Attention is already starting to shift towards what might come next for theAssassin’s Creedfranchise following the March release ofAC Shadows, with there already being a few high-profile projects that are confirmed for the series. These officially announced upcoming titles are exciting enough in their own right, yet some recent rumors suggest that fans ofAssassin’s Creedhave a lot more content to look forward to in the near future.
At first glance, the rumored upcoming release schedule forAssassin’s Creedmay seem hard to believe, but it could be a logical extension of Ubisoft’s plans for the freshly launched Animus Hub feature. The Animus Hub has been the subject of curiosity for quite some time now, withAssassin’s Creed Shadowsfinally giving fans a solid insight into how the Hub acts. Now, fresh titles are necessary to beef up the purpose of the new feature.
Assassin’s Creed’s release schedule plans are only rumors for now and should be treated with some skepticism until they’re confirmed.
Assassin’s Creed’s Rumored Release Schedule Would Be Exactly What the Animus Hub Needs
The Animus Hub was initially referred to as AC Infinity prior to its launch, with early rumors about the feature billing it as an ambitious switch to live service content for theAssassin’s Creedfranchise. These first reports around the Animus Hub understandably divided the opinion of many fans, thoughits launch within the recentAssassin’s Creed Shadowshas laid many of these worries to rest.
It is true that theAnimus Hub is how players will access futureAssassin’s Creedcontentin perpetuity, yet it still allows individual projects to shine with things like their own distinct achievement/trophy lists, as seen withShadows. The Animus Hub smartly leans into the franchise’s Animus technology to place projects on a timeline, with players picking and choosing whatACgames to play with a range of added benefits.
The Animus Hub seems to be the major way in whichUbisoft is furthering the modern-day storyline ofAssassin’s Creed. Players can work to decipher Encrypted Data Files in-game while being given undisturbed portrayals of the franchise’s historic settings. Players can also earn a new currency called keys thanks to the Animus Hub, which are used to unlock unique powerful items and other rewards.
The Animus Hub Could Provide Assassin’s Creed’s Future with the Gameplay Variety it Needs
The recent rumors surroundingAssassin’s Creedsuggest that the franchise aims to release nine games over the next six yearsand, while this may seem too ambitious at first glance, the Animus Hub would be the perfect staging ground for this burst of content.Assassin’s Creed’s new formula is centered around massive open-world experiences, starting withOriginsin 2017. The connected nature of the Animus Hub should allow Ubisoft to release a higher frequency of shorter and more intimate experiences.
The Animus Hub does not currently support “Period One"Assassin’s Creedtitles, which are anyACprojects that were released beforeOrigins.
Recent titles likeMirageshow that this type of gameplay experience is still on the cards forAssassin’s Creed, andconfirmed upcoming games such asAC Hexeseem like a great way for short but impactful stories to give fans some variety between large-scale mainline releases likeShadows. Of course, there is still clear room for the Animus Hub to expand into things like remakes/remasters for older titles likeBlack Flag, creating a definitive one-stop timeline forAssassin’s Creedthat serves as a testament to the franchise’s rich history. It seems clear that Ubisoft’s plans for the Animus Hub are much larger than what fans have already seen, and the rumored heavy release schedule could be a big indicator of the new feature really stepping up to the plate.
