With a storyline in 9th century Baghdad, the latest ‘Assassin's Creed’ game is set to be a return to the franchise's roots, Ubisoft says. — Ubisoft/dpa
BERLIN: The open-world video game series Assassin's Creed is set to release its next major title in 2023, and it will be mainly set in 9th century Baghdad, the makers have revealed.
Assassin's Creed Mirage will be a prequel to Valhalla, also revolving around the character and assassin Basim Ibn Ishaq, Ubisoft says.
The new release will also return the franchise to its roots, with a stronger focus on assassinations, stealth and parcour, the makers say.
After adventures with Viking raiders in England and warriors in ancient Greece, designers have now shifted their focus to Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age.
A first-glimpse trailer, which has already clocked up two million views on YouTube, shows our assassin in sword fights on Baghdad markets and aided by his trusty eagle up above.
"In the ninth century CE, Baghdad is at its height, leading the world in science, art, innovation, and commerce," Ubisoft tells us. Players will also have access to Alamut, the fortress headquarters of the Hidden Ones, which is still under construction in Mirage.
Assassin's Creed Mirage is set to be released in 2023 for the Xbox, PlayStation and PC. Depending on the edition, prices start at €49.99/US$49.99 (RM169 in Malaysia).
Ubisoft also announced further treats for fans of the franchise, including a mobile-only game called Codename Jade, set in Ancient China.
Meanwhile, the next main game after Mirage – Codename Red – will take players to Japan.
The developers also released a brief teaser for another project in the pipeline, Codename HEXE – which is German for “witch”. The game is suspected of revolving around Europe's witch trials, but Ubisoft's trailer revealed next to nothing about the planned game.
“We work in the dark... That's all we can say for now about Assassin's Creed Codename HEXE,” it said on Twitter. – dpa
