Assassin’s Creed Hexe is one of the most anticipated games in the franchise. Featuring a unique element, magic, gamers have been looking forward to the launch of Hexe. A fresh Assassin’s Creed Hexe leak spreading across the gaming community suggests that the game could be taking a major shift in direction.
The reliable insider j0nathan reports that every magical element in the game is being removed. This information comes after a reshuffle at the top of the franchise and a top developer leaving the project. What could this mean for the Assassin’s Creed Hexe?
Major Gameplay Change Reported for Assassin’s Creed Hexe
Witchcraft Iconography of Hexe. Image Credit: InstantGaming
Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe was initially announced in 2022. Gamers soon took notice of it. It was rumored to have supernatural powers, gameplay inspired by witchcraft and even some unusual mechanics, such as controlling animals, in contrast to other games in the franchise.
The game was set in the 17th-century witch trials in Central Europe. This made it perfect for the inclusion of magic. j0nathan has now reported that there’s a significant shift in the game’s creative direction. He notes that all magical elements of Hexe have reportedly been scrapped.
These reports follow the promotion of Ubisoft veteran Jean Guesdon to Head of Content. A particular change is the loss of cat control. In earlier games like Origins or Valhalla, players could warg into an eagle or a raven.
Plans for Hexe reportedly included a similar feature, but with cats. This was to make it align with the witch stereotype. The leak suggests this element has been scrapped entirely as Guesdon seeks to remove overtly magical elements.
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The Changes Are a Result of Ubisoft’s Creating Shakeup
Hexe Protagonist Preview. Image Credit: Reddit
The gameplay change comes at a time of new leadership in the Hexe team. Benoit Richer, the game director, recently left Ubisoft after the exit of creative director Clint Hocking.
Under the creative direction of Jean Guesdon, it seems the series is back to its traditional roots. The leaks suggest the game will focus on a more gritty style. The series has always rationalized its magic through Isu technology or genetic recollection.
The last few games (Odyssey and Valhalla) with their emphasis on role-playing have turned magic into fantasy. By removing the witch character’s magical powers in Hexe, it appears Ubisoft might not want the main character to use magic.
More than Hexe: Assassin’s Creed 1 Remake?
Assassins Creed 1 Gameplay: Image Credit: PlayStation
The recent leaks contained more than just news about Hexe. There have been rumors of Ubisoft currently working on (or at least having worked on in the past several years) a remake of the original Assassin’s Creed.
Since the Mirage, a tribute to the stealth gameplay of the original game, was a success, a remake of the quest of Altair is only logical. The 2007 release is the oldest game of the series, and fans have longed for a game that brings its classic setting to life with new parkour and game technology.
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What’s Next for the Franchise?
Fans won’t have to wait long for new Assassin’s Creed content. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced will launch on July 9, 2024. And Hexe, well, it’s not due until 2027. This schedule allows Ubisoft to get this more realistic iteration of the game right. We will have to wait and see if the magic removal will turn away RPG fans or please the purists.
