Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was fully revealed today, and it’s set to debut a new city-themed Warzone 2 map with drivable trains, zip lines, and quite a few points of interest.
During today’s COD Next showcase, Activision revealed Urzikstan, an “urban battleground” map coming to Battle Royale and Plunder at launch. As GamesRadar pointed out, Urzikstan was first featured as a country (and a key part of the campaign) in the 2019 game Modern Warfare, and now it’s finally getting its own map.
Filled with apartments and industrial areas, Urzikstan seems fairly dense in comparison to other Warzone maps. Still, it features quite a few new ways to get across the map, including the franchise’s first train with player-controllable direction and speed (which can also be stopped by opposing teams). It also has several horizontal zip lines and brings the eerily dark Urzikstan Gulag with 3 lanes for combat.
Get the squad back together – here’s your first look at Urzikstan, an urban battleground and the latest Call of Duty #Warzone map coming with Season 01 of #MW3 in December 🏙️🏝️⛰️ #CODNextpic.twitter.com/ZCqrLo7N69
These new methods of transportation seem fit for a map packed with points of interest — as revealed in today’s showcase, this list includes the apartment-filled Zaravan City, the luxurious Shahin Manor, and the dilapidated Old Town.
In addition to the new map, Activision also revealed a few new and revamped mechanics, including ADS while sliding, slide cancelling, and the revival of the classic red dots on the minimap, and announced the return of the Vondel and Ashika Island maps for Resurgence.
Familiar gameplay mechanics, new twists 👇 💥 NEW: ADS while sliding 🎯 NEW: Tac-Stance 🙅♂️ Slide Canceling 🩸 150 Base Health 🔴 Classic Red Dot Mini Map 🪂 Plus more QoL and Perk updates
Amelia Zollner is a freelance writer at IGN who loves all things indie and Nintendo. Outside of IGN, they’ve contributed to sites like Polygon and Rock Paper Shotgun. Find them on Twitter: @ameliazollner.
I’ve decided to base part of my personality around liking Cyberpunk 2077. I thought I was long-since past the point when it was possible to construct my identity around liking a piece of media, but here I am, aged 38, researching tattoos.
So the news that CD Projekt Red have partnered with a production company to create a live action adaptation project set in the world of Cyberpunk 2077? I’m onboard.
We hope you’ve made it through Gothic Classic on Switch because the sequel is coming to the console very soon.
THQ Nordic has today revealed that Gothic II Complete Classic — a port of the sequel to the cult-classic PC RPG — will be launching on the Switch on 29th November 2023. This release will also include the Night of the Raven expansion, which adds an entirely new region to the game, new weapons, skills, enemies, and quests.
Call of Duty: Next 2023 just wrapped up and brought us megaton bomb’s worth of new information about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. From its upcoming multiplayer Beta to new maps, modes, and more, we learned what this year’s instalment – celebrating 20 years of the series – will be bringing us when it launches on November 10 for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
How to Play the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III Open Beta
Can’t wait to play Modern Warfare III? You’re in luck, as we’ll see a huge multiplayer Open Beta this month. Downloadable from the Microsoft Store (and with early access for those with pre-orders), the Beta will offer a look at a massive swathe of maps, modes and gameplay. Here are all the details:
When can I play the Beta on Xbox?
If you’ve pre-ordered the game, you can play on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One from 10am PT on October 12. If you’ve pre-ordered the game through a participating retailer, your receipt will include a Beta code to get you early access (or via email on an online receipt). All other players will get access from 10am PT on October 14.
What maps are in the Beta?
The Beta will include seven maps – five Core maps and two Ground War maps. The Core maps will comprise Favela (offering maze-like alleys and surprise attacks from rooftops), Estate (including a main lodge building, wooded areas, and outbuildings), Skidrow (an urban environment with tunnels and alleys for flanking opportunities), Rust (an infamous desert environment), and Highrise (an office rooftop with a helipad, maintenance tunnels and crane to fight across).
The Ground War maps are Popov Power Plant (a huge industrial area suited equally to sniping or vehicle combat) and Orlov Military Base (a densely packed base filled with warehouses and unexpected lines of sight).
