The Assassin's Creed IV Remake Is Making Some Divisive Changes
Get ready for an Arrr-PG.
It’s safe to say that the yet-to-be-announced remake of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag is real. From details about the project’s ongoing development, the game’s main voice actor referencing its imminent reveal, and even a collectibles manufacturer admitting that “something is going on” with the game’s protagonist, it’s beyond me as to why Ubisoft hasn’t just outright confirmed its existence.
This week, another round of leaks has sailed onto the internet, this time concerning details on how the remake will differ from the 2013 fan-favorite. And based on what we now know, these gutsy changes will surely divide the fanbase whenever the game officially releases.
French gaming publication Jeux Vidéo Magazine reported some of the ways this upcoming remake will update the game in a new video translated by Video Game Chronicle. Reportedly, the new version of Black Flag will remove the game’s modern-day sections and replace them with more pirate-era missions, which Jeux Vidéo Magazine claims will amount to four hours' worth of new content. This content will include the introduction of legendary female pirate Mary Read, who was axed in the final stage of the original game’s development.
Mary Read, one of the few female pirates of the 18th century, was a side character cut from the original Black Flag.
The publication also claims that progression will be updated to align with modern Assassin’s Creed games, with RPG mechanics (presumably leveling) and a loot system replacing the more traditional action game progression. To match the game’s new structure, the map will add more activities and collectibles to remote islands scattered throughout the map. Finally, Ubisoft is rebuilding the game in its modern Anvil engine, allowing the company to update the game’s visuals and remove the original’s load times in favor of a seamless open world. The game is allegedly dropping in March 2026, according to Jeux Vidéo.
If true, this is quite a list of changes. The removal of modern sections from Black Flag further solidifies what seems to be Ubisoft’s growing disinterest in the series’ sci-fi origins. Assassin’s Creed Shadows reduced this aspect to passing references in the game’s launcher and live service elements, which was quite the choice considering both Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Mirage reintroduced new ideas on that front.
But the folding in of RPG elements is what perplexes me the most. It seems like even Ubisoft was ready to turn away from this divisive part of the series; Shadows made concessions to reduce the impact it had on stealth gameplay, and Mirage’s entire gimmick was removing it entirely. In 2022, series producer Marc-Alexis Côté even said that the next mainline game in the series, Codename Hexe, was not an RPG at all, suggesting a return to the series' roots. Shoehorning in an aspect that has already overstayed its welcome into a fan-favorite could backfire.
At last word, the next mainline Assassin’s Creed would not be an RPG.
What does get me excited is the remake’s content restoration. Assassin’s Creed has always been at its most whimsical when players are hanging out with historical figures, and using this opportunity to add in a new character is an excellent way to get players pumped for another playthrough.
Assassin’s Creed is having quite the year. After several titles that divided the fanbase, Assassin’s Creed Shadows marked a step in the right direction. Shadows had become one of 2025’s most successful titles, and this week, it received a new expansion, The Claws of Awaji, which adds a new explorable region on the map, as well as 10 hours worth of story content. That should keep fans busy until this remake finally becomes official.
