Assassin's Creed III is the fifth game in the Assassin's Creed series on current-generation consoles.
Assassin's Creed 3 has been officially confirmed for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U and PC, with a scheduled release date of October 31st, 2012. According to Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot, the team has been "working for three years" on the project.
Here's everything known about the game so far:
Main Character
Your new character in ACIII is named Connor, or Ratohnhake:ton (pronounced Ra-doon-ha-gay-doo). His mother is a Native American and his father is English. After suffering a tragedy during his childhood, Connor is raised by the Mohawk and vows to spend the rest of his life protecting the innocent against tyranny.
Setting
Assassin's Creed III is set near Boston and New York between 1753-1783. You are introduced to Connor as a child and experience a traumatic event that shapes his future. Judging from the images, it's clear that much of the game is spent exploring the wilderness and navigating what Ubisoft is calls "Frontier."
Also, those of you who finished Assassin's Creed: Revelations know that Desmond found himself in the wilderness somewhere in New York at the end of the game. It's been speculated that some of the story in AC3 will revolve around the fact that Desmond and Connor are occupying the same geographic space, even though it may be over 300 years apart.
Supporting Characters
Ubisoft has confirmed three of the supporting characters that Connor will interact with throughout the course of ACIII.
George Washington - Evidently your relationship with America's first President will be featured prominantly in the game.
Benjamin Franklin - The inventor/author/politician plays an important role in ACIII.
Charles Lee - Ubisoft remains coy about his role in the game, but historically Lee had a somewhat contentious relationship with George Washington.
Weapons
The various art and screens confirm the presence of a variety of weapons in ACIII, including -
Tomahawk - Nearly every image of Connor has him carrying a tomahawk with the iconic Assassin's Creed crest carved into the blade itself.
Knife
Bow and Arrow - Connor is seen wielding a bow and arrow, which will presumably come in handy during the in-game hunting shown in some of the images.
Pistol
Musket - Both British and Colonial soldiers arm themselves with muskets in a variety of the screen-shots released so far.
Gameplay Types
Along with many returning elements that have been a staple of the Assassin's Creed franchise, Ubisoft has confirmed some new gameplay types in ACIII.
Hunting - Many of the screen-shots focus on various forms of wildlife including elk, wolves, and deer. You're rewarded during your hunt based on how quickly and efficiently you dispatch with your target.
Tower Defense - Ubisoft has confirmed that the Tower Defense mechanics found in AC:R will not return in ACIII. There was much rejoicing.
Historical Events
Where the previous Assassin's Creed games focused on historical settings and characters, it seems as if ACIII is going to include historical events as well. It's been speculated that you'll be a part of iconic events such as the Great Fire of New York, Valley Forge, and the Crossing of the Delaware. [6]
It's also worth noting that a few of the early images bring to mind The Battle of Quebec, a deadly, snow-drenched conflict that became the Colonist's first major defeat of the war.
Multiplayer
While Ubisoft is not commenting on multiplayer at this time, Microsoft's website listed that the game would feature 2-4 player online coop. While the listing was subsequently pulled, it's a safe bet that you'll be able to assassinate against and possibly with friends come October 30.