What modes are in the Beta?
You’ll be able to play sevent different modes: Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, Kill Confirmed, Cutthroat (a new mode, learn more below), Search & Destroy, and Ground War.
Can I earn rewards for Modern Warfare III in the Beta?
Yes! The Beta will feature a 30-level progression system, and reaching certain levels will offer rewards that will unlock in launch version of Modern Warfare III on November 10. Those rewards are:
Level 2: Animated Emblem
Level 7: Weapon Charm
Level 9: Animated Calling Card
Level 11: Sticker
Level 15: Vinyl
Level 20: Weapon Blueprint
Level 24: Sticker
Level 30: Operator Skin
Modern Warfare III Multiplayer – All the New Info and Changes
Sledgehammer Games developers Greg Reisdorf, Adam Iscove, and Kim Weigend came onstage to introduce us to Modern Warfare III’s multiplayer component. And they brought a lot to talk about:
Maps
While the developers confirmed that new Ground War maps will launch on day one, they focused primarily on Core maps for the game, showing off five of the 16 Core maps that will be available in the beta and coming at launch. All five are modernized versions of classic maps from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009): Favela, Estate, Skidrow, Rust, and Highrise.
The maps have been designed to retain the original designs that players love, but with new graphical power behind them. Most excitingly, we even saw how modes released after the Modern Warfare 2 – like Hardpoint and Kill Confirmed – will work in these classic locations.
We also learned that, after launch, Modern Warfare III will receive at least 12 new Core maps through seasonal content — all of which will be brand new.
Modes
Modern Warfare III will bring back many of the modes you already know, but adds a new one into the mix: Cutthroat. This 3v3v3 team mode uses Core maps, and offers each player only a single life per round. Each team needs to eliminate the other teams, or wait for overtime to capture a flag – balancing aggression and strategy in equal measure.
We also learned that Ground War will return, using sections of the new Call of Duty: Warzone map (more on that below) as its basis. Also returning, for the first time since Call of Duy: WWII, is War mode. This mode sees large teams of players fighting across a purpose-built map to complete multiple objectives, from escorting vehicles to capturing points and eventually launching and ICBM.
Gameplay Changes
While the core of multiplayer will remain familiar, the team introduced a lot of changes that should make it more compulsive than ever. Changes to movement will likely be the most immediate difference to seasoned player, allowing you to cancel slide and reload animations in a pinch, mantle objects more quickly, fire while sliding, and more. The new Tac-Stance even offers a mid-point between hip firing and aiming down sights, offering better movement speed at the cost of bullet spread.
While Modern Warfare III will carry over you inventory from the last game, the teams is also introducing a number of new weapons. Maxing out your level with a specific weapon won’t be the end of your time tinkering with it, either – the new Aftermarket Parts system will allow you to introduce new progression paths for your weapons. The results can be dramatic – handguns can be converted into SMGS, LMGs can get bullpup designs, and more.
There’s also a whole new Perks system based around your equipment. Perks are now represented physically by four different categories: Vest, Gloves, Boots, and Gear. Each choice of clothing or gear comes with a different Perk, meaning you’ll have the flexibility to create a perfect build.
Finally, we also got a look at new equipment you’ll be able to add to your Loadout. Breacher Drones are a new Lethal Equipment choice slow moving explosives that can be used as a devastating weapons, or a distraction. Mosquito Drones, meanwhile, are a new Killstreak that circle and area and divebomb enemies. We also saw two new Field upgrades, A.C.S. – an Automated Computer Spike that can contribute to your score by being tossed onto objective points and hack enemy equipment – and Comm Scrambler – which stops enemy Killstreals and Field Upgrades from working within a specific radius.
Modern Warfare III Warzone – All the New Info and Changes
Raven Software’s Senior Creative Director Ted Timmins, arrived to talk all things Warzone, and introduced its new map, Urzikstan. In this new outing, Urzikstan will be the home of both Warzone and Zombies. It comes with 11 major points of interest, as well as numerous smaller areas, all set within an autumnal location.
