‘Assassin’s Creed: Rogue’ Official; Naval Battles Return For PS3 And Xbox 360

The multiple Assassin’s Creed: Rogue leaks were confirmed Monday as Ubisoft announced a new PS3 and Xbox 360 edition of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Unlike Assassin’s Creed Unity for the PS4, Xbox One and PC, this last-gen only version builds on the same naval gameplay from Black Flag and is set not long afterward Edward Kenway’s adventure, only in chillier waters and with a former Templar.

Assassin’s Creed: Rogue trades in the warm Caribbean waters for the frozen waters of the North Atlantic during the Seven Years War (also known as the French-Indian War), which took place between 1754 and 1763. Players will be able to explore the Appalachian River Valley and New York, where some major battles took place in North America, plus journey as far as the Arctic Circle.

For this new adventure, players will take on the role of Shay Patric Cormack. He is a former Assassin who was betrayed by his brotherhood and switched sides to the Templar. He is now an Assassin Hunter.

Here is how Ubisoft described the gameplay changes in a press release provided to me.

The acclaimed naval components from previous ‘Assassin’s Creed’ games have been enhanced in ‘Assassin’s Creed Rogue.’ The game also gives players new weapons to use on both land and sea in pursuit of taking down the Assassins, including a new ship called the Morrigan.

The description of Rogue in the YouTube trailer also revealed these additional details.

• Play as an all-new type of Assassin in the throes of a dark transformation from an adventurous Assassin to a loyal Templar committed to hunting down his former allies in the Assassin’s Brotherhood.
• New weapons such as the deadly air rifle and a variety of ammunition as well as specialized grenades can be used to distract, eliminate, or confuse enemies.
• Use Shay’s enhanced Eagle Vision and locate hidden Assassins to either avoid or eliminate them.
• Sail the icy and perilous seas of the North Atlantic for thrilling naval gameplay including new enemy tactics, exotic new weapons, and an arctic world full of icebergs and other dangers.
• Explore a diverse open world including the city streets of New York City, lush river valleys of the North East, and icy seas of the North Atlantic Ocean

Assassin’s Creed Rogue is being developed by Ubisoft Sofia, in collaboration with Ubisoft’s Singapore, Montreal, Quebec, Chengdu, Milan and Bucharest studios.

“We know that there are many Assassin’s Creed fans with Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles who want to get their hands on a new Assassin’s Creed game this year,” says Martin Capel, game director, Ubisoft Sofia. “Assassin’s Creed Rogue completes the North American saga started with Assassin’s Creed® III and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and gives previous-generation console owners an exclusive opportunity to experience fan-requested features, such as playing as a Templar.”

“The Assassin’s Creed series is a staple within the gaming industry, driving gamers to GameStop stores with each new release,” said Bob Puzon, GameStop’s senior vice president of merchandising. “Assassin’s Creed Rogue on Xbox 360 and PS3 lets GameStop bring spectacular gameplay to our previous-generation customers.”

First details, trailer and screens for the newly announced Assassin’s Creed Rogue >> http://t.co/MOZpLeJhtL || pic.twitter.com/qdO82BZEI3

— Ubisoft (@Ubisoft) August 5, 2014

Assassin’s Creed Rogue will be released to the PS3 and Xbox 360 on November 11. A PC release has not been announced by Ubisoft. Meanwhile, Assassin’s Creed Unity will be released to the PC along with the PS4 and Xbox One on October 28th. A recent reveal of the map size shows why Unity will only be available on next-gen consoles.

What do you think of the Assassin’s Creed Rogue announcement? Are you going to get one, both, or neither of this year’s Assassin’s Creed installments?

[Images via Ubisoft press release]