Despite a lot of mysteryaround the project, the upcomingAssassin’s Creed Infinityis set to be a complete game-changer for the popular Ubisoft franchise, for better orworse. The launch ofInfinitywill see the series join many other massively influential gaming franchises in moving towards one-stop franchise hubs that will host and deliver all future content, including major releases.
While theAssassin’s Creedfranchise will have a lot of company when it comes to making the sweeping and ambitious change over to a dedicated series hub, there are some lingering criticisms about this form of content delivery thatInfinityruns a risk of drawing to itself. The launch ofCall of DutyHQ is a good example of another hugely influential gaming IP adopting a singular content hub, withCoDHQ being one of the most divisive elements of the franchise ever since it launched in 2022. Of all the issuesCall of DutyHQ has, one runs a serious risk of being repeated byAssassin’s Creed Infinity, and this concerns a complete lack of PlayStation Platinum Trophies for future releases.
Ubisoft Can Learn a Lot From Call of Duty HQ’s Shortcomings For AC Infinity
Call of DutyHQ was first introduced in 2022alongside the rebootedModern Warfare 2, with the longstanding FPS giant using this HQ as the main access hub for its annual releases ever since. It seems as if subsequentCoDtitles will be added to this hub for the foreseeable future, offering a massive change to the previous release formula that gave eachCall of Dutyproject its own separate release removed from the wider franchise.
While many fans argue that this move towardsCall of DutyHQ has only served to dampen the individual identities of recent releases, a one-stop hub for the IP seemed inevitable due to its rapid release schedule and the existence ofWarzonealongside its yearly releases.Call of DutyHQ has also infamously exacerbated complaints around thealways-online nature of modernCoDtitles, but one other quality-of-life issue has been more pressing for a certain subset of fans.
WithModern Warfare 2,MW3, andBlack Ops 6now falling under the singularCoDHQ, none of these games have Platinum Trophies available to them on PlayStation 5, withCoDHQ instead featuring a bloated and extensive singular trophy list covering all three titles. This has even caused issues with achievement hunting on Xbox, yet the lack ofPlatinumCoDTrophies on modern PShardware has been a point of real contention ever sinceCall of DutyHQ was released.
Assassin’s Creed Infinity Can Still Maintain Individuality Across its Projects
Assassin’s Creed Infinitywas announced in 2022, around the time ofCoDHQ’s launch, with it seeming quite likely that this live-service content hub forACwill roll out alongsidethe release ofAssassin’s Creed Shadowsin February 2025.Shadowsseems as if it will be the first of a wide range of near-futureACprojects to be available through theInfinityhub, with other titles likeAssassin’s Creed Hexealso being in the works at Ubisoft.
It seems thatAC Infinitywill be largely justified by the franchise having tosupport its own multiplayer game,Assassin’s Creed Invictus, much in the same wayCoDHQ helps streamline the accessibility ofWarzone. With so many projects seemingly coming to theACfranchise after the launch ofInfinity, Ubisoft cannot allow their identities and user experiences to merge into one, and ensuring multiple achievement and trophy lists across different platforms for each release will be a perfect way to differentiateInfinityfrom comparable industry hubs likeCoDHQ.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience an epic historical action-adventure story set in feudal Japan! Become a lethal shinobi Assassin and a powerful legendary samurai as you explore a beautiful open world in a time of chaos. Switch seamlessly between two unlikely allies as you discover their common destiny. Master complementary playstyles, create your shinobi league, customize your hideout, and usher in a new era for Japan.• Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.• Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles. As Naoe, use stealth to avoid detection and agility to confound your enemies. As Yasuke, strike your foes with lethal precision and power. Unlock new skills, gear, and progression independently for each character.• Make information your weapon as you explore the world, and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions.• Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s layout, decorations, and accessories.
