Assassin's Creed IV on PC Suffers Unsurprising Delay

[Andy Chalk]

Assassin's Creed IV on PC Suffers Unsurprising Delay

Ubisoft has reluctantly and entirely unsurprisingly confirmed that the PC version of Assassin's Creed IV will launch "a few weeks" after it comes out for consoles.

Ubisoft earned itself some brownie points with PC gamers last year when it announced earlier this month [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/119443-Ubisoft-Ditches-Always-On-DRM], in fact - the PC version of Assassin's Creed IV was slated to launch on October 29 alongside the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U editions, but Game Director Ashraf Ismail revealed at E3 that, in fine Ubisoft form, it will actually be pushed back an indeterminate amount of time.

"In North America we're releasing on October 29... PC will come a few weeks after," he told Elder Geek, with a sheepish grin that said he'd really rather not have to talk about it. "We're actually working hard on the PC version, it's one of the main platforms we work on in the office, so we'll see about... to be honest, I'm just the creative guy. I might even be wrong about that date, it might actually be sooner."

"For our PC fans, don't worry," he added. "The game on PC looks phenomenal."

That's nice to hear, but I don't think how it looks is really the issue; I think the real concern is that it's an unnecessary delayed caused by what I assume is Ubisoft's ongoing fear of console sales being gutted by rampant PC piracy. It's not exactly a shocking development, but it's still silly and disappointing.

So, to update: Assassin's Creed IV will launch on October 29 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U, but the PC edition is now TBA. Versions for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 will be released alongside their respective consoles.

Source: Elder Geek [http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GVCf623eNNc]


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[Irridium]

Ok, I don't care if it looks phenomenal. Will it be playable with a mouse and keyboard? Because Assassin's Creed 3 was a god damn mess in that department.

 

[DaxStrife]

[sic]...I think the real concern is that it's an unnecessary delayed caused by what I assume is Ubisoft's ongoing fear of console sales being gutted by rampant PC piracy.

Not sure I follow the logic behind that; does Ubisoft assume all pirates are attention-deficient spazzes?
Fictional Internet Pirate: "Yarr! I truly wants to steal this game, but I can't be asked to wait 3 whole weeks to get it for free! I'll have to spend all my gold at my local retailer! Curse you, Ubisoft, ye scuvry dogs!"

 

[Irridium]

[sic]...I think the real concern is that it's an unnecessary delayed caused by what I assume is Ubisoft's ongoing fear of console sales being gutted by rampant PC piracy.

Not sure I follow the logic behind that; does Ubisoft assume all pirates are attention-deficient spazzes?
Fictional Internet Pirate: "Yarr! I truly wants to steal this game, but I can't be asked to wait 3 whole weeks to get it for free! I'll have to spend all my gold at my local retailer! Curse you, Ubisoft, ye scuvry dogs!"

You might have quoted the wrong person

 

[DaxStrife]

You might have quoted the wrong person

...Well, fudge. Sorry about that. *Fix'd*

 

[Robetid]

Whatever, take your time, when you get around to releasing it, I'll get around to purchasing it. Until then I have a ton of games to catch up on.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

[sic]...I think the real concern is that it's an unnecessary delayed caused by what I assume is Ubisoft's ongoing fear of console sales being gutted by rampant PC piracy.

Not sure I follow the logic behind that; does Ubisoft assume all pirates are attention-deficient spazzes?
Fictional Internet Pirate: "Yarr! I truly wants to steal this game, but I can't be asked to wait 3 whole weeks to get it for free! I'll have to spend all my gold at my local retailer! Curse you, Ubisoft, ye scuvry dogs!"

i love the fact that there are lots of pirates in this game too, makes your post all the better

OT: i like how he says its one of the main platforms they work on...

i didn't think games were made on the pc, i figured you rubbed a couple sticks together and started a fire, then went from there.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

I think they're doing it as some kind of an inside joke and a tradition rather than anything else, really. I can wait a few weeks. I don't care.

 

[Jamieson 90]

You know I think I might have been more surprised if the PC version wasn't delayed, that's just how used to being shafted as a PC gamer I've become.

 

[oldtaku]

This will be useful - we can check out the console version first to see if it turns out to be another AC3, in which case I'll pass entirely.

