After plenty of rumors and teasing, Ubisoft finally unveiled Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, a complete remake of the original 2013 game which Kotaku previously reported about in 2023. Resynced looks gorgeous and is set to launch on July 9.
Resynced is being developed by Ubisoft Singapore and will feature “the same story” but with vastly improved and enhanced visuals and animations. Ubisoft claims that Resynced is a “faithful” remake of the original pirate-themed Assassin’s Creed sequel built using the latest version of the company’s in-house Anvil Engine. Matt Ryan, who portrayed main character Edward Kenway in the original game and reprises the role in the remake, hosted a video event revealing the upcoming remake that also featured some Ubisoft devs talking about the project. He started the video off by jokingly pointing out all the rumors and leaks, some of which he was involved in, by saying, “We know you’ve heard some things.”
What’s new in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
Ubisoft made it clear that Black Flag Resynced is a “solo adventure and character-driven” experience. And more bluntly, game director Richard Knight added: “It is not an RPG.” This seems to be Ubisoft trying to appease fans who might be worried Black Flag is being turned into a 200-hour RPG akin to recent AC games like Odyssey. But Ubisoft isn’t pretending that this won’t be a new game with some new content, tweaks, changes, and even removed bits.
Black Flag‘s combat system has been “reworked,” and is now a more “action-oriented experience” that looks similar to the combat seen in recent entries, like AC Shadows, but seems a bit heavier and snappier. Resynced is also adding a crouch button to make stealth a more useful option, and the game’s parkour system is being expanded using tech found in newer AC games. Yes, you can do free jumps, back ejects, and even side ejects. (The parkour sickos reading this are very happy, okay?)
Something I was very excited to hear was that Ubisoft is reworking how Black Flag‘s infamously awful and annoying tailing and eavesdropping missions will work in the upcoming remake. Before, if you got spotted during these missions, that was it. Game over. In the video event, Ubisoft jokingly added, “Yes, this was a pretty big pain point. We remember.” Now, in Resynced, these missions don’t fail if you get spotted. Instead, the target will change their behavior, and you might have to chase them or fight off guards.
As for Black Flag‘s iconic Jackdaw pirate ship, the vessel will now have even more firepower and new upgrades to unlock and equip. Some of these upgrades will be tied to three new crew officers you can recruit. They each come with their own quest lines that reveal their backstory and build trust, letting players use them to their full potential. As you sail the seas, you’ll encounter a new dynamic weather system that can create waves and storms that change how your ship controls. And yes, sea shanties are back, alongside the ability to find a pet monkey or cat for your ship.
Ubisoft also revealed that it has added new missions to Black Flag, including a new cutscene involving Edward’s wife that was written by longtime AC writer Darby McDevitt. Cutscenes have been redone with new mocap recording sessions, too.
What’s being removed from Black Flag in the remake
Considering how many times Ubisoft devs suggested the game would feature the same story and would be “faithful,” it is odd to hear that new missions are being added. More strangely, Ubisoft is seemingly removing most of Black Flag‘s modern-day narrative moments and features. If you’ve played Black Flag, you’ll know how that might change the game’s final hours and overall structure.
The devs also made it clear that Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag’s multiplayer mode is not coming back for the remake. The devs at Ubisoft Singapore want to keep the remake focused entirely on Edward Kenway’s story and adventure.
Also not included in the remake is any of the original game’s DLC. A lot of DLC was multiplayer-focused skins anyway, so it makes sense it won’t be included. But that also means that Freedom Cry, a spin-off adventure starring one of Edward’s crew members, former-slave-turned-pirate-badass Adéwalé, won’t be included, either. That’s a real shame, and I hope down the line Ubisoft reconsiders and uses the assets produced for the remake to also remake Freedom Cry. Heck, maybe sell it as a standalone game, something Ubisoft eventually did with the OG DLC.
“With Black Flag Resynced, we set out to reconnect with the heart of Black Flag,” said game director Richard Knight.
“From the start, the intention was clear: Deliver a faithful and enriched experience grounded in what players loved. We’ve rebuilt the entire adventure using our latest Anvil Engine. Expect fully overhauled visuals, new additions that deepen the world, and enhanced gameplay both on land and at sea.”
So far, what I’ve seen of Black Flag Resynced has me hopeful that Ubisoft can pull this off. While past Assassin’s Creed games have sometimes been remastered or ported to stronger platforms, this is the first time an entry in the series has received the full remake treatment.
Hopefully it all comes together to deliver something cool when Resynced arrives on July 9 on consoles and PC. And if not, don’t worry; Ubisoft confirmed it has no plans to delist or remove the original version of the game from storefronts.
