[Voyou San]

so the numbers are in, and Assassins Creed is the fastest selling IP in the last 5 years.

Link 1

Assassin's Creed hasn't been daunted by other big releases. Because in addition to dominating the UK charts, it's become the fastest selling new IP since 2002. So what top selling IP came last? The Getaway. Yeah, the name didn't quite go down in history as the biggest game of all time, but it's good news for Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed nonetheless. And it's yet more evidence for the power of multi-platform releases. Selling exclusive games may sell consoles, but selling non-exclusive games sure sells games.

Link 2

Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed has shot to the top of the UK all-formats charts and become the second fastest-selling new IP on an individual format behind 2002's The Getaway.
The Xbox 360 version of the game claims 67 per cent of sales, with the PlayStation 3 version taking the remaining 33 per cent. It also becomes the third fastest-selling Xbox 360 game within a weekly sales period.
Last week's number one, Activision's Call of Duty 4, has been knocked from the top as it suffers a 33 per cent fall in sales.
At number three this week is EA's The Simpsons Game, taking a 9 per cent dip in sales, while THQ's WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2008 is at number four.
Nintendo's new entry Super Mario Galaxy only manages to debut at number five but becomes the fastest-selling Wii game, with Dr Kawashima's Brain Training staying at number six following a 62 per cent climb in sales.
Electronic Arts' FIFA 08 slips to number seven this week, whle Disney's High School Musical: Sing It! leaps into the top ten at eight with a massive 170 per cent boost in sales following a release on the Nintendo Wii.
Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 is down to number nine and More Brain Training from Dr Kawashima sits at number ten.
The only other new entry in the top forty this week is EA's PC-exclusive Crysis at number 14.

so what says you? Anyone suprised by this? expected it? I will say I was a bit suprised by this, ive heard great stuff about the game but i didnt think it would sell this crazy, especially with CoD4 just having come out..

[Bomb]

November 15, 2007
VIA EXPRESS MAIL AND EMAIL
Attn: Richard Kyanka
webmaster@somethingawful.com
RE:
Infringement of ASSASSIN’S CREED Mark and Jade Raymond’s Personal, Privacy, and Publicity Rights

Dear Mr. Kyanka:

We are counsel to Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. (“Ubisoft”), publisher of the popular video game ASSASSIN’S CREED and employer of Ms. Jade Raymond (“Ms. Raymond”). Ubisoft is also the owner of the following U.S. trademark applications for the ASSASSIN’S CREED mark (the “Mark”): Serial No. 78850944; Serial No. 78866696; and Serial No. 78850968. In consequence of Ubisoft’s extensive efforts and expenditures, substantial goodwill has been built up for Ubisoft and the products and services sold under the Mark, and the ASSASSIN’S CREED game is one of the most widely anticipated games of the year.

Ubisoft has recently learned that the extremely offensive pornographic image (the “Image”) accessible at http://sabretooth.mirror.waffleimag...dd47ceb2a5.jpg, a copy of which is attached hereto, is being used on your website located at http://www.somethingawful.com and/or other related sites, including, but not limited to, http://forums.somethingawful.com (collectively, the “Site”). Such Image and misuse of the ASSASSIN’S CREED mark constitute trademark infringement, dilution, and unfair competition in violation of common law trademark rights, the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. §§1125(a) and 1125©, and state law.

Furthermore, the Image’s blatant, vile, and unauthorized misappropriation of Ms. Raymond’s name and likeness, and your conduct in using the Image on your Site, have caused immeasurable harm to Ms. Raymond’s reputation and career, and constitute an egregious infringement of Ms. Raymond’s personal rights and privacy rights. The Image and your conduct also constitute an egregious unauthorized commercial exploitation of Ms. Raymond’s rights of publicity in violation of, without limitation, her common law rights of publicity and California Civil Code §3344, which provides in relevant part:

“Any person who knowingly uses another’s name, .., photograph, or likeness, in any manner, on or in products, merchandise, or goods, or for purposes of advertising or selling, or soliciting purchases of, products, merchandise, goods or services, without such person’s prior consent…shall be liable for any damages sustained by the person or persons injured as a result thereof.”

It is well established that a person who commercially exploits the name or likeness of someone without their consent is liable for all of the damages caused thereby. Additionally, the Image and your conduct in using the Image on the Site constitute unfair business practices and false advertising in violation of the California Business and Professions Code; intentional infliction of emotional distress; a violation of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. §1125(a); and harassment, which is a criminal offense.

