Players of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey on consoles have reported experiencing unexpected in-game advertisements promoting Ubisoft’s Black Friday Sale. A Reddit user, u/triddell24, shared a video demonstrating how a pop-up appeared while navigating the world map. The advertisement, which promoted a 20 percent discount on Assassin’s Creed Mirage, obstructed gameplay with a banner that could be dismissed. Clicking the ‘Buy Now’ button would typically redirect users to the store page for Mirage. This disruption has led to widespread frustration among players who found the intrusion unwelcome during their gaming experience. In response, Ubisoft issued an apology for the incident, labeling it a ‘technical error.’
“We have been made aware that some players encountered a pop-up message in-game while playing certain Assassin’s Creed titles yesterday. This was a technical error that has now been resolved,” Ubisoft stated on Twitter. The publisher refuted claims that the ads were a deliberate attempt to boost sales of Assassin’s Creed games, clarifying that the promotion was intended for display on in-game menus across the franchise. However, the unintentional ad placement interrupted gameplay and led to comparisons with intrusive mobile game advertisements urging players to make in-game purchases. A community note highlighted a similar incident from four years ago, wherein an Assassin’s Creed Odyssey player encountered an ad upon attempting to open the map. The backlash against such advertisements can be fierce, often likened to the criticism directed at microtransactions for exploiting players financially.
We have been made aware that some players encountered a pop-up message in-game while playing certain Assassin’s Creed titles yesterday. This was the result of a technical error that has now been fixed.
Our intention was to display a promotion for Assassin’s Creed Mirage as part…
— Assassin’s Creed (@assassinscreed) November 24, 2023
Over the years, both video game companies and film studios have explored ways to integrate advertisements into their content, even as many consumers have sought out ad-free options. Netflix, for instance, is testing lower-priced, ad-supported subscriptions in the U.S., raising questions about whether live service games might adopt a similar model. In games like Overwatch 2, players are often greeted with incentives to purchase battle passes and cosmetics upon opening menus. Additionally, Microsoft has begun implementing full-screen advertisements for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 when users start their Xbox consoles, regardless of ownership. Innovatively, some developers, such as Remedy Entertainment, have successfully promoted their other titles through in-game visuals, like posters and digital banners.
In separate news, Ubisoft recently announced that two new modes will be added to Assassin’s Creed Mirage as part of a free update coming in December. Among these is a anticipated New Game+ mode, allowing players to return to ninth-century Baghdad with all upgrades and weapon unlocks intact. The addition of a permadeath mode, accessible on all difficulty levels, has also been confirmed. This game harkens back to the franchise’s roots, focusing on a more streamlined narrative and stealth gameplay, in contrast to the expansive open-world format introduced in AC Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Odyssey are currently available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.
