There’s no doubt that Assassin’s Creed Shadows is one of the most highly-anticipated titles of the year, which will finally allow fans of the franchise to explore Feudal-era Japan. Based on Ubisoft’s recent showcasing, Shadows is projected to be the title that will define an entire generation of gamers.
It’s a known fact that the Assassin’s Creed franchise is easily Ubisoft’s most successful property, serving as the company’s backbone for almost two decades. Despite Ubisoft’s promise that Shadows will be the game players have been desperately seeking, many in the community wonder if the Assassin’s Creed franchise has lost its way and is entirely past its prime.
Players Think Assassin’s Creed Has Lost It’s Main Selling Point
The Assassin’s Creed franchise has had a long and ongoing legacy and gained a well-established fanbase that loves the historical settings, storytelling, and combat mechanics the series has always been known for.
Despite its success, the franchise has also seen a fair share of criticism, which often revolves around Ubisoft’s game design decisions and ubiquitous microtransactions. After the reveal of Shadows and the massive outrage, many in the community wonder if Assassin’s Creed has completely lost its selling point and is just another generic game.
Over the years, we’ve seen the Assassin’s Creed franchise shift towards RPG mechanics, with more focus on dialogue choices and character progression. Despite the expansive maps, they lack the dense architecture, which reduces parkouring opportunities, which the series is known for.
Has Assassins Creed lost its USP (Unique Selling Point)?
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That’s not all; we’ve also seen Ubisoft replacing the realism of the original games with more fantasy elements. Often, the protagonists are not even assassins, to begin with, and major factions of the franchise play minor roles.
All of these changes have led to the franchise losing its main selling point, stealth-focused gameplay. Although Ubisoft’s new approach to the series has allowed it to tap into a new audience of players, the core players often feel alienated.
Ubisoft is Going All-in With Assassin’s Creed Franchise
Although the Assassin’s Creed franchise seems to be having a bit of an identity crisis right now, Ubisoft is planning to go all in. Back in 2023, the company released its financial year earnings report, and it revealed that it would be refocusing its resources on big brands, with Assassin’s Creed being the primary series mentioned.
In the same report, Ubisoft also stated that it’s working to increase the popular franchise’s development team by around 40% over the next few years. With the upcoming release of Shadows, it’s clear that the company is on track to bring back the franchise to its glory days.
With a massive team, we’re likely to see an increased number of Assassin’s Creed games, which could mean new experiences. While recent games have been a good experience, their gameplay style just doesn’t fit many fans.
However, with a greater number of titles on the horizon, we might see Ubisoft returning to the stealth-focused gameplay the franchise was always known for.
Do you think the Assassin’s Creed franchise has completely lost its appeal? Let us know in the comments.
