Assassin’s Creed

Published by Ubisoft, the Assassin’s Creed franchise is a central case study for the video games industry, which reached a global value of $138.4 billion in 2021. The series consists of twelve main games and numerous spin-offs, defined by historical settings and open-world gameplay. By 2021, the franchise had sold 155 million units, with Assassin’s Creed Valhalla achieving the strongest first-week sales in the series' history.

Ubisoft employs a multinational development model and genre-formatting to minimize economic risk, aligning with David Hesmondhalgh’s theory on cultural industries. The franchise's success is bolstered by digital convergence, such as linking handheld games like Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation to console versions to unlock exclusive content. Furthermore, the move toward a "live service" model with Assassin’s Creed Infinity illustrates how the industry prioritizes longevity and continuous revenue through content updates rather than one-off releases.

Regulation is overseen in the UK by the Video Standards Council (VSC) via the PEGI system, which categorizes content to protect children. However, Livingstone and Lunt argue that rapid technological change and digital distribution make traditional regulation increasingly problematic. The prevalence of violence often results in an 18 rating, raising questions about Albert Bandura’s theory on imitation and the impact of active participation in virtual violence.

Regarding representation, the franchise has evolved to include female protagonists like Aveline and Kassandra, reflecting broader social shifts and targeting a more diverse audience. This supports Henry Jenkins' concept of fandom, as these games foster a participatory culture where fans interact across platforms to construct their identities and influence the future development of the franchise.

Analogy: Assassin's Creed is like a digital time-traveling theme park. The historical settings are the "attractions" that keep people coming back, but the underlying machinery—the "live service" updates, cross-platform technology, and global marketing—is what keeps the park profitable and expanding across the world.