Former Assassin's Creed Director Reveals Why Series Became an RPG

The Unseen Force Behind Assassin's Creed's RPG Evolution

The popular Assassin's Creed series underwent a significant genre shift over the years, moving from its roots as an action-adventure title to embrace more extensive RPG elements. This evolution wasn't solely a creative decision, according to Alex Hutchinson, who directed Assassin's Creed 3 and Far Cry 4. In a recent interview with GamesRadar+, Hutchinson revealed that external pressures, particularly from the used game market dominated by retailers like GameStop, played a major role in Ubisoft's strategic pivot.

The GameStop Factor: Extending Playtime to Combat Resales

Hutchinson explained that during his time at Ubisoft, there was considerable internal pressure to increase the duration of games. The primary goal was to 'keep the disc in the console' for as long as possible. This strategy aimed to delay or deter players from reselling their physical game copies to stores like GameStop. When a game was resold, only GameStop profited from the transaction, while Ubisoft, the publisher and developer, saw no financial benefit from these secondary sales.

To counter this, designers were tasked with finding ways to extend gameplay time. Given that the Assassin's Creed series’ multiplayer components had never truly gained significant traction, adding more single-player content became the most logical solution. Hutchinson noted that developing action-adventure games is inherently expensive, with a high cost incurred for 'every hour of gameplay' produced. Integrating progression systems and other role-playing mechanics offered a 'cheap and effective' method to expand game volume without proportionate development costs.

A Risky Bet That Paid Off

Despite the strategic shift, Hutchinson observed that Assassin's Creed stands out as perhaps the only major series that successfully transitioned genres while retaining its core audience. He acknowledged the decision was risky, especially considering Ubisoft’s ambition to release new installments almost annually.

“I worried: if a player just spent 200 hours in Assassin’s Creed, would they want to dive into it again just a year later?” Hutchinson mused. He believes the series' success in this model is largely due to its radical changes in historical settings and frequent introduction of new main characters, which help keep each game feeling fresh compared to other long-running franchises. However, on a personal level, Hutchinson admits his heart remains with the action-adventure genre, and he misses the days when Assassin's Creed was less about 'stat-juggling' and more about pure adventuring.

This insight from a former director sheds light on the complex business decisions that influence game development and design. For players, understanding this background can provide context for why the series evolved into the expansive RPGs we see today, like the upcoming Assassin's Creed Shadows which is set to receive the 'Claws of Awaji' DLC on September 16, further expanding its world with new storylines, an island, weapons, skills, and gear.