Assassin’s Creed Was Suppose to Be a Co-Op Game

When you think of Assassin’s Creed, you probably imagine parkouring across rooftops, blending into crowds, and pulling off daring assassinations—all as a lone wolf. But what if we told you that the original Assassin’s Creed was almost a co-op experience? That’s right: Ubisoft’s blockbuster franchise, famous for its single-player adventures, was initially conceived as a cooperative game. Let’s dive into the fascinating story behind this revelation, explore how co-op eventually found its way into the series, and discuss whether it could return in the future.

The Secret Origins: Why Co-Op Was Scrapped

Back in the mid-2000s, the creative minds at Ubisoft Montreal were working on something revolutionary. According to former developers and interviews with key figures like Philippe Bergeron, the first Assassin’s Creed was designed with co-op gameplay at its core. The idea? Players would team up as assassins, working together to complete missions in a living, breathing medieval world.

But as development progressed, reality set in. Technical limitations of the time, combined with the narrative complexity of synchronizing multiple players’ experiences, forced the team to rethink their approach. The Animus—a device central to the game’s plot—was designed to simulate a single person’s memories, making co-op a narrative headache. Ultimately, Ubisoft decided to focus on a single-player story, shaping the franchise’s identity for years to come.

The Development of Multiplayer in Assassin’s Creed

While the original vision was put on ice, the dream of co-op never fully died. Over the years, Assassin’s Creed experimented with multiplayer modes, starting with competitive assassinations in Brotherhood and Revelations. But it wasn’t until 2014’s Assassin’s Creed Unity that true co-op finally arrived.

Unity allowed up to four players to team up in Paris, tackling special missions and exploring the city together. The feature was ambitious and, despite some technical hiccups at launch, offered a fresh way to experience the world of assassins. Fans loved the camaraderie and chaos of pulling off synchronized kills with friends.

Why Co-Op Disappeared (Again)?

So why didn’t co-op stick around? After Unity, Ubisoft shifted focus back to single-player, narrative-driven experiences with Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla. The reasons were both technical and creative: co-op introduced challenges in storytelling, mission design, and world-building that didn’t always fit the series’ evolving vision.

Still, the idea of co-op remains a tantalizing “what if” for fans. With each new release, speculation swirls about whether Ubisoft will revive the feature, especially as technology advances and open-world games become more connected than ever.

Looking Ahead: Will Co-Op Return?

With the upcoming Assassin’s Creed: Shadows and rumors of even more ambitious projects on the horizon, the question lingers: could co-op make a comeback? Dual protagonists, expansive worlds, and improved online infrastructure all make it more feasible than ever.

The Assassin’s Creed community is split—some crave the return of co-op chaos, while others prefer the solitude and immersion of a single-player journey. One thing’s for sure: the story of Assassin’s Creed’s co-op origins is a fascinating chapter in gaming history, and the door is always open for Ubisoft to surprise us.