You Won't Believe What Assassin's Creed Almost Was

In the realm of Assassin’s Creed, a hidden element that could have reshaped the series’ past has been lurking in the shadows all along. Over the years, Ubisoft has invited players into the Assassin’s Creed universe, whether through engaging gameplay or cinematic movie experiences. For almost two decades, the franchise has dabbled with innovative approaches to gameplay.

The upcoming release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows sparks curiosity about how two characters can be skillfully woven into the game to create a harmonious experience. This question arises because past Assassin’s Creed (AC) games have made attempts at multiplayer experiences, with varying success. Although we may attribute this trend to the surge in cooperative gaming during that period, it is interesting to note that the original Assassin’s Creed was initially designed as a cooperative game back in 2007.

Prior to investigating this matter with the Animus, it’s worth noting that the information originates from Julien Merceron, a former technical director at Ubisoft. During an Assassin’s Creed presentation held in 2015 at the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie in Paris, Merceron disclosed that a multiplayer mode was incorporated into the initial game during the development phase. This mode advanced significantly in the production process, but Ubisoft ultimately decided to scrap it prior to release.

Additionally, Merceron disclosed an interesting fact: when Assassin’s Creed initially launched, certain initial copies contained remnants of the multiplayer mode coded within. This programming glitch manifested as a second assassin appearing on-screen whenever another controller was connected to the console. This unexpected occurrence not only hinted at local cooperative play being a potential feature for Assassin’s Creed, but also underscored the developers’ desire to incorporate multiplayer elements into the series.

Eventually, Ubisoft introduced traditional multiplayer elements to games like Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, Assassin’s Creed Revelations, Assassin’s Creed III, and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, which could be played via the “Wanted” mode. Although additional modes were added to the multiplayer experience, it wasn’t until Assassin’s Creed Unity that co-op was integrated into the main storyline. Given their reputation for single-player narratives, this shift was somewhat surprising to some players due to the game’s online component experiencing issues with glitches and bugs at launch. It’s intriguing to consider that Ubisoft had considered adding this aspect to earlier games, as the concept of interactive cooperative play was gaining traction among gaming companies around the time Assassin’s Creed was first launched.

It’s uncertain whether multiplayer will return to the Assassin’s Creed franchise, given its emphasis on single-player narratives. However, there’s always a chance. The idea of the original Assassin’s Creed being a cooperative game is both exciting and melancholic, as it would have been intriguing to explore how multiplayer could fit into the storyline.

2025-03-22 21:09

You Won’t Believe What Assassin’s Creed Almost Was

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