Ubisoft hasn’t yet revealed too many official details on Assassin’s Creed Codename Red (including a final title), the next mainline series in the company’s flagship franchise, though new information on the title continues to emerge through leaks. A new report published by Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson has shed further light on the game.
Reportedly, Codename Red is set kickstart a new development pipeline for the franchise, thanks to an upgraded version of the Anvil engine (which has been used by Assassin’s Creed since its inception), dubbed Anvil Pipeline. In its upgraded form, the engine will allow all studios working on the franchise to “work from one unified branch.” The new engine will also see future instalments making use of ray-traced global illuminations and virtual geometry.
On the gameplay front, one of the key elements of the experience is going to be base-building, the report claims. Described as a “major evolution” of the Settlement building system in 2020’s Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Codename Red will see players building and expanding a settlement known as the Hideout, which will entail being able to build different buildings at spots of your choosing, customizing each building’s interiors and exteriors, and more.
Meanwhile, thanks to the new engine, Assassin’s Creed Codename Red is also allegedly overhauling a number of its core components, including animations and the parkour system, while also implementing a new, dynamic day/night system. On the combat front, as per Henderson’s report, the game will build on Valhalla’s mechanic, but also introduce a heavier emphasis on gore, including decapacitations.
The report adds that the game will be unveiled “in the coming months”. Previous reports have claimed that an announcement is scheduled for May, with release planned for late 2024. Last month, Ubisoft said the game would be out before April 2025.
As per past reports, Assassin’s Creed Codename Red, which is set in feudal Japan, will feature two playable protagonists – shinobi and a samurai – and introduce a greater focus on stealth mechanics inspired by the Splinter Cell and Hitman franchises. The game will also kickstart the series’ live service hub, Assassin’s Creed Infinity.