As if the final three months of 2007 weren't already creaking under the weight of must-buy titles, Ubisoft just sent word that Assassin's Creed will be arriving on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC this November. Seemingly undeterred by the idea of setting its prize IP up for the mother of all seasonal scraps, Ubisoft has revealed that both standard and limited editions of the game will ship worldwide simultaneously.

Developed by Ubisoft's Montreal studio - the chaps behind the splendid Prince of Persia games - Assassin's Creed is set in 1191 AD, at a time when the Third Crusade was tearing the Holy Land apart. Players assume the role of Altair, one of several assassins bent on stopping the conflict by finishing off key figures from each side. More violence to solve violence - that's what we like. Gameplay videos have looked remarkably promising, with the fancy crowd physics especially clever.

"Assassin's Creed is going to be a huge launch for Ubisoft this year along with the added prestige of being the start of this exciting new franchise that is bringing something completely new to the market," trumpeted Tony Key, Ubi's vice president of marketing. "We're confident that Assassin's Creed will exceed expectations as a 'must-have' title this holiday season and will achieve both critical and commercial success."

But still Ubisoft, November? So that's Halo 3, Grand Theft Auto IV, Super Mario Galaxy, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Guitar Hero III and now this, all squashed into about two months? Our wallets are hyperventilating as we type.