 

[Kiya]

and who wants to bet that the console version will be pirated days before it's release just like the last one...

http://www.ausgamers.com/news/read/3250313/assassins-creed-3-breaks-ubisoft-pre-order-records-pirate-xbox-360-version-leaks

 

[SecondPrize]

Figures, Ubisoft needs the additional time to add something which will make PC gamers hate them.

 

[GAunderrated]

and who wants to bet that the console version will be pirated days before it's release just like the last one...

http://www.ausgamers.com/news/read/3250313/assassins-creed-3-breaks-ubisoft-pre-order-records-pirate-xbox-360-version-leaks

Yup and its nice to see that although Ubisoft has been pretending like they care about PC gamers lately, they are still as shady about it as always. If I can wait a few weeks Ubisoft then I can also wait a few months for the game to be less than $20.

 

[Yopaz]

This will be useful - we can check out the console version first to see if it turns out to be another AC3, in which case I'll pass entirely.

Totally. We get to see the reviews, hear the opinion of the peasants (yeah, I'm joking about console users, do not take this seriously), maybe see a few demonstrations on Youtube if we're not convinced and still get the pre-order bonuses. Yeah, not that big of a deal to me. I also like the claim that they're putting some effort into fitting it to PC. I'm an adult, I can wait.

 

[Longstreet]

Isn't that like every AC game ever?

As long as they switch the controls back to the way they were in AC1/2/B/R i'll be happy.

Seriously, fuck the AC3 controls. Copy-paste that shit from the other games.

 

[Alfador_VII]

Isn't that like every AC game ever?

As long as they switch the controls back to the way they were in AC1/2/B/R i'll be happy.

Seriously, fuck the AC3 controls. Copy-paste that shit from the other games.

Just provide fully rebindable controls, everyone's happy. I don't mind waiting a bit for a PC version so long as it's a good port.

 

[Longstreet]

Isn't that like every AC game ever?

As long as they switch the controls back to the way they were in AC1/2/B/R i'll be happy.

Seriously, fuck the AC3 controls. Copy-paste that shit from the other games.

Just provide fully rebindable controls, everyone's happy. I don't mind waiting a bit for a PC version so long as it's a good port.

Well they had 5 games to give us rebindable controls and they didn't. Small chance we will get it now. Still if i have to pick between 1/2/B/R or 3 I know where my vote is going.

 

[Imre Csete]

The delayed PC editions all came out with DLCs included (last was Brotherhood iirc), so I was happy about it. UbiSoft has the most rampantly fragmented content on disc thanks to all that day 1 and edition/retail specific DLC nonsense. -.-

That's why I'll wait for the eventual ultimate edition to come out, like the Ottoman Edition.

 

[FFP2]

Hopefully they'll actually optimise the damn thing for PC. Boston ran like molasses in AC3.

 

[Gray Firion]

Things like these are a special kind of Stupidity atthis

You delay the game on pc, hoping pirates, landlubberin' practitioners of a "crafte" moste evile, will see the game come on consoles first and desist from their piratin' ways.

But... does this really work? Those that were going to buy it on PC on sale will still wait for a sale, those that were going to pirate it will still pirate it, with the added bonus of feeling cranky and (in their minds) further justified; Those that were going to buy on console couldn't care less; Those that have one of the consoles and a gaming PC and can choose, will maybe feel annoyed or else not care at all and buy it where's available anyway. The only tangible reaction to this that I can see, is that those who play on computers exclusively, and wanted to play it at launch, will now feel worse at being left out and either decide against buying the game or feel worse that they're being made the villain for something they don't do. Pirates will pirate, for whatever reason they do. Consumers don't deserve to be screwed for a part of the crowd that wouldn't buy the game anyway.

This will be useful - we can check out the console version first to see if it turns out to be another AC3, in which case I'll pass entirely.

Indeed, the silver lining to this is that, like a few years ago, there'll be reviews of the game available before the game is, which means informed buying decisions. But this should be standard, not an exception.

And their claim that they care about PC gamers is bullshit, they're the only ones affected negatively by stuff like this. They also said they cared about PC gamers as they enforced Always On. And they know this, they know they're pissing off their consumer base (at least according to the reaction portrayed in the article) with these measures. Even if the game is any good, I'll skip it. Tired of crap like this.