Anyone who has been scrolling X or Reddit anytime in the last year likely expected one major reveal at The Game Awards 2025, but the rumored and highly anticipated Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag remake was a no-show. The night was packed with plenty of big announcements, including the unveiling of a brand-new Star Wars game by Casey Hudson and Larian’s next Divinity game. However, the Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag remake is still pretending like it doesn’t exist, as if it hasn’t shown its hand already.
Perhaps only second to Leon Kennedy’s return in Resident Evil Requiem (which was also confirmed at The Game Awards 2025), the Black Flag remake has been one of the worst-kept secrets in the industry for quite some time. Nearly two years of rumors, speculation, and leaks have led to what was arguably the best possible timing for a reveal at this year’s awards ceremony, yet it neglected to seize the opportunity. At the very least, a teaser confirming its existence might have been in order—unless, of course, Ubisoft has decided to shadow drop it once it’s ready, since the world is already so confident that it’s real.
The Black Flag Remake Has Been the Worst Kept Secret in the Industry for Some Time
The leak cycle for the long-rumored Black Flag remake has been going on for months, but one of the more recent blow-out hints came when the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) board briefly listed a title called Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced with an 18+ rating, practically announcing without announcing that something was coming. Before that, Reddit user thequaliti revealed in a post that a piece of text mentioning the remake was spotted in the localization table of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, but those leaks weren’t the half of it. The Black Flag remake has been on the radar since early 2024, when industry insiders claimed that Ubisoft was entertaining the idea of remaking older Assassin’s Creed games.
Timeline of AC4: Black Flag Remake’s rumors and leaks
- Early 2024: First whispers appear as insiders claim Ubisoft is exploring remakes of older Assassin’s Creed games.
- Mid-2024: Fans begin speculating Black Flag is the remake in development, based on Ubisoft’s internal roadmap leaks.
- Early 2025: The first meaningful “sightings” surface when references to Black Flag Resynced appear in leaked localization files for Assassin’s Creed Shadows.
- Spring 2025: Voice actors and community figures make vague comments interpreted as hints toward a remake.
- Mid-2025: Steam backend updates for the original Black Flag spark theories that a larger project is underway.
- Late 2025: The first official sign appears when PEGI briefly lists Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, effectively confirming the remake’s existence.
Apart from rumors and leaks hinting at the existence of the Black Flag remake, others have pointed toward how it might change the original game, as well as a potential launch window. Firstly, it was reported that the modern-day segments that tied earlier Assassin’s Creed games into the contemporary Assassin versus Templar storyline were being dropped, with the focus instead squarely on Edward Kenway’s pirate-era adventures. Secondly, various leaks suggested that the rumored Black Flag remake would arrive sometime before March 2026, with some insiders even pointing to the week of March 23 as a potential release period.
The Game Awards 2025 Was the Best Possible Timing for a Black Flag Remake Reveal
If the reported March 2026 release window for the rumored AC4: Black Flag remake is true, then The Game Awards 2025 was the best possible timing for a reveal of some kind. Especially when considering how more likely its existence becomes with every leak, it would have made sense for Ubisoft to at least give fans a nod at TGA 2025—one that says, “Yes, it’s real.” A simple 30-second teaser with little more than a title card would have been enough. At this point, it feels like playing a game of hide-and-seek with a toddler, where the seeker knows where the toddler is hiding but pretends not to know for the sake of the child’s fun.
A Delayed Reveal Could Be in Ubisoft’s Best Interest
Perhaps it really is in the developer’s best interest that this thing remains under wraps until it is ready, in light of how much scrutiny it has been under in recent years. That silence can be frustrating, but it is also very on-brand for a Ubisoft that has grown increasingly cautious about how and when it shows its hand. After so many of Ubisoft’s games being dissected years in advance, a surprise reveal or even a near-launch announcement would give the developer far more control over the conversation. In that context, skipping The Game Awards 2025 looks less like a missed opportunity and more like a way to avoid unrealistic expectations before the game even has a chance to speak for itself.
Until Ubisoft finally acknowledges it, the rumored Black Flag remake is in this strange limbo where everyone is convinced it is real, yet no one can officially talk about it. The only downside to that might be that the longer that limbo lasts, the more pressure the developer will be under once an eventual reveal happens. Whether the reveal comes with traditional marketing or a sudden announcement closer to its release, one thing feels inevitable at this point. Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag is (probably) coming back, and Ubisoft is simply choosing when to stop pretending otherwise.
Released
October 29, 2013
ESRB
M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
