Assassin's Creed Red: Everything we know so far about AC Japan

Assassin's Creed Red is the next big flagship game in long-running stealthy series. Developed by Ubisoft Quebec, the next open-world installment will be taking us to Feudal era Japan. Announced among a bountiful slate of upcoming Assassin's Creed games in the works, we also have the the likes of Assassin's Creed Hexe and Assassin's Creed Infinity to look forward to in the future alongside project Red. 

While we're still waiting to see more of the new adventure, the latest news came in a financial report in February that suggests it's expected to arrive by March 2025. This means we won't likely be seeing Assassin's Creed Red among the new games for 2024. But with other upcoming Ubisoft games currently in the pipeline - including Star Wars Outlaws - it's certainly a busy time for the publisher. 

For a full recap, read on below to get an overview of everything we know so far about Assassin's Creed Red. 

Assassin's Creed Red trailer

Assassin's Creed Red's 30-second reveal trailer, as seen during 2022's Ubisoft Forward showcase, still found room to surprise us. You can watch the footage above, which seems to confirm the return of the Animus (and the narrative split between past and present), the new Feudal Japan setting, and our first look at the all new assassin – who's wielding a one-handed sword, hidden blade, and jet-black Assassin Order robes.

If the leaks hold true, however, we could end up with a choice between two playable characters: one samurai, one shinobi.

Assassin's Creed Red setting

Confirmed through the clear visual indicators in the trailer, Assassin's Creed Red is set in Ancient Japan.

The franchise has explored no fewer than 10 different locations around the world since the series made its debut 15 years ago, but it has never ventured into Japan – until now that is. Marc-Alexis Cote says that Assassin's Creed Codename Red's historically-steeped context will "let players explore one of their most-awaited settings ever," giving us the chance to "live a very powerful Shinobi fantasy." 

Assassin's Creed Red development

Assassin's Creed Codename Red is in development at Ubisoft Quebec. The studio cut its teeth creating expansions for Assassin's Creed 3 and Assassin's Creed: Black Flag, impressing the powers that be enough that it became the first studio outside of series creator Ubisoft Montreal to be handed the reins of a mainline installment. Ubisoft Quebec went on to lead development of 2015's Assassin's Creed Syndicate and 2018's Assassin's Creed Odyssey. While it's unclear how long Assassin's Creed Codename Red has been in development, we do know that Jonathan Dumont will be returning as creative director – a role he fulfilled on both AC Odyssey and Ubisoft Quebec's Immortals Fenyx Rising, which was released in 2020.  

Assassin's Creed Red leaks

Assassin's Creed Codename Red has been no stranger to leaks and rumors. Word of an Assassin's Creed Japan game first surfaced in July 2022, although it was unclear whether it would be a standalone experience or part of the broader Assassin's Creed Infinity offering. We now know that Assassin's Creed Codename Red will be the next major instalment to the series, although at the time it set the internet on fire. And for good reason: This has been a long time coming. 

While Assassin's Creed: Fragments – a series of YA novels – allowed us to peer into the lives of The Blade of Aizu (who were based out of Japan), and there have been a handful of teases in the mainline games over the years, the setting has always been demanded but never delivered. Thankfully, on this occasion, the rumors turned out to be true – and who knows how long we'll be waiting for more information. 

The most recent rumors have come form an undisclosed inside source, via Insider Gaming. If the leaks hold true, we can expect to choose between two playable characters in Codename Red: a Samurai or a Shinobi. Whether character selection will work similarly to Odyssey and lock in our choice for the game's duration or if we will be able to swap mid-game, we aren't yet certain. In the announcement trailer, we can see the female Samurai character, and according to Insider Gaming,  the as-yet unseen Shinobi is "understood to be an African refugee, who learned the way of the Creed."

This leak seems to have been in some way ratified by a LinkedIn leak from an Assassin's Creed writer, when he posted an image of a female samurai brandishing a katana. It was also accompanied by a stylised logo for the new instalment. At the very least, it seems to be prototype branding that is liable to change in the final product when the game is expected to launch in 2024.

Playing as Samurais and Shinobis, it makes sense that an earlier leak from Insider Gaming let slip that Codename Red will hone in on stealth gameplay while still encouraging the open world map exploration and RPG gameplay of newer titles.