After facing several challenging years, Ubisoft has experienced a significant resurgence with the success of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. This positive momentum was further underscored by the announcement of a new subsidiary formed in collaboration with Tencent, dedicated to revitalizing franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. While Assassin’s Creed Shadows stands as one of the most notable entries in recent times, it still lacks a feature that long-time fans have sorely missed for over a decade.
This missing element is the remarkable multiplayer PvP experience that was a hallmark of games from Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood through to Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag. Regarded as the pinnacle of multiplayer in stealth gaming, this mode has been absent since the release of Assassin’s Creed Unity. Notably, the absence of PvP has persisted even into upcoming DLC expansions, including Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Claws of Awaji. However, recent communications from Ubisoft suggest that the potential for a PvP resurgence has never been greater.
The Mastery of Assassin’s Creed Multiplayer
Exceptional PvP Design
For those who haven’t experienced it, the multiplayer component of Assassin’s Creed functioned with an elegant simplicity. Players would enter a shared map, armed with the objective of eliminating assigned targets, all while navigating through crowds and keeping an eye on their surroundings to evade assassins. The scoring system rewarded creative kills, elevating the intensity as players strategized to outmaneuver their opponents for the highest score.
The thrill of high-stakes chases on both ground and rooftop added an exhilarating edge, and the chaos of simultaneous kills in narrow spaces heightening the excitement. Moreover, the dynamic gameplay meant that the leading player was often targeted by others, effectively increasing the competition’s intensity.
Regardless of the day of the week, a multiplayer session within Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, Revelations, 3, or 4 was bound to deliver an unforgettable experience. This multiplayer PvP left an indelible mark as a standout feature in stealth games, surpassing even other renowned titles like Splinter Cell: Blacklist and Chaos Theory, despite only thriving for three short years.
The Demise of Assassin’s Creed PvP
Unmet Expectations for Co-op Modes
With the introduction of Assassin’s Creed Unity, the cherished PvP mode was replaced by co-op gameplay. Unfortunately, this transition did not resonate with the wider fanbase, leading Ubisoft to abandon this approach in subsequent titles. Curiously, despite the popularity of the original PvP format, it has remained dormant for the past ten years, leaving Assassin’s Creed primarily a single-player experience.
Despite achieving commercial and critical acclaim post-updates, Ubisoft had a more significant impact on its multiplayer legacy. Recently, associated servers for many older titles from the Xbox 360 and PS3 generations, such as Ghost Recon: Future Soldier and Splinter Cell: Conviction, have been shut down. The most distressing losses included the online capabilities of Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, Revelations, and 3, leaving no opportunity for offline play of these classic modes. Currently, only Assassin’s Creed 4 maintains its online presence, though it’s not celebrated as the pinnacle of the series.
A Glimmer of Hope for Multiplayer Revival
Exciting New Multiplayer Horizons
The establishment of Ubisoft’s new subsidiary, as articulated in a recent press release, signifies a potential shift in focus. The official communication emphasized an intention to both enhance narrative-driven single-player experiences and expand multiplayer gaming options, potentially offering more frequent content updates and social features.
Backed by greater investment and boosted creative capacities, it will drive further increases in quality of narrative solo experiences, expand multiplayer offerings with increased frequency of content release, introduce free-to-play touchpoints, and integrate more social features.
This statement undeniably suggests a return to multiplayer experiences, with a specific mention of titles like Rainbow Six, Far Cry, and potentially, Assassin’s Creed. A reimagined PvP multiplayer experience that captures the best elements of Brotherhood, Revelations, 3, and 4 could carve out a place in the top echelon of Assassin’s Creed games. Given the loss of the classic multiplayer modes, the development of a new multiplayer Assassin’s Creed is not just a possibility but a necessity.
Sources: LetsPlay/YouTube, Ubisoft