With the recent release of Assassin’s Creed III Remastered, Ubisoft has seemingly removed the original version of Assassin’s Creed III from both Steam and Uplay. The Steam page of the original version is still available but the purchase option has been removed, with a text stating:

Notice: At the request of the publisher, Assassin’s Creed® III is no longer available for sale on Steam.

Those who owned the original version of Assassin’s Creed III on Steam can still download it, whereas, those who owned it on Uplay are not as lucky; with some players reporting the game was not only unavailable on the store, but also the library.

The Assassin Creed III Remastered is to add a visual overhaul as well as gameplay changes to enhance the experience of the original version.

According to an FAQ on Ubisoft, the visual changes are:

• Resolution upscale to 4K and HDR (PC, PS4 Pro, Xbox One X)
  1080p (PS4 and Xbox One)
• Higher resolution textures
• New character models
• New lighting rendering system
• Denser crowd, environments and visual effects

All post-launch DLC such as Benedict Arnold Missions, the Hidden Secrets Pack, and all three episodes of the Tyranny of King Washington will be available for all editions of the game, along with a copy of Assassin’s Creed: Liberation Remastered.

While it is understandable for developers to remove the original in favor of the remastered to prevent confusion or drive sales, the question of whether it is fair to prevent players from downloading a game that they originally owned still remains.

What do you think of Ubisoft’s action around AC III remastered? Do you prefer the HD remastered versions? Let us know in the comments below.