Last summer, Ubisoft made the decision to cancel an Assassin’s Creed game that was in the works, a choice influenced by various factors including the current political landscape in the United States.
Setting and Protagonist
The cancelled title was set during the Reconstruction era following the American Civil War, specifically the 1860s and 1870s. Sources who preferred to remain anonymous shared insights with Game File, revealing that the narrative would have centered around a formerly enslaved Black man journeying westward to forge a new existence.
Plot Elements
As he integrated with the series’ Assassins, the protagonist would return to the South to combat social injustice, facing significant challenges such as the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, according to insights from several current and former Ubisoft employees.
Reasons for Cancellation
Conversations with three of these employees indicated that the cancellation was rooted in two primary concerns. Firstly, there was an online backlash surrounding the introduction of Yasuke, a Black samurai featured in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Secondly, there were apprehensions linked to the prevailing political environment in the United States.
Employee Reactions
One employee remarked on their dismay, stating, “I was terribly disappointed but not surprised by leadership. They are making more and more decisions to maintain the political ‘status quo’ and take no stand, no risk, even creative.”
New Developments
In a related note, Ubisoft’s new subsidiary backed by Tencent officially commenced operations recently. The company informed its employees that this new branch is named Vantage Studios, founded under the co-leadership of Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot.
