I know what some of you may be wondering: Will! How in the fuck did you get a review out less than 24 hours after release? Surely Ubisoft didn’t support your small indie blog and give you a review copy of the game?
Well, you know what?
You’re right; Ubisoft did not give me a review copy of the game. In fact, I am going to admit that I’ve deceived you a bit.
If you read the title closely, you’ll notice I said this is an Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resyned Release Review.
That means I’m reviewing the release of the game, rather than the game itself.. And it’s going to be a short one, because Ubisoft done gone and fucked up, my sweet child.
When AC: Black Flag Resyned released it was review-bombed to hell on Steam; This was predominantly because of the microtransactions (over $80 USD worth) for what is – essentially – a remaster/rebuild of an older game.
Historically re-releases like this will include all previous DLC and not require you pay for any new DLC.. And even if they did, buying a “Deluxe” edition would typically mean you get all current and future DLC.
In Black Flag Resynced’s case?
That would be a big ole’ nope.
Of course, this wouldn’t even be an Ubisoft release without a heavy dose of microtransactions; That’s just what they do! Still, I can at least look past the flashing lights and distractions of the promise of sweet drip if the game is good..
..And according to reviewers I personally trust, the game is good. So why am I writing this little bit of deceptive, restrained rage?
Because Ubisoft, in seeking to make line go up, decided to can a huge fucking chunk of the studio that fucking made this game.
That’s right – I even linked to a goddamned Kotaku article about this (among 2 others), despite not caring much for the publication.
I did that because this story needs to get the fuck in front of peoples’ eyes.
Ubisoft had planned this before the release even went out (see the sources above); This was no surprise to folks internally. There was no “Let’s see how it does”.
They literally planned to get rid of the entire AC team in Barcelona that worked on the game before the first review even came out.. And to twist the knife further, the game was apparently fucking good.
I wanted to play it, but now? Fuck no, Ubisoft.
There is a certain irony here, too, because you know more people are going to be sailing the high seas in order to play a game about being a pirate just so they don’t end up giving Ubisoft money.
I’m no stranger to layoffs. I worked in the goddamned newspaper industry (not as a writer, so don’t worry – my fucking shit-ass writing didn’t get me canned) and lost a lot of coworkers over the years to them.
Still, I have never seen something so fucking absurd as this.
That’s why I’m writing this “review”.
I hope that – if you bought the game on Steam – if you are within the 2 hour refund window you see this and request a refund. I hope this keeps you from buying the game..
..However, if by some miracle the union folks (that’s right, these are union people) end up getting re-instated? Yeah, then I’d buy it.
But now? No.
Ubisoft has been a part of my gaming life for a very long time; I’ve been playing Ubisoft games since the 90s.
We’ll see if they ever become a part of that history again, because after this?
Yeah, I’m not getting my hopes up at them doing the right thing.