Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. Guides

Assassin’s Creed III topples Ubisoft pre-order record

By
Assassin's Creed III
Image used with permission by copyright holder

As of now the upcoming Assassin’s Creed III holds the record among Ubisoft-published games for attracting the most pre-orders.

You’d think that an imminent blockbuster title accomplishing a feat like this would drive Ubisoft to plaster its record-setting pre-order figures anywhere it can find a proper outlet for the news, but the PR blast announcing this milestone is surprisingly devoid of solid numbers. While Ubisoft repeatedly points out that Assassin’s Creed III currently has over twice as many pre-orders as its predecessor Assassin’s Creed Revelations, we’re never told exactly how many pre-orders that might be.

Recommended Videos

Still, Ubisoft executives seem elated by this news. “Assassin’s Creed III is one of the most anticipated games of the year and this impressive pre-order mark is just a hint of the game’s potential,” said Ubisoft’s senior vice president of sales and marketing Tony Key. “When players discover the new features, historical period, characters and gaming experience that the development team has worked so hard to create, we’re confident that they will agree that this is the biggest, best Assassin’s Creed game yet.”

As if searching for something to replace the bizarrely missing pre-order figures, the rest of the announcement helpfully reminds prospective players that there is still time to pre-order the game as well as its $30 Season Pass (which will allow players to pre-purchase a wide swath of DLC additions for the title at a 25-percent discount) prior to the title’s official launch on October 30. While Ubisoft directly quotes GameStop president Tony Bartel in its press release — call it cross-brand synergy, if you’d like — those of you suddenly interested in pre-ordering Assassin’s Creed III can visit almost any gaming retailer to register your official interest in this title.

If you’re still on the fence though, we have a number of things you should probably see in anticipation of Assassin’s Creed III. Things like this trailer, this examination of the game’s upcoming alternate history DLC and this interview with the game’s writer on how he approached writing a story that is equal parts conspiracy fiction and a fanciful retelling of the events surrounding the Revolutionary War. It’s all great stuff, and whether it convinces you to buy the game or not, at least now you’ll be able to respond thoughtfully when your best pal mentions that time that he jumped out of a tree to stab a British loyalist in the throat.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Earnest Cavalli
Earnest Cavalli
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Earnest Cavalli has been writing about games, tech and digital culture since 2005 for outlets including Wired, Joystiq…
The best video games of November 2023: Super Mario RPG, Assassin’s Creed Nexus, and more
Princess Peach in Super Mario RPG.

After a hectic October and the lackluster Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III becoming available on November 10, you might have felt like this outstanding year for games was finally wrapped up and that paying attention to new releases was less necessary. That feeling would be misguided, as plenty of outstanding games dropped this month. From new games tied to huge franchises like League of Legends and Mario to more experimental indie games and new IP, quite a few awesome games have flown under the radar this month.

In particular, the following seven games stuck out to us the most as the best video games released in November 2023. Give them a shot before the year ends; you might find one of them makes for a fine last-minute addition to your personal game of the year list.
Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story

Read more
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR turned me into a sociopath (and I love it)
Ezio sneaks up on a guard with a crossbow in Assassin's Creed Nexus VR.

I’ve done a lot of memorable things in VR this year. I’ve climbed mountains, commanded hundreds of tiny people, and even paddled through the seas in a kayak. With Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR, I get to add another virtual feat to that list: I’ve jumped down on top of an unsuspecting guard and plunged a hidden blade into his throat with pinpoint accuracy. And I’m a little worried about how delighted I am by that.

Ubisoft has been a long-time supporter of VR going back to early standouts like Eagle Flight, but Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR finds the publisher making its full leap of faith into the tech. It’s not another virtual “experience” based on one of its popular IPs, but rather a full-throated Assassin’s Creed game with just about everything you’d expect in its console counterpart. There’s sneaking, parkour, lock picking, pickpocketing, death-defying leaps, and even a wealth of collectibles hidden in small-scale recreations of historical locations. All that’s missing is the open-world glut -- and that’s arguably its best quality.

Read more
Assassin’s Creed Mirage ending explained: What happens to Basim, Nehal, and Roshan
Basim showing off his hidden blade in front of the Bagdad cityscape.

Assassins’ Creed Mirage is out now, bringing the series back to basics with a game focused on one of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s most intriguing characters. This adventure follows Basim as he goes from Anbar street thief to expert Assassin in Baghdad while hunting down members of The Order of the Ancients. As a prequel, there are some things about Basim as a character you might already know going in. Still, learning exactly how Basim stumbled upon these revelations is entertaining itself.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is shorter than other games in the series (at around 12 to 17 hours to complete), but most of the noteworthy reveals are saved for the story’s ending. If you want to know how Basim discovers who he truly is or just need to read a recap of the narrative’s major events, this is an overview of everything that happens in Assassin’s Creed Mirage and how it concludes in spectacular fashion.
How does Assassin’s Creed Mirage begin
Assassin’s Creed Mirage begins with a brief narration from modern-day Assassin Brotherhood Mentor William Miles. In the game’s only Animus-referencing narrative segment, he admits that he was worried people would learn the wrong lesson from Basim’s story. He now recognizes that his story “has much to teach us” and is now sharing it. He then sets the stage for its ninth-century Baghdad setting, the threat that is The Order of the Ancients, and Basim’s humble origins and eventual challenging of the Creed’s ideals.
This intro then transitions into a dream sequence for Basim, where a creepy jinni attacks him. Upon awakening, he’s comforted by his friend Nehal, and they set out to complete a contract for their friend Dervis in Anbar, a smaller city close to Baghdad. After pocketing some people and stealing a shipping ledger, Basim and Nehal learn that Dervis is working with a member of Hidden Ones named Roshan.
Roshan initially rejects Basim when he asks to come with her on a mission to retrieve a chest from the Caliph’s Winter Palace, but he and Nehal end up sneaking off and trying to get it anyway. Upon successfully infiltrating, they learn that the Caliph is working with The Order of the Ancients. They get to the chest and find a mysterious device inside it that gives him a vision of one man torturing another. The Caliph catches Basim doing this, and Nehal stabs and kills the Caliph.

Read more