Having pushed out at least one new sequel every 12 months for its flagship franchise over the last several years, Ubisoft finally decided to give the mainline Assassin’s Creed series a much-needed breather last year. While diehard fans were no doubt disappointed by the resting period, it could well prove to be a wise decision on Ubisoft’s part, what with its most recent entries having been somewhat criticized for not doing enough to mix up the tried and tested formula.
With 2016 now behind us, though, the vacation period looks to be nearing its end rather soon, especially if the latest batch of rumors is to be believed. According to WWG (via Gematsu), Ubisoft sources have provided the site with several new details for the unannounced title, including that it will be called Assassin’s Creed: Origins and, similarly to what Kotaku reported last year, will be set primarily in ancient Egypt, although other countries, including Greece, may also feature.
To facilitate crossing such a large geographical gap, Origins is said to be bringing back naval elements used in previous series entries, i.e. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, with players able to engage in combat on the open water as well as sail the Mediterranean. This is all part of Ubisoft’s intention to make Origins considerably less restrictive on player freedom, according to WWG’s sources, one of which describes the sequel as being “huge” in scope with a greater emphasis placed on exploration and non-linear character progression.
Considerable changes appear to be on the horizon for Assassin’s Creed, then, but do keep in mind that none of this is confirmed, so take it with a healthy pinch of salt. Whatever the case, Assassin’s Creed: Origins will supposedly be revealed at this year’s E3 in June. Stay tuned for more.