Ubisoft has detailed its plans for the longer term of Assassin’s Creed, and mentioned it’s already winding down assist for final yr’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Later this month, Assassin’s Creed Shadows will have a good time its first anniversary — but it surely seems like a muted affair, with a group livestream, a competitors, and never a lot else.
At the moment’s replace from the brand new Assassin’s Creed management workforce makes it clear that Shadows is not going to obtain any main new content material additions in future, following earlier affirmation that there can be no second growth much like final fall’s Claws of Awaji. It is a disappointing finish for Shadows, which has limped to the tip of its first yr of post-launch assist and supplied followers solely a fraction of the continued adventures afforded to the franchise’s earlier blockbuster, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
“As we attain this [first anniversary] milestone, Shadows might be shifting into its ultimate part of assist,” Ubisoft mentioned. “We’re winding issues down with smaller, much less frequent updates… however nonetheless a few surprises! On the similar time, our groups will start shifting extra focus towards what’s subsequent for Assassin’s Creed.”
Followers have already got a honest thought what’s subsequent for the collection, although in the present day introduced a reminder of that. In phrases of scope, the subsequent huge all-new Assassin’s Creed recreation is Codename Hexe, which might be set in mainland Europe and have witchcraft-esque vibes. Till final month, the undertaking was being overseen by Ubisoft veteran Clint Hocking — although following the model’s management reshuffle it’s now being managed instantly by Assassin’s Creed head of content material Jean Guesdon, with Hocking now out of the corporate once more.
“We’re taking the time to ship on its bold imaginative and prescient, which implies we’ll be quiet for a whereas longer,” Ubisoft mentioned in the present day, setting expectations that the sport was nonetheless a whereas from launch. “We love seeing all the keenness taking place on our channels and may’t wait to unveil extra when the time is correct.”
The corporate has not confirmed it, however followers suspect Hexe was one of the various tasks to obtain a delay in January this yr, on the similar time Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake was cancelled.
A flurry of different temporary updates supplied a reminder that Ubisoft has a lot of different Assassin’s Creed issues within the works, although with none agency information on any of them in the present day. The multiplayer-focused Codename Invictus, announced years ago alongside Hexe, remains to be “progressing steadily with a take a look at and be taught strategy,” Ubisoft mentioned, “led by a devoted workforce of For Honor veterans.”
“We perceive there’s a lot of curiosity round this undertaking: sure, it is a new strategy to multiplayer within the franchise, but it surely is not fairly what the rumors have advised,” Ubisoft continued. “With participant suggestions on the coronary heart of our strategy, we’re exploring methods to deliver the group in earlier so we will form the expertise collectively.”
Individually, Ubisoft acknowledged it was investigating “bringing co-op again to Assassin’s Creed” and “just lately selected to pivot away from an early undertaking.” This was, reportedly, a co-op thought that may have continued Shadows’ story, which sadly seems like it should now not see the sunshine of day.
In phrases of what you possibly can play in the present day, Ubisoft introduced a 60fps patch for the French Revolution-set Assassin’s Creed Unity would arrive imminently for Xbox and PlayStation.
Wrapping up, Ubisoft namedropped the Historical China-set smartphone recreation Assassin’s Creed Jade (which once more was introduced years in the past, with nothing heard of it now in a very long time) and the Assassin’s Creed live-action Netflix collection (which seems like we’ll see one thing concrete of quickly, following latest casting bulletins). Lastly, Ubisoft dropped one more trace at Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag remake that everybody is aware of is ready to launch this yr.
“Some whispers have a little extra wind of their gross sales,” Ubisoft teased, simply weeks after seemingly confirming the Black Flag remake was actual through a GTA meme on social media. “Hold your spyglass on the horizon.”
Tom Phillips is IGN’s Information Editor. You’ll be able to attain Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or discover him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social