Assassin’s Creed Codename Red: 5 Things You Should Know

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the ever-evolving Assassin's Creed saga, Ubisoft has only gone ahead and lifted the veil on a myriad of upcoming projects, which includes Mirage, Infinity, Codename Red, and Codename Hexe. Although without an official release window, the gaming giant has confirmed that the aforementioned projects will start releasing as early as 2023, with Mirage set to kick-start the series' second phase following the conclusion of Valhalla's story arc.

So, what do we know about the games that have been mentioned so far? Specifically, Codename Red, one of Ubisoft's cryptic reveals that left us with nothing but a 30 second trailer during September's Ubisoft Forward showreel. Well, here's everything we've been able to compile from what Ubisoft has already presented.

5. What Is Assassin's Creed Codename Red?

Assassin's Creed Codename Red is an upcoming third-person action-adventure game by Ubisoft Quebec. Announced alongside Codename Hexe—one of Ubisoft's other running works—the mysterious project will serve as one of the first fully-fledged games on the Assassin's Creed Infinity platform, which is, in essence, a standalone all-in-one hub for future games in the series to launch on.

Ubisoft has made it abundantly clear that, in spite of the success that's stemmed from the newfound RPG structure, the franchise will be looking to rediscover its roots and return to its original format. What this means is that Codename Red, like the forthcoming Assassin's Creed Mirage, will feature a structure similar to that of Assassin's Creed Syndicate, and perhaps all the games that predate Assassin's Creed Origins.

4. Association With Infinity

Just to echo the fact that Codename Red will be the first game to launch on the Infinity platform. This will, at least from what we've gathered, serve as something of a launcher for future games in the series. And although Ubisoft has yet to confirm a release date for Infinity, it is believed that the platform will arrive sometime between 2024 and 2025. This is, of course, subject to change, and it's more speculation than anything at the moment.

Tom Henderson, one of the Assassin's Creed insiders, has put his money on the up-and-coming hub releasing in 2024. That said, you should still take everything with a grain of salt. At present, Ubisoft will be focusing on the next game, which is Assassin's Creed Mirage. It is believed that the Infinity project is being worked on simultaneously with Ubisoft's other projects.

3. Story & Gameplay

Ubisoft has kept a great deal of Codename Red under wraps, and fairly so. As we're talking about a game that could be three or four years away, it does seem plausible that the developer hasn't quite rustled up enough material to present to its investors. That said, the theme for the upcoming game has already been set. And if you're a long-term fan of the series, then you'll know that the time period and theme basically make up half the project, which is precisely why Ubisoft chose to shed light on both and nothing more.

Assassin's Creed Codename Red will be based in feudal Japan, where players will be able to live out their shinobi fantasies during one of the most critical turning points in Japanese history. This is, at least for now, all Ubisoft has officially revealed on the project, leaving the bulk of the details for a much later undisclosed date. Knowing that the game will employ a Japanese setting, though—which is one of the most requested periods of all time—fans will surely have plenty to look forward to.

2. Development

Assassin's Creed Codename Red is currently in development at Ubisoft Quebec, a subsidiary of Ubisoft that first came to form through developing expansions for Assassin's Creed 3, and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. Since receiving full creative control over a portion of the franchise, the Quebec division has gone on to create both Syndicate, and Odyssey. The studio, now in possession of the future of the series, will focus its efforts into building the upcoming Codename Red.

Codename Red and a myriad of other projects were first announced during Ubisoft's September showcase, an event that celebrated the series' 15th anniversary. Its reveal, although only 30 seconds in length, revealed the feudal Japan setting, along with a rough message claiming that the game was “on the horizon.”

1. Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Assassin's Creed Codename Red has yet to receive a concrete roadmap, let alone an official release date. That said, many insiders are claiming that the game will launch alongside Infinity, which would technically put it somewhere between 2024 and 2025. As for the platforms it will release on, it's likely that the game will be next-gen exclusive, meaning PlayStation 4 and Xbox One users probably won't be able to get their hands on it. This is, of course, just speculation, though it does seem like the most likely route for Ubisoft to take.

As we're still a few years from seeing Codename Red, it makes sense that Ubisoft would want to keep things like editions quiet — at least until after the game has received its first official gameplay trailer. Unfortunately, though, with no release date in sight, it's hard to picture when said trailer will pop its head up. For now, though, it's best to assume that the ball of thread that is Codename Red won't be unraveling until 2024.

So, what's your take? Will you be picking up Assassin's Creed Codename Red when it drops? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.