Assassin's Creed and Far Cry Could Skip 2017 For "More Polish"

We already knew that Assassin's Creed was skipping 2016 in order to give the team more time to make a better game. Now one Ubisoft executive is saying that AC could potentially miss 2017 as well, with the Far Cry series landing in the same boat. Ubisoft wants to make sure each game is up to snuff, instead of trying to hit an annual deadline.

"This year we've given Far Cry and Assassin's some time to decant, innovate, and polish. We believe Alpha for these games needs to be one year before release," Ubisoft VP of Editorial Tommy François told IGN. "We're trying to achieve that. That's super f****** blunt, I don't even know if I'm allowed to say this. This is the goal we're going for: Alpha one year before, more quality, more polish. So if this means biting the [bullet] and not having an Assassin's game, or a Far Cry [in 2017], f*** it."

"Alpha is just saying getting stuff done, but leaving time for polish and innovation. I mean it from that perspective," he added. "We still need to have an Alpha, and we need it available as early as we possibly can, because the more time we have for this the more polish we have, the more time we can change, refine, swap systems. You just can't take shortcuts."

François said that sales declines aren't the reasons behind Assassin's Creed and Far Cry getting a hard look for their next iterations.

"People are allowed to perceive it like that, that it's a break in the brand and that we're doing it for that," he explained. "I have no quarrels. I just want people to fall in love when people try the next iteration of one of these two brands."

Watch Dogs took the Assassin's Creed marquee slot this year and Ghost Recon Wildlands is in the first quarter slot that Far Cry Primal occupied in 2016. By switching franchises and adding new games into the queue, Ubisoft could retain a relatively stable release schedule, while still avoiding annual releases.

Doesn't mean I don't miss Assassin's Creed.