Ben-DutkaUbisoft has a new hurdle to face: A lawsuit filed by American science fiction author John L. Beiswenger.
As reported by GamesIndustry International , Beiswenger claims Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed franchise borrows heavily from his novel, "Link," in which ancestral memories can be "accessed, recalled, relived and re-experienced." The suit cites a great many similarities between the book and the games, and even draws attention to single words and terms.
The novel also features references to assassins and assassinations (John Wilkes Booth is mentioned), and the technology used to conduct the memory experiments is also similar apparently. There are even "spiritual and biblical tones, with references made to Jesus and God, the Garden of Eden, and forbidden fruit." Beiswenger is seeking damages of no less than $1.05 million, with the amount rising to as high as $5.25 million if the judge rules that Ubisoft willfully infringed his copyrights.
We only have one question: Mr. Beiswenger, the first Assassin's Creed launched back in 2007. It featured the same themes. …why wait until now to sue? Oh, because the franchise is way more valuable…yes?