Ubisoft canceled a game in the Assassin’s Creed series. It was supposed to be too controversial and too political

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I just read on Game File that Ubisoft quietly canceled another Assassin’s Creed game! Apparently, it was going to be set during the American Civil War and the time right after, during Reconstruction. It’s a shame – that setting sounded really interesting!

Concerns about controversy

Game File spoke with five people who currently or previously worked at the company. They said the project was cancelled in the summer of 2024, in part because of the reaction to Yasuke, the Black samurai character in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. However, the main reason for the cancellation was worry about the political climate in the United States.

I was really excited about this canceled game – it had such a powerful story! It would have followed a former slave who headed west to start over, and then, incredibly, he gets recruited by the Assassins. He’d actually go *back* to the South to fight for what’s right, taking on the Ku Klux Klan, which is still around today – a truly awful and racist group. It felt like a really important story to tell.

The project was still in early development – years away from release – but progress was being made. Ubisoft staff reportedly loved working on it, and some thought it could even have a positive effect on society.

Although the project was originally approved, management eventually decided it was too risky due to its controversial nature, and this upset some employees. One employee described it as being overly involved in politics within a volatile country.

I was disappointed, but expected, by management’s decision. They seem to prioritize maintaining the current situation and are increasingly avoiding any risks, even when it comes to new ideas.

Another Assassin’s Creed set in America was the third installment released in 2012.

The canceled game was primarily set during the Reconstruction era, a time when the country was trying to rebuild after the Civil War. This involved giving citizenship to formerly enslaved people and bringing the Confederate states back into the Union. This period was marked by significant conflict and ultimately led to the Jim Crow laws, which enforced segregation through legal means.

It’s understandable why this issue is sensitive for many people in the US, and Ubisoft’s leaders wanted to steer clear of more problems. This is particularly true because the company has consistently said it stays out of politics, and Yves Guillemot explained in September 2024 that their games aren’t meant to promote any particular viewpoint.

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2025-10-09 15:03