Assassin's Creed II DLC Was Originally Included In Game
Assassin's Creed IIBefore you all freak out over the title and start shrieking that developers and publishers are ripping you off, please read the actual article below.
The concept of downloadable content isn't a 100% positive in everyone's eyes. While extra stuff is typically embraced with open arms, the idea that game designers may be withholding certain content in order to cash in later when they release it as DLC is starting to chafe. But there are other reasons why some content, initially slated to be included in the project, eventually got lifted in favor of becoming additional add-ons. Take Ubisoft and Assassin's Creed II, for instance: according to a Kotaku interview with lead Patrice Desilets, the upcoming downloadable packs featuring the Battle of Forli and the Bonfire of the Vanities had originally been included in the game. But then, like movie editors deciding what's best to remove, they decided to make the necessary adjustments. Said Desilets:
"I felt that, 'Okay, there were too many things to do and to finish.' So we said, 'Okay, let's take a portion of the game that was planned and we'll give it in DLC.' We'll remove some stress to the team while giving more to fans and people who like Assassin's Creed. I think we gave them so much content that they cannot say that we owe them, that we didn't give them a lot for their 60 bucks."
If you haven't been following along, the two extra episodes will be available in January and February for $4 and $5 respectively, and they will essentially fillin the "Sequence gaps" in the storyline. Furthermore, Desilets and Co. are apparently toying with the idea of another feature that got lifted from the original product: the option to replay any mission. "Eventually, maybe we'll come out with some way to do it somehow," added Desilets. I'm fine with most all of this and Assassin's Creed II in no way felt stripped-down or lacking, but if the content was going to contribute to the story...shouldn't that have been included? I'm just wondering...bear in mind that I have nothing bad to say about ACII in general; it's certainly one of the year's best.
12/22/2009 9:07:44 PM Ben Dutka
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Comments (80 posts)
frylock25
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 9:55:52 PM
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na just playin, i havent played that game yet as i have way to many i am trying to but i want to so bad. its understandable to allow for a budget and to maintain focus in a game. i dont know if i would have them rather put this in but for the price i wont complain. im pretty sure they were like a gig each for they should be massive.
off topic i have access to an extra mod nation racers code for the beta. who wants it?
0 up, 0 down
frylock25
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 10:03:14 PM
message my account on psn: frylock25, ill send it to you on there after i finish the mag beta download.
0 up, 0 down
Gregory Freeman
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 10:09:57 PM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm perfectly fine with developers doing this... It leaves me with other things to do after the games beat... If they take it off, and leave the game bare, then F*** that... but the way they did it was tasteful...
2 up, 1 down
Alienange
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 9:57:22 PM
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Anyways, AC2 is fantastic. DLC on the other hand, is not.
3 up, 4 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 10:45:32 PM
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 12/22/2009 10:45:38 PM
6 up, 5 down
Killsignal
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 11:31:01 PM
5 up, 0 down
Qubex
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 12:43:09 AM
Q!
"i am home"
0 up, 0 down
godsman
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 10:01:23 PM
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What if SquareEnix took out the beginning of FFXIII, throw you in the middle of a story, then sell it back to you, telling you it's the prequel?
13 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 10:27:22 PM
Last edited by Jawknee on 12/22/2009 10:27:58 PM
3 up, 1 down
karneli lll
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 11:43:11 PM
8 up, 1 down
kevinater321
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 12:21:50 AM
5 up, 0 down
Sk8monkey
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 10:07:29 PM
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3 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 2:08:00 AM
Yeah, but only if that was really "extra" DLC......
"BUT THIS ISN'T EXTRA CONTENT"
What that team just did was "game-jack" everyone who bought AC2.
And now they're trying to extort those same gamers by ransoming them, their own game back.
So what's going to start happening once some other unscrupulous company's see what just happened & there was hardly a whimper out of the victims???
They're going to jump head-first on the SCAMwagon too by coming up with more & more creative ways to try cheating us out of our rightful in-game content.
3 up, 0 down
NoSmokingBandit
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 10:09:14 PM
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If they only took it out for "artistic direction" or whatever they should be giving away the DLC instead of charging for it. If it was already supposed to be included in the game then it shouldnt cost them anything to make it.
Things like this make me sick of the gaming industry. Dont even get me started on god damned music games that launch with $50 worth of DLC on PSN/XBL. Include it in the game to begin with if you have it done!
9 up, 3 down
Gregory Freeman
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 10:11:57 PM
Last edited by Gregory Freeman on 12/22/2009 10:12:10 PM
10 up, 2 down
TheIllusiveMan
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 12:28:53 AM
About AC2 DLC: I'll buy it and have fun. Oh well to those that aren't. And with the addition of the new content, there will be more features and whatnot too, so don't complain to hard.
