An extensive leak by French YouTuber j0nathan gives us some idea of what to expect for the next installment of the stealth franchise. To add further credence to the leak, Bloomberg’s resident video game reporter, Jason Schreir, has corroborated its content. Apparently, the newest title for the game franchise is named Assassin’s Creed Mirage. The leak claims that it will be set in 9th century Baghdad around the time of the Anarchy of Samarra.
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) August 30, 2022 Mirage will put players in the shoes of a younger Basim Ibn Ishaq, way before his time with the Hidden Ones. Gameplay-wise, the game will take inspiration from the original Assassin’s Creed game, bringing the series back to its stealth-action roots. This is very much in line with the earlier rumors about the next Assassin’s Creed game.
Who is Basim Ibn Ishaq?
Basim is a central character and antagonist for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. He was born in 9th century Baghdad and eventually become a member of Hidden Ones, the first incarnation of the Assassins. Basim met the protagonist Eivor Varinsdottir in England and became her mentor through the game. Towards the end of the game, Basim became aware that he is a reincarnation of the Norse God Loki and started to seek revenge against Eivor who was a reincarnated Odin. In the end, Eivor defeated Basim but he survived to the present day through an ancient Isu computer. He managed to escape the computer and regain his body in the 21st century.
From an open-world RPG back to a more stealth-focused title
Assassin’s Creed Mirage will reportedly do away with all the leveling and character dialogue choices. Also, in terms of setting, the game will have multiple cities separated by rivers and deserts. If it sounds like the original game, well, that’s the point. The 2007 title let players go to and explore several cities such as Jerusalem, Acre, and Damascus. The Eagle Vision will also return to the game. This will give players a bird’s eye view of an area and plan assassinations better.
What’s next for Assassin’s Creed?
Assassin’s Creed Mirage will mark the return of the action stealth game that OG fans missed following the introduction of other RPG systems introduced in more recent titles. The leak suggests that a remake of the original Assassin’s Creed will be based on the game assets of Mirage. Having simpler game mechanics will help Mirage and the reboot of Assassin’s Creed focus more on the story and action elements of the game. Removing dialogue choices will also allow the developers to focus on cinematic cutscenes to enhance the gameplay experience. Assassin’s Creed Mirage will reportedly be announced on September 10, 2022.