Along with bringing across the movement changes in Modern Warfare III’s multiplayer mode, Warzone also makes some changes of its own, from including the classic multiplayer minimap, to allowing you to manually stow your gasmask to stop animations interfering with those last-minute fights for a victory.
Urzikstan also brings some major new features to Warzone: Horizontal ziplines offer new ways to ambush or escape, a drivable train will become a unique moveable point of interest for players, and there’s a new Champions Quest for the most proficient players out there.
The Gulag – Warzone’s unique escape-from-death mechanic – will also see some interesting changes. Instead of an overtime flag, players will now need to escape from the gulag up an ascending zipwire (and can be shot off of it, too). Sometimes, the Gulag will go dark, forcing players to use Night Vision Goggles to survive even more tense encounters than usual. Finally, public events can now occur in the Gulag, offering extra challenges, but allowing players to return to the fray with more equipment.
Urzikstan doesn’t mean the end of previous maps’ time in Warzone – Vondel and Ashika Island will still be playable in specific modes, and Raven also announced that the Fortune’s Keep and Rebirth Island maps will return in future too.
Modern Warfare III Zombies – All the New Info and Changes
Modern Warfare III marks the first time that a Modern Warfare game has included a Zombies mode, and Kevin Drew and Miles Leslie of Treyarch joined the broadcast to talk us through this new take on the classic experience.
This new Zombies will be an open world PvE experience, in which multiple squads can (but very much don’t have to) work together to be extracted from an undead-infested Urzikstan – all set to a new story, Dark Aether. It’s not just the make-up of the mode that’s changed – Zombies will now include more enemies than ever before (including non-undead mercenaries), usable vehicles, and offers rewards and upgrades specifically for the mode. You’ll also be able to keep hold of weapons you’ve escaped with in future rounds, offering new reasons to replay.
It marks a perfect chance for new players to try out Zombies, but the team wants seasoned players to feel right at home.
Modern Warfare III Pre-order Rewards
Pre-orders don’t just get you early access to the Open Beta – you’ll also receive immediate rewards in both Call of Duty: Warzone and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, and further rewards when Modern Warfare III launches in November.
If you pre-order the Vault Edition, you can expect even more, offering Nemesis Pack Operators and two Weapon Vaults, all of which will unlock during the Beta. You’ll also receive the Soul Harvester Tracer Weapon Blueprint – this weapon brings a design straight out of the new Zombies mode, featuring a sinister design, tracer rounds and custom death effects. It’ll become available not only when Modern Warfare III launches, but also in Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare II from October 17.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III will launch on November 10 for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III – Vault Edition
– Early access to the Open Beta, starting October 12*
— Early Access is October 12 – 14 on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S
— Open Beta access is available for all Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S players from October 14 – 16
– Play the Campaign up to a week early**
– Immediate access to content in Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II and Warzone. Also available in Modern Warfare® III at launch.
— Soap Operator Pack***
— Zombie Ghost Operator Skin***
**Actual play time subject to possible outages and applicable time zone differences.
The Vault Edition Includes:
– Cross Gen Bundle of Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III
— Includes Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions of the game
– Nemesis Operator Pack
— 4 Operators Skins: Makarov, Warden, Price and Ghost
– 2 Weapon Vaults****
– BlackCell (1 Season) + 30 additional Tier Skips*****
— BlackCell Includes: Battle Pass, 20 Tier Skips, 1,100 CP and more
ADAPT OR DIE IN A FIGHT AGAINST THE ULTIMATE THREAT
In the direct sequel to the record-breaking Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II, Captain Price and Task Force 141 face off against the ultimate threat. The ultranationalist war criminal Vladimir Makarov is extending his grasp across the world causing Task Force 141 to fight like never before.
IT’S TIME TO SETTLE OLD SCORES AND START NEW ONES
Modern Warfare® III celebrates the 20th anniversary of Call of Duty® with one of the greatest collections of Multiplayer maps ever assembled – both fan favorites and all new ones. All 16 launch maps from the original Modern Warfare® 2 (2009) have been modernized with new modes and gameplay features and will be available at launch to get everyone started, while over 12 all-new core 6v6 maps will fuel post-launch live seasons.
