Everything We Know About Assassin's Creed Mirage
15th Anniversary
“Mirage’s” announcement came at the end of a long Ubisoft Forward, the second half of which was dedicated solely to “Assassin’s Creed” and its ongoing 15th anniversary. The very first game released all the way back in 2007, and “Mirage” is already being hailed by fans as a back-to-basics approach for the series. It’s going to be single-player, linear, and takes place in only one city rather than an ENTIRE country, allowing for a smaller, denser map that really feels alive. It’s definitely a relief for the fans who are still divided on the RPG-style of the newer releases, and it shows that we can have “AC” games in multiple styles and genres that co-exist. However, it’s not all good news for fans: only shortly after the showcase, Ubisoft said that the rumors of a remake of the first game are unfounded, so we won’t be seeing a return to the Holy Land and Altaïr. But “Mirage” will still be a great tribute to the fanbase and it shows that Ubisoft IS still listening to the core fans of “Assassin’s Creed” and wants to celebrate the anniversary in style. And finally, though there WAS a glitch with some online retailers that said this, Ubisoft has confirmed that “Mirage” does not contain real-life gambling or lootboxes.
Basim
Basim's Complete Origin Story | Assassin's Creed Valhalla & Mirage
As leaks suggested, the main character of “Mirage” IS going to be Basim, a character who proved to be especially intriguing throughout “Valhalla”. We discovered at the end of “Valhalla” that Basim, like Eivor and Sigurd, is another Sage, this time the reincarnation of the Isu sometimes known as Loki. We saw at the very end of “Mirage’s” reveal trailer that Basim sees some kind of entity after assassinating a target. Ubisoft revealed in a trailer breakdown that this entity is, in fact, a Djinn, better known in the western world as a genie. A Djinn is a spirit neither inherently good nor evil, they can be either or neutral, but also possess the ability to shapeshift. So, this is an interpretation of the Isu Loki through the lens of Arabic mythology rather than the Norse mythology we saw in Valhalla. We’re also going to follow Basim from his original recruitment to the Brotherhood, still known as the Hidden Ones, through to him becoming a Master Assassin. We haven’t seen an Assassin go through their training since Arno in “Unity”, and that will have been nine years ago by the time “Mirage” launches. And since Basim now seems to be taking over as the modern day protagonist, if Ubisoft continues with that plot thread at all, it makes sense that we’d revisit his early life and learn more about him.
Setting
Assassins Creed Ranked by Setting / World Map
Again, this was first suggested by leaks, but we now have it 100% confirmed that “Mirage” is going to head to Baghdad. Today, Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, and though it remains a bustling city in the Near East, it’s also been ravaged by many wars and conquests. That’s not the case for the city in the 9th century, however, when it was an intellectual powerhouse and the center of the Islamic Golden Age. It’s the first game that will be based in just one city since “Syndicate” in 2015, and that version of London was already dense and sprawling. So, we absolutely cannot wait to see a city like Baghdad tackled with the power of ninth-generation hardware behind it. It’s going to be full of people and hopefully feel more like a living, breathing city than any “AC” setting so far. Ubisoft has also teased that many historical figures will appear, as always, but we’re just as interested in how “Mirage” will tackle Arabic mythology. Again, we already saw a Djinn, but we’ll likely see many more famous stories, too. That’s because the stories in “The One Thousand and One Nights”, also known as the “Arabian Nights”, are primarily set in 9th century Baghdad. We’d also put money on Aladdin’s lamp appearing and being yet another Piece of Eden.
One of Many
Assassin's Creed Mirage VS Assassin's Creed 1
We know by now that though “Mirage” is the next “Assassin’s Creed” we’ll get our hands on, it’s not the only one on the horizon. “Valhalla” is set to wrap up its story very soon with one final piece of DLC, so the completionists can finally be free from it, but we’ve also been teased the very first settings in “Assassin’s Creed Infinity”. “Infinity” is the live-service “platform” said to be the “hub” of future “Assassin’s Creed” “experiences”, as Ubisoft describes it. But it’s still going to have settings and campaigns, and one of those settings is something fans have wanted for years: feudal Japan. Yes, “Assassin’s Creed Codename: Red” is finally going to Japan, and though we don’t yet have the final title or a release window, we’re very excited. It’s also going to China again, a setting so far only explored in “AC Chronicles”, in “Codename: Jade”, coming to mobile platforms soon. More interesting is “Hexe”, which looks to be a horror game that may continue to dwell in “Valhalla’s” UK setting, visiting paganism and druids again – though, it could just as easily go back to America during the time of the witch trials in New England in the 17th century. And finally, Ubisoft has made a deal with Netflix both for exclusive games and for a live-action series; only time will tell how those turn out.
Release Date
EVERY Upcoming Assassin's Creed Release To Get Excited About
The big question, though, is when will “Mirage” release? Well, Ubisoft so far hasn’t put out a date, and has only said that “Mirage” will be available at some point in 2023. It seems odd that they’d release “Mirage” in Q1, as “Assassin’s Creed” has pretty much always been released in Q4, so we could still be more than a year from release. Then again, maybe they’ll break with that trend and release “Mirage” early so that they’re not releasing so many competing “AC” games in the same month of the year – staggering the releases over the ENTIRE year definitely makes sense when you consider this. You can, however, already pre-order it, which would seem promising if big publishers didn’t have a habit of making products available for pre-order LONG before they ever see the light of day. The collector’s edition is also available for pre-order featuring a statue of Basim. But if that’s not enough for you, Ubisoft is also releasing a ton of 15th anniversary merch for the series, including new statues of the most popular Assassins, though they’ll run you about $900 each.
