Fans of the Assassin’s Creed series have been hopeful to see the games move from the generally European settings to other parts of the world. Southeast Asia has shown up as one of the most requested locations, which has led to rumors of Assassin’s Creed in China quickly becoming one of the most anticipated games to not yet exist.
However, simply placing an Assassin’s Creed game in China is only half of the equation, as choosing the right time period to fit the series’ overarching lore is equally important. China has a fascinating history to explore and so taking the fight between Assassins and Templars to ancient China opens up opportunities to explore some great moments in the country’s past.
The First Opium Wars
One direction that Assassin’s Creed can move in is by setting the Chinese title in The First Opium Wars, which may have an opportunity to correct a previous game. Specifically, targeting a more recent event in history could take another look at European Imperialism, similar to how Assassin’s Creed 3 dealt with the American Revolution and Native American culture. Additionally, this could also provide the moment when Templars and Assassins made the transition into Southeast Asia.
This could also prove to be an opportune time to have a combination of different weapon types as well, the way that the series began evolving technology from Assassin’s Creed 2 to Syndicate. Recent games have taken a step back from introducing explosives and firearms into the series, but a trip to 1839 can introduce some new weapons as well as some troubling history. Of course, as is the case with most Ubisoft releases, it’ll be Assassin’s Creed’s protagonists and characters that will make the game better than anything the weapons can do.
Mongol Conquest of China
While it might not help separate Assassin’s Creed from Ghost of Tsushima, the time period of the Mongol Empire is one of the most influential moments in Asia’s history. There is a reason why so many stories set in ancient Asia involve the 150 year war effort to conquer most of the known world. The lasting effects of this period have impacted almost every aspect of history in China and the surrounding areas, even permanently affecting the genealogy of the surrounding area.
A time of turmoil like this could work in the same way that both Assassin’s Creed 3 and Odyssey followed the story of a single family during war. With Ubisoft’s attention to characters, this era could closely examine the culture of both China and the Mongol empire, while showing the individual effects on the people living in a warzone. It’s a tried and true way of forming Assassin’s Creed titles, with an invading force run by the Templars being fought off by the underdog Assassin’s.
Three Kingdoms
Saving the best for last, however, the Three Kingdoms era is an epic moment in China’s history that has already inspired titles like Dynasty Warriors and one of the Total War games. Most people’s understanding of the time period is the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which could act as the perfect starting point for Assassin’s Creed China to spring from. Although, what may set this apart from other games in the series is the way that the time period was much more nuanced than an invasion, or a war with an outside force.
As the modern story of Assassin’s Creed continues to improve, taking a look back at the foundational moments of the world could make both parts of the game equally excellent. The options for cultural stories within this time period and the influential characters available to draw from are endless. If there’s any moment that would excel as an open-world Assassin’s Creed title, it’s during the Three Kingdoms era.
Assassin’s Creed China is rumored to be in development.