Assassin's Creed III supports microtransactions

Ubisoft's upcoming action game to offer $1-$20 "Erudito Credits" for Xbox 360 and PS3 that will allow players to acquire items "disregarding your current level."

Last month, Electronic Arts executive Peter Moore said microtransactions would someday be in every game. For Ubisoft, that time is now. According to product listings for the Xbox Live marketplace and PlayStation Store, Assassin's Creed III will allow gamers to purchase a range of in-game "Erudito Credits," ranging from $1 to $20.

It is not clear what the Erudito Credits will allow gamers to purchase, though a screengrab from WorthPlaying indicates the content will act as boosters of sorts, allowing players to "acquire some game items, disregarding your current level."

In addition to the Erudito Credits, Assassin's Creed III will feature a host of downloadable add-ons, beginning with a four-chapter Benedict Arnold campaign that will be made available exclusively to PlayStation 3 players.

Additionally, a $30 Assassin's Creed III season pass for all platforms includes a tyrannical George Washington single-player mission, as well as new maps and characters for the game's multiplayer component.

Assassin's Creed III is due out for Xbox 360 and PS3 on October 30. A Wii U release is slated for November 18 day-and-date with the system and a PC launch will round out the bunch on November 20. For more on Assassin's Creed III, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

Eddie Makuch
By Eddie Makuch, News Editor

Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He lives in Connecticut, works out of the company's New York City office, and loves extra chunky peanut butter.

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farcorners 95 pts

paying to get abilities that are supposed to be earned in a one player is cheating on yourself. If you can use them in multiplayer, everyone is cheated. They will probably make a few million on it, and whoops! It's a standard feature.

faycerol3media 13 pts

It's funny how the gaming industry began with a bunch of teenage guys that didn't want to follow in their fathers' greedy footsteps of working for the big man. Now, they're no different than their fathers, if not worse! Way to repeat your parents' mistakes. The worse part is that all DLC is uninspired. It's not quality product that will surpass the original content in the main game, it's just an uninspired package to pull in more revenue/ raise stock prices for the big man. So why encourage it?

postaldude23 7 pts

these microtransactions are the cancer that is killing video games

 

fillup0 29 pts

You're all making a mountain out of an ant hill. The microtransactions allow you to buy perks and weapons with real money rather than levelling up, it's the same idea as LoL. I understand LoL is f2p, but it's not going to be that bad. If you don't like it, don't use it.

Chaos_Stryker 47 pts

This is unfortunate, because Assassin's Creed III is a great game. But moves like this that are made by pure greed are very hard to get behind.

 

I had no problem paying $60 for a game that I felt was worth. However, I will NEVER give them additional money through stupid microtransactions.

fillup0 29 pts

 Chaos_Stryker Then don't do it.

flypaperz 5 pts

 Chaos_Stryker What is the big deal then? I don't understand why people care about this: you are still getting a full game that is as big and robust as other Assassin's Creeds for $60. 

 

If you never open the real-money store, you would never even know the micro-transactions existed. I didn't until I read this article, and guess what? Nothing changed. 

oskuuu 111 pts

lol... *removes assassin's GREED III from wishlist*

kohle36 186 pts

And here I was under the impression that micro transactions were being considered as an alternative to the traditional purchase model. Should have known they'd just tack it on to existing pricing structures:

"Pay us $60 for this awesome new game. Now $30 more for the dlc. Woot! Sony just paid us for exclusive content. Well damn, we're out of ways you can pay us, so we'll just invent some in-game currency you acquire through actual monetary transactions."

So this is Ubisoft's idea of something for everyone huh? I can't wait until Guillemot blames this on piracy

matttrd 6 pts

NO no no it's heading the way of the tablet gaming market.

sideshowboots 119 pts

the worst part of all this is despite the greed, Ubisoft makes great games

mav_destroyer 538 pts

 sideshowboots Assassin's Greed III, why haven't I thought of this sooner?

hellangel_boy 76 pts

 sideshowboots Great games aren't enough, they should respect their customers who supported them at the beginning when the game wasn't as popular as now.

And I bet that if they took the place of COD as the highest selling game, the quality of their game would lower, and I think that is what they are trying to do.

fillup0 29 pts

 hellangel_boy  sideshowboots Don't buy the micro transactions, simple as.

-Jonce- 92 pts

20 bucks?! My mind is boggling what kind of 'item' will cost you $20. Armour for your horse I hope!

PlatinumPaladin 325 pts

I've said it before and I'm saying it again: leave it to Ubisoft to come up with ever more varied ways of getting our money. Being able to buy your way to a strong position really does not sit well with me.

fillup0 29 pts

 PlatinumPaladin If the multiplayer is balanced, it will mean more options rather than strength. I'm yet to try it though.

alexLmx6 102 pts

 AlexFili A currency that erudes your confidence in the games industry. 

toddx77 678 pts

Can't wait until next gen when the games music and voice acting become micro transactions.  "You don't need the music and voicing acting  to understand the game.  Lines of text and sound effects do the job fine" lol.

