Mirage marks a kind of turning point for Assassin’s Creed. It’s likely the last game in the series to be released for old-gen consoles, and ahead of us lie—finally!—a new generation of titles that take us to feudal Japan and, according to rumors, the witch trials of the Holy Roman Empire. All this wrapped in the new “portal” that we know as Assassin’s Creed Infinity. A mysterious story that we will have reason to return to further down.
Here is everything we know about the future of the Assassin’s Creed series.
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR
► In short: Assassin’s Creed, now in virtual reality!
► Release: November 16, 2023
► Format: Meta Quest 2, 3, Pro
The next installment in the Assassin’s Creed series is near and takes the series where it has never gone before: into virtual reality. Ubisoft promises that the step into VR does not mean a downsized experience, but rather this will be a full-length game. This sounds promising, especially since Nexus will take us to three historical locations: the Italian Renaissance, ancient Greece, and the New World (America during the 1700s). We will get to play as the classic trio: Ezio, Kassandra, and Ratonhnhaké:ton (Connor).
It’s not about some sort of virtual reality remakes of the three’s previous adventures, but we will experience new chapters for the heroes. This is Assassin’s Creed, so of course, there’s a modern twist and framing story. In it, you’ll infiltrate Abstergo to prevent them from seizing mind-controlling treasures. Typical Assassin’s Creed, in other words.
The gameplay rests on the series’ pillars, dealing among other things with stealthy assassinations, fencing, and rooftop parkour—the latter of which can definitely tickle the stomach more than usual.
Assassin’s Creed Jade
► In short: A large-scale action role-playing game in your pocket.
► Release: TBA (closed beta now, so… spring 2024?)
► Format: Mobile
When it was announced that the Assassin’s Creed game Codename Jade had “changed” its name to Assassin’s Creed Jade, the internet wasn’t exactly tipped over. However, Jade may knock us over in other ways, as we’re to get an action role-playing game à la Odyssey and Valhalla in mobile form. Rather than an Ezio or Eivor, you create your own assassin. Or whatever one should call them, as this takes place before even the assassin or Hidden One concepts were coined, around the year 215 BC during China’s Qin Dynasty.
Everything you can do in traditional titles should be doable here – but with touch controls. In fact, developers at Level Infinite (Tencent’s gaming division) have said that adding controller support is easy, but they might skip it since mastering touch controls is a challenge they want to overcome.
(But why not give us the option? Well, anyway.)
Parkour on the Great Wall of China and stealth in bustling cities are on the agenda. Beta tests have occurred, but we still have no actual release date. Dare we guess a release next spring?
Assassin’s Creed “Red”
► In short: Feudal Japan – finally!
► Release: TBA (dare we guess 2025?)
► Format: TBA (betting on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series)
The next truly grand installment in the series is currently under the working title “Red” and, according to Ubisoft, represents “the future of our open-world role-playing games.” So, we’re expecting this to be the natural continuation of the epic narratives of Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla – but that’s not the main reason for the anticipation.
We’re headed to feudal Japan, a setting long requested by fans. The teaser below is all we’ve really gotten of substance so far, which is telling: we don’t know much about this project yet.
Rumors suggest that we may get to choose between two player characters: a samurai and a shinobi. Ubisoft’s Marc-Alexis Cote has said that Red should deliver a “very powerful Shinobi fantasy.” The teaser shows an assassin in a black cloak, equipped with a hidden blade and a one-handed sword.
A recently “accidental” leaked image is believed to depict one of the game’s protagonists.
Ubisoft Quebec is developing the title, known for Immortals Fenyx Rising. There have been rumors that Immortals’ sequel was canceled and developers have been moved over to Red. The team certainly has experience with Assassin’s Creed, having developed the well-received Odyssey, which took us to ancient Greece.
A deleted Linkedin post from last summer mentioned the game as “2024’s biggest blockbuster.” Arisa Lagunzad, who works on the business side at Ubisoft, was the sender. This should, of course, be taken with a grain of salt, and even if true, various delays can occur. Shall we guess a release in fall 2025? Doesn’t seem unlikely.
Assassin’s Creed Infinity
► In short: A platform for Assassin’s Creed games.
► Release: TBA (potentially in conjunction with Red)
► Format: TBA (PS5 and Xbox Series confirmed. PC? Seems likely.)
Even though Ubisoft has made a few attempts to explain Assassin’s Creed Infinity, it continues to be rather vague. It’s not a game but a “portal for all Assassin’s Creed experiences,” where the “meta-story will live asynchronously.” The idea is that Infinity will link different games and experiences together and reward players who engage with the universe.
It sounds like some form of application, but the details remain cloudy.
The seed for Infinity was sown during the pandemic years, when remote work changed how Ubisoft produces games. Ubisoft Quebec’s Nathalie Bouchard has written in an open letter that this led them to reconsider the future. Infinity is meant to not only connect the Assassin’s Creed franchise but also bring together Ubisoft Montreal and Quebec (the studios responsible for the series’ major installments) in a more unified way. Instead of taking turns, they will collaborate more closely. The portal is expected to expand gradually.
In the future, it’s possible that PC players might need to open Ubisoft Connect and then navigate to Infinity before stepping into an Assassin’s Creed game. It could be quite the journey.
With that said, there are still many unanswered questions.
Infinity will not be free to play. It will not be a service where you purchase premium games, but we know very little about what the business model will look like. This is one of the most important points to clarify. One concrete aspect they have looked into is bringing back the era’s multiplayer (from titles like Brotherhood and Black Flag) under the Infinity umbrella. Infinity has been likened to the Animus, the fictional machine in the games that is used to explore genetic memories. This could mean coming full circle for Assassin’s Creed.
Red and Hexe are expected to benefit from the platform, and a release in conjunction with Red (set to be released first of the two) seems likely. Considering that release is at least a year away, there is time for Ubisoft to answer questions about how this interactive hub will function.
Assassin’s Creed “Hexe”
► In short: Witchcraft and darkness.
► Release: TBA (a year or two after Red. 2026? 2027?)
► Format: TBA (likely PC, PS5, and Xbox Series)
Once, the Assassin’s Creed series was synonymous with Ubisoft Montreal: the original, the Ezio trilogy, Black Flag, and so on. Their latest game is also the series’ most recent major title: Valhalla. Hexe is their next project. A mysterious teaser is all we have. That, and breadcrumbs.
Marc-Alexis Cote, the franchise director, says we should expect a “very different” Assassin’s Creed. Perhaps one with a horror element? The teaser, with its ominous music, dead leaves, and witchcraft symbolism, certainly sets the mood. The Salem witch trials might seem like a logical setting, but rumors (via Bloomberg) have been about witch trials in the Holy Roman Empire during the 16th century—a time when tens of thousands of people were executed.
Witchcraft and artifacts from “those who came before” seem like a logical connection.
Even though the studio has plenty of experience with Assassin’s Creed, the game’s creative director brings another angle. Clint Hocking directed Far Cry 2 before he returned to Ubisoft after a very long time to direct Watch Dogs Legion. A compelling name in this context.
There are rumors that additional games in Ubisoft’s flagship series are under development. Earlier this year, it was rumored that as many as eleven (!) titles are in some form of development. We don’t know much about these, but among the wild rumors are a Black Flag remake and more VR. Count on me updating this article with new information (and titles) as soon as something happens.
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