surprise that a new installment is in the works. Speaking with analysts in a postearnings release conference call, Ubisoft executives confi...
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood ships 6.5 million
By GameSpot, published 14-02-2011
Brisk sales of action adventure helps Ubisoft beat guidance; 10.5 million dance games, 2 million Kinect games shipped. There was little doubt that Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood was going to be popular. Today, Ubisoft revealed exactly how popular. To date, the critically acclaimed action adventure has shipped 6.5 million units, helping the Paris-based publisher beat its own earnings estimates. "6.5 million units, you say? Not bad." Ubisoft had anticipated €520 million ($701 million) in revenue for the quarter ending December 31, 2010. Instead, the company pulled in a record €600 million ($809 million), a 21.2 percent increase over the same period the year prior. Nine-month earnings were €861 million ($1.16 billion), a 30.3 percent y...
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood ships 6.5 million
By GameSpot, published 14-02-2011
Brisk sales of action adventure helps Ubisoft beat guidance; 10.5 million dance games, 2 million Kinect games shipped. There was little doubt that Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood was going to be popular. Today, Ubisoft revealed exactly how popular. To date, the critically acclaimed action adventure has shipped 6.5 million units, helping the Paris-based publisher beat its own earnings estimates. "6.5 million units, you say? Not bad." Ubisoft had anticipated €520 million ($701 million) in revenue for the quarter ending December 31, 2010. Instead, the company pulled in a record €600 million ($809 million), a 21.2 percent increase over the same period the year prior. Nine-month earnings were €861 million ($1.16 billion), a 30.3 percent y...
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood wins Writers Guild trophy
By GameSpot, published 02-07-2011
Ubisoft's action-adventure beats out Fallout, God of War III, Prince of Persia, Singularity, and Force Unleashed II; organization defends process that excluded Red Dead, Mass Effect 2. Over the weekend, the Writers Guild of America handed out trophies in its annual Writers Guild Awards. Top honors in film went to Christopher Nolan for his original screenplay for Inception and to Aaron Sorkin for his adapted screenplay for The Social Network. TV series that scored plaudits included Mad Men, Modern Family, and Boardwalk Empire. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood took top honors at the WGAs Saturday night. The WGAs also have a video game category, where the winner was Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. The game's story was written by Jeffrey Yohalem, ...
Bionic Commando Rearmed 2, Assassin's Creed II Deluxe hit PSN
By GameSpot, published 02-02-2011
PlayStation Store Update: Capcom's second swinging title hits download space alongside full version of Ubisoft's stealth action game and The UnderGarden; Fight Night Champion demo also out; Pac-Man CE added to PS Minis. Get the full article at GameSpot "Bionic Commando Rearmed 2, Assassin's Creed II Deluxe hit PSN" was posted by Eddie Makuch on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 09:41:48 -0800
Red Dead Redemption, Enslaved, God of War lead IAA nominees
By GameSpot, published 20-01-2011
Rockstar Western leads the pack with nine nods for Interactive Achievement Awards, Namco Bandai action game and Sony's mythological trilogy caper secure six nominations each. If it's an honor just to be nominated, no game has been honored more by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences this year than Red Dead Redemption. The AIAS announced the finalists for its 14th annual Interactive Achievement Awards, giving Rockstar San Diego's open-world Western shooter nominations in nine different categories--including Game of the Year--more than any other title. Red Dead Redemption could be adding to its trophy case. Red Dead Redemption has already been named GameSpot's 2010 Game of the Year and was among the nominees for the Game Developers Choice Award...
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