In recent years, live service games have apparently convinced developers like Ubisoft invest in its development due to the potential to generate high income. Most developers likely want people to play their games for as long as possible. However, Ubisoft’s method of implementing the live services revenue model has made its games worse. Also, he doesn’t seem willing to change that philosophy anytime soon.
The company announced its next Assassin’s creed title, code name Assassin’s creed infinity, it will be a live service game that will incorporate multiple historical settings as it evolves over time. This announcement coincides with the previous report that Ubisoft would focus more on free live service games rather than the AAA annual release schedule that it had been using for most of the decade.
Far away or Assassin’s creed they already have live service items within them, albeit sometimes without the online component. For instance, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla We implement experience enhancers and other microtransactions. In cases like Fortnite, the live service model works because there is more emphasis on multiplayer play than there is on the story. But for a series like Assassin’s creedWhere the game and the story are closely linked, problems can arise.
Ubisoft’s live service model is bogged down by microtransactions
Ubisoft is missing the part that makes its games attractive to gamers: the fun factor. Before the annual releases, the company was known for its fascinating open worlds, which players would explore for hours. Assassin’s creed 2 Y Black flag It probably had the best cases for this, with unique approaches to historical fiction intertwining with the series’ overall story. That approach to world design has all but disappeared, as open world games have gotten too big – bloated maps that have little value to the story or to the player, plus a ticked box in the virtual list of trophies and achievements. of pending tasks. A feature made worse by the use of microtransactions.
One of the worst things that happens to single-player games, not exclusive to Ubisoft, is hiding content behind a paywall. Items like armor and weapons, usually obtained by completing a specific quest or craft, are found in an online store waiting to be purchased for real money. Valhalla does this with his armor sets, and Watch Dogs: Legion it does this with character sets. Both require in-game currency, which can be purchased with real-world money to purchase. Experience point increases are also a symptom of this DLC model.
Experience increases in a single player game could indicate that Ubisoft’s open worlds have gotten too big. Grinding, usually attributed to games like Division 2, it doesn’t translate well into a gamer. Instead of having fun, players work hard to gain enough experience to level up their character. Buying experience, a resource that visualizes progression in the game, lowers the overall enjoyment of defeating an enemy. In the case of Valhalla, the player manages to reduce the intentional routine and accelerate the time normally needed to progress further.
Ubisoft games are losing their identity due to live service models
The announcement of Tom Clancy’s XDefiant It has further concerned the franchise’s fanbase that Ubisoft is misusing the name “Tom Clancy.” Games like Splinter cell or the original Rainbow six the games were much darker in tone than recent entries. Tom clancy’s worlds never featured an edgy punk-rock-inspired aesthetic, but XDefiant it does. Rather than staying in line with what made these games unique, Ubisoft seems more inclined to use the Clancy name for marketing. This identity crisis extends to Assassin’s creed too.
Assassin’s creed infinity it’s more of a promise to duplicate Ubisoft’s new vision for the series. The old vision was the assassins working in the shadows to guide the world towards justice and peace, which is reflected in the first half of the series’ focus on stealth. Now, Assassin’s creed it has become an RPG-lite. Flashy Skills and Damage Numbers now take priority over Skill Kills.
Ubisoft’s live service approach moves away from older franchises
Splinter cell is approaching its 20th anniversary next year, but it’s been almost seven years since the franchise launched. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist It was released in 2013 to universal praise from critics and fans alike. However, Ubisoft has strayed almost entirely away from the action-adventure stealth series and offers little hope that it will continue in recent years. Aside from the Echelons making an appearance on XDefiant, Splinter cellThe last appearance is in Rainbow six siege. The series’ protagonist, Sam Fisher, has appeared in several different Ubisoft franchises in recent years, but none have led to a return to the franchise.
Other Ubisoft franchises are also apparently being ignored or postponed. Beyond good and evil 2, another fan-favorite franchise, hasn’t received an update on its progress since 2019. Prince of Persia It will return in 2022 with a remake, but it hasn’t seen a major new release since 2010. Other franchises include Rayman Y Comrades in arms; RaymanThe last major release was in 2013, and the last Comrades in arms The game was in 2008.
These franchises could make a comeback in the future, but given Ubisoft’s current course, that seems increasingly unlikely. Rayman took a back seat to the Rabbids, who have teamed up with Mario and hosted a television show on Nickelodeon since its introduction on Rayman Ravin ‘Rabbids. Fans’ hopes for a new game were dashed when Ubisoft denied a concept art leak. As for Splinter cellIt’s easy to see how upset fans would be with a free game based on the franchise, which is perhaps why Ubisoft hasn’t created one yet.
Ubisoft’s live service games are diminishing the appeal of its current franchises. Their approach to integrating live service features into their existing properties only serves to inflate solid games with monetization. That’s not to say that Ubisoft can’t make a good live service game. Steep, Crew 2, Y Division 2 they are all examples that the various studios of the company can do it. Also, a series like Watch dogs it would probably benefit from a live service model with its social interactivity themes. However, if XDefianIt is the future of Ubisoft franchises moving forward, it may be some time before Ubisoft he realizes how much he enjoys his franchises again. Hopefully, it won’t take long.
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