Ubisoft recently announced its next Assassin's Creed project will be a live service game tentatively titled Assassin's Creed Infinity. Not much is known about the game, but it's clear that Ubisoft is pulling together its best teams from Ubisoft Montreal and Quebec to bring Infinity to life. However, this is an incredibly ambitious project -- and a risky one.
Transitioning from a single-player adventure title into the realm of live service is no small feat. There are a multitude of benefits and risks that can arise from changing genres in this way. However, the biggest potential sacrifice comes in the title's variety. Since the beginning, Assassin's Creed has consistently changed and updated its gameplay to keep things fresh. However, it is harder to adjust gameplay for different era in a live service game, meaning Infinity will likely rely on the RPG-style of the most recent games. This could create a degree of stagnation and a severe lack of gameplay diversity between assassins.
Another potential issue has to do with storage space. Previous Assassin's Creed games had set download sizes, which expanded with occasional updates and DLC. However, live service titles like Call of Duty: Warzone and Marvel's Avengers consistently receive large updates that add new stories and adventures. Warzone in particular has gotten so large that base PlayStation 4 models cannot even download the full version. With Infinity planned to add new eras and assassins, there's a good chance that it will face this same issue.
However, even when considering the potential risks, there is a chance that Assassin's Creed Infinity could be a great step forward for the franchise. For starters, recent Assassin's Creed games have already been implementing live service elements. Valhalla consistently receives new events to earn gear and level up Eivor. It's even getting additional story DLC, expansions that are not unlike those of live service games.
Plus, with two of Ubisoft's best studios working on the game, Infinity has the potential to be the definitive Assassin's Creed experience. This is largely due to how the story will open up both for the lore and the modern-day narrative. With the promise of exploring new eras and assassins, Infinity's story can continue at a steady pace without a one-to-two-year wait between titles.
Assassin's Creed Infinity has the potential to change the franchise entirely and serve as a great jumping-on point for new players. Still, it's understandable why players have concerns, especially with so little known right now. The live service model is controversial and has resulted in plenty of failures. Regardless, Ubisoft is taking a huge risk here -- one that could either pay off in incredible ways or bring one of its biggest franchises down.