Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
[Update] Naughty Dog Says Use Of Assassin's Creed IV Artwork A 'Regrettable Mistake'
Update: Naughty Dog has posted a statement about the Assassin's Creed artwork that appeared in this morning's Uncharted 4 trailer. The studio calls this a "regrettable mistake," and apologized.
In our eagerness to get the story trailer out we made a regrettable mistake and didn’t thoroughly vet the art work used for an in game painting. We’ve already updated the trailer. We hold all artistry in high regard and take full responsibility for having allowed this to happen.
We want to sincerely apologize to everyone at Ubisoft, the Assassin’s Creed team, the original artist, and our fans.
Naughty Dog
The original image, which you can see below, provided a smooth transition between the art and the in-game scene which resembles it. That has now been replaced in the trailer.
In place of shore painting, Naughty Dog has subbed in another piece of art. You can see it below:
Original Story (February 24, 2016 @ 11:49 a.m. Central):
This morning, Naughty Dog dropped an impressive-looking trailer for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. Hidden inside though, was a surprising piece of artwork possibly created by another publisher.
Assassin’s Creed head of content Azaïza Aymar took to Twitter, posting the clip from the trailer and what appears to be another piece of art allegedly created by another publisher (timestamp 1:36 in the trailer). The concept piece in question may come from Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.
The difference appears to be only the removed character standing by the boat on the beach. We’ve reached out to Sony for comment or clarification. We've also approached Ubisoft for more information. We’ll update should we receive a response from either.
[Source: Azaïza Aymar on Twitter]
Our Take
While there has been an accusation levied, it is important to note that Sony has not had an opportunity to respond. It is possible that this was done with permission and is intended as an homage or collegial nod. This may seem nefarious on the surface, but until we have the entire story, which we continue to investigate, it is prudent not to jump to conclusions.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
