If there is any major video game developer who could use a win right now, it’s Ubisoft. The company that’s brought you franchises such as pretty much anything with Tom Clancy‘s name on it, Just Dance, Rayman, and Prince of Persia has been hurting something fierce lately. We recently reported on the company laying off unionized workers and canceling its Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake, in addition to several other games. These are not reassuring signs for any game company, especially during an economic environment of uncertainty, chip shortages, and console price hikes.
Maybe that’s why they finally decided to confirm the upcoming release of what they hope will be a bona fide hit.
The Assassin’s Creed franchise is certainly one that has had its highs and lows. The games have seen changes that have turned them from stealth parkour adventures to what are effectively action RPGs. God only knows what’s going on with the story in them these days, for that matter. There is at least one point of relative certainty, though, and that’s the positive reception of 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. That’s probably why it’s been selected to get the full remake treatment.
Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced
Officially named Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced, there is no official release date for the upcoming title, and no confirmed details about what kind of remake it is going to be. The only bit of information we have comes from a kind of coy tease from the developer. An official update from the Ubisoft team had them mentioning about how speculation is just speculation. “Well, except in this case, some whispers have a little more wind in their sails. Keep your spyglass on the horizon.” An obvious reference to Black Flag is made more obvious by an image of the game’s protagonist and a title mark in a corner of the picture.
Black Flag
What makes Black Flag special is how it goes in so heavily on the pirate-themed elements of its gameplay. You have a ship to take care of, you engage in naval battles, you board other people’s boats, and you can explore, pillage, and build up resources that make you feel like you’re really going on a pirate adventure. It’s enough to make the Assassin’s Creed elements seem ancillary. It was enough to make Ubisoft try to make a game that focused entirely on pirate naval combat, only for them to screw that up by making it the live service game that we know today at Skull and Bones.
Make no mistake, this remaster will likely not be enough to help Ubisoft reverse its fortunes. They’re going to need a lot more work than just this title. However, if they play their cards right, this could be a step in a very positive direction for them. But that cancellation we mentioned before of the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake still really stings. This is not the salve to heal that, but we do look forward to seeing how it turns out.
When we have more information about Black Flag Resynced, we’ll be sure to share it with you. Meanwhile, the original version can be found quite readily on virtually all modern platforms. Come for the pirate action, stay for the sea shanties.