0 up, 0 down
Qubex
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 12:45:57 AM
Q!
"i am home"
1 up, 0 down
oldmike
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 1:17:58 AM
thanks 360
3 up, 0 down
Orvisman
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 3:00:06 PM
1 up, 0 down
Gregory Freeman
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 5:41:09 PM
I appreciate that you understand that joke, but yu don't need 2 explain it :P
thats why I haven't mentioned my Cigarette/No "Smoking" Bandit joke :P
0 up, 0 down
556pineapple
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 10:10:42 PM
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1 up, 1 down
Jiggy
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 12:32:59 AM
1 up, 1 down
Jawknee
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 10:24:05 PM
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14 up, 0 down
rogers71
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 10:40:12 PM
Kinda makes you wonder how many developers are going to be stripping storylines out of games and offering them later because they didn't have room on the DVD format that is necessary for 'that other console'.
LONG LIVE BLURAY!!!!!
6 up, 0 down
kevinater321
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 12:19:20 AM
1 up, 1 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 10:48:00 PM
Reply
0 up, 1 down
Highlander
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 11:17:17 PM
It's simply dishonest of them to do this and excuse it by claiming artistic direction.
5 up, 0 down
Jawknee
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 1:33:45 AM
5 up, 0 down
Fane1024
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 6:04:24 PM
Cutting these two bits apparently caused the least damage to the narrative and, if you want, you can add them for a few extra dollars.
Sounds good to me. As both Patrice and Ben said, it's not like the game is short as it is.
Plenty of people on here pay extra for collector's editions or imports which add nothing to the game. I don't see how extra episodes which otherwise would have been cut entirely are some kind of rip-off.
Last edited by Fane1024 on 12/23/2009 6:09:26 PM
0 up, 1 down
Fane1024
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 6:28:24 PM
"Couldn't agree more Ben, there's a whole lot of over-reaction and lack of reading comprehension going on in this article's comment section."
0 up, 1 down
Highlander
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 11:52:19 PM
You're perfectly correct to throw my own words back at me.
However, I fell this is a different situation because they are actually admitting removing the content from the game prior to release despite the fact that it was essentially ready to go. It's not like we're speculating about that, they actually said it.
If Ubisoft does this with one game, it sets a precedent, they could do this with other games as could other publishers (EA has already done it as well). Sure whether or not this sets a precedent is not known, but the facts here are taken from the words of Ubisoft, not speculation.
This is the Ubisoft quote from the article;
"I felt that, 'Okay, there were too many things to do and to finish.' So we said, 'Okay, let's take a portion of the game that was planned and we'll give it in DLC.' We'll remove some stress to the team while giving more to fans and people who like Assassin's Creed. I think we gave them so much content that they cannot say that we owe them, that we didn't give them a lot for their 60 bucks."
Remembering that the DLC arrives in January it's clearly something that was very close to being ready when the game went gold.
I just feel that Ubisoft is really sailing too close to the wind on this one.
I think your also pointing at the idea that this is additional - premium - content that is available optionally at a price, which is precisely what I was so vocally pointing out about Sony's possible new services. I'd agree 100% with you and take my words back if that was what the guys from Ubisoft had said. Instead they talked about removing two sequences from the game and not feeling that they'd upset gamers because they were still offering a lot of content. They acknowledge the problem they are creating. Had they instead come out and said something to the effect that they had some ideas for additional sequences that they wanted to make available in a possible premium edition or via DLC, that would have been great. But instead they say that these are sequences that were removed from the game before release.
That said, I see your point.
Last edited by Highlander on 12/23/2009 11:57:20 PM
1 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 10:50:38 PM
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3 up, 1 down
therabbitkinge
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 11:11:28 PM
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1 up, 1 down
Highlander
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 11:16:11 PM
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Great question Ben. I also have to point out to our friends the developers that this isn't a movie, it's a game and we're not paying movie ticket prices for their product, we're paying 6 times more. So don't short change us and then try to pull the artistic direction excuse out. You're not George Lucas, you can't get away with it. Well, neither can George any more. How many times do we see so called deleted scenes on the DVD /BluRay collectors editions that are completely finished sequences including all music sound effects and post production work. How many Dreamworks animated features do we have to see with purpose made sequences included on the disc and called 'deleted scenes'. It's fakery, and an excuse to fill a collectors edition with content that could have been there all the time. the only reason the scenes are 'cut' is to make them available for the collectors edition. Some might say they are made for that collector's edition.
Then there are the director's cuts of movies. The director's cut supposedly restores sequences that were edited out against the director's will. OK, except in the case of this game it's the games director making the decision to hold the content back. It's not cut it's deferred. I find that dishonest.
