Ubisoft Explains Assassin's Creed IV Delay on PC

[Andy Chalk]

Ubisoft Explains Assassin's Creed IV Delay on PC

The PC version of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is coming out after the console releases because it's the last version to be made.

Ubisoft confirmed a couple days ago that the PC version of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag will come out roughly three weeks after [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/128304-Assassins-Creed-IV-Reveals-New-Trailer-PC-Launch-Date] it hits the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U. Ubisoft announced the delay back in June so it wasn't a surprise, but even so, have you ever stopped to wonder why this keeps happening?

According to Assassin's Creed 4 Lead Designer Jean-Sebastien Decant, it's really quite simple. Ubisoft begins development on its games with a "master version" and focuses on that until it's finished, after which work begins on other platforms. "If for instance, the [Xbox 360] version was the master version, or the PlayStation 3 version was the master version, then we'd need a little bit more time to adapt it for the PC. But we need to finish that other version first," he told Polygon.

With Assassin's Creed IV, both current-gen consoles - the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 - served as the master version, while work on the PC and next-gen consoles began once they were complete. "You need to finish one and make sure that it's clean before you can then finish the others," he said.

So there you have it. Satisfied? Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag comes out on October 29 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U, November 19 for the PC and as a launch title for the PlayStation 4 on November 15 and the Xbox One on November 22.

Source: Polygon [http://www.polygon.com/2013/10/2/4795024/why-assassins-creed-always-launches-last-on-pc]


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[Covarr]

This is definitely an explanation, but not really a good reason. Better planning would've gotten work on the PC version started sooner, and they could've launched simultaneously.

P.S. Thanks

 

[Phrozenflame500]

TL;DR: Ubisoft develops for consoles before PC.

Not entirely surprising. Atleast they didn't pull some shit regarding how "all PC gamers are pirates" and try to weasel out of it that way.

 

[teebeeohh]

TL;DR: Ubisoft develops for consoles before PC.

Not entirely surprising. Atleast they didn't pull some shit regarding how "all PC gamers are pirates" and try to weasel out of it that way.

they still kinda do.
one of main reasons to release the PC version is later is because publishers think that people who would pirate a version on PC will buy one on console if it's released first.
which makes sense because it usually is colder outside than at night.

well i probably wouldn't have bought this anyway but now it releases alongside watch dogs.

 

[Worgen]

I like how every year they say it will launch at the same time, and every year its late.

 

[freaper]

Newsflash: Rubbing your eyes after handling hot chilli peppers is not a great idea.

srcsm aside, I'm pretty sure everyone is aware of why they always delay the PC version. Let's just hope the game won't have the same asinine interface for the various inventories like in AC3.

 

[hazabaza1]

But can they develop a PC game that won't use UPlay?
Cos if not then I ain't planning on getting it.

It also helps that Assassin's Creed 3 was horribly shit but oh well.

Captcha: be serious now
I am you silly program.

 

[oldtaku]

And they always dev last for PC because lower sales, which is the key part he left out.

 

[oliver.begg]

the problem with delaying it for piracy reasons is that you encourage piracy, you don't want me day one? fuck you, seems to be the stance alot of people take.

also the pirated copy with Ubi tends to be the better one since no DRM and all that, so i should pay 100NZD for the worse version, no thank you.

 

[Seydaman]

Translation: We needed to put more terrible DRM on it.

/Snark

Otherwise, sigh.

 

[Weaver]

Business as usual. What PC game from Ubisoft has ever released at the same time?
It's a running gag that it's always delayed.

 

[StriderShinryu]

While I can understand the reasoning, I am still saddened by it. Personally, it's not because I have any great attachment to a PC version at all, but more because they are not at least using the PS4/One versions as the masters. It pretty much confirms that we're not going to be getting a real next gen AC game until the next iteration of the series. What we do get with AC4 will just be an uscaled last gen version that they throw together with whatever time they figure they can spare.

 

[1337mokro]

Translation: We develop for consoles first to maximize profits and after the console sales are projected to stagnate we port it to PC to pad our sales figures and keep the investors happy.

No problem with it guys. I usually pick up the AC games whenever I remember you released a new one. Though this one might be a day one purchase because you took my favourite thing ever in the world put it in the game.

 

[WouldYouKindly]

I've never understood this. Don't games start off being made on PCs? The models, the engines, they are all programmed and made on computers, right? Theoretically, it should be the first version that gets made.

I do so despise getting treated like an afterthought.

And they always dev last for PC because lower sales, which is the key part he left out.

Which is kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy, in my book. I have a 360 that I don't really use anymore, but if I saw an exclusive I wanted(unlikely) or if I knew GTA V wasn't going to eventually come out for PC, I'd get it for that. Otherwise, I'd like to use my shiny new tower of technology to play the games I want to play. Essentially, by not releasing the PC version at the same time, the PC loses a sale and the console gains one, if I deem the time period is too long of a wait. Also, where I started. Granted, I have no desire to buy another Assassin's Creed game. The gameplay is stale and the story has utterly lost it's charm. It's got nothing that makes me want to buy it.

Finally, a great heaving fuck off to the dying generation of consoles. Their bizarre architectures will plague us with bad ports and delayed releases no longer. Seriously, if you're a big enough prick to delay a port of a game that's released on the Xbone or the PS4, you're really just doing it to fuck with people.

 

[Hawkeye21]

I was planning on pre-ordering it for PC along with Watch Dogs even after I learned about the delay, but now that I see Ubisoft saying a bunch of such an obvious bullshit, I think I might wait till next year or save this money towards PS4.

 

[Metalrocks]

nothing new for me. they did it with every title. i usually dont mind to wait longer if they want to make sure that the pc version runs properly. this i can respect and understand. but seriously, after so many years and they still havent learned how to make a progress in this field, is just beyond my comprehension.

 

[james.sponge]

I'm not a tech guy and I'm probably wrong about this but aren't console dev kits just pc with console hardware in them? They are aren't they? And game developers usually go with weaker console for obvious reasons hence 360 is usually a primary device for all multi-platform games and porting games from xbox on pc is much easier than porting them on ps3 (since ps3 has all those memory allocation issues and strange architecture and pc and 360 are basically the same as far as architecture goes) right? So is ubi lying once again simply because they are afraid of pc market and prefer to check the demand with console versions before they release one on personal computers?

 

[Hawkeye21]

I'm not a tech guy and I'm probably wrong about this but aren't console dev kits just pc with console hardware in them? They are aren't they? And game developers usually go with weaker console for obvious reasons hence 360 is usually a primary device for all multi-platform games and porting games from xbox on pc is much easier than porting them on ps3 (since ps3 has all those memory allocation issues and strange architecture and pc and 360 are basically the same as far as architecture goes) right? So is ubi lying once again simply because they are afraid of pc market and prefer to check the demand with console versions before they release one on personal computers?

You are wrong about PC and XBOX360 architecture, but this isn't relevant to why Ubisoft delays PC release of their games. They are releasing inferior console version first on the off chance that impatient people who own both consoles and PC would buy their games twice. Piracy on PC is a handy excuse for this strategy, but it's only an excuse, rather than a legitimate reason, as GTA5 for example was pirated 3 days before it was released on consoles, with over 100000 downloads on p-bay alone.