Earlier this year, when images of a new Assassin’s Creed game were leaked, Ubisoft responded by releasing the “Let Them Eat Cake” trailer and officially announced the PlayStation4 and Xbox One only game, Assassin’s Creed Unity.  However, there was conjecture about the possibility of a second game, as Ubisoft already had an Xbox360 and PS3 project, codenamed Assassin’s Creed Comet, slated for release in the fall of 2014.

Today, Ubisoft officially announced Assassin’s Creed Rogue, an Xbox360 and PlayStation3 only title set to release on November 11, 2014, along with a trailer.  See it below!

The trailer depicts a man carrying a Templar sword with an assassin’s hidden blade extended from his wrist as he walks through several faded settings: a stone path, falling leaves, long grass, wild fires, and finally ending in snow.  As he walks, the man, through internal dialogue, contemplates how history might remember him, as a traitor, rebel or a renegade. He throws down his sword and retracts his blade, removing his hood while he follows a blood trail to an severely injured assassin.  The assassin reaches up with a weak and unsteady hand in a pleading gesture for succor.  Rather than aid the assassin, the man draws a large rifle strapped to his back, cocks the flint hammer.  He does not care how history will remember him, so long as he follows his own creed.  Fade to black with the explosive thunder of a gunshot.

In Assassin’s Creed Rogue, you will play Shay Patrick Cormac, a fearless young member of the Assassin Brotherhood, who undergoes a dark transformation that will forever shape the future of the American colonies.  Set during the French and Indian War era, Assassin Shay will fall from an adventurous Assassin to a grim and committed Templar willing to hunt down his former brothers.  Being called (by Ubisoft), “The darkest chapter yet in the Assassin’s Creed franchise,” Assassin’s Creed Rogue will be the first game to star a Templar as the main protagonist as he goes from assassin to assassins hunter.

Some things to note in the trailer:

• The multiple seasons shown as Shay walks, as this likely means the game will feather multiple seasons as AC3 had done.
• Shay wears a baldric that has an Iron Cross (a Templar icon) at an angle that is sitting just below a buckle that has hints of an assassin’s emblem.
• Shar carries both a Templar Sword AND hidden blade.  Players will more than likely get to play in the game as both an assassin and templar (likely not at the same time)
• It might be significant that Shay does not use either the Templar or Assassin weapons for the final kill, instead he uses the rifle at his back.
• The snowy setting in the background in the wide angle shot shows arctic landscapes and a ship.  This denotes that there should be arctic location that can be sailed to.
• Shay is show following blood in the snow to find the assassin.  A Manhunt element could be a major gameplay element.

The Arctic theme is also used on the box cover. Likely to play an important role in the game.

SPOILERS for AC3 and AC4:BF below.  Stop reading if you haven’t beaten both games.

This seems to be a rather turbulent time frame for the Assassins, full of defections, crossing alliances, and third parties introducing themselves into the fray.  Between the time frame of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag (early 1700’s)to Assassin’s Creed Unity (French Revolution Era – Late 1700’s), we’ve seen a number of number of assassin’s turn on the brotherhood. AC4 features Edward Kenway, a random pirate that happened upon the Assassin-Templar feud, decided to get himself involved for the sake of money by assuming the identity of Duncan Walpole, an assassin defecting to the Templars.  In AC3, Haythem Kenway, son of then Assassin Edward Kenway who was converted to a Templar at an early age, would lead the Colonial Order of Templars while his son, Ratonhnhaké:ton (or Conner), would interject himself into the feud as his Grandfather had done.  In Unity’s Arno trailer, we are shown Arno saving a Templar from execution and working together with her in order to escape.  Then finally with Assassin’s Creed Rogue, will be playing as a fallen assassin as his convictions lead him to become a master Templar.  Indeed a very turbulent time for the Order.

I’d like to believe that the when taking all the games from Assassin’s Creed 3 (Assassin’s Creed 3, Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, Assassin’s Creed Unity, and Assassin’s Creed Rogue) there will a greater story of turbulence in the Assassin’s Order, starting in AC4, that will lead to the decimation mentioned by Achilles Davenport in AC3; all of it culminating in the need of Arno and Elise to join forces in order to save both the Assassin’s AND the Templars from external pressures.  Time will only tell!

Be sure to pre-order your copy today for bonus content and missions!