One of the saddest things in gaming has come for a bundle of Ubisoft games.
In an article on its website, Ubisoft announced that it is "decommissioning" online services for several older games in its portfolio. In all, 10 games are losing online functionality on Jan. 24. Here's the list:
Assassin's Creed II (Xbox 360)
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood (Mac)
Assassin's Creed Liberation HD (PS3 and Xbox 360)
Assassin's Creed Revelations (PC)
Ghost Recon Future Soldier (PC)
Heroes of Might and Magic VI (PC)
NCSI (PC)
Splinter Cell: Conviction (Xbox 360)
R.U.S.E. (PC)
Trials Evolution (PC)
Obviously, online features differ for all of these games, but the main thing to know is that anything that uses the internet will be shut off. That means multiplayer for games that have it, Ubisoft account linking, and in-game online rewards will no longer be accessible after Jan. 24. Ubisoft also keeps a full list of every game it has shut down in this manner on its website.
This is a deeply sad reality of the games industry. Running servers costs money and publishers often don't want to spend that money after years have gone by and the player-bases for these games naturally decrease over time. However, instead of crying about what's happening now, let's celebrate what we used to have.
In particular, the competitive multiplayer in Assassin's Creed Brotherhood and Revelations was some of the coolest multiplayer of its era. Several players would play as setting-appropriate characters, each having one target to assassinate. You had to find your target (who was probably hiding in a crowd or on a roof somewhere) while staying hidden in plain sight yourself. It was wonderfully tense, and as far as I can tell, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag might be the only way you can play it now.
Until Ubisoft inevitably shuts that game down, too. Best get in on it while you can.
