10 Insane Ways Video Games Were Kept Under Wraps
8. The Lead Writer Didn't Even Discuss The Game With His Family - Assassin's Creed III
Plot leaks often occur when one in-the-know party casually reveals something to a friend or acquaintance who then decides to put the information online.
Though these "leaks" are easy to fake and therefore often dissected, debated, and debunked, there are many text-dump leaks which have turned out to be 100% accurate, as must be a major source of frustration for developers.
A few hours into Assassin's Creed III, apparent protagonist Haytham is swapped out for Connor, a hugely unexpected twist which Ubisoft and the game's key creative personnel went to concerted lengths to prevent leaking out.
The game's lead scriptwriter Corey May told Ars Technica that beyond co-ordinating with the marketing department to ensure promotional materials didn't inadvertently give anything away, he didn't even discuss the game with his family or friends, no matter how private the circumstances.
Considering the notoriously leak-prone nature of the franchise, it's an understandable stance to take, though given the years it takes to bring a game from concept to release, it must've been incredibly tough not to talk to anyone outside the development bubble about it.
May complimented the dev team on their commitment to not leaking the surprise, and noted that many team members themselves wanted to remain unspoiled until they played the final release, skipping over any portions of the game they weren't themselves actively working on.