Please also note that any failure to comply with applicable privacy laws may result in direct action against you by the Federal Trade Commission, in addition to other litigation.

Ubisoft hereby demands that you immediately: (1) permanently remove the Image from your Site, databases and servers and prevent any further uploading or display thereof; (2) permanently cease and desist all unauthorized use and hosting of images using the ASSASSIN’S CREED mark and Ms. Raymond’s name and/or likeness; (3) provide us with the name and contact information of the person who originally created and/or posted the Image; and (4) complete, execute, and return to me the enclosed Declaration by November 16, 2007 to confirm that you are complying with Ubisoft’s demand.

While Ubisoft hopes to resolve this matter quickly and without resort to further legal action, Ubisoft reserves all rights to seek appropriate legal relief, including attorneys’ fees, injunctive relief, statutory damages, costs, and enhanced damages.

Sincerely,

David Anderson
for Nixon Peabody LLP

DECLARATION

1. I am the owner of the website located at www.somethingawful.com.

2. I have permanently removed the image that was previously accessible at http://sabretooth.mirror.waffleimag...bdd47ceb2a5.jpg from www.somethingawful.com, forums.somethingawful.com, all other related sites, and all databases and servers under my ownership and/or control, and have implemented measures to prevent any further uploading or display thereof.

3. I have permanently ceased all unauthorized use and hosting of images using the ASSASSIN’S CREED mark and Jade Raymond’s name and/or likeness.

4. I have provided Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. with the name and contact information of the person who originally created and/or posted the Image.

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1746, I declare under the penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on ____________, 2007 ________________________

Name: _______________________
Title: __­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­______________________

Dave Anderson
Nixon Peabody LLP
555 West 5th Street, 46th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(t) 213-629-6095
(f) 866-532-8491
dlanderson@nixonpeabody.com

The said comic can be viewed here.

(THE COMIC ITSELF IS NSFW, SO I DUNNO ABOUT LINKING TO IT HERE.)

I think the fact that they are making a big deal about this will just make this whole thing blow up even worse.

Reply from Kyanka:

From: Rich “Lowtax” Kyanka [mailto:webmaster@somethingawful.com]
Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2007 9:06 PM
To: ‘Anderson, David’
Cc: A BUNCH OF FRENCHIES
Subject: RE: NOTICE: Infringement of ASSASSIN’S CREED Mark and Jade Raymond’s Personal, Privacy, and Publicity Rights
Please let it be known that hereforth I have read the express mail and email sent thereforth by Famous Lawyer David Anderson of the Famous Lawyer Law Business of Nixon Peabody LLP, and furthermore a declaration shall be expressed on the part of Internet User Rich “Lowtax” Kyanka that thatforth herethrough I have conducted rigorous tests implemented through a vigorous barrage of legal studies, and furthermore hitherthrough these rigorous tests have therefore proven Famous Lawyer David Anderson of the Famous Lawyer Law Business of Nixon Peabody LLP shall be recognized as a man of the *** persuasion.

Pursuant to the United Dairy Council

Rich “Lowtax” Kyanka
Internet

[Mushroom]

Good news. I can't comment on how good the game is, as I haven't played it yet, but I loved PoP, and i'm definetely going to pick it up after christma and give it a chance. Hopefully they sell well enough to do the sequels they apparently have planned.

[Noir]

The game is crap. I guess get a few commercial spots in and you're golden.

I know there were a few bugs at E3 that they claimed were already fixed, and I have heard about it having problems on PS3, but what else is wrong with it? It looks pretty solid to me.

[Death]

I think it is a great game, but horrible in the same. If you Do everything in the game, it is quite repetitive. If you blaze through the assassinations, the game is to short. It is a fun game, but I dont want to spend hours looking for flags as a side quest.

It deserves the 5/5 it got from almost everything, but it would have been much better if the focused to make the game longer then saving citizens, or finding all the viewpoints!

[Nokte]

I'm rather fond of Assassin's Creed, personally. Although the missions are a bit repetitive, especially the Save the Citizen ones, for the most part they're rather unique to each assassination. That aside, the game is just a lot of fun and the story progression is great up until the end. I was rather annoyed with sudden artifically implemented difficulty and the game's actual ending, but I have high hopes for the sequals. I find it hard to believe that Ubisoft will be able to ruin the series.

I just hope the Splinter Cell team takes a good hard look at Assassin's Creed and does what it can to improve upon their own social stealth systems through it. I've rather high hopes for Conviction, and Assassin's Cred has done nothing but highten them.