Of course, the complaints about PixelPioneers and John being masters of suspense only lasted for a short while. Before long, everyone's attention was completely captured by the content revealed in the newly released promotional video.
Unlike the extended cinematic shots in Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain, where individual takes could last for several minutes, even the longest uninterrupted sequence in Assassin's Creed was under thirty seconds. Instead, the trailer relied on a relentless barrage of sharp, fast-cut transitions, each scene flowing seamlessly into the next.
For storytelling, this fragmented editing style naturally lacked the immersive feeling created by the iconic long takes of Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain. Those lengthy shots quietly established the world's atmosphere, hinted at the overarching narrative, and left players curious about what lay ahead.
Assassin's Creed, however, took an entirely different approach. Rather than teasing the story itself, the trailer focused on overwhelming players with style. Every frame highlighted stunning visuals, fluid animations, breathtaking combat, and an unforgettable soundtrack. The rapid pacing synchronized perfectly with the music, ensuring there was barely a second that didn't leave viewers impressed.
Instead of revealing the plot, it showcased only the game's most eye-catching elements: its graphics, parkour, combat choreography, and the mysterious image of the assassin himself.
There was no real way to say which promotional style was superior. They simply pursued different goals. It was like the endless debate between sweet tofu and savory tofu; both sides would argue passionately forever, and sooner or later someone who preferred spicy tofu would inevitably jump into the discussion as well.
One thing, however, was impossible to deny. To players everywhere, the Assassin's Creed promotional CG looked absolutely incredible.
A hooded assassin dressed in flowing white robes soared from the top of a towering clock tower like a hunting falcon before plunging toward his target.
The face beneath the hood remained hidden, yet that only enhanced the character's mystique. Even without revealing his appearance, every movement radiated confidence, elegance, and deadly precision.
It was the kind of design that looked effortlessly cool regardless of who was wearing it.
Naturally, beyond admiring how stylish everything looked, players also began dissecting every detail hidden throughout the trailer.
"In other words... is this really an assassin? The game's called Assassin's Creed, but this doesn't feel very stealthy!"
"Charging straight through hundreds of guards in broad daylight, then assassinating the enemy commander while he's still on horseback?"
"There's no way someone dressed like that could blend into a crowd. That outfit practically screams, 'I'm suspicious!'"
Countless players debated every aspect of the game despite knowing almost nothing about its story. After all, while they couldn't judge the narrative yet, they certainly knew what looked cool. It was just like choosing a class in an online game. Even if a class ranked at the absolute bottom of every tier list, plenty of players would still pick it simply because it looked amazing.
Being overpowered only lasted until the next balance patch, while looking cool lasted forever. Visible aesthetics had always been one of the strongest selling points.
While developing Assassin's Creed, Martel had fully embraced the philosophy John described. After carefully studying both his design concepts and the game's GDD, she perfectly understood the core direction.
Stylish combat.
Elegant costumes.
Graceful parkour.
Even the smallest climbing and rooftop-running animations had been meticulously handcrafted to maximize visual impact.
From a cinematic standpoint, Martel and her team had pushed nearly every animation to its absolute limit.
Of course, that level of polish was only guaranteed inside the promotional CG. Reproducing those same cinematic sequences in real-time gameplay would require a tremendous amount of additional optimization and technical effort.
Nevertheless, the explosive debut of the Assassin's Creed trailer, combined with the carefully planned promotional campaign launched by PixelPioneers, instantly sent player anticipation soaring.
Meanwhile, both Gemtechs and Ansoft, who had been heavily promoting Life of Soul and Daqin, became noticeably nervous after seeing the overwhelming reception toward the Assassin's Creed CG. How had what was originally shaping up to be a straightforward showdown suddenly evolved into a chaotic three-way battle?
Yet under the watchful eyes of countless players and the constant surveillance of Gemtechs and Ansoft, PixelPioneers remained unusually quiet. Aside from launching on a website that displayed nothing more than the words "Assassin's Creed" alongside the image of a white-hooded assassin, there wasn't a single additional announcement.
