The long-rumoured remake of pirate adventure Black Flag will apparently be significantly different from the original, but with the same graphics engine as Shadows.
Ubisoft, like every publisher, has their pros and cons but one thing they definitely aren’t very good at is making remakes in any kind of reasonable time frame. The Splinter Cell one they promised in 2021 still hasn’t materialised and Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time is currently on its third developer… and no closer to release.
They’ve never announced a remake of 2013’s Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag but it’s been rumoured for years now, to the point where everyone just takes its existence as fact. Even if there’s never been any sign of an official reveal.
There still isn’t, but a reliable source claims to know some surprising details about the game, including the fact that it will have a role-playing system similar to modern titles like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Valhalla.
The role-playing style of Assassin’s Creed game started with 2017’s Origins, but prior to that the games were straight action adventures, similar to the subsequent Ghost Of Tsushima.
All three games have been highly successful, but many fans still hanker for the older style of gameplay, which returned for 2023’s Assassin’s Creed Mirage.
That seemed to imply that the role-playing elements would be deemphasised in future games, and certainly the last thing you’d expect is for a remake of Black Flag – one of the most popular entries in the series – to add them, where previously they didn’t exist.
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Nevertheless, that’s what French source Jeux Vidéo Magazine – which has got Ubisoft rumours right before – claims, in a new video translated on Reddit, where they claim there will be new loot and gear stats for main character Edward Kenway and a combat style closer to the modern titles.
It’s also claimed that the modern day sections of the original game will be removed, which won’t be controversial as no one liked them in any of the early games. Although what’s surprising is that Ubisoft will apparently be replacing them with new content, rather than just removing them and shortening the running time.
This will apparently include cut content from the original, such as an unseen storyline involving real-life female pirate Mary Read.
They also claim that there will be no loading screens when moving between your ship and the land, and while the map is the same size the islands will have more ‘activities and side content’ than the original.
It all sounds like a substantial amount of work, which would explain why it’s taking so long, with the game apparently using the same graphics engine as the very attractive looking Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
Despite this, it’s described as not being as big budget a remake as something like Resident Evil 2 or Silent Hill 2, and will include some reused assets from live service flop Skull And Bones.
Despite all this detailed information, the release date remains frustratingly vague, which is probably an indication that Ubisoft isn’t sure what it’ll be either, but the suggestion is that it’s aiming for early 2026 but could slip as far back as next autumn.
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