User blog comment:JazeBlack/I was wandering/@comment-4055238-20130130033846

Here goes my attempt at a translation: AC3 was released prior to December 2012 because Desmond's story was to finish in December. "Gamers shouldn't have to play a futuristic game..." means AC1-AC3 has been set in 2012, originally further than the year we live in in the real world. So we should finish the game prior to December 2012. If not, our time would be further than in-game time. The present-day story needs to stay ahead of our time. Purely my thoughts, but yes, AC4 should be set at least 2 years after AC3 depending on when it comes out.