Next Assassin’s Creed Game, Infinity, Will Reportedly Be A Live Service Game (UPDATE)

Assassin’s Creed has grown a lot through the years. Some missteps, some triumphs. The franchise hit a new high with Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, with many fans loving the more immersive RPG aspects, dialogue options, and choice of protagonist. Valhalla continued on that trend, offering an even bigger experience. While some in the community have mentioned that they worry certain games are getting a little too big, bordering on overwhelming, it looks like Ubisoft is looking to go even bigger. More than that, a new report suggests that the next Assassin’s Creed game, called Assassin’s Creed Infinity, will be a live service entry. 

[Update] 7/7/21 at 8:14 a.m. Central: Ubisoft has confirmed Assassin’s Creed Infinity, you can learn more with the full blog post here. 

In a new report from Bloomberg, Assassin’s Creed Infinity, a codename for the upcoming AC project, will adhere to a live service model that will continue evolving and growing post-launch. How is that different than previous entries with expansions? Look at recent live-service adventures. Some do it well, while others — like Anthem — failed to find a cohesive vision for the game’s identity. It also means that the next Assassin’s Creed will be much more time-jumpy than in games’ past, jumping from one historical timeline to another within multiple settings. A spokesperson told the site that Ubisoft aims to “exceed the expectations of fans who have been asking for a more cohesive approach.” 

When I think cohesive, I don’t necessarily jump to live-service, but it is important to know that we don’t have any real information at this time. Sometimes, context is key. However, on paper? This sounds like an odd pivot for the franchise, a franchise where change is sometimes too much if not nailed down to perfection. 

In the site’s report, the change into live-service isn’t the biggest hit with everyone working at Ubisoft either. Some even reportedly moved to other studios in Montreal because the scope of Infinity feels like too much, though both the Quebec and Montreal studios are both working on Infinity together. 

I played through Valhalla as a longtime lover of this series, including having read all of the companion novels and comic books. While it was absolutely glorious, it was needlessly massive. If completed the way it is meant to be played, it’s easy to tank in over one hundred hours into the Viking adventure, and while younger me would have scoffed at those “rookie numbers,” older me has a lot of other things on her plate. My circumstance should in no way impact development decisions, but I do know the thought that the Assassin’s Creed games are growing larger and larger is a concern for many others in the AC community. What is size if it’s not meaningful? While Valhalla was rife with meaningful sidequests, much like Odyssey and Origins before it, how big is too big (pause for ‘that’s what she said’ jokes)?

The report also detailed unrest at the studio regarding ‘Me Too’, which you can learn more about here. 

What do you think about Assassin’s Creed going live service? Are people worrying for no reason, or do you think this could potentially be the wrong move? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below!