This year marks the fifteenth anniversary of Assassin’s Creed, despite the fact that not all has been happy. While Ubisoft said online services for many older AC games would be discontinued, the community rejoiced online with a variety of messages. It’s been mixed, but in September Ubi plans to move on from the past and showcase the franchise’s future.
Prior to this, it has been said, reported and/or confirmed that four projects are currently in development. Several Assassin’s Creed games are currently in production, including Assassin’s Creed Infinity, a verified live service project; Assassin’s Creed Nexus; a smaller game featuring Basim; Assassin’s Creed Rift; and the rumored AC1 Remake. The most recent rumor, however, could shake up what fans think is going on at Ubisoft.
The next Assassin’s Creed game “will be Aztecs”, according to Jeremy Penter, commonly known as ACG, in a brief and direct article. While all rumors and leaks should be taken with a grain of salt, ACG has proven itself in the past with Ubisoft projects, such as Far Cry Primal. It’s succinct, sweet and to the point. But without more information, it’s really hard to understand how this fits into the bigger picture.
For one thing, it’s worth remembering that Mesoamerica in general, Tenochtitlan, and the Aztecs in particular have long been fan favorites. It’s on par with a Japanese Assassin’s Creed game in terms of fan expectations, so depending on how ACG got that information, it’s possible this is just an extension of that. However, since “next” is the key word here, it may significantly alter what fans think is in store from Ubi.
It’s possible that this Aztec setting will serve as a launch location for AC Infinity, which could debut sooner than expected. However, this seems unlikely given how little is known about the project. Many people thought the sequel to Assassin’s Creed Rift would be next, but it was rumored to star Basim and be set in Baghdad. The next open-world Assassin’s Creed game could be the result, or it could indicate the existence of a different project that no one was aware of.
It’s hard to advise fans what to do with this knowledge. The wisest course of action, in the end, is to put it aside and wait to see what Ubisoft announces for Assassin’s Creed in September.