7 up, 0 down
WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 11:56:02 PM
4 up, 1 down
Highlander
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 12:03:02 AM
3 up, 1 down
MyWorstNightmar
Thursday, December 24, 2009 @ 1:19:48 AM
0 up, 0 down
___________
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 11:32:55 PM
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seriously, he should know how people react to DLC and this is making it worse.
hes just putting his head in the noose.
2 i seriously could not care less, i got more than my 150 bucks worth because i bought the black edition.
best 150 bucks i have ever spent.
0 up, 0 down
just2skillf00l
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 12:13:15 AM
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P.S-I loved AC2!
2 up, 0 down
Qubex
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 12:51:16 AM
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Q!
"i am home"
1 up, 0 down
Highlander
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 2:55:03 AM
0 up, 0 down
Neurotoxiny
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 1:09:38 AM
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I already got all of those feathers... I personally can't wait for this DLC, the story's great, and there may be some parts in the story that aren't entirely essential, but that doesn't mean I don't want to know about it.
I mean, Ubisoft's kind of right, if they stuffed everything from the Lord Of The Rings books in the movies, it might make the movies crazy long... oh wait :P
Completely unrelated to this, I really hope the head guy at Ubisoft changes his/her mind about making Splinter Cell: Conviction an Xbox exclusive... :(
Last edited by Neurotoxiny on 12/23/2009 1:11:38 AM
0 up, 1 down
Oxvial
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 1:14:27 AM
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1 up, 0 down
Highlander
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 2:56:06 AM
1 up, 0 down
jaybiv
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 1:38:38 AM
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Not to start a war, but this type of profiteering is what I do not like with the gaming industry. They took it out because they know we will buy it to fill in the story.
I generally do not have issues with DLC. It can breathe new life into a game and offer a new way to play. But to take out content to sell later just smells. Although I will give them credit for the great pricing for the DLC. Most DLC shouldn't be more than $5.
1 up, 0 down
Highlander
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 3:01:10 AM
Burnout Paradise, new (yes NEW) content being added more than a year after the game launched.
Pain, new content constantly being added to the game.
Little Big Planet, new content continually being added.
Examples of bad DLC.
EA with Madden's various extras. All the things that you used to unlock by collecting madden cards in-game, you know have to buy, for extra $$.
EA with the various offensive Need for Speed games that came with all the cars on the disc, and you purchased an unlock code as DLC.
And now we can add...
Assassins Creed II, two new 'chapters' of the story, that were removed from the game prior to release despite being finished because the artistic direction went elsewhere. So now we get to pay for the chapters that were removed.
Ubisoft, why did you do this, this is a direct thumbing of your nose at gamers. You really should have known better.
4 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 1:45:57 AM
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Yeah right, you sure didn't think about relieving any gamers stress when they found out they bought a gimped-up AC2 by you taking out 2 or 3 full scenes?????
I could see it just maybe, and I'll repeat...just maybe, if you actually took it out through the kindness of your heart to alleviate your team stressing.
But if that was the case, and now that they've had their little Valium-full of meditation, relaxation, and/or therapy treatments, you now NEED to give those now-missing chapters right back to every one of those gamers you've just cheated out of a full complete game. Especially now that we know that you've sold them a gimped-up watered-down, & broken bill of goods.
And it's only fair, honest, & the right thing to do that you also give back ALL that missing DLC to them free of charge!!!!!
I would have never even thought to be so crooked enough as to try selling Patrice Desilets a brand new $100,000 car, and then go steal the wheels & rims right back off of it.
But I sure would do it now........
along with the mirrors hood, trunk, all the glass, radio, lugnuts, seats, doors, axles, steering wheel, front grille, gas tank, hubcaps, sun visors, exhaust, along with the trans and the motor too(did I leave anything out???).
Then I'd go scrape all the f*cking paint off too, and tell her that everything she doesn't see now......is all optional.
And all for just a small nominal fee of $47K.
2 up, 1 down
Highlander
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 3:01:58 AM
;)
2 up, 0 down
Imagi
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 3:09:36 AM
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Now then, before you thumb down my ass :o I have not yet played AC2 so I cannot comment on this case as I do not know how well the game feels on a whole, value wise. Sometimes some games can drag and 'editing' it can make the whole game experience better.
In the case of AC2 if they had originally intended this content to be in the game then it should either be an 'extra' that is made available once the game has been completed, of as free DLC.
3 up, 0 down
SubjectiveTruth
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 3:13:13 AM
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2 up, 0 down
RadioHeader
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 3:33:44 AM
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"We're charging $5 for DLC now because we were too eager for your $60 earlier"
6 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 3:38:58 AM
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Those that have AC2, but don't have any enternet are really going to get hosed the most either way, because you can't buy it, and even more so if Ubi sees the error of it's ways & gives back the missing chapters "for free".
