Ubisoft cancels civil war-era Assassin's Creed game, here's why

Ubisoft has reportedly canceled the planned instalment of its flagship franchise, Assassin’s Creed, the game which was set during the US civil war and reconstruction era over political backlash in today’s climate. As reported by Game File , the game was in early concept stages and would have featured a formerly enslaved Black protagonist who joins the Assassin Brotherhood and confronts the Ku Klux Klan in the post-war South. The storyline is designed to explore themes of racial violence , citizenship rights and the reintegration of Confederate states — topics that developers believed could make a powerful social impact.

Too political for today’s climate?
As per the report by Game File, Ubisoft insiders said that while the project initially had green light it was later shelved due to fears of the subject matters which depicts supremacist white groups. The company feels that this subject may start a controversy in the current rising political tensions in the US. Talking on the matter, one source told Game File, “Too political in a country too unstable.” The cancellation of Assassin’s Creed also faced backlash over the inclusion of Yasuke, a Black samurai, in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which drew criticism from some gamers despite Yasuke being a real historical figure.

A missed opportunity
According to the report, the game never went beyond the concept but the developers were enthusiastic about its potential. Some see this cancellation as Ubisoft backing away from meaningful storytelling in favour of safer narratives. “It’s a shame,” one developer said anonymously. “We had a chance to tell a story that mattered.”

However, Ubisoft has not yet officially commented on the report, but this decision has started the debate over the role of politics in gaming.