Is ‘Assassin’s Creed’ Collection Coming? Ubisoft Registers Domain, Sparks Speculation

A possible Assassin’s Creed collection could be getting ported to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It’s too early to know, but Ubisoft just registered a domain name suggesting it (i.e. assassinscreedcollection.com).

After Black Flag, Ubisoft hasn’t had the greatest luck with new Assassin’s Creed titles. Unity was launched laden with glitches and the ensuing word of mouth may have cost Ubisoft most of their remaining fan base when Syndicate came along with improved gameplay. It didn’t help that much of what they added to Syndicate seemed ripped directly from other more popular franchises. The rope launcher and grappling hook seemed to be taken straight from the Batman: Arkham series, and Grand Theft Auto was an obvious inspiration for Syndicate‘s system of stealing carriages for fast travel.

The lack of new ideas and flagging sales could have led Ubisoft to possibly do the same thing with Assassin’s Creed that they did with Watch Dogs. Both series appear to be on hiatus for major titles. However, if Ubisoft’s latest registered domain is any indication, we could be seeing them bring the virtual adventures of Desmond Miles to the current generation with an Assassin’s Creed collection re-release.

It has been a persisting opinion among fans that the series died with Desmond, and the resulting sales could finally be telling Ubisoft it’s time to cut their losses.

Assassin’s Creed began with a somewhat clunky style of gameplay which still managed to draw a new audience with its sense of exploration, parkour, and the ability to kill targets with blades instead of guns. The idea found an improved gameplay formula when the plucky Ezio Auditore eventually took the blades and the responsibility, and became one of the most renowned assassins in history. His notoriety even drew much attention from the power-hungry Templars, who were eventually revealed to be the power behind Abstergo.

A classic was born, and Ezio saw two more installments as well as some of the most well-received DLC in the entire series.

Then, the Assassin’s Creed franchise added ACIII to the collection, and between the critically panned hunting mechanic and confusing naval combat controls, many gamers decided to be skeptical after that. Native American lead characters whose dialogue have been compared to the acting from the Tommy Wiseau film The Room didn’t help.

Ubisoft brought the fans back one last time by giving them the chance to play as a pirate, though some hardened fans argue that Edward Kenway wasn’t an assassin until late in the game. For that reason they said it wasn’t a proper fit for the Assassin’s Creed collection.

Revealed by NeoGAF, Ubisoft appears to have plans for a website dedicated to the idea of bringing back the Assassin’s Creed collection. This could be an attempt to keep the franchise from simply dying off as previously reported by The Inquisitr. It isn’t clear what it actually means, but the domain name is enough to raise questions.

Ubisoft Registers New Assassin’s Creed Related Domain – New Collection On the Way? https://t.co/5uZyFU47Ej

— Andreea D. (@DeeNuke) December 20, 2015

VG247 has also suggested that Ubisoft is simply keeping other buyers from purchasing the domain, and it’s little more than a placeholder. The Assassin’s Creed collection could also be a group of browser based titles along the lines of the original mobile game and the sidescrolling Chronicles series (with two new games due in 2016).

Ubisoft has made no announcements about the domain, or what it means, and they have kept silent about Unity, as well. The game was announced in the middle of a figurative hurricane of speculation and misdirection, but they have generated excitement that way.

During a time when Sony and Microsoft seem to be filling out their current generation rosters with older titles, it isn’t unlikely that Ubisoft may be preparing to re-release Assassin’s Creed through ACIII with updated visuals.

What do you think about Ubisoft’s purchase of a domain with the name implying an Assassin’s Creed collection means?

[Image via Ubisoft]