Was the next Assassin's Creed cancelled over US politics?

Ubisoft reportedly cancelled early plans for an Assassin's Creed instalment set in post-Civil War America, citing growing unease over the United States' political climate. According to Game File, the project — which would have featured a Black protagonist while exploring racial violence and the aftermath of Abraham Lincoln's assassination — was scrapped in July 2024 amid internal concern that the story was "too political in a country too unstable".

Developed in early stages by Ubisoft Quebec, the studio behind Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Assassin's Creed Syndicate, the game was to follow a former slave who joined the Assassins to combat the Ku Klux Klan during the Reconstruction era. The report also linked the decision to negative backlash over the announcement of Assassin's Creed Shadows' co-protagonist Yasuke, a historical Black samurai, whose inclusion stirred controversy online.

Sources like IGN, PC Gamer, and The Verge suggested the cancelled title intended to highlight how racial divisions could be manipulated to control society. Despite initial approval from Ubisoft's Paris headquarters, development ceased shortly after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, though this event was reportedly unrelated.

The news comes amid a turbulent period for Ubisoft, marked by studio closures, project cancellations, and restructuring. The company has since consolidated major franchises, including Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six, under its new Vantage Studios division.

Ubisoft has declined to comment on the report. Meanwhile, Assassin's Creed Shadows continues to perform strongly, with its first expansion launching last month and additional Mirage content on the way.