ALL NEW OPEN WORLD ZOMBIES
For the first time, team up with other squads to survive and fight massive hordes of the undead in the largest Call of Duty® Zombies map ever. Modern Warfare® Zombies (MWZ) tells a new Treyarch Zombies story with missions, core Zombies features, and secrets to discover.
*Actual platform availability and launch date(s) of Beta subject to change. See www.callofduty.com/beta for more details. Minimum Open Beta duration is 2 days. Limited time only. Internet connection required and online Multiplayer subscription may be required.
**Actual play time subject to possible outages and applicable time zone differences.
***Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II / Call of Duty®: Warzone on Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S required to redeem. Sold / downloaded separately. Must be redeemed by November 10th, 2024.
****Weapon Vault design limited to Weapon Vault contents at launch.
*****Battle Pass, Call of Duty® points, and Tier Skips will be accessible in Modern Warfare® III once the Season 1 Battle Pass is made available in game. Battle Pass redemption applies to one Season of Modern Warfare® III Battle Pass only.
For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.
– Early access to the Open Beta, starting October 12*
— Early Access is October 12 – 14 on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S
— Open Beta access is available for all Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S players from October 14 – 16
– Play the Campaign up to a week early**
– Immediate access to content in Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II and Warzone. Also available in Modern Warfare® III at launch.
— Soap Operator Pack***
— Zombie Ghost Operator Skin***
**Actual play time subject to possible outages and applicable time zone differences.
Includes:
– Cross Gen Bundle of Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III
— Includes Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions of the game
ADAPT OR DIE IN A FIGHT AGAINST THE ULTIMATE THREAT
In the direct sequel to the record-breaking Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II, Captain Price and Task Force 141 face off against the ultimate threat. The ultranationalist war criminal Vladimir Makarov is extending his grasp across the world causing Task Force 141 to fight like never before.
IT’S TIME TO SETTLE OLD SCORES AND START NEW ONES
Modern Warfare® III celebrates the 20th anniversary of Call of Duty® with one of the greatest collections of Multiplayer maps ever assembled – both fan favorites and all new ones. All 16 launch maps from the original Modern Warfare® 2 (2009) have been modernized with new modes and gameplay features and will be available at launch to get everyone started, while over 12 all-new core 6v6 maps will fuel post-launch live seasons.
ALL NEW OPEN WORLD ZOMBIES
For the first time, team up with other squads to survive and fight massive hordes of the undead in the largest Call of Duty® Zombies map ever. Modern Warfare® Zombies (MWZ) tells a new Treyarch Zombies story with missions, core Zombies features, and secrets to discover.
*Actual platform availability and launch date(s) of Beta subject to change. See www.callofduty.com/beta for more details. Minimum Open Beta duration is 2 days. Limited time only. Internet connection required and online Multiplayer subscription may be required.
**Actual play time subject to possible outages and applicable time zone differences.
***Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II / Call of Duty®: Warzone on Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S required to redeem. Sold / downloaded separately. Must be redeemed by November 10th, 2024.
For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.
Welcome to Warzone, the massive free-to-play combat arena which now features the brand-new map, Al Mazrah.
Turn the Heat Up
Join forces with your friends and jump into a sprawling battleground in the metropolitan area and rural outskirts within the Republic of Adal.
Loot For Rewards
Discover supply boxes and complete contracts to build your arsenal and gain a tactical advantage.
Introducing DMZ Mode
Drop into the all-new sandbox objective-based mode to choose your own experience within the warzone and collecting gear to keep in your Call of Duty®: Warzone inventory.
Purchase the Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II Vault Edition and get the Red Team 141 Operator Pack, FJX Cinder Weapon Vault*, 10 hours of 2XP, 10 hours of Weapons 2XP, Battle Pass and 50 Tier Skips** – also usable in Warzone.
An Xbox Live Gold subscription is not required to play the Warzone game mode. All other online modes still require Xbox Live Gold.
*Weapon Vault design limited to Weapon Vault contents at launch.
