Ubisoft surprised no one today when it announced that the upcoming blockbuster, Assassin’s Creed, will launch on Xbox 360 at the same time as the PS3 version early next year. Widely regarded as the best PS3 title shown at E3, there has been speculation that the title was not exclusive and would also release on Xbox 360. This was taken to the next level when IGN reported that the game being shown at E3 was running on Xbox 360 hardware. The report was taken down off the site the next day.

Assassin’s Creed is truly a next-generation game that will set a new standard in the action-adventure genre while taking full advantage of the technical capabilities of the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation 3 system.

The game is set in 1191 AD, when the Third Crusade was tearing the Holy Land apart. Shrouded in secrecy and feared for their ruthlessness, the Assassins intend to stop the hostilities by suppressing both sides of the conflict. Players, assuming the role of the main character Altair, will have the power to throw their immediate environment into chaos and to shape events during this pivotal moment in history.