0 up, 0 down
A2K78
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 6:52:08 AM
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So wait, you don't see nothing wrong with the fact DLC is nothing but a hidden cost of the actual game?
If anything its people like you who make the phrase "a sucker is born every minute" really true because you fail to see the scam and what even sad is the fact you're even supporting developers ripping consumers off.
2 up, 0 down
JackC8
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 7:43:11 AM
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I'm sorry but I'm at a complete loss as to how this could possibly be construed as something positive.
5 up, 0 down
Gabriel013
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 7:50:33 AM
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Glad to see I'm not the only one whose noticed that the LBP dl content is more expensive than a full price game yet all you are ending up with is a dozen or so custume parts.
As it is new content and not held back from the launch then I'm not saying they shouldn't charge anything but it just be a handful of pence. I haven't bought a single one of them yet.
I will try to resist buying this but as it is part of the story I may just cave. I'm hoping it is priced no more than £2 and £3 respectively.
DLC released a while after launch should carry a price, relative to the increased gameplay but allowing for the extra sales it will generate from the original game. Burnout is an example of this.
3 up, 0 down
mbg77
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 8:28:08 AM
I couldn't agree with you more Gabriel013.
LBP is a game supported by the community of gamers creating new levels and giving the game new life over and over again. Yet Mm is charging inappropriate amounts of money for their DLC - I mean c'mon 1.79GBP for a costume - that is a lot.
If they could have given us a "create your own level" tool, maybe they could also give us a "create your own costume" tool.
After all they profit from new sales of the original game due to the lively community. Must they also profit from all kinds of DLC.
I don't mind paying for something like the water feature in LBP - it's new, it's taken a lot of work to implement and all.
But costumes???
Take care.
Last edited by mbg77 on 12/23/2009 8:29:26 AM
4 up, 0 down
mbg77
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 8:54:51 AM
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I haven't played ACII yet so I can't say how good and how complete the story is.
My concern with the aforementioned DLC is that if the additional episodes introduce something to the story that was missing than charging for them is a ripp-off.
On the other hand if they are sort of additional chapters, that don't interfere with the main storyline, and are intended to extend the game than charging for them is acceptable.
That's just my opinion.
1 up, 0 down
D1g1tal5torm
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 9:37:50 AM
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No matter how this is wrapped up, it smacks of, they should 've tried harder. To relaease a partially filled game and then try to justify $DLC for the rest...
..they're taking the mickey oout of the people that are buying this game legit.
4 up, 0 down
Ultimadesires
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 11:27:22 AM
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4 up, 0 down
fuk u
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 11:51:25 AM
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1 up, 1 down
Banky A
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 2:49:40 PM
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Straight... up... ripping... off...
;)
2 up, 0 down
piratedrunk
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 3:22:27 PM
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This game just went from "Maybe I'll pick it up soon" to "will definitely wait for the bargain bin" on my list
1 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 5:32:11 PM
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I was going to wait for a price drop but now thanks to ubiSCAM, now it won't be until it hits the bargain bin for me too.
1 up, 0 down
Nerull
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 5:52:44 PM
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Any kind of positive spin someone puts on this is just that, a positive spin.
2 up, 0 down
Snaaaake
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 6:34:15 PM
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Some times I wonder, does developers think gamers are stupid?
Remember the GTAIV exclusive DLC?
If I remember correctly, they were asked why did they make it exclusive on the 360 and they answered to show their appreciation to their fans.
1 up, 0 down
Lairfan
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 6:50:11 PM
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1 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 8:31:46 PM
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Next ubiSCAM will try to sell you a AC2 comic book for $10, with only 3 pages missing.
But they promise that those will also be released a bit later after they've all finished their massage therapy's.
And they'll run as following: missing page 1 will be Part 2, missing page 17 will be part 3, & missing page 31 will become part 3.
You can have them all for a nice tidy optional sum of only $5 more each.
2 up, 0 down
just2skillf00l
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 @ 11:48:01 PM
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1 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Thursday, December 24, 2009 @ 5:41:56 PM
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I'd much rather boycott, LOL
Last edited by BikerSaint on 12/24/2009 5:42:12 PM
0 up, 0 down
CrazyIrishBoy
Friday, December 25, 2009 @ 11:12:01 AM
0 up, 0 down
BikerSaint
Saturday, December 26, 2009 @ 1:36:15 AM
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That was a joke son....that was exactly why I added the "LOL" at the end.
BTW, it wasn't a misprint, just a typo
(See, at 57, I'm getting a whole lot smarter than I ever was.)
Last edited by BikerSaint on 12/26/2009 1:39:30 AM
0 up, 0 down
Jian2069
Reply
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 @ 9:55:20 PM