Developer Ubisoft says the lack of an Assassin's Creed video game for 2016 gives the franchise's first full-length feature film a better chance at box office sales.

During an earnings call this week, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemo discussed the Assassin's Creed video game series' absence in 2016, and explained that the studio taking a break from the franchise allows the film's marketing department even more room for promotion. The Ubisoft executive went on to say that the movie's “all-star” cast of Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, and Brendan Gleeson, as well as the “outstanding” director Justin Kurzel will be able to make the big screen version a hit without having the confusion of a game being advertised at the same time.

Although some fans of the Assassin's Creed video games might be upset by the lack of a fresh title this year, as previously reported, Guillemo has said that it's best for the series as a whole, as the studio will be able to “re-examine” the game and have it return with a “new dimension”. Plus, as seen in the Ubisoft CEO's statement below, he assures gamers will have the pleasure of experiencing a better film without the distraction of a video game counterpart being in production.

"The movie guys are extremely happy we don't have a new game because they will have the full-year marketing space and they feel they will be able to do a better job at promoting the movie.

"With the great production expertise of New Regency and the fantastic marketing and distribution power of 20th Century Fox, the Assassin's Creed movie has the potential to be one of the biggest blockbusters of 2016.”

While the Assassin's Creed movie definitely has the potential to generate a lot more revenue without having to compete with a video game for the series being released in the same year, it doesn't necessarily mean the film version is actually going to be any good. In fact, a sizable portion of fans would agree that most video game movie adaptations are bad. However, it's important to note there are feature lengths about gaming or ones using the medium as their subject matter that are actually quite good — the Disney-animated Wreck-It Ralph and the documentary Indie Game: The Movie immediately come to mind.

Nevertheless, Ubisoft is doubling down on bringing more of its video game properties to the cinema, for in addition to the Assassin's Creed movie, it's also set to make films based on Far Cry, Rabbids, Watch Dogs, Splinter Cell, and Ghost Recon. So, whether or not the Assassin's Creed movie and its prestigious cast can break the cycle of terrible video game movie adaptations remains to be seen, but relying on top-billing actors to sell the material doesn't always translate to success. After all, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time starred Jake Gyllenhall, Alfred Molina, and Ben Kingsley, but even their acting talents couldn't save the final product from being mediocre at best.

Do you agree with Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemo's statements about the lack of an Assassin's Creed game in 2016 giving the movie a better chance at becoming a blockbuster? Will the lack of an AC title this year incentivize you to go see the film? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

The film version of Assassin's Creed is set to debut in theaters on December 21, 2016.

Source: GameSpot