A collectible helmet key-chain that resembles a Greek soldier’s helmet has leaked online by JeuxVideo. The helmet is included inside packaging containing a logo for Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, an unannounced Assassin’s Creed title. This leak confirms rumors earlier this year that the next Assassin’s Creed game would take place in Greece – the rumors also stated a Fall 2019 release, however this is unconfirmed from the leak.
JeuxVideo also claim that Odyssey is a sequel to last year’s Assassin’s Creed Origins, and this claim was backed up by Kotaku, who have heard from their own sources that the game is set in Ancient Greece, and will be “even more of a drastic departure for the series than Origins”. This is most likely referring to the revamped movement and combat systems for Origins, and the addition of new microtransactions and levelling up. “[Odyssey will bring] dialogue options to the series for the first time.” and you can choose the gender of the protagonist. Assassin’s Creed has featured female protagonists before, however this is a first for the series in which you can choose the gender between Male and Female.
It’s also known that Walmart Canada’s major E3 leak a few weeks ago, which revealed the recently announced RAGE 2, also included a title for Assassin’s Creed, possibly indicating an imminent announcement/release reveal at Ubisoft’s upcoming E3 press conference. This and other rumors of a new title have been circulating for a while. Interestingly, while Odyssey is a sequel to Origins, Kotaku have said that their sources have not seen Origins’ Bayek or Aya. Kotaku also claim that Odyssey will be out before the end of Ubisoft’s fiscal year, which ends March 31, 2019.
Ubisoft visiting a long-anticipated time period such as Ancient Greece allows them to explore fantastic characters and events such as the reign of the Spartans and Greeks. The exploration of The Odyssey and Battle of Troy, and even more. Assassin’s Creed has a history of exploring very interesting time periods and historical events that render quite unique and they stand out in an industry over-saturated by first-person shooters and world war games, and the visit to Ancient Greece exemplifies the very special quality the series has. Let’s hope it is as good as Origins, and that the “return to the yearly schedule for which the popular franchise has long been known” will not bring it back downhill.