**Battle Pass redemption applies to one season of Modern Warfare® II Battle Pass only.
For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.
It’s incredibly tough to launch a new live-service game. In 2023 we’ve already seen a bunch shut down for good, including Rumbleverse, CrossFireX and Knockout City. But at least they all got their shot in the limelight – Hyenas, the hero shooter from Creative Assembly, was canceled by publisher Sega last week, after years in development. It never even made it to open beta, let alone a full launch.
As someone who plays a lot of competitive shooters, Hyenas didn’t really grab my attention that much. I know friends who played the closed beta and had good things to say about it, but I didn’t really like the idea of fighting in zero G. I played Splitgate a fair bit when that came out, and that too had unique ways to get around by creating portals that allowed you to sneak around the back of the enemy. But I found it incredibly tricky to take advantage of, especially in the middle of a firefight when there wasn’t time to plan a clever move. Rather than it being a unique feature that attracted a different audience, it became a barrier to entry for new players. And that’s exactly how I felt when they showed off Hyena’s zero G gameplay for the first time.
It’s an incredibly difficult balance to get right – a new live-service game has to offer something unique to get the audience interested, but if it’s too far removed from what they’re used to it could have the opposite effect. Fortnite is pretty much the only shooter I know that’s really succeeded in delivering an unusual game mechanic and survived – not just survived, thrived – in the live-service space. Of course, Fortnite’s building mechanic has been made fun of a lot but you cannot deny that it adds another dimension to the shooter experience and Fortnite has gone on to be one of the most-played shooters around.
Crucially though, you don’t have to build in Fortnite to have fun – it’s secondary, as are the challenges and ongoing storylines, and it’s the game’s sharp gunplay that keeps players returning. Furthermore, there’s no better feeling than getting a battle royale victory, so much so it’s the reason why you jump back into the lobby to do it all again. That sense of reward and satisfaction is something I still get a kick out of, even after hundreds of hours playing Apex Legends. It makes you feel a tier above the rest for surviving in a battleground of 60 others, and winning a match feels like a real achievement.
For a shooter to survive in the current climate everything needs to be exactly right. Characters and abilities need to be perfectly balanced, not just at launch but continuously throughout its lifecycle, and the gunplay needs to be consistently awesome. If anything is not quite right, the audience won’t stick around.
I definitely think there’s room for something new – but it has to be truly special for it to pull me away from the games I already cherish so dearly
Hyper Scape, Ubisoft’s battle royale that launched in 2020, struggled in part because its time to kill (TTK) didn’t match the pace of the gameplay. Its TTK was way too slow and its weapons uninspired, so the matches dragged on. Unsurprisingly its servers shut down less than two years after launch. Call of Duty: Vanguard had the opposite problem, where its TTK was extremely high, so if you were not the first person to get a shot in, you’d be immediately killed. It’s examples like these that show how the fine mechanical details of a shooter are vital to its potential lifespan.
I’m sad Hyenas didn’t make it to release because at least then it would’ve been up to the public as to whether it lived or died, rather than a bunch of execs sat in a boardroom. But the truth is it costs hundreds of thousands to keep a live service game running, in addition to the cost of actually making it in the first place, and the stakes have never been higher. As someone who spends a lot of time playing Apex Legends and a bunch of other shooters, I definitely think there’s room for something new – but it has to be truly special for it to pull me away from the games I already cherish so dearly. While we’ll never truly know if Hyenas had what it takes to survive in such a brutal genre, I’m pleased there are developers out there who are still willing to try something different.
Pre-registrations have gone live for Konami’s Silent Hill: Ascension, an interactive drama for mobiles – I know, shush, I’m sure it’ll come to PCs eventually – which follows a cast of characters around the world who are being tormented by monsters from the eponymous Town of Woe.
My enthusiasm for Silent Hill these days is approximately that of a dog returning to his vomit (or better, a depressive male protagonist with repressed memories that keep reeling him back to the same, misty high street). There have been so many middling sequels and spin-offs. But somehow, I can’t let go. And Ascension does sound quite intriguing, not least for being a crowd-sourced storytelling enterprise akin to a massively multiplayer Until Dawn.