Faced with PixelPioneers' complete silence, players immediately became restless.
"Come on! Give us something! What kind of game is Assassin's Creed, anyway?"
"When's it coming out?"
"You've obviously never played a PixelPioneers game before if you're asking about the release date. What I want to know is, what's the story about?"
"I beg everyone, stop buying card packs! Stop opening loot boxes in Resident Evil Resistance! If PixelPioneers makes less money, maybe they'll hurry up and release the new game!"
"Exactly!"
"+1! Don't buy any more Yu-Gi-Oh! card packs! Starve PixelPioneers until they give us Assassin's Creed!"
"Dude! Yu-Gi-Oh! just released the new Valentine deck! It's 10% off for a limited time!"
"...?"
"Dude! Remember what you just said! Have some self-control!"
"Guys! New announcement! Buy the limited-time bundle, and you permanently unlock the Valentine character!"
"Holy crap! Forget self-control! Bro, help me find the bank card I hid inside my underwear!"
Across the internet, players loudly complained about PixelPioneers while simultaneously creating countless memes and joking about their complete lack of willpower.
Meanwhile, executives at Ansoft and Gemtechs quietly observed the situation for several days. As the initial hype surrounding Assassin's Creed gradually began to cool, the managers of both companies' marketing departments exchanged helpless looks.
"...They're unbelievable."
"They're actually pulling off hunger marketing?"
"We're making games, not selling smartphones. Why are they using all these ridiculous marketing tricks?"
Even as they complained, neither could hide the envy in their voices. After all... This was one strategy they simply couldn't copy, no matter how hard they tried.
Meanwhile, instead of staying at PixelPioneers, John and Luna arrived together at a pet hospital carrying a sniffling dog.
"I blame you," Luna grumbled while gently patting the little dog's head, her expression full of concern. "Every time you leave the house, you turn the air conditioner way too low. Now our dog has caught a cold."
After paying the consultation fee and watching the veterinary staff carry the dog into the examination room, John wore an expression of complete injustice. "How is this my fault?! Weren't you the one who said the dog gets too hot and likes sleeping with the air conditioner on?"
"Hmph." Sitting on a small stool outside the treatment room, Luna somehow produced two lollipops from her pocket.
"Here." She unwrapped one for herself before handing the other to John.
John glanced at it dismissively. "A lollipop is supposed to comfort me?"
Then he noticed the flavor: Milk, his favorite. Without another word, he tore open the wrapper and popped it into his mouth.
Luna casually scrolled through her social account on her phone before speaking again. "So, development on Assassin's Creed is moving that quickly already? Even the promotional CG is finished."
Seeing the overwhelming buzz online genuinely surprised her. She had spent the past several days immersed in studying the Warcraft GDD and hadn't paid much attention to Assassin's Creed.
Hearing her question, John couldn't help laughing. "That's the beauty of marketing. We never actually promised anything beyond releasing a promotional CG. The players are the ones imagining release dates and progress on their own."
After a brief pause, he added with a grin, "As for development... Martel's team is probably progressing faster than we are. At the very least... They've definitely finished creating the project folder."
"..." Luna blinked several times. "...What?"
She stared at him in disbelief. "Then why announce the game this early?"
John shrugged as though it were the most natural thing in the world. "Building hype early is great for long-term sales. And honestly, it isn't that early. According to Armani's marketing schedule, today we release the CG trailer. Tomorrow we'll reveal character concept art. The day after that, we'll publish the world and story overview. Then we'll announce the voice cast, followed by actor interviews, behind-the-scenes features, developer diaries, and more."
He smiled proudly. "If everything goes according to plan, we'll have enough promotional material to keep players talking right up until launch."
"..." Luna slowly removed the lollipop from her mouth, and she silently stared at John for a long moment before finally speaking. "...We should probably hire bodyguards."
John: o_O||