Development cycle shift rumoured for Assassin’s Creed

Reports have emerged that Ubisoft could be overhauling the development cycle for its flagship Assassin’s Creed series.

Leaks and rumours emerging through Kotaku, 4chan and NeoGAF – with the former citing sources “familiar with Ubisoft’s upcoming gaming plans” – claim that the next entry in the series will not be released until 2017.

The decision was reportedly made after the disappointment of 2014 release Assassin’s Creed Unity, a game that became heavily associated with severe bugs and glitches. The delay is expected to give the development team at Ubisoft Montreal extra time to polish and improve their next game.

Kotaku’s source also suggests that this could be the start of a bi-annual cycle for the series, which has seen a major console release every year since 2009. 2008 is the only year since the franchise’s 2007 debut to not receive a new entry in the main series.

The move would be similar to Activision’s decision to move Call of Duty to a three-year development cycle, alternating between titles developed by Infinity Ward, Treyarch and Sledgehammer Games. Presumably, Ubisoft’s bi-annual cycle would see lead development passed between Montreal, the team behind Unity and Black Flag, and Assassin’s Creed Syndicate studio Ubisoft Quebec.

The reports on the next entry suggest it will be set in Ancient Egypt and is currently named Assassin’s Creed Empire.