Diablo 4 has been on the back-burner amid the chaos of Baldur’s Gate 3 and Starfield’s launches, but much like an arch-demonness putting together the pieces of an inter-planar conspiracy, Blizzard have been doing a lot of work behind the scenes. The action-RPG‘s next big round of additions, the Season of Blood, launches on 17th October alongside the Steam edition of the game. It introduces a new season journey and questline, a new season event, and some skulking new enemies of the Nosferatu persuasion.
The new quest sounds quite fun from the promotional materials. It sees you investigating a mysterious outbreak of punctured necks, recruiting a local Van Helsing named Erys, and tracking down a Dark Master, while harnessing 22 juicy new vampiric powers care of some pact armour. The latter range from turning into a cloud of bats, through cursing people, to treating yourself to a spontaneous bloodbath so as to enhance your channeled skills, The trade-off is that you’ll have to acquire yet another Diablo 4 resource, potent blood, to perform these tricks.
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they’ve been chewing over. Today, Jim pleads the case for just a little more Ganondorf action…
The reveal of Tears of the Kingdom‘s Ganondorf has to be one of my favourite all-time moments as a Zelda fan. We all collectively lost our minds over a 0.2-second clip of him shouting and then lost them in a different way altogether when we saw the accompanying key art minutes later — nothing forgives decades of tyranny and bloodshed quite like some killer pecs, after all. I was chuffed to have the gorgeous Gerudo back in my mainline Zelda games and thoroughly grinned throughout Link’s final battle with him.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage is out now on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, and ninth-century Baghdad is yours to explore as Basim Ibn Ishaq, a young street thief who grows into the role of a master Assassin. As a member of the Hidden Ones (who will eventually become known as the Assassins), Basim will set out from secret Bureaus around the city to investigate shady activities and follow increasingly dangerous leads, eventually taking on big, open Black Box assassination missions that challenge players to use their skills and environment to identify, locate, and take down targets.
It’s an approach that echoes the structure of the very first Assassin’s Creed, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage is in many ways a deliberate return to the series’ roots. In addition to bringing the story back to the Middle East and letting players embody an initiate in the Hidden Ones, Assassin’s Creed Mirage takes concepts and tools from the early games in the series and revitalizes them with modern gameplay sensibilities and greater depth. For example, Basim can unlock familiar weaponry, including explosive traps and noisemakers, blowguns, and throwing knives, and can now customize them with a selection of buffs like poison and bonus damage. Assassin’s Creed Mirage also puts a big emphasis on stealth; while Basim is capable with his sword and dagger, groups of enemies can quickly overwhelm him, meaning that fighting should be his last resort if hiding and running fail.
To find out more about how Assassin’s Creed Mirage’s approach came together, we spoke with Creative Director Stephane Boudon about revitalizing the series’ roots, the feelings the team wanted the game to evoke, and the lure of a good investigation.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage has been touted as a return to the series’ origins, bringing everything full circle before the series embarks on something new. How did that idea take shape? What was the initial vision for the game, and how did its scope change over the course of development?
Assassin’s Creed Mirage started as an Assassin’s Creed Valhalla DLC on paper for a few weeks. After a first pitch, we were pleased to see that the reception was great, and we decided to move to a standalone game. Only the main pillars of the game remain from that very first pitch: Becoming an Assassin, the immersive city, and the impactful journey. But the location, the main character, the global historical context, and the first draft of story pitch have been reworked.
During this shift, we started to look more closely at Baghdad and quickly drew connections with Basim’s past. Then the pieces started fitting together: The historical context and its many historical figures encompassed a period of turmoil, with the Anarchy at Samarra teasing the incoming Zanj Rebellion later. It was the perfect material to build the pivotal moment we needed to bring the conflict to a high level.
Was the return to the series’ roots in part to address fan requests for an experience closer to the earlier games?
Partially, yes; we were aware that a part of our community was asking for a more condensed scope, and with the Assassin fantasy in mind, many of us on the development team were among them. But we also wanted to cook up something special for the 15th anniversary of the franchise: an ode to the very first Assassin’s Creed games.
