Adam Tyner

Jason Schreier posted an article this morning about how the Assassin's Creed franchise is moving away from its current single-ish-setting-per-game model in favor of a GaaS-style ever-evolving/expanding set of interconnected worlds.

Ubisoft quickly confirmed this with An Update on Assassin’s Creed Infinity and the Future of the Assassin’s Creed Franchise, which practically has to be read after Jason's article since it doesn't do a great job explaining what AC: Infinity is, exactly.

But anyway, instead of games like AC: Valhalla feeling like they never end, Infinity truly never will!

Rob V

^^ I believe that is all tied to their future of "free to play" -- which we all know what that means. They're literally going to release EVERY game for 'free' going forward. If the future is this, I'm out as I have no desire to pay 1000 Ubi credits to finish a scene or acquire critical loot to beat a boss. This is going to make EA look conservative and fuck Ubi if this is really their model going forward.

davidh777

Yep, I vastly prefer to just purchase a complete game. Spending extra for DLC is annoying enough already, but at least it’s extra stuff.

That said, I’m playing Odyssey right after I finished Syndicate and I’m pretty sure it’s never going to end, so I don’t need to worry about Infinity.

fujishig

Well this breaks the cycle of me avoiding the game for a few months until it's like half price (because Ubisoft). Now I'll just avoid it completely.

K&AJones

I've liked the timelines and periods as they have really opened up...History and Historical Places....that have been really truly amazing from Origins to Odyssey and Valhalla. in each case I've taken in the sights via flying around and have just been amazed...

However...I almost get a feeling this is going down the COD, Destiny, Elder Scrolls Online Route where there's maybe a central focus with continuing off-shoots...DLC, Expansions that will need to be paid for in order to continue. Destiny is probably the best example with the never ending going-around-in-circles rehashing, remaking charging for seasons while not worrying about building a new game from scratch...it's a huge cost saver on their end. basically putting out endless expansions...

Warferame (Digital Extremes) does this but they just keep adding and evolving Warframe but never have charged for DLC Content...they make their money thru cosmetics, skins, additional storage space and yes they sell the Frames and Weapons but you still have to get them up....Not sure on AC Infinity and just how far it will go $$$ wise...if they can add more stuff to do in MP in some forms; Two-Player Coop like Ghost of Tsushima has in Legends or some other types Infinity can work....we'll just have to watch and wait and see...

Rob V

I like my games to have a beginning a middle and an end. I can make an exception for MP shooters but not for adventure type games.

majorjoe23

Have any sports games gone games as service? It seems like that would make more sense than pretty much everything I’ve seen.

Adam Tyner

Depending on how you define GaaS, basically all of them already are. By a more conservative definition, PES is moving in that direction, going free to play. Rocket League isn’t a traditional sports game but has embraced GaaS and has been F2P for a while now.

fujishig

Why do that when you can charge 60 to 70 bucks AND milk the fanbase for online transactions?

maxfisher

Between the Ezio trilogy, Black Flag and the stellar, each-a-new-series-high past three games, I’m willing to give the teams working on this the benefit of the doubt and at least keep an open mind about what they’re doing.

mhg83

I wonder if the Hub world will be like in the Opening of Unity? That was really neat and I was expecting something like that for future titles.