This fall, fans will get the next big adventure in theAssassin’s Creedseries withAssassin’s Creed Valhalla. While bothOriginsandOdysseyreleased annually in 2017 and 2018 respectively, the series is honoring its promise to routinely keeping the franchise fresh without constantly iterating for the sake of making more games. This brings into question whether or notValhalla’s release will continue that same trend with another game in 2021. There is a potential gap in the 2021-2022 fiscal year where anAssassin’s Creedgame could fit into Ubisoft’s lineup, but whether it should or not is an entirely different beast altogether.
At the same time, assuming there is another title in Ubisoft’s flagship franchise on the way, fans would’ve presumably found out about it already. It’s no secret that Ubisoft titles are prone to leaks, though there haven’t been any prominentAssassin’s Creedinfo drops for next year’s game yet. For context, fans knew aboutValhalla(AKARagnarokorKingdom) as early as April 2019 before the game was confirmed a full year later. It may be too early at the moment, but there’s the possibilityAssassin’s Creedmay take next year off to develop a new title specifically for the next-gen consoles.
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A Perfect Gap for Assassin’s Creed Next Year
The main theory is based on the forthcoming fiscal year for Ubisoft, based on some of the big games from the 2020-2021 year so far. The second half of Ubisoft’s current fiscal year is going to be jam-packed with some of the publisher’s biggest franchises. Starting withWatch Dogs: LegionandAssassin’s Creed Valhalla, and presumablyGods & Monsters, Ubisoft’s upcoming portfolio has several high profile game releases coming. Then in the spring, there’sFar Cry6and presumablyRainbow Six Quarantine. The 2020-2021 fiscal year for Ubisoft is so heavily backloaded mainly because of disappointing releases from bothThe Division 2andGhost Recon Breakpoint.
As a result, the next fiscal year for Ubisoft doesn’t really have too many options for established franchises for the publisher. The only theoretically possible releases fans already know about for the 2021-2022 fiscal year would be forSkull & BonesandBeyond Good & Evil 2. Both games aren’t solid bets, consideringSkull & Bonesis a brand new franchise based on a popularAssassin’s Creedgame, andBeyond Good & Evil 2is the sequel to a cult classic game with big expectations. Yet, it would make sense to place anAssassin’s Creedgame in the lineup to bolster those games whose sales projections aren’t definitive.
Not to mention, it would be the first non-cross-genAssassin’s Creedthat’s likely already been in development for a while.Assassin’s Creed Valhallahas also been in development for a few years, considering it’s releasing for PS4/Xbox One as well as PS5/Xbox Series X. ConsideringOriginsandOdysseyreleased within a year of each other,Valhallacould replicate this with anotherAssassin’s Creedentry.
Shorter Turnover for Another Assassin’s Creed Entry
On the other hand, that could be the reason whyAssassin’s Creedmay not have another annual release afterValhalla. In a lot of ways,Valhalladoes share a lot of similarities withOdysseyandOriginsbefore it. Generally, when there’s been a break in the annual releases ofAssassin’s Creed, there’s been significant changes to the foundation of the franchise.Originscompared toSyndicatewas a vastly different game, taking on moreWitcher-like RPG mechanics in a serious shift for the franchise.Assassin’s Creed Valhallaadmittedly is far similar toOdyssey, without much mechanically differentiating the two.
While that lull could’ve been in service to developing a truly next-gen 2021 release, there’s the possibility thatAssassin’s Creedcould take 2021 off as well. IfanotherAssassin’s Creedgame has been in development for PS5/Xbox Series X, it’s likely going to be a while. EveryAssassin’s Creedgame to come after a next-gen console upgrade has moved to a new game engine, likeUnityafterBlack Flag. That could potentially still ring true for the next game afterAssassin’s Creed Valhalla, but that would mean a short turnover time for another entry in the series. Not to mention the pandemic may have an effect on development time as well. Plus, considering there haven’t been any significant leaks like usual with Ubisoft, the series may skip 2021.
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Another Annual Release for Assassin’s Creed?
It’s hard to pinpoint which is the most likely scenario in this case. Inaugural next-genAssassin’s Creedgames have had yearly turnover in the past withUnity, but for those who remember the state that game released in, the annual cycle hasn’t always been kind to the series. Then again, withOriginsandOdysseyreleasing annually, both games saw great success in a new engine.Assassin’s Creed Valhallacould receive a follow-up title next year, but that would mean another two games without the usual graphical and mechanical revamp at the beginning of the generation.
Either way,Assassin’s Creedis on a solid trajectory at the moment.Assassin’s Creed OriginsandOdysseyare some of the most successful entries in the franchise to date, andValhallais a direct reflection of that success. Whether or not that affects the nextAssassin’s Creedis unclear for now, butAssassin’s Creed Valhallashould fulfill fans' desires until the next evolution.
Assassin’s Creed Valhallareleases November 17, for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One. PS5 and Xbox Series X versions to follow.
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