Mega-publisher Ubisoft has a lot on their plate right now. Yearly entries in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, coupled with other high-end projects such as Splinter Cell: Blacklist and the upcoming open-world Watch_Dogs have left some wondering about the status of some of their other ongoing series. In particular, the critical and commercial success of both Far Cry 3 and its downloadable 80’s themed spinoff Blood Dragon have led many games clamoring for news of additional Far Cry content. Speaking to GameSpot, Ubisoft senior vice president of marketing and sales Tony Key offered news that should delight fans looking for more.
“We’re totally psyched from [Far Cry 3]. It’s a great brand, and now it’s got the recognition it deserves, so we’re clearly going to make another one: more on that soon,” Key said. While it’s certainly no surprise that another adventure is on the horizon, it feels a little early to start talking about sequel potential. Far Cry 3 released in December of 2012 and Blood Dragon just launched on May 1. Unless Ubisoft is planning to release annual installments of the series, a step I wouldn’t personally like to see taken, it’s unlikely another game would release until 2014 at the earliest, likely on next-generation platforms. With all the sequel fatigue plaguing many Assassin’s Creed fans, perhaps alternating annually between the two titles would offer enough variety to keep both feeling fresh.
Of course, there’s one other franchise that deserves a little more loving from Ubisoft, and that’s Prince of Persia. Taking the time to address fan concerns, and plead for their continued patience, Key stated that, “Prince of Persia, it’s got a really strong legacy with Ubisoft and it’s still there. We have nothing to announce, but, you know, we haven’t sold it off or given it away, so be patient. I know that’s hard!” A while back, a screenshot made the rounds with many proclaiming it was an in-game snapshot of an updated, modern take on the PoP series, but little has come out about the future of the franchise since then.
It’s good to hear Ubisoft is working on a diverse portfolio of content. Even if each and every series doesn’t appeal to every single gamer on the planet, it’s nice to know that there will be plenty of Rayman, Brothers in Arms, and TMNT to go along with all the other tentpole mainstays.
Are you folks excited about a new Far Cry title? Would you prefer a true sequel expanding on the mechanics of Far Cry 3, or another campy downloadable title in the style of Blood Dragon? Is Far Cry intriguing enough to merit an annual release schedule, or can you wait a while in between each new entry? Let us know in the usual place, and don’t forget to like IGXPro on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or give us the ‘ol +1 on Google+. If you can’t get enough of my shenanigans, (who could blame you?) you can check me out @GamingsNirvana, or add +VinnyParisi to your circles.