14 DAY TRIAL // John Beiswenger, an American novel writer, has filed a lawsuit against video game publisher Ubisoft and the video game website GameTrailers, saying that the Assassin’s Creed storyline has been stolen from Link, a book that he published in 2002.
The first Assassin’s Creed video game was launched in 2007, and since then the series has spawned two other well received titles.
The copyright infringement lawsuit was filled with the United States District Court in Pennsylvania and alleges that in 11 situations the video game developers lifted content from the novel Link.
The plot of the novel features a science laboratory and a device that allows characters to relive the lives of their ancestors.
The book also has plenty of assassinations and the author says that the overall approach to the theme is similar to that seen in the Assassin’s Creed video games.
John Beiswenger is asking the court to stop Ubisoft from further infringing on his copyright and also wants to get 5.25 million dollars in damages (about 4 million Euro).
Ubisoft has not yet officially reacted to the lawsuit linked to Assassin’s Creed.
The publisher will probably try to initially settle the legal action out of court because a negative outcome at trial could affect one of its most popular video game franchises.
Assassin’s Creed III is set to be released during the fall of this year and moves the action from the Middle Ages to the American Revolutionary War.
The main character, Connor Kenway also known as Ratohnhaké:ton, is half Native American and needs to battle Templars using a new arsenal, including a hook blade and a bow for ranged engagements.
Assassin’s Creed III is set to wrap up the current story arc of the series and will offer all the answers that the player base has been asking for since the first game.