Minasodrom 36 pts

remember when cheats used to be for free?

mav_destroyer 538 pts

 Minasodrom ah I missed scribbling down cheat codes for my favorite games from game magazines

kohle36 186 pts

 Minasodrom Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A

Eat it Ubisoft

GhostOfSparta4 30 pts

I'll buy the game, but I won't pay for this extra BS.

JMcN76 95 pts

Remember when games used to sell fully finished for one price?

higherflyerJ 114 pts

 JMcN76 It's been so long now I hardly remember...

jark888 125 pts

 higherflyerJ  JMcN76 Lol ;D

eyeball2452 50 pts

Gameshark?  But, it costs money?

Sokol4ever 44 pts

This isn't right Ubisoft... I'm sure there are other gamers, like myself, who enjoy Assassins Creed series and had paid the full price to play the games.

 

What exactly is this telling us? I won't believe for a moment that it is a money issue, simple because its not. 

It's greed. 

If this happens in future and micro-transaction are going to be required to finish the game properly or the content is limited or locked because of it, you can rest assured. I won't pick it up. 

 

If this is the direction one of my favorite past times will subdue into, I will not be the part of it.  

I had been gaming since 1991 and I have little problems finding different hobby that will value my hard earned money.. 

JMcN76 95 pts

 Sokol4ever Amen, brother. Well said!

plaintomato 129 pts

Reminds me of back in the day when you couldn't find Codemasters cheats online, but there was a phone number on the jacket you could call for cheats...at $0.99/minute.

 

It was stupid then, it's stupid now. But it doesn't bother me unless it touches the multi-player, which it probably does.

acer7x 146 pts

Lost interest in this game now. Looking elsewhere for a better game. Any suggestions?

musalala 267 pts

 acer7x Dishonoured is good its stealthy and whatnot,a little on the short side if you rush it but a solid buy.

sideshowboots 119 pts

 musalala  acer7x Dishonoured is short, but it's well worth a few play throughs, very good game

mav_destroyer 538 pts

 acer7x Personally, I'm looking forward to Hitman Absolution now

baxwam 50 pts

hey Video Games is a business if this proves to be profitable there's no way form keeping them doing it again I could  only wish if gaming here dose  not become like Nixon in S Korea is like ( pay 100$ a month if you want a chance to compete) Please correct me if I am wrong  =( 

EvilShabazz 231 pts

Hooray for big studio MBA stupid ideas!  </sarcasm>

EvilShabazz 231 pts

Nothing makes me want to pirate a game more than this kind of big-studio bullshit.

toddx77 678 pts

 EvilShabazz Thats just what Ubisoft wants.  Then they can say "all people are pirating our games time to add even more DRM."

NAVSTAR86 9 pts

Well so long as I can still earn those upgrades without spending a single cent it's all good.

ZOD777 649 pts

Well, since there is no leveling system in AC SP campaigns, it seems like it is going to be a microtransaction system for MP.  I don't play AC for multi, so it doesn't conflict with my agenda toward the series.  Still, I don't really care for microtransactions period (FTP or not).  It is a more vile plague than DLC could ever wish to be.

hellangel_boy 76 pts

"acquire some game items, disregarding your current level." So he basically means that it will be P2W, great, it's becoming like greedy free MMO but it's not free because we buy the game..... Companies don't seem to care about their loyal customers these days, and they try to drag us into their bait by abusing the games we love to force us to pay more.

I'm going to buy AC3 but that's sad because they don''t seem to care about me because i pay only 60$ for their game they want me to pay much more......

lorenzoa88 24 pts

 hellangel_boy Just don't spend anymore than the $60 to buy the game.  Don't get any of the micro items or DLC.  Seriously, DLC is so unnecessary.  There are so many games to play, just move on to the next title once you beat whatever you're playing.

hellangel_boy 76 pts

 lorenzoa88 My problem, that I do what you say, I never bought a DLC till now. but I still get affected by that, because of people who keep buying DLC's unconsciously.

mlcarter815 551 pts

 lorenzoa88  hellangel_boy I just wait until I can get a complete edition for dirt cheap. I have a huge backlog of games, so a bit of a wait isn't a big deal.

sephirothsfan02 38 pts

I still remember when these companies first introduced DLC, back then it seemed harmless, many even gave it for free after a week or two and now it`s on its way to ruin the gaming industry.

Kravyn81 500 pts

I'm sorry, but isn't this what gamers wanted? Isn't this the beautiful utopia that gamers wanted to happen to this industry?

 

I find these reactions against this curious because when I spoke out against microtransactions way back in the day, I was told to: STFU!

 

Or I was told to: GET A JOB!

 

Or better yet: NO ONE IS FORCING YOU TO BUY IT!

 

THESE are the types of response I was told at this site, in my blogs, at other game sites, etc. that I spoke out at.

 

Now all of a sudden I see people echoing what I've been saying all along.

 

Isn't that nice? Where were you people back BEFORE this became a problem, huh? It's too late now.

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Assassin's Creed III

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    • Publisher(s): Ubisoft
    • Genre: Action
    • Release: Oct 30, 2012 (US)
    • ESRB: M
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