Tagged: ubisoft

Assassin’s Creed and Prince of Persia creator fired from Ubisoft

Patrice-Désilets-1024x768For those of you who don’t know Patrice Desilets, I have two names for you: Assassin’s Creed and the modern Prince of Persia. These are the two major franchises that Desilets had started during his time at Ubisoft. He’s had quite a lot of success with games, so it’s quite surprising just how Ubisoft has treated him.

Desilets left Ubi in 2010 in what is described as “[taking] a creative break from the industry”. He then shifted to THQ’s Montreal studio where he was working on two projects—1666 and Underdog. However, the publisher soon went bankrupt, and Ubisoft had picked up the studio and its assets at an auction soon afterwards. Desilets found himself back at the company that apparently hated him.

This was confirmed by reports today that Ubisoft had terminated the developer. The publisher stated that there were “good faith discussions…aligning Patrice’s and the studio’s visions have been inconclusive.”

Desilets, however, tells a completely different story. He has angrily said that he was terminated by the company, adding that this was done in person and that he was “unceremoniously escorted out of the building by two guards without being able to say goodbye to my team or collect my personal belongings.”

That sounds like a poisonous relationship to me. Desilets adds that he intends to fight Ubisoft regarding his termination and his game and that he will “survive”.

This whole situation sounds strange to me. Desilets spearheaded two of the most successful franchises Ubisoft has ever seen. Both of these series sold millions of copies and introduced memorable characters with strong gameplay and graphics. It’s strange that they’d terminate such a valuable asset to their team in such a rash manner.

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (PC) Review

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Blood Dragon is a gaudy, neon-colored extravaganza that never lets go of you. It’s not a videogame but a discovered time capsule filled with authentic homages to ‘80s and ‘90s pop culture. It takes its references straight from bad action movies of the era, Saturday morning cartoons, and a vision of a post-Cold War era future that’s now laughable. As a game, Blood Dragon is a wonderfully stupid experience that is outrageously awesome and offers an invigorating look at what videogames have become.

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Watch Dogs video talks about making games for PS4

Over on PlayStation Blog is the first of a series of developer videos that focus on making games for the PS4. The first video is all about Watch_Dogs, and we get to listen to senior producer and creative director, Dominic and Jonathan, respectively, talk about how they feel making the game for the next-gen console.

It’s an interesting diary, really, as they talk about details from the get go and just how much they can exploit the PS4 to do it. The game is being billed as being “hyper-connected” both online and offline.

The game is due out later this year on PC, PS3, PS4, and Xbox 360. The PS4 version is said to feature 60 minutes of exclusive content.

South Park game still expected later this year

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Despite THQ going bankrupt earlier this year, South Park: The Stick of Truth is still on track for release this year. Ubisoft picked up the game at auction alongside THQ Montreal.

The action RPG is being developed at Obsidian  in close collaboration with Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of the series. It is due out on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.

The game was actually set for release later this month but was delayed once acquired by THQ. According to UK retailer Tesco, the game is scheduled for release on August 23.

Ubi developer justifies yearly Assassin’s Creed installments in this interview

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OXM has published an interview with Assassin’s Creed 4 creative director Jean Guesdon. The thorough interview talks about various things regarding the game, including DLC, but what struck me most was the developer’s justification when it came to the cyclical approach Ubisoft has taken with the franchise.

Guesdon said that “we have proven that this franchise is relevant,” adding that it still has a “long way to go.” The same could be said for Call of Duty, which is a sort of ironic place to be since gamers are still lapping up new entries despite being tired of the annual release cycle taken up by Activision.

Keeping that in mind, Guesdon noted that “the scale and scope of the world, the completely new setting, the new gameplay mechanics, and our new characters… [will] get the job done and avoid fatigue altogether.” I hope that’s true because, although it’s a worrying trend, other notable franchises are trying or have done the same thing.

Assassin’s Creed 4 is due out on October 29 for PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, and PS4.

Brothers in Arms 4 cancelled?

250px-BIA_Furious_4_logoAs noted by Twitter detective Superannuation, Ubisoft recently abandoned its trademarks relating to Brothers in Arms: Furious 4. This has led to speculation that the game has been killed off.

In fact, it has been eerily quiet on this game for some time now. It was revealed last June, and nothing about it has been released to the public since then. Ubisoft gave the game a vague “Calendar 2012” launch window, too, adding to the rumor.

Kotaku reached out to Ubisoft for clarification. It received the standard boilerplate response for rumors: “We don’t have anything to share at this point in time.”

Developer Gearbox has a lot on its plate right now. It’s busy making Borderlands 2 and Aliens: Colonial Marines.

Trials Evolution sells half a million in three weeks

trials_evo_frontpage_largeThe highly addictive Xbox Live Arcade hit, Trials Evolution has sold over a half million units in three weeks. This comes from Ubisoft’s 2011 financial results, which also states that the game sold more than 100,000 copies on its first day.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said that RedLynx, the studio behind the game, has “great multiplatform potential,” hinting at the game’s release on PSN.

The publisher also noted impressive figures for Assassin’s Creed: Revelations (7.2 million), Driver: San Francisco and Rayman Origins (2 million each).