The Fantastic Four: First Steps star Ralph Ineson has called out Ubisoft for reportedly canceling an Assassin’s Creed installment set in the post-Civil War era. Ineson is no stranger to the AC franchise, as he played Edward Kenway’s ally, pirate Charles Vane, in one of the most revered entries in the series, Black Flag.
In response to the report, Ineson took to X to share, “Once again, f–k off” after initially calling out AI character Tilly Norwood.
Once again, fuck off https://t.co/kidkOjOZYd
Interestingly, Black Flag‘s DLC, Freedom Cry, featured Adéwalé, a former slave, as the protagonist, which makes Ubisoft’s decision to backtrack on the concept all the more baffling.
Ubisoft Reportedly Canned Post-Civil War Assassin’s Creed Over Backlash Fear
Game File reported that the AC project was canceled due to the current political climate in the USA, especially after the reception to Yasuke in Shadows. Anonymous developers claimed they weren’t allowed to speak about the canned game, which would’ve taken place in the Reconstruction period (1860s and 1870s).
Developers were reportedly frustrated by Ubisoft’s decision to cancel the game over concerns regarding another controversy. The game would’ve followed a former slave, recruited by the Brotherhood to confront the emergence of the Ku Klux Klan in the South.
The anonymous sources cited that the backlash surrounding Yasuke, even though the series is notable for taking liberties with its historical figures, and the intense political climate pushed Ubisoft execs to put the kibosh on it.
Too political in a country too unstable, to make it short.
Considering fans have been imploring for the series to return to its roots after years of an RPG-led direction, which has amounted to significant bloat instead of a streamlined narrative, the canned game could’ve scratched that itch.
The Canceled Assassin’s Creed Could’ve Marked a Return to the Series’ Roots
While Ubisoft isn’t exactly renowned for its excellence in storytelling, an AC game including a former slave who takes on the KKK sounds badass on paper. Moreover, a tightly-packed city would be a welcome after years of unreasonably large and exhausting open-worlds, at least when it comes to the mainline entries in the series.
Freedom Cry, which was later released as a standalone game, was revered for its themes, and expanding on that same foundation would’ve certainly helped bring the franchise into the good graces of the community.
Although Ubisoft has remained tight-lipped on the situation, if these reports are indeed true about the execs being fearful of making a game about an assassin taking on the KKK over political reasons, Ineson’s response is deserved. Hopefully, the backlash from fans over the reported cancelation would push Ubisoft to reconsider, but that’s probably more wishful thinking than a realistic expectation.
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