Assassin's Creed at 20: Ubisoft Skips Remake, Bets on Hexe

Ubisoft has made its call: there will be no Assassin's Creed remake for the franchise's 20th anniversary in 2027. The French publisher has laid out the future of its flagship series, confirming continued development of Hexe and the existence of a multiplayer project, according to reports from ActuGaming. No nostalgic revival in sight, then, but two initiatives aimed squarely forward—and they may not deliver what players most want to hear.

The choice warrants examination. Twelve years after the original launched in 2007, the saga has undergone profound shifts: from the pure stealth infiltration of its roots to the massive action-RPG scope of the Origins-Odyssey-Valhalla trilogy, then back to tighter formats with Mirage and Shadows. A milestone anniversary would have been the perfect moment to capitalize on that legacy through a thoughtful remake of the first game or Assassin's Creed II. Ubisoft clearly prefers to look ahead.

The Remake Card Ubisoft Won't Play

The absence of a remake is all the more surprising because remaking has become almost mandatory for franchises blowing out candles. Capcom rebuilt its credibility with Resident Evil 2 Remake in 2019 and Resident Evil 4 Remake in 2023, both critical and commercial successes that revitalized games over twenty years old. Square Enix did the same with Final Fantasy VII Remake in 2020, transforming an RPG monument into an ongoing modern trilogy. These examples show that a well-executed remake can satisfy nostalgia while recruiting a new generation.

Ubisoft seems to believe this math doesn't apply to Assassin's Creed, or that resources are better spent elsewhere. The original, released in 2007, suffers from repetitive gameplay that even longtime fans readily acknowledge. Modernizing it thoroughly would demand rework comparable to what Capcom invested in Resident Evil—a long, expensive undertaking for a studio that apparently prefers to secure its bets on already-committed productions.

Hexe: The Most Anticipated But Haziest Bet

Hexe remains the centerpiece of this strategy. Announced in 2022, the game promises to explore a Europe gripped by witch-hunt paranoia—unexplored historical terrain for the franchise. But four years after its reveal, the title remains largely silent on gameplay and release date. This prolonged quiet raises real questions about the project's actual progress and Ubisoft's ability to ship it on a timeline that aligns with the 2027 anniversary.

The studio has also suffered recent setbacks in multiplayer, notably the 2023 cancellation of Hyenas, an extraction shooter ditched before launch after internal feedback deemed it insufficient. That Ubisoft today confirms work on a new Assassin's Creed multiplayer project—without further detail—reignites legitimate skepticism. The franchise has historically never excelled outside its single-player narrative format, and past attempts to inject co-op or competitive play never found mass appeal.

This cautious messaging arrives as Ubisoft navigates financial strain marked by internal restructuring and repeated delays across several productions. In this climate, announcing a remake would have meant an additional budget commitment hard to justify to shareholders, especially with Shadows, already released, still needing to prove its revenue legs.

Ubisoft's choice signals less faith in the franchise's future than a managed retreat. Betting on Hexe and a faceless multiplayer project rather than a remake with proven returns elsewhere in the industry is a risky wager for a brand that badly needs solid footing for its twentieth anniversary. Players will wait for concrete proof before trusting this roadmap.