A Ubisoft game writer may have accidentally leaked the logo and protagonist details for Assassin’s Creed Red, the upcoming game set in Feudal Japan. The writer, Pierre Boudreau, posted an image on his LinkedIn profile that seems to be related to the game. The image was noticed by Access the Animus and shared on Twitter. It shows a logo for the game written in Japanese calligraphy (shodō) and a female Assassin holding a Katana. The image also has a red color scheme and a building with a hogyo roof, which are typical of Japanese architecture of the time.
Boudreau quickly removed the image from his LinkedIn profile and replaced it with an Assassin’s Creed Valhalla banner. This made fans speculate even more that the image was a genuine artwork for Assassin’s Creed Red. However, fans will have to wait for more official information from Ubisoft, as Assassin’s Creed Red is still very far from release. The game does not even have a final name yet, only a codename.
Assassin’s Creed Red: What we know so far
Assassin’s Creed Red has been officially announced by Ubisoft, but not much is known about the game yet. Fans of the franchise have been eagerly waiting for more details on the title, which promises to take them to a historical period and location that they have long requested. Feudal Japan is a rich and fascinating setting for an Assassin’s Creed game, with its culture, politics, warfare, and mythology.
Some leaks earlier this year suggested that Assassin’s Creed Red will have gameplay inspired by Splinter Cell and a female lead character. The leaks also claimed that the game will feature two playable characters, one of which is a Samurai and the other is a Shinobi. The Shinobi is understood to be an African refugee, who learned the way of the Creed. The game will also have a co-op mode, where players can team up with their friends or other online players.
The leaks also hinted at some of the locations and historical figures that will appear in the game, such as Kyoto, Osaka, Edo, Nagasaki, Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Hattori Hanzo, and Miyamoto Musashi. The game will span several decades, from the Sengoku period to the Edo period.
Assassin’s Creed Red: Why fans are excited for a female protagonist
A female protagonist is something fans have been asking for since the very first Assassin’s Creed game broke out of the Animus. The logic is, if it’s just ancestral memories in their DNA, why couldn’t there have been women down the line somewhere, fighting for the Creed? And before you come at me with “But there was no such thing as female Samurai”, take a little journey into the history of the Onna-Bugeisha.
The Onna-Bugeisha were female warriors who belonged to the Japanese nobility and fought alongside male Samurai. They were trained in martial arts and weapons such as naginata, tanto, kaiken, and yes, katana. They were also skilled in archery and horseback riding. They participated in many battles and wars throughout Japanese history, such as the Genpei War, the Mongol invasions, the Onin War, and the Boshin War. Some of the most famous Onna-Bugeisha include Tomoe Gozen, Nakano Takeko, Hojo Masako, and Tachibana Ginchiyo.
A female Samurai protagonist would not only be historically accurate but also empowering and inspiring for many players who want to see more diversity and representation in video games. Assassin’s Creed has already featured some female protagonists in its spin-off games and DLCs, such as Aveline de Grandpré in Liberation, Shao Jun in Chronicles: China, Evie Frye in Syndicate, Aya in Origins, Kassandra in Odyssey, and Eivor in Valhalla. However, none of them were the sole main protagonists of their games (except maybe Kassandra), and they often shared the spotlight with male counterparts.
Assassin’s Creed Red could be the first mainline game in the series to have a female protagonist as its sole focus (if we ignore the option to choose between two characters). This would be a bold and progressive move by Ubisoft that would please many fans and critics alike.
Assassin’s Creed Red: When will it be released?
Assassin’s Creed Red is still in early development stages and does not have a confirmed release date yet. Ubisoft has said that it will not release a new mainline Assassin’s Creed game in 2023 (the year when this article was written), as it wants to focus on expanding and improving Valhalla with more content and updates. This means that Assassin’s Creed Red will likely come out in 2024 or later.
However, Ubisoft may reveal more information about Assassin’s Creed Red in the upcoming events and showcases, such as E3, Gamescom, or Ubisoft Forward. Fans can expect to see more teasers, trailers, screenshots, and gameplay demos of the game in the future. Until then, they can enjoy the latest DLC for Valhalla, The Siege of Paris, which was released in August 2023.