Of course, this was a perfect match for us at Ubisoft Bordeaux, in terms of scope and production capacity. An opportunity of a lifetime for a relatively new studio!
How did you settle on which elements to include? For example, Mirage brings back wanted posters for players to tear down; eavesdropping from nearby hiding spots; and explosive traps, to name a few. How did you decide what made the cut? Was it necessary to modernize or otherwise adjust them for new audiences?
We didn’t really work like that; in fact, we never had any list of features to bring back. We only worked with a strong fantasy in mind, and the many experiences that we wanted to relive. Most of the time, like the creators before us, we crossed the same paths.
For instance, when we created the Notoriety system, we wanted a way to decrease it. To achieve this, we wanted something immersive, something that brings the city to life, and something you can witness. Of course, we were fondly inspired by the past games, and naturally the wanted-posters feature came up. It ticked all the boxes we wanted to reach, and on top of that, it was a nice throwback to Assassin’s Creed II – but most importantly, we made sure it serves an actual purpose in Assassin’s Creed Mirage.
Same goes with the other features you mentioned: hiding spots for the vanishing loop, eavesdropping for unlocking clues in the investigation system, or the trap as tactical tool to execute your stealth strategy. The design of each of these throwback features is always brand-new and relevant to our systems; we developed and integrated them because we needed them to support the vision. And I think this is one of the strengths of Mirage: Players will never encounter extraneous features or content. Everything is here to contribute to an experience or a specific emotion.
The game’s structure is strongly reminiscent of the very first Assassin’s Creed, where players conduct investigations that gradually lead to a big, elaborate assassination, with return trips to a Bureau in between. Obviously, Basim’s investigations are much more elaborate and involved than the side tasks Altaïr performed in the first game, but how was it decided to return to that structure? How did you approach it initially, and what were you hoping to recapture with it?
The overall game structure of Assassin’s CreedMirage is classic but efficient. It follows the journey of Basim: At first you are guided as you learn to become an Assassin, and then as you progress and become autonomous, you are thrown into the big city, giving you the agency to tackle your investigations in any order you see fit. Then the structure shrinks again for the grand finale.
When I replayed the first Assassin’s Creed just before working on Mirage, I loved to see how the investigation was at the center of its plot. I immediately saw the potential of such a fantasy; of course, it was simpler and more generic at that time, but other entries in the series started to pave the way for this legacy – with the tracking of the Order of the Ancients, for instance. We only had to get a bit more radical with our approach by centering everything around a single investigation board, giving you incentives and a consistent experience all along your adventure. I’m glad this investigation focus is back and expanded in Mirage.
The Bureaus are of course something we couldn’t miss. They are part of the fantasy and the lore of the investigations of the Hidden Ones, a place where Rafiks [Bureau heads] collect clues, gather informers’ intel, and share contracts from the various ally factions. But the Rafiks are also there to help you wrap up your investigation and grant you permission to kill with the iconic heron feather. It’s central and characteristic to the organization of the Hidden Ones.
When looking back at the early games in the series, what feeling or dynamic did you most want to recapture with Mirage? What was important to bring back or preserve, and how do you ensure that you’re staying true to the original games while still creating something brand new?
We had many, in fact! Therefore, we built some pillars to support them, which were always aligned with our decisions all along the production. The “hidden in plain sight” fantasy was the first of those statements, with the grand return of social blending, the stealth-focused gameplay, and the one-hit assassination. Progression and mastery composed the second one, with the focus on Basim’s linear progression from a street thief to a Master Assassin, reminiscent of Ezio and also Altaïr, who was demoted at the beginning of the first game. This idea of climbing the ranks of the Brotherhood was important for us, empowering yourself with deadly tools and new skills.
The immersive city was the third one, with the urban setting of the round city of Baghdad. On top of a dense crowd, we created immersive systems like the notoriety system to make you understand the city like never before. Parkour is also something Baghdad brings back almost by itself, thanks to its flat roofs and its architecture, a thing we reinforced with the level-design team by adding “highways” to help you cross the city swiftly and efficiently.
