I am a long time AC fan. Been supporting it since people hated the first one. Here's my take on why the series has been pissed away:

Yes, it is fundamentally the same game every year, but the graphics are absolutely stunning. Unity was proper shite, but it looked like a polish shite. That's the only saving grace I have for it right now.

The story for AC lately has been abysmal. There's no direction. I have bought every single AC NEW since the first one. Syndicate is the first game I am not going to buy new. Modern day story has gone to crap, I'm not really interested in the new protagonists, and the gameplay looks more of the same.

Another huge problem they have right now are the collectibles. There is NO WAY you can find the "hidden" ones without running around and Eagle Vision'ing all your surroundings. What is the point of putting all those collectibles in the game if it becomes a hassle to find them all? In previous games, you could buy (in-game currency) maps to find them or syncing at the top of towers would "unlock" collectible locations.

So, I thought about picking up Syndicate as soon as it came out. As a long time fan, it shouldn't even be a choice. But, it's not like Fallout 4 where I am eager to start a new adventure, blast some mutants, and experience something new. I cannot wait to get my hands on that game - it is one of the reasons (along with Deus Ex: Mankind Divided) that I bought an Xbone and PS4.

I don't look forward to an Assassin's Creed game like that anymore. There is no compelling story to save it either. The modern day story is a colossal joke, the protagonists seem to be completely static, and the gameplay is riddled with mundane tasks that can only be solved by spamming Eagle Vision.

I don't mind the game being yearly. I would actually love a quality Assassin's Creed. The thing with Call of Duty is that people will continue to buy that because it's the same thing. And I think that's a great thing for people who are into that (along the lines of sports games, I suppose). The problem with Ubisoft is that they're trying to emulate what Activision is doing, but they aren't emulating it the same way Activision is doing it.

Activision lets their developers produce the "same game", but it's a product that the consumers regularly expect and want. I have nothing against that and if that's your cup of tea - go for it. Ubisoft wants to develop the "same game", but they're continually changing aspects of it that never needed to be tweaked.

As a long time fan, I am sad that Ubisoft would let a great IP turn into what it is now.