Third full installment in stealth action franchise has already topped Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood’s preorder total, will see publisher’s biggest ever marketing push.

The hype for Assassin’s Creed III is reaching unprecedented levels for Ubisoft. The publisher today said that in the three weeks since the game’s preorder campaign kicked off, it has already exceeded the total US preorder numbers of Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood and has topped 10 times the preorders Assassin’s Creed: Revelations attracted in a comparable time frame. (Preordering customers will receive special steelbook packaging for the game adorned with art by Alex Ross.)

Preordering Assassin’s Creed III will get gamers a steelbook package with Alex Ross art.

By the time the Electronic Entertainment Expo rolls around in June, Ubisoft expects Assassin’s Creed III to have dethroned Revelations as the most preordered game in company history (US only). That would leave the game plenty of time to cushion its status, as Assassin’s Creed III isn’t set to launch until October 30 in North America.

Preorders aren’t the only Ubisoft records Assassin’s Creed III will set. In a statement accompanying the news, Ubisoft’s senior vice president of sales and marketing, Tony Key, said the game would enjoy the biggest marketing commitment in company history. He also called Assassin’s Creed III the largest launch in the publisher’s history and noted it will have been in development for three years.

Set during the American Revolution, Assassin’s Creed III features a new protagonist with a mixed Native American-English heritage. Named Ratohnhake:ton but going by Connor, the hero of Assassin’s Creed III will inject himself into the ongoing struggle between the Templars and the Assassins. The game is being built by Ubisoft Montreal and six collaborating studios on a new engine called Ubisoft-AnvilNext.

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Ubisoft confirms game in development for Nintendo’s next console as well as Xbox 360, PS3, and PC; preorders to get steelbook game case featuring Alex Ross art.

Assassin’s Creed III will mark the series debut on a Nintendo home system. Ubisoft today confirmed the next installment in its stealth action series is in development for the Wii U in addition to the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. The game is due for release October 30.

Here’s a peek at Alex Ross’ artwork for Assassin’s Creed III preorders.

Set during the American Revolution, Assassin’s Creed III features a new protagonist with a mixed Native America-English heritage. Named Ratohnhak’:ton but going by Connor, the hero of Assassin’s Creed III will inject himself into the ongoing struggle between the Templars and the Assassins. The game is being built by Ubisoft Montreal and six collaborating studios on a new engine called Ubisoft-AnvilNext. The publisher is promising “breakthroughs in visual quality, character models, and artificial intelligence” thanks to AnvilNext.

Ubisoft also announced its first preorder incentive for Assassin’s Creed III. Those who commit to a purchase ahead of time will get the game in steelbook packaging featuring art by comic book painter Alex Ross (Kingdom Come, Marvels).

“For me, it’s interesting to work on something with the level of detail that’s put into a video game character. It’s expanded that much greater than what I’d normally illustrate in a comic,” Ross told GameSpot. “I’m know for comic images that try to get more realistic in their approximation of clothing and physical detail. But when I’m working with something that’s already like that but takes it a step further–where there’s so much there I have to render for the clothing and the weapons–it’s a real challenge to put that time in.”

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