Assassin's Creed is Ubisoft's most profitable and longest-running franchise, with it receiving over 20 games in the 12 years since its initial release. The franchise has had its ups and downs, with it succumbing to franchise fatigue for a few years, but Assassin's Creed Origins and Assassin's Creed Odyssey have managed to turn that around. Now, it seems safe to say that Assassin's Creed 2020 and its reported Viking setting can't get here soon enough for many fans.
Whether it's a piece of lore that has remained obscure, the story behind its creation, or a character few know exist, there are quite a number of mysterious facts and details related to the Assasin's Creed franchise. Any number of them could be related to the modern-day story, to the first civilization, or to the various assassins that appeared throughout the game, but here are 5 weird facts related to the game.
5. It was Almost a Prince of Persia Game
When the concept for Assasin's Creed was first put forth, it was under the title of Prince of Persia: Assassins. However, because the playable character wouldn't be a prince, many higher-ups pushed for a new brand instead, and thus, Assassin's Creed was born. This would likely prove to be a wise decision, as the Prince of Persia brand has been rather stagnant in recent years, even worse in terms than the years that AC was suffering from franchise fatigue. Still, despite this, the creator recently voiced support for a new game in the Prince of Persia franchise.
4. Unity Had One of the Biggest Patches in History
Regardless of Origins and Odyssey's influence on the franchise and its movement ever forward, the launch of Unity will always be seen as a blight on the franchise. It was filled to the brim with glitches and bugs that resorted in a 40 GB patch, one of the biggest in gaming history and definitely for 2014. This was partially due to the need to re-install the game as a result. Now, many consider it a smoother playthrough, with it even being positively review-bombed after the Notre-Dame offer, and having regained some of the support it lost.
3. Gameplay of Origins Was in a Museum
Historical recreation is an important aspect of the franchise, though Pre-Common Era Egypt reportedly allowed the franchise a bit more freedom. Still, Origins was a faithful depiction of Egypt, and as such, was used in a display at the National Geographic Museum's Egypt exhibit. Gameplay was used to depict life during this time and will continue to be available through September 15, 2019. In many ways, this is validation by National Geographic itself and speaks to the team's accurate historical approach.
2. It May Be in the Same Universe as Splinter Cell
The Assassin's Creed universe being connected to other Ubisoft franchises has been a long-running theory that the publisher has frequently stoked the flames of. Typically, the suggestion is that the Watch Dogs and AC franchises are linked, and that DeadSec is the equivalent of some modern-day Assassin cell. Either eliminating that connection or joining it is the Splinter Cell franchise, which was alluded to in Odyssey. Essentially, Layla finds Sam Fisher's Googles and acknowledges the Third Echelon, an organization related to the Splinter Cell Universe. It seems uncertain whether Ubisoft will ever give a final decree to how deeply connected these universes are, but with all the teases, it seems far more likely that they are connected than they are not.
1. Desmond Miles Had a Son
2012 was the last anyone has seen of the modern-day protaognist, Desmond Miles, as he gave his life to save the world but unfortunately unleashing Juno in the process. But his legacy continued on, with his DNA being used in Black Flag and a major revelation being tied to his lineage in Syndicate. Although it is only referenced in a database entry, it is revealed that Desmond fathered a son sometime before his death. Elijah, Desmond's Son, is a Sage, a reincarnation of the First Civilization as seen in Black Flag. Elijah's story is being explored in the on-going Uprising comic series.
Assassin's Creed is expected to drop another game in 2020, so it'll be interesting to see how this latest entry shakes up the franchise. The likeliest location and setting appears to be Vikings, indicative of a move away from ancient settings. But with Odyssey's post-launch support nearing its end, it also makes sense that the franchise is looking for another hit in a new era, something fans of the franchise will likely receive well.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, with a Stadia version also in development
Image Source: Teadsantap (Reddit)