Desmond’s departure in Assassin’s Creed 3 left a mark on the series, and Ubisoft plans to address it with Shadows.

If you’ve been following the Assassin’s Creed saga since 2013, you may have noticed Ubisoft’s diminishing interest in maintaining a coherent modern-day storyline. While they tried to expand Abstergo and Assassin lore in the present day, the departure of Desmond after the third installment made it challenging for the developers to maintain a clear narrative direction. According to Marc-Alexis Coté, the head of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, this change significantly impacted the series’ storytelling.

Spoiler Warning: This article may contain references to Assassin’s Creed story elements.

At a recent BAFTA event in London, Assassin’s Creed franchise director Marc-Alexis Coté discussed the difficulty of keeping a consistent modern narrative after the death of Desmond Miles, the central figure who tied together the earlier games. Desmond, who met his end in Assassin’s Creed 3, was deeply involved in the franchise’s modern conflict, drawing players into the quest for powerful artifacts known as the Apples of Eden.

Coté explained that after Desmond’s exit, the franchise struggled to maintain a consistent present-day narrative—first with no central protagonist, and later with Layla Hassan taking on the role. However, the frequency of releases and the rotation of creative teams led to an inconsistent and predictable modern narrative. “The constant search for Isu artifacts simplified the story to a magical relic hunt, overshadowing the central Templar and Assassin conflict,” Coté noted.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows seeks to restore the modern story’s depth

With the upcoming release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Coté shared that Ubisoft plans to reestablish the balance between the historical and modern narratives, utilizing a unified launch platform to seamlessly connect the two storylines. “We want history to take center stage again, with the modern storyline supporting the historical journey, not overshadowing it,” he stated. In this new direction, the modern storyline will explore themes of memory, identity, and how the past influences the present, while tackling contemporary issues like freedom versus control and the power of knowledge.

The series aims to renew its appeal by once again highlighting the contrast between past and present. Coté mentioned that Assassin’s Creed Shadows will lay the groundwork for this narrative evolution, which he anticipates will unfold over the coming years. While Ubisoft hasn’t revealed all the details of this new direction, fans are intrigued by the potential return of a strong modern narrative, reminiscent of the days when Desmond Miles connected the franchise’s historical adventures.

Source: 3djuegos