It may come as a shock to fans of one of Ubisoft’s iconic games, but Assassin’s Creed 3 came out over a decade ago. Since its release, gamers still passionately debate its famously long opening sequence. Creative director Alex Hutchinson now openly agrees that the introduction overstayed its welcome. This lengthy prologue was initially there to solve a common narrative problem in video games. So, what was the developers’ grand plan behind this controversial choice?
The Templar Ubisoft Forces You to Love
For those who avoided the game’s big twist for the past ten years, here’s a quick spoiler alert. Native American assassin, Connor, was heavily featured in the marketing for Assassin’s Creed 3. Surprisingly, players are forced to spend hours controlling a charming British gentleman named Haytham Kenway, a member of the villainous Templar Order. Additionally, Kenway was revealed to be Connor’s father, effectively establishing him as the main antagonist.
By creating a villain players actually knew, Hutchinson argued that the antagonist in most games is just a distant figure players are told to hate. He believed that the eventual conflict could be far more personal and meaningful, with players first inhabiting Haytham’s boots. Did this ambitious narrative gamble actually pay off for the players? Lore enthusiasts may appreciate the deep character setup, but many other players found the slow burn to be a tedious obstacle.
Assassin’s Creed’s Leap of Faith Off a Cliff
Whoever thought sitting through an extended drama was a good idea clearly didn’t ask players, who just wanted to get on with the business of climbing trees and stabbing Redcoats. According to Hutchinson, the team only realized the intro was too long in the final months of development. The section had ballooned because it also had to function as the game’s tutorial, teaching players all the core mechanics.
If given a second chance to remake this opening act, would the team have trimmed it? Hutchinson confirms they would have definitely shortened the start. Since this statement, the director has been quite candid about the behind-the-scenes challenges on his projects. In the original plans, the Assassin’s Creed series was supposed to be a neat trilogy concluding with the third game. Does anyone really believe a corporation would willingly end a multi-million dollar franchise, though? Ubisoft clearly has other ideas upon seeing the potential for endless sequels and spin-offs, proving that some cash cows are just too tempting to assassinate.
