The next Assassin’s Creed may take the franchise into far darker territory than ever before, and it is being led by a director with serious pedigree. Benoit Richer, known for Batman: Arkham Origins and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, is at the helm of Codename Hexe, a project that has flown surprisingly under the radar.

While Assassin’s Creed Shadows is already available and rumors suggest the future of the franchise may involve a remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Ubisoft shows no intention of slowing down. Among its upcoming projects are Codename Hexe and, if development stays on track, Assassin’s Creed Jade, the open-world title set in China.

Of the two, Hexe stands out as the more unusual and daring project. The game is expected to lean heavily into horror, centering its narrative on witch hunts. This marks a notable departure from the series’ traditional themes and settings, but the choice becomes more understandable when considering who is directing the game.

Concrete details about Hexe remain scarce. Ubisoft Montreal, the studio responsible for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake, is leading development. Beyond confirmation that the game is set in the 16th century, official images and a full synopsis have yet to be revealed.

Benoit Richer Takes the Lead on Codename Hexe

Richer confirmed on his LinkedIn profile that after completing work on Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and its major expansion, Dawn of Ragnarök, he moved on to direct Codename Hexe. His career at Ubisoft began in 2003 as a designer on Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six 3, before leaving the company in 2008.

Between 2008 and 2017, Richer contributed to several projects outside Ubisoft, including Army of Two: The 40th Day. His most prominent work during that period was Batman: Arkham Origins. Although the game was developed by WB Games Montreal rather than Rocksteady, and faced criticism at launch for certain narrative and visual choices, it has since earned a strong reputation among fans of the Arkham series.

Richer later returned to Ubisoft, where he directed Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the best-selling entry in the franchise and the second best-selling title in Ubisoft’s history. Given that track record, interest in Hexe has grown steadily.

Joining him is veteran writer Darby McDevitt, who returns as narrative director after working on Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Valhalla, and co-writing Assassin’s Creed Unity alongside Cameron Labine and Russell Lees. The team aims to deliver a more linear, classic experience that openly flirts with horror. For now, the project has no release date.

Source: 3djuegos