Assassin’s Creed III’s Original Release Removed From Digital Storefronts
Upon the release of Assassin’s Creed III Remastered some interesting changes have been brought to both Steam and the Uplay store. It appears as though the original version of the game has been removed from each digital storefront, giving fans only one option should they choose to purchase the title now. The original was released back in 2012, and there was no mention of this occurring before people found out it had disappeared.
Only The Remaster Remains
The move made by Ubisoft to de-list the game’s original form makes sense, as they most likely want to drive as many players as possible to the remaster. At double the price and at no chance of going on sale any time soon, this is likely how they hope to generate the most capital in the PC market space. By removing the original version though, Ubisoft has made some fans who might want to experience its first form upset.
Steam is apparently honoring past purchases, as Valve’s digital storefront is still allowing users to download and play ACIII if it was already in their library. Those on Uplay, however, have reported no such luck. Any attempt to download the game through the service is hit with redirections to various storefronts on which it is no longer available, making Ubisoft’s tactics very clear to fans. Additionally, Assassin’s Creed Liberation’s remaster is available on Steam, as well as bundled with Assassin’s Creed III Remastered, but remains absent from Uplay.
Some may call the move smart while others may herald it as nefarious and purposefully made to drive sales to the remaster. Which side of the fence players land on is subjective, but this certainly isn’t a new concept. The outright replacement of games in favor of their remastered or upgraded editions on digital storefronts is a fairly common occurrence. It seems Ubisoft has decided to continue this trend, indicating the practice won’t cease any time soon.