New Assassin's Creed Game March 2018 Launch Date Confirmed

May 17, 2017 08:21 AM EDT

Some game franchises happen to boast of a fantastic track record, where each title that is released continues to be a huge hit. Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed happens to fall under that particular category, where after a number of rumors and leaks, the video game publishing company has confirmed that a brand new Assassin's Creed game will be released in the existing fiscal year. In other words, fans of the game franchise would be able to look forward to a new Assassin’s Creed title between now and March 31, 2018. It would be far more realistic to look at a 2018 release as opposed to seeing this new Assassin’s Creed game arrive this year, but we would not rule out that possibility, either. A GIF was shared on Twitter, sporting the famous Assassin’s Creed logo in addition to the words, “A New Era Begins.” which should be able to send hearts a-flutter at the prospect of yet another title that will enhance the lore of the franchise. Hopefully there will be a better movie sequel, if any, compared to the first outing which bombed at the box office. As for the tweet itself, it mentioned, “Sharpen your blade. The Assassins will soon step out of the shadows…”

According to a rather strong suggestion by Ubisoft CFO Alain Martinez in an earnings conference call, the upcoming game will offer more of the same old that has enthralled gamers all through these years. However, in order to make the franchise relevant and appealing to a new generation of gamers, one will also be able to expect new features built inside. In fact, it is highly anticipated that the upcoming Assassin’s Creed game will feature a kind of live aspect to it, taking a page from the other Ubisoft-published titles such as Rainbow Six Siege and The Division. CEO Yves Guillemot did also make mention that the new game will be revealed "soon", although nothing else was shared -- including whether the franchise will make a much loved return to an annual release slate.

May 9 saw reports appearing online that point to the sequel to Assassin's Creed: Syndicate, where it should carry the title of Assassin's Creed: Origins. The game’s title itself does seem to reflect Ubisoft's intention to offer a reboot for the series, and the text as seen in the image showcased by the tweet above does lend additional credence and weight to such a rumor. After all, there was also a leak of an off-screen image that claims to be a "first look" at Origins. In that leak, it showcased a character who carries about a bow (surely this will not be some sort of Robin Hood adventure!) who is at home on a boat (or will it turn into some sort of adult-themed Zelda?). This surely brings back memories of elements found in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.

Will the new Assassin’s Creed game be set in exotic Egypt as previously rumored, or will it take place in a far more romantic setting of France? There were clues to an Egyptian backdrop, thanks to the presence of a pyramid, but back then rumor was also going around that the game would be known as Assassin's Creed: Empire. Without any kind of mainline entry in the Assassin's Creed series last year, there was a break in its “traditional” annual rollout. Perhaps this is because Ubisoft wanted to take stock of the situation while taking full advantage of new and coming technology so that the new game will not be stale when released. After all, having too much of a good thing is never good, too.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot shared further, "Since the release of Assassin's Creed Unity, we've learned a lot based on your feedback. We've also updated our development processes and recommitted to making Assassin's Creed a premier open-world franchise. We're taking [2016] to evolve the game mechanics and to make sure we're delivering on the promise of Assassin's Creed offering unique and memorable gameplay experiences that make history everyone's playground."