Assassin's Creed 3 releases today, and while the official sales numbers probably won't be announced for at least a couple of weeks, Ubisoft is already claiming it to be the "biggest launch ever and most ambitious game" in the company's history. The game has already broken the previous Ubisoft pre-order record, which was held by last year's Assassin's Creed Revelations.
"Today, we delivered on the vision the team had three years ago thanks to the tremendous talent and hard work of the many Ubisoft studios involved,” said Ubisoft's chief executive officer Yves Guillemot. “They have refined the core tenets of the franchise while also implementing brand new experiences, such as naval combat, that will captivate returning fans and newcomers to the Assassin’s Creed universe.”
Assassin's Creed 3 was developed by Ubisoft Montreal in collaboration with six other Ubisoft studios. The game introduces an all new Colonial America setting along with new hero, Connor — a half Native American, half English assassin who becomes the new voice for justice in the ancient war between the Assassins and the Templars. In Assassin's Creed 3 you will fight in the war for liberty against ruthless tyranny. Assassin's Creed 3 is available for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC, although Assassin's Creed 3 on the PS3 will include four exclusive missions related to Benedict Arnold.
That's not all; launching alongside Assassin's Creed 3 is the PlayStation Vita tie-in, Assassins's Creed 3: Liberation. This game introduces the series' first female protagonist, Aveline — a woman of conviction who is fighting for freedom in 18th-century New Orleans against the new rule imposed by the Spanish Empire.
PlayStation fans who pick up Assassin's Creed 3 for PS3 and Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation for PS Vita will receive exclusive content, including a mission where gamers play as Connor, an in-game version of Connor’s tomahawk, an exclusive character skin, a multiplayer character and a complete upgrade of all ammunition pouches.
Assassin's Creed 3 will be supported by additional downloadable content, available through the Assassin's Creed 3 Season Pass. "The Tyranny of King Washington", which was recently revealed, tells a separate story of an alternate history of the events following the American Revolution. It will be told through three episodic content packs. New maps and characters for the game's multiplayer experience will also be released.
Prior to playing AC3, you'll be required to download a day-one patch that fixes 44 different bugs. When you do finally play, let us know your thoughts about the game – particularly if it lives up to the hype. We'll have our review soon!
