It's been about a week since the launch of Ubisoft's highly-anticipated Assassin's Creed Mirage and it looks like it's off to a pretty good start. Ubisoft announced that the launch of Mirage is their biggest new-gen launch so far (PS5/Xbox Series X/S) in terms of unit sales. This is a pretty good sign of things for Ubisoft as one could argue that a stripping back of the franchise's new RPG direction in favour of a traditional style of game was a massive creative gambit.
It appears that the gamble has paid off and many fans regard the 'return to the roots' style of game as a step in the right direction. In our review of the game, we talked about how Assassin's Creed Mirage's return to roots wasn't quite as drastic as it first appeared and the game falls somewhere in the middle of the new RPG direction and the traditional stealth-action roots of the franchise. Ubisoft is firing on all cylinders at the moment with the Assassin's Creed franchise, with Assassin's Creed: Codename RED set to begin active development soon.
Also Read: Assassin’s Creed Mirage Review: A Return To Its Roots or Another Misstep in a Tumbling Franchise?
Assassin's Creed Mirage, A Step in the Right Direction?
Assassin's Creed Mirage is one of Ubisoft's most creatively interesting titles as it represents the style of game that propelled the franchise into the massive blockbuster that it is today. The reception to the game has been largely mixed with fans and critics agreeing that even though the game makes certain great decisions with regard to questing, map size, and game length - it is still lacking in crucial elements.
One of the things about Mirage that has received praise across the board is its open-world setting of Baghdad. Fans were delighted to see the city of Baghdad represented with such great attention to detail and authenticity in the signature Ubisoft style. Mirage's Baghdad is already being touted as one of the best open-world settings of this year and it will be interesting to see if Ubisoft are able to recapture the same magic with upcoming titles, especially Assassin's Creed Codename RED, set in Japan.
Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed slate is nothing short of staggering and includes not just console and PC titles, but also mobile and VR titles, along with a live-action Netflix adaptation. It is safe to say we're going to have a whole lot of Assassin's Creed over the next few years but fans remain cautious regarding whether franchise fatigue is something the publisher should be weary of.
Over the past few years, the franchise has seen its fair share of ups and downs in terms of popularity. While Mirage isn't exactly infallible, most consider it to be a step in the right direction. Assassin's Creed Mirage is out now on the PS4,PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.