Ubisoft has officially unveiled the future of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, and it apparently doesn’t think that game-to-game releases are the way to go. Nope, instead, the publishing powerhouse is embracing live-service platforms with Assassin’s Creed Infinity, allowing for a connected game world with unique locations, offering a more cohesive experience combining the creative might of its Quebec and Montreal studios.
Assassin’s Creed Infinity is still in the early stages of development at this point, with a Bloomberg report claiming it won’t be out until 2024 at the earliest. Still, that give us plenty of time to think about the historical settings we’d like to see the stab-happy franchise go next.
Assassin’s Creed Infinity – 10 Historical Settings That We Want
- Feudal Japan
- First War of Scottish Independence
- War of the Roses
- The Hundred Years’ War
- Battle Of Trafalgar
- The Great War
- World War II
- Brazil
- East Germany
- The Gold Rush
Feudal Japan
This is an obvious choice to kick this feature off, but remains popular among fans and to be fair, Assassin’s Creed would do well to inject its own take on a feudal Japan setting. There’s a wealth of eras to pick from, and a sprawling open-world environment would surely make for some stunning vistas and gorgeous architectural highlights. A samurai-assassin would make for compelling protagonist, don’t you think?
First War Of Scottish Independence
Sir William Wallace anyone? The closest we’ve got to a medieval Scottish backdrop is Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, where Evior and her band of Viking invaders spread to the north of England. We’d love a chance to visit a sprawling recreation of Scotland, complete with packed villages, glorious mountain ranges, and murky lochs. Hell, why not throw in a Nessie sighting as an Easter Egg? It’s just the barmy sort of thing we’d expect from Ubisoft.
It’s all about those historical battles though, with clashes such as the Battle of Stirling Bridge defining the era as brave Scots attempt to push back the might of the English army under King Edward I. Think epic battles painting the countryside a shimmering crimson red, clan building, medieval forts waiting to be plucked of their loot, and a healthy dose of historical figures. Just as long as we don’t see Mel Gibson showing off his backside, eh?
The War Of The Roses
If we’re going to revisit England again (having been there in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla), then we reckon the War of the Roses during the 15th century, in which the country was engaged in over 30 years of civil war, is just the ticket. With two opposing factions, namely the House of Lancaster and the House of York, fighting for control of the throne, this backdrop is ripe for some Assassins vs. Templars shenanigans – perhaps Ubisoft could even pull a Rogue and have us fighting for the latter!
Furthermore, War of the Roses was vital in establishing the beginning of what is known as the Tudor Dynasty, which lasted until the early 1600s. Such a key period of English history would be brilliant to revisit the perspective of an Assassin’s Creed game.
The Hundred Years’ War
Taking place from 1337 – 1453, the Hundred Years’ War was among the most bloodiest conflicts in history, which saw the kingdoms of England and France engaged in brutal battles including those at Agincourt, Paptay, and Siege of Orleans. We’ve singled out the latter as an appropriate backdrop for Assassin’s Creed, which is significant as a major turning point for the French during the conflict, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Joan of Arc.
Battle Of Trafalgar
The ship combat introduced in Assassin’s Creed III birthed one of the series’ greatest entries yet (that’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, in case you didn’t know), and we think it’s about time ship-to-ship combat made a triumphant return. Where? The Battle of Trafalgar. Taking place on October 21, 1805, between the British Royal Navy and the combined might of the French and Spanish Navies, the battle saw some of the most iconic warships of all time, such as the Victory and the SantÃsima Trinidad, not to mention historical giants such as Nelson, who perished before the battle climaxed.
This is a period of epic sea rucks, where sumptuously-designed vessels blow chunks out of each other, making for an interesting dynamic in terms of how Assassin’s Creed might play out in this backdrop. An entire campaign set at sea? Bring it on!
The Great War
The Great War is a setting that I always felt was overlooked in triple-A games, and Assassin’s Creed would make for an ideal candidate to explore the era circa. 1914. Trench warfare as a member of the Brotherhood of Assassins could facilitate a basic overhaul of the close-quarters combat system, and provide a claustrophobic, brutal backdrop that eschews much of the exotic trappings of previous games.
After all, World War I saw some of the bloodiest battles in history after all, and the grim setting is the perfect antithesis to the sun-soaked, vista-heavy locations we’re used to. Plus, getting to grips with those classic tanks and bi-planes would definitely mix things up considerably.
World War II
Yes, another World War II game, but Assassin’s Creed could still bring something unique to the table. Specifically, we’re thinking of a behind-enemy-lines backdrop in France or Germany, where you’re creeping around Nazi bases and infiltrating occupied territories in an effort to tinker with the cogs of war in favour of the Brotherhood. With the Templars and Assassins war seeping into numerous major conflicts across history, we can definitely see Ubisoft finding a way to make this work.
A good example would be the PS3-era title The Saboteur from Pandemic Studios, which tasked players with gathering intel in German-occupied France.
South America
South America offers an intricate tapestry of untapped potential, as the setting has largely been left in the dark by the franchise. Plus, we know that Ubisoft has mentioned Brazil as a potential future setting for the series, so it’s obviously on their mind. However, we think the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire would be the perfect backdrop to visit for Assassin’s Creed, which took place 1532-1572. This brutal campaign ultimately resulted in the complete destruction of the Incan Empire, and the colonisation of the region known as Viceroyalty of Peru.
East Germany
Shifting to a more social and political backdrop, East Germany during the period 1988 to 1991 is ripe with historically significant events, including the fall of the Berlin Wall, the USSR being dissolved and of course the conclusion of the Cold War. This politically-rich climate would be interesting to tackle for Assassin’s Creed, especially as it’s a more ‘modern’ landscape; something which the series rarely tackles outside of the animus, and allows the studio to tell a more mature, grounded story.
The Australian Gold Rush
Australia would make for a somewhat less obvious choice for an Assassin’s Creed game. The country has plenty of key events to tap into, and we can’t think of a better setting than the Gold Rush, which began in February 1851. This was a revolutionary time for Australia, with gold being discovered in Victoria leading to a tidal wave of migrants arriving in the country, increasing its wealth dramatically. Plus, the sprawling Australian outback is practically begging to be turned into a sumptuous open-world ripe for exploration.
