Assassin's Creed Artwork Takes The Franchise To Japan
If you ever thought the Assassin's Creed games were running out of ideas about where to go next, new artwork proves why it's the land of the rising sun the title needs to go to next. We know the open-world stealth series has dabbled in this part of the world before, but what about a full-blown mainline entry set in China and Japan?
While the early days of the story had reasonably grounded settings like the Crusades and Italian Renaissance, we've since gone more and more out there to cover everything from Pirates to Ancient Egypt, and even Norse mythology. Like the turning of the tide, we know another Assassin's Creed is on the way, we just don't know where it will be set.
What Would Assassin's Creed Look Like In China And Japan?
Click to enlargeOver on ArtStation, Li Chunlei shared some impressive-looking artwork that wouldn't look out of place in an official Ubisoft book. Kotaku reminds us that we've never been further east than the Mediterranean, and although we've dabbled in China, there are continued calls for Ubisoft to do a Japan-set Assassin's Creed.
Li Chunlei's artwork combines the best of both worlds, with a conflict between China and Japan. Better yet, it takes its influence from Japan's real-life invasion of China during the Battle of Shanghai. In the artwork, we imagine players taking on the role of a Chinese assassin trying to evade Japanese forces in 1937.
Given that many historians consider this the start of World War II, it can also appease those asking for a WWII-set AC game. The artwork shows off a typically hooded lead assassin with a Chinese twist. There's also a villain that looks like they're inspired by Japanese Prime Minister and war criminal, Hideki Tojo.
Will We Go To China For Assassin's Creed?
Click to enlargeIt's true that Assassin's Creed has been to China before, with the Chronicles spin-off heading here in 2015. Charting the rise and fall of the shadowy Eight Tigers group ruling China from the shadows in the 16th century, Chronicles: China continued the arc of female assassin Shao Jun, who was introduced in the Assassin's Creed: Embers short film.
The Chronicles games each have their merits and drawbacks, but out of the three (China, India, and Russia), China was the best received. A Japanese Assassin's Creed game has largely been written off by the success of Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima, but Chunlei's artwork shows an entirely different idea set in this part of the world. Given that Li Chunlei is a concept artist at Ubisoft, we can only hope these drawings get to become a reality.