Assassin's Creed: Codename Witch: First gameplay details & more leaked!

The upcoming Assassin's Creed: Codename Hexe is supposed to be the darkest game in the franchise ever. The first gameplay details about the title have now been made public.

As is well known, Ubisoft is not only working on Assassin's Creed: Codename Red, which is set in feudal Japan and may be released in 2024, but also on Assassin's Creed: Codename Hexe. According to an insider report, this other main part of the series is supposed to be the “darkest Assassin's Creed of all time” – and now more information and the first gameplay details have been revealed.

Marc-Alexis Cote, vice president of the series and executive producer of the game, had previously admitted that Hexe would be noticeably different from previous parts of the Assassin's Creed series. The title takes place in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation in the 16th century and focuses on the witch hunts in Germany.

Tom Henderson is now following up on his earlier insider report and revealing further information about the game. The release is roughly planned for 2026 via the Infinity platform. Hexe should then be a more linear gaming experience that is more oriented towards earlier Assassin's Creed games than the more recent open-world parts. The focus is on the female protagonist named Elsa, who will have some supernatural abilities.

This will also be reflected in terms of gameplay, and Henderson was now able to reveal initial information based on leaked game excerpts. It shows Elsa being hunted by German soldiers in the 16th century. In the sequence, she then uses a magic spell to take possession of a nearby cat. By controlling this cat, she distracts the soldiers by knocking over a glass bottle, which shatters on the ground. The protagonist Elsa will probably have several of these abilities. The game scene also reveals the previously mentioned very dark and gloomy setting in the cobbled streets of the city.

Henderson goes on to say that, according to his sources, the title will also feature a fear system inspired by the “Jack the Ripper” DLC for Assassin's Creed: Syndicate. Exact details about this game system are still pending, but it should fit in quite well with the witch theme of the new game.

Due to the history taken up, things are likely to be pretty rough overall in Assassin's Creed: Codename Hexe. During the witch hunts of the 16th century, up to 80,000 people suspected of witchcraft were murdered between 1500 and 1660.