



SAN FRANCISCO - Video game titan Ubisoft on Friday released a new installment of "Assassin's Creed," seeking to reignite passion for the game after a year off to freshen its top franchise.



Breaking from its pattern of annually releasing sequels to "Assassin's Creed," which has sold more than 100 million copies since the first version debuted in a decade ago, Ubisoft took an extra year to craft "Assassin's Creed: Origins."



The new installment is set in Egypt at a time when Cleopatra is ascending to the throne, and reveals how the brotherhood of assassins began.



"From the beginning, the 'Assassin's Creed' franchise has always explored pivotal moments in history, from the Third Crusade to the Italian Renaissance, and this year ancient Egypt," said "Origins" creative director Jean Guesdon.



Work on the game began four years ago, with the team setting out to provide a fresh, new experience to players in a franchise showing signs of waning enthusiasm given its perennial release schedule.



Along with visiting pyramids and the Sphinx, players were promised "a front row seat" to the formation of the brotherhood of assassins.



It will be available for Xbox and PlayStation game consoles as well as for Windows-powered PCs.



An update to the game set for release early next year will add a "discovery tour" that gives players to option of taking virtual guided tours of ancient Egypt and learning its history, according to Guesdon. - AFP