The final one was all about unveiling mysteries as you collect clues to reveal your next target. You will always end up in a Black Box assassination mission, which will allow you to use various opportunities to express your creativity. We never doubted taking inspiration from the original games. We followed our guts and our heart, and it’s now to the players to judge.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage is out now on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, and its Deluxe Edition is also included on Day 1 with the Ubisoft+ subscription service on Xbox. Get ready to strap on your Hidden Blades and see what lurks beneath Baghdad’s vibrant surface.
Experience the story of Basim, a cunning street thief seeking answers and justice as he navigates the bustling streets of ninth-century Baghdad. Through a mysterious, ancient organization known as the Hidden Ones, he will become a deadly Master Assassin and change his fate in ways he never could have imagined.
– Experience a modern take on the iconic features and gameplay that have defined a franchise for 15 years.
– Parkour seamlessly through the city and stealthily take down targets with more visceral assassinations than ever before.
– Explore an incredibly dense and vibrant city whose inhabitants react to your every move, and uncover the secrets of four unique districts as you venture through the Golden Age of Baghdad.
This game leverages Smart Delivery allowing access to both the Xbox One title and the Xbox Series X|S title.
The Deluxe Edition includes a Prince of Persia–inspired Deluxe Pack with outfit, eagle and mount skins, weapons, and more! It also includes a digital art book and selected game soundtrack accessible from assassinscreedmirage.com/digital-artbook.
Experience the story of Basim, a cunning street thief seeking answers and justice as he navigates the bustling streets of ninth-century Baghdad. Become a deadly Master Assassin and change his fate in ways he never could have imagined.
– Experience a modern take on the iconic features and gameplay that have defined a franchise for 15 years.
– Parkour seamlessly through the city and stealthily take down targets with more visceral assassinations than ever before.
– Explore an incredibly dense and vibrant city whose inhabitants react to your every move, and uncover the secrets of four unique districts.
This game leverages Smart Delivery allowing access to both the Xbox One title and the Xbox Series X|S title.
Play the two latest installments of the iconic Assassin’s Creed franchise with Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage: Experience the story of Basim, a cunning street thief with nightmarish visions, seeking answers and justice as he navigates the bustling streets of ninth-century Baghdad. Through a mysterious, ancient organization known as the Hidden Ones, he will become a deadly Master Assassin and change his fate in ways he never could have imagined.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Become Eivor, a legendary Viking warrior raised on tales of battle and glory. Explore England’s Dark Ages as you raid your enemies, grow your settlement, and build your political power in a quest to earn your place in Valhalla.
This game leverages Smart Delivery allowing access to both the Xbox One title and the Xbox Series X|S title.
CD Projekt Red doesn’t regret making Cyberpunk 2077 a first-person only game, compared to the third-person Witcher franchise, but the developer is yet to make up its mind around Cyberpunk 2, codenamed Orion.
Speaking during the CD Projekt Red Investor Day presentation, Cyberpunk 2077 quest director Paweł Sasko, who will be working on Orion, was asked if CD Projekt Red would consider adding a third-person to first-person toggle in the new game, and if the developer regrets not including one in the current Cyberpunk.
“There are no regrets on our part,” he said. “What we wanted was for Cyberpunk to have its own identity and to be noticeable as this different thing. These days it’s YouTube, Twitch, and screenshots that sell games, and this is the way one can use to show that identity and individuality to players.”
Sasko continued: “I wanted to say that the first-person perspective is the main characteristics for Cyberpunk and its perception by the players too. It’s also noticeably different from The Witcher, and this helped us craft the product identity as such.”
The quest director didn’t give too much away surrounding Orion, but did suggest CD Projekt Red is yet to make its mind up on this front. After explaining why the team only included a first-person mode in Cyberpunk 2077, Sasko added: “But for Orion we’re yet to see.”
Development on Orion has officially begun, however. CD Projekt Red’s chief creative officer Adam Badowski also said during the presentation that it has entered a “conceptual design level”.
. Also available in Modern Warfare® III at launch.
