Ever since its initial release, which was all the way back in 2007, Ubisoft has taken the Assassin’s Creed franchise and its players to all kinds of places. Usually, the developer released a new mainline game for the series every year, with the exceptions of 2016 and 2019. Since Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the latest entry, was launched last year, this has led fans to believe the next game to follow will release some time in 2022.
If you base on the previous games, Assassin’s Creed titles are usually set in locations that offer a rich narrative, especially places with incredible history, political strife, and lore. So far, fans have been taken to a variety of places, from the Caribbean to ancient Egypt, and more. Assassin’s Creed games are incredibly immersive, and offer players with an authentic piece of history, allowing them to learn more about others’ cultures.
The latest installment sent fans back to Europe, during the time of the Vikings. Now, fans of the franchise can’t help but wonder where the next game is going to take place. There are thankfully still a handful of potential locations that fit the criteria.
India
It would make sense for Ubisoft to choose India for the next Assassin’s Creed game. After all, you’ll find one of the oldest civilizations in this country. There are several centuries that would offer interesting gameplay and plot too. If set in the 5th century—the Golden Age of India—players could explore the Gupta Empire. If in the 9th century, players might get to meet the famous mathematician, Mahāvīra, as they traverse and do a variety of quests in southern India.
To make things even more interesting, players might even get to do quests wherein they must find the legendary rainbow fish that swallowed none other than Buddha. Needless to say that India is not lacking in interesting history, and would be a perfect fit for an Assassin’s Creed game.
Mesoamerica
The pre-Hispanic peoples of both Central and South America didn’t really leave a lot of written information, so we’re not completely sure what took place during most of early Mesoamerican life. However, the few details that we do know are quite intriguing and would make for a great story.
Mesoamerica is ripe with interesting areas that would no doubt look incredible in an Assassin’s Creed game. Imagine this: the main protagonist exploring the walled city of Tulum or perhaps Chichen Itza. It would be easy to incorporate mythology into the game’s narrative as well, similar to Assassin’s Creed Odyssey or Assassin’s Creed Origins and how they were able to implement this into their respective lore.
It would be excellent if Ubisoft could add the Mesoamerican ball game into the mix as some kind of mini-game. If not, it would be interesting to see an Assassin’s Creed game try to explain why 2012 is so significant in the Mayan calendar.
Russia
If players want a location that’s full of intrigue and drama, imperial Russia’s Grigori Rasputin and the Romanov family would definitely tick the box. As such, this would definitely be a great potential location and time period for the next Assassin’s Creed. There’s political intrigue, significant changes to how society works, and there might even be some supernatural elements in the mix.
There are so many possibilities story-wise, especially if Anastasia Romanov played the role of a main character or even as the player character. Perhaps she was able to escape execution and later on joined the Assassins and their constant fight against the Templars.
Ireland
We can’t make a list about compelling history and lore without adding Ireland, of course. Ancient Ireland has a mythology so rich that we’re quite surprised that Ubisoft hasn’t developed an Assassin’s Creed game yet that’s set there. From the legendary land of Tír na nÓg to the mythological fairy-like race called aes sídhe, there’s so much lore that players can immerse themselves in.
Besides, Ireland’s megaliths would be great places to explore for a mission or quest. And even though the Celtic invasion during the 5th century BCE is something that many historians argue and debate about, it’s a potential plot point that would fit well in this franchise.
Polynesia
For fans who like the sailing aspects of Assassin’s Creed titles, they may want the next game to be set somewhere like Polynesia. The game could take players back to either the 9th or 10th century, where the main protagonist could be a wayfinder. With the help of the stars’ guidance, players will be able to sail to different islands and interact with the various people and cultures there.
Perhaps Ubisoft could add in Polynesian lore as well, so that Assassin’s Creed players will be able to experience a completely different side of Maui.
Japan
Japan is one of the most obvious choices out there, but it may be just too obvious for Ubisoft. In fact, Assassin’s Creed 3 creative director Alex Hutchinson said back in 2012 that he finds the players’ suggestions to be boring. Namely, “WWII, feudal Japan and Egypt” were the “most wanted” Assassin’s Creed locations. To Hutchinson, however, “they’re kind of the three worst settings for an AC game.”
Of course, the release of Assassin’s Creed Origins proved him wrong, since a major plot point of this entry takes place in Egypt. To spice things up, why not choose a time period in Japan other than feudal Japan? An era that not only had samurai, but incredible conflict in both society and the government. These are two factors that would work extremely well in Assassin’s Creed.
For instance, there’s the Meiji Restoration from the 1860s, which was a significant time where the Shogunate ruling system was abolished. This greatly changed the role of samurais, downgrading them into administrative roles. Not only that, their customs and weapons were even prohibited.
If turned into an Assassin’s Creed game, it would be interested to see the main protagonist—who takes on the role of a samurai—fight and resist against the government who has been manipulated by the Templars.
One thing that fans really love about Assassin’s Creed and the franchise as a whole is how versatile it is, and how one can really immerse themselves in the games’ narrative. These are only theories for now, and all we can do is wait for Ubisoft to reveal more information.
