Published on: 27/02/2023

Three Assassin’s Creed games in development, report says

According to a recent insider report, Ubisoft is developing three different Assassin’s Creed titles. The games, currently in the prototype phase, are reportedly planned for launch within the next five years.

The three games in development include Codename Red, Codename Hexe and Codename Jade. They were first announced in a September 2022 live stream, but no release schedules were known until the insider report.

According to sources within Ubisoft, Codename Red is now expected to release in 2024, while Codename Hexe is scheduled for 2026. Codename Jade has not received a release schedule as of this writing, and information on the story and gameplay of each title is still tentative.

Insider sources have also hinted at three other games in the works, though the titles are still in the conceptual phase. Ubisoft is also developing a VR title, likely to be announced in Q3 of 2023 after the release of Assassin’s Creed: Mirage, the company’s upcoming title.

Ubisoft’s last Assassin’s Creed game, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, was released in 2020 to “generally favorable reviews,” per Metacritic. The game outsold its predecessors in the first sales week and was received well by the fanbase overall.

However, in the two years since Valhalla came out, Ubisoft saw numerous controversies and game cancellations that led to its plummeting stock price. Production delays caused by underperforming titles and industry shifts have pushed back the Assassin’s Creed franchise’s return.

New, bold settings

The upcoming Assassin’s Creed games follow their predecessor’s footsteps of visiting diverse locales throughout history.

Mirage’s Baghdad setting will take place 20 years before the events of Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, with the protagonist Basim being a minor character in the previous game. Ubisoft’s announcement suggests that the game will step away from the progressions systems of Valhalla and focus on a straightforward, narrative action adventure.

Meanwhile, initial previews for Codename Red show the series turning towards Japan. Ubisoft’s trailer revealed a ninja on a rooftop below the setting sun, sporting a katana in one hand and the iconic hidden blade in the other.

Codename Hexe has puzzled viewers, as the only image of it shows a twig formation of the Assassin’s Creed symbol set in an eerie woodland background with witch-like inscriptions. The Germanic title “Hexe” and the logo led to speculation that the game would be set during the German witch trials of the 16th and 17th centuries.

Ubisoft notes that Hexe will be “a different kind of Assassin’s Creed game,” suggesting major gameplay and narrative changes are afoot. The title’s current lead designer, Clint Hocking, is also known for experimenting with gameplay and narrative in renowned titles like Far Cry: 2, Watch Dog: Legion and Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory.

The final game announced in the live stream, Codename Jade, will likely be set in Ancient China, with the announcement showcasing the game’s Tang Dynasty setting and revealing that it would be a mobile title to facilitate China’s massive mobile gaming market. Jade will also use a character creation system, a rare feature last used in Assassin’s Creed: Unity in 2014.

According to insider sources, other games currently in conception include Codenames Nebula, Echoes and Raid. The games will be handled by separate studios and vary in playstyle compared to their predecessors.

Little is known about these games, but insiders revealed that Ubisoft Sofia, Ubisoft Annecy and Ubisoft Chengdu have pitched the projects and will likely be responsible for their development in the coming years.