Discussions around ass market games almost always include Assassin’s Creed titles, which have grown to become a household name franchise. The ubiquity of the series had lead to the stories and themes being considered historically accurate, and also representative of varying cultures, due to the unique setting of each game. With Ubisoft trying to maintain mass market appeal, they wouldn’t want that messaging to turn away a large portion of their audience.
However, after receiving backlash for their inclusion of Yasuke – an African samurai – in Shadows, Ubisoft reportedly had a now cancelled Assassin’s Creed game in development last year. It would likely have been set after the American Civil War in which players play as a former slave in the American South who tracks down members of the Ku Klux Klan.
Cancelled Assassin’s Creed Game
While Ubisoft has not officially commented on the cancellation, it was reported by Game File, who claim that the project was deemed “too controversial for the moment.”
The report details how the information came from five current and former Ubisoft employees, and reveals that the cancellation led to frustration over Ubisoft seemingly bowing to controversy.
A story as seemingly straightforward as this being deemed too political is a testament to how risk-averse Ubisoft are. However, in a series where the central conflict features the Assassins and their pursuit of freedom against the tyrannical and oppressive Templars, it’s difficult to read the decision to cancel this game for that reason as aligning with the themes of the franchise.
Next Assassin’s Creed Game
This cancellation occurred in 2024, when the game was apparently in the conceptual phase. Because of this, it’s difficult to visualise the title’s roadmap, or how it would have fit into wider plans for the franchise.
Back when Assassin’s Creed Shadows was first announced, it was alongside the announcement of Assassin’s Creed Hexe (a codename as Red was for AC Shadows) – a game set in 16th century Europe during the Witch trials. This is thought to still be the next Assassin’s Creed game, although a rumoured remake of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag is also on the slate for the near future.
Despite that, this is the latest in a string of controversies surrounding Ubisoft due to poor game performances, layoffs and controversial funding for the latest DLC for Assassin’s Creed Mirage – all of which paint a picture of a company that’s struggling to win public favour.
