Assassin’s Creed’s overarching modern-day storylines have become an increasingly divisive part of the franchise. From the early days of the series starring Desmond Miles, to the instalments that saw players playing as faceless and nameless personalities in first-person modern-day segments, to the stories surrounding Layla Hassan in the Origins trilogy, Assassin’s Creed has tried to tackle its modern-day plotlines in many different ways, but more often than not, it has failed to do it with any meaningful success (with the exception of its earliest games, perhaps).
With the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows, however, Ubisoft is looking to reset the series’ modern-day stories and set things up for a new direction going forward. That’s as per franchise director Marc-Alexis Coté, who, while speaking at a recent BAFTA event in London, touched on the Assassin’s Creed series’ struggle to maintain interest in its modern-day stories.
“When the Assassin’s Creed franchise was created, it introduced a bold and innovative narrative structure, a modern day story arc centred around Desmond that was intertwined with historical adventures,” he said (via Eurogamer). “Desmond’s journey was at the heart of the modern day conflict driving the search for powerful Isu artefacts – Pieces of Eden – that could change the course of history. However, with his death at the end of Assassin’s Creed 3, we faced a creative crossroads.
“Ending Desmond’s arc was a difficult decision, and afterward, the modern storyline struggled to find its footing.”
Speaking about the Assassin’s Creed games that followed and their attempts at picking up the pieces of the Desmond storyline, Coté added, “The continued focus on characters hunting for Isu artefacts made the narrative more predictable, and reduced the conflict between Templars and Assassins to a straightforward pursuit of control over – let’s be honest – magical relics. This shift pulled focus away from what had always been at the heart of the franchise: exploring our history.
“As this approach became repetitive, both players and critics felt the modern day storyline had become a secondary concern, more of a side-quest, rather than an integral part of the overall experience. Furthermore, the compounded complexity of 15 years of lore built in this parallel storyline created a cognitive load that made the franchise difficult to approach for newcomers.”
According to Coté, however, going forward, Assassin’s Creed’s modern stories will serve to “enhance” each game’s historical plotlines rather than “overshadow” them, while also looking to zero in on the themes that they were originally intended for when the franchise started out, with a renewed focus on “themes of memory, identity, and autonomy”. That new direction will be defined by the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows, as per Coté.
“As we move forward, our goal is to put history back at the centre of the players’ experience,” he said. “The modern day narrative will serve to enhance, rather than overshadow, the historical journey. By drawing meaningful contrast between past and present, we aim to restore the balance that was once the hallmark of the franchise.
“The modern day storyline will explore deeper themes of memory, identity and autonomy, how the past shapes who we are, and how controlling this past can impact our future. These themes will allow us to reflect on contemporary issues: freedom versus control, the power of knowledge and the tension between individuality and conformity, all through the lens of history.
“The groundwork for this new direction will take shape with Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which will lay the foundation for this narrative evolution that will grow in the years to come.”
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is due out on February 14, 2025 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
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