TheAssassin’s Creedfranchise is one of the biggest open-world series on the market right now, and Ubisoft has some big plans for its future. The studio is set to launch thenext mainline titleAssassin’s Creed Miragelater this year, the mobile titleAssassin’s Creed Codename Jade, two brand-new experiences codenamedRedandHexe, and an innovative new platform calledAssassin’s Creed Infinity. Along with all of that, Ubisoft also plans to bring the franchise to VR withAssassin’s Creed Nexus VRthis year. That is a lot ofAssassin’s Creedto look forward to, but the studio may have already fumbled one of these titles.
At the latest Ubisoft Forward, the studio revealed whatAssassin’s Creed Nexus VRwill look like, and the concept seems like a strange choice. Players will assume control of three iconic Assassins through a unique VR experience, but it is not what fans would expect. While theAssassin’s Creedfranchise already has an immersive augmented reality system built into its lore, Ubisoft chose to go in a completely different direction with this title. It could have played right into the franchise’s history, but instead it avoided it, and that may have been a missed opportunity.
RELATED:Why Parkour is Super Important for Assassin’s Creed Mirage
Assassin’s Creed Nexus Could Have Been So Much More
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VRwill be bringing players on a brand-new adventure throughout history when it launches later this year. In typicalAssassin’s Creedfashion, Abstergo Industries will be tasking players with uncovering new mysterious artifacts by exploring the stories of their ancestors.
This title will not feature a brand-new unique Assassin, but instead it will put players in control of three iconicAssassin’s Creedprotagonists.The story will see them reunite with Ezio, Kassandra, and Connor, but this time they will actually feel like those characters. It is supposed to have almost everything players would expect from a mainlineAssassin’s Creedtitle, but with a VR twist.
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VRcould be a really cool spin-off, but it also feels like a strange choice. The focal point of theAssassin’s Creedfranchise has always beenAbstergo’s powerful Animus machine. This device lets characters like Desmond Miles and Lylan Hassan explore the stories of their ancestors to uncover artifacts that should save the present. While the franchise has moved away from that core concept a bit recently, the Animus still plays a very important role in the main story. The series could not exist without it, and the concept could have shined on the Meta Quest.
While the Animus is much more advanced thanAssassin’s Creed Nexus VRwill be, it is still a very similar concept. Players will take a trip back in time, step into the shoes of an assassin, and view the world as if they were that person. This is the same thing thatcharacters like Desmond Milesdo in the mainline series, albeit with a bit more immersion. The VR space would not be able to replicate the Animus completely, but it still should have formed the backbone of this VR experience. The concept was sitting there waiting to be tapped, but for some reason, Ubisoft chose to take it in a different direction.
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VRshould have just been calledAssassin’s Creed Animusand could have explored even more Assassins throughout history. Ubisoft could have made players feel like they were entering the fictional machine, and then given them a choice on who they assumed control of. It could have beenvirtually indistinguishable from the real Animusand would have led to a very immersive experience for fans of the franchise. While the studio may add more assassins as the years go by, its current form pales in comparison to what it could have been with the Animus at its side.
Assassin’s Creed NexusVRwill be available in 2023 for Meta Quest.
MORE:Future Assassin’s Creed Titles May Be Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place
