The next Assassin's Creed game is rumored to be set in Baghdad, sending Ubisoft's cunning action series back to the Middle East for the first time since its first installment in 2007.
That's according to investigative journalist Jason Schreier, who said the next Assassin's Creed title, codenamed Rift and believed to be a spin-off game, will be set in the Iraqi capital. Schreier revealed the game's setting in a Reddit post (opens in a new tab), dismissing the rumor that it was set in central Mexico during the Aztec Empire.
The rumor matches what is already known about Rift. The game is set to introduce Basim, a character first introduced in Assassin's Creed Valhalla who, according to in-game lore, was born in the Abbasid Caliphate. The capital of this caliphate was Baghdad. Although Ubisoft has yet to officially reveal Rift, rumors suggest that it will be a smaller, stealth-focused series entry.
Schreier went on to suggest that Rift will release before Assassin's Creed Infinity, an upcoming live service game that has been acknowledged but has yet to be officially revealed. Infinity is set to serve as the lynchpin of the series.
"AC's next game is Rift, which takes place in Baghdad," Schreier said in the Reddit post.
"After that, it's going to be AC Infinity, and while it's going to include a bunch of games/experiences/biomes/whatever you want to call them, I've heard of the two main ones and neither of them are Aztec."
A perfect choice
Baghdad is an inspiring setting choice for Assassin's Creed. Sandwiched between Europe and Asia, it has served as the center of cultural history and the political focal point of the Middle East for centuries. As the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, it became the largest city in the world, thriving on academic, scientific, and artistic discoveries while fueling the Islamic Golden Age.
This gives Ubisoft fertile ground to work on when it comes to storytelling. Although Rift is billed as a smaller Assassin's Creed game, it's likely to have the same romantic historical drama that characterizes the series. Your writers will be spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing interesting characters and new stories.
While no details have been confirmed yet, we can be sure of a few story points. Baghdad was destroyed by a Mongol invasion in the XNUMXth century, and while fans of the series would love to see the steppe horse archers make an appearance, don't expect them to show up. Rift's protagonist, Basim, lived in the XNUMXth century, a few hundred years earlier.
The game will be out later this year or in 2023. We are now halfway through 2022 without having seen that many official reveals, our money is for next year.