In the gaming industry, there’s nothing more certain than an annualCall of Dutytitle. It felt similar forAssassin’s Creedat one point, as mainline games continued to pump out around the 2010s. Then, after franchise fatigue really ate away atAssassin’s Creed, Ubisoft announced it was taking a break and the game series would no longer be an annual title. As such, there was a gap year betweenAssassin’s Creed SyndicateandAssassin’s Creed Origins(and later betweenOdysseyandValhalla), and that was a breath of fresh air for many.
Quickly, however, many grew tired of the open-world RPG formula introduced bySyndicate, double-downed on inOdyssey, and tweaked to some degree inValhalla. For its faults, the game does attempt to marry older social stealth elements with its RPG elements, but the divide in theACcommunity exists. Many clamor to the old games, while others are excited for thefuture of theAssassin’s CreedRPGs. Out there, somewhere in the land of concept, there’s a title that nails the parkour, stealth, and assassination elements many are missing with the design that just as many have welcomed, but that game has not released yet.
RELATED:Dragons in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla May Be a Step Too Far
There was some inklings that such a game would be possible. TheAssassin’s Creedrumor mill once suggested a smaller scale Ubisoft Sofia game was in the works for 2022, but during an interview with Carole Quintane (with translation via comicbook.com), YouTuber xJ0nathan may have dashed this title. For those who are unaware, J0nathan has leaked a lot of accurateAssassin’s Creeddetails in recent months (includingwerewolves in the Wrath of the Druids DLCand the originalAC Valhallarelease date before it was moved up), so his information is rather reliable. It should be taken with a grain of salt, but it’s possible Ubisoft Sofia’s game has be cancelled and there may not be a title until 2023.
If accurate, it is unfortunate becauseUbisoft Sofia’s titleSOUNDS like that aforementioned combination of classic and modernACgames, but at the same time, 2 years between mainline releases would be a good thing.
The Rumored Ubisoft Sofia Game May Be Cancelled?
According to Jonathan, the Ubisoft Sofia game would have centered around Richard the Lionheart, and he’s unsure if it has been scrapped or iced. This is because Ubisoft Sofia is working onAC ValhallaDLC. Perhaps it’ll finish its work and return, as Ubisoft development is not exactly a simple process, but that remains to be seen. Instead of the open-world and open-ended design ofAC Origins, Odyssey, andValhalla, this game would have focused on a semi-linear approach with unique game levels.
In this, it sounds something likeDragon Age: Inquisition—different areas of varying size and scope to explore—or an expanded version ofAC3’s exploration of North America (Boston/New York/Wilderness). This sounds like it could work really well, as it would allow a city or two to be its own sandbox to really drive home the parkour elements of the gme, while still allowing more open areas for more open world-esque gameplay. Story-wise, the game would have involved The Third Crusade, a time period fans ofAC1will recognize. It may have worked as a connection betweenValhalla’s establishment of the Templarsto the rebirth of the Brotherhood.
Players would take on the role of Richard’s bodyguard, and here’s the thing: Richard and Saladin’s peace involved the Assassin-Templar conflict in the background. It would be interesting if, through some twist of events, that bodyguard was a Templar. This could be possible, especially givenUbisoft Sofia madeAC Rogue, and it makes other details even more eye-catching.
According to j0nathan, this would not have been the only playable character: afemale assassin protagonist, as the story developed across two distinct perspective, and the two characters would have crossed paths. However that turns out, it would be even more interesting if players were on both sides of the conflict. Again, this Ubisoft Sofia game concept seemingly has a ton of potential, whether true or canceled or not. Here’s hoping that it comes to fruition, but regardless of what happens, waiting for this or a new mainlineAssassin’s Creedgame until 2023 isn’t quit the stab it may seem to be.
RELATED:All The Mythological Creatures in Assassin’s Creed Games So Far
Assassin’s Creed 2023 Release
It cannot be understated how appealing this sounds, and hopefully it is in fact the next game in the franchise. However, waiting until 2023 to the next release instead of 2021 or even 2022 comes with a ton of benefits. First,Assassin’s Creedfocusing on not being an annualized franchisemay avoid that franchise fatigue, but it may also make sure that Ubisoft is working to truly realize this concept. It’s likely seen how many want the classic elements back, but it also has data saying how popular the RPG approach is too. Bringing out the best of both worlds should be a goal, and even an extra year between releases may not be enough to fully realize that.
Secondly, Ubisoft has recently revealed it was slowingAssassin’s Creed Valhallaupdates to focus on quality. Many are likely happy with this, and that added time means added focus onValhalla’s post-launch support. After all, Wrath of the Druids and The Siege of Paris are just the major announced packs; several smaller seasonal updates are involved too, with many not exactly happy with the River Raids.
Combine this with the rumored (or maybe cancelled as well),Assassin’s Creed ValhallaDLC 3, and that’s a lot of content to increase its longevity. Quality only ensures its longevity is actually met, though, and the impact on COVID overall is likely still felt. Many say that time heals all wounds, and that could work tenfold in terms here.
Finally, and most importantly, Ubisoft has a lot of working to do on itself. The last summer saw many sexual misconduct allegations come about, with many faults lying in the structure of Ubi overall as well. For those who love Ubi and the franchises it produces, it’s also important that the company behind them is a good environment for all walks of life. Ubisoft has promised to make these changes, and these changes take time. Ubisoft has to pay off on this faith, and rushing to do so is not the answer. Instead of rushing out a game with a female lead assassin to try to check mark a box, it’s important to know that she won’t be treated…
It’s important Ubisoft takes time to re-evaluate a ton of things, and a newACgame releasing in 2023 helps only realize all of this further.
Assassin’s Creed Valhallais out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
