Since the first game launched in 2007,Assassin’s Creedhas had a very impressive run, and it has continually taken gamers to exotic locations around the world while combining rooftop jumping with some ingenious stealth gameplay. Within its lifetime, theAssassin’s Creedfranchise has sold over 155 million units, making it one of the most successful gaming series ever, but after all these years some franchise fatigue has begun to set in and gamers have cried for creative innovation of the franchise’s addictive core formula. That innovation may come in the form ofAssassin’s Creed Rift.
AlthoughAssassin’s Creed Rifthas yet to be confirmed or denied by Ubisoft, there are several rumors and reports surrounding the title that is allegedly being developed. If reports are true, gamers could be receiving anAssassin’s Creedtitle with a smaller scope than usual, and with plenty of stealth in a Middle Eastern setting. Following this, gamers will also receiveAssassin’s Creed Infinityand, possibly, a project codenamedAssassin’s Creed Red.
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News of Assassin’s Creed Rift Breaks
The first report ofAssassin’s Creed Riftcame from Bloomberg in an article written by video games journalist Jason Schreier, who claimed that the game was born out of Ubisoft’s need to fill out its thin release schedule. AlthoughRiftwas originally planned as aDLC forAssassin’s Creed Valhalla, Ubisoft eventually decided to make it a standalone game. According to Schreier, the game is centered on Basim Ibn Ishaq, an Assassin Brotherhood member who appears inValhalla.
Schreier’s sources informed him that the game will not be a massive open-world game like the typicalAssassin’s Creedtitle, and will instead lean on stealth gameplay. He also reports that the game is scheduled for a 2022 or 2023 release. A game focused on Basim has plenty of potential due to the character’s rich history and connection to Loki, and news of a potential game based on him has drawn excitement. A focus on stealth is also good news, as stealth gameplay has been well-implemented in priorAssassin’s Creedgames.
Is Assassin’s Creed Rift Still Coming?
Since Schreier’s article, there has been plenty of conversation surroundingAssassin’s Creedand the future of the franchise. In July, @JeremyPenter Tweeted that the nextAssassin’s Creedgame would be set in the Aztecs. The leak appeared believable, as the leaker has been correct regarding their leaks aboutFar Cry, another popular Ubisoft franchise. However, when the Tweet was posted on Reddit, Schreier commented, stating that it could not be true, because the next game isRift, and it is set in Baghdad. He also added thatRiftwill be followed byAssassin’s Creed Infinity, which will be an online game that will feature many biomes. Schreier claimed he has seen two of them, and none of them are set in the Aztecs.
Gamers may have to wait longer than expected to experienceRiftif they experience it at all. Kotaku reported that Ubisoft’sAvatartie-in gameAvatar: Frontiers of Pandorais delayed, meaning it will not launch in time to coincide with James Cameron’s highly anticipated film,Avatar: The Way of Water,which is slated to release in December 2022. According to Kotaku, an internal Ubisoft email revealed that Ubisoft has decided to stop working on certain games to give higher priority projects more attention and that another smaller unannounced premium game had been delayed. Kotaku speculated that thedelayed game may beAssassin’s CreedRift.
AlthoughAssassin’s Creed Riftis a game that shows plenty of promise due to its focus on Basim and its deviation from the typicalAssassin’s Creedformula, recent reports suggest that it may be further away than initially anticipated. It does not appear that Ubisoft is abandoning the franchise, however, asAssassin’s Creed Infinityis still on the way, which could be the platform for all future titles from the series according to Schreier.
