When we heard whispers that an Assassin’s Creed title was going to focus on the witch trials of the 16th century, we were certainly intrigued. Project Hexe was positioned as a departure from the franchise’s recent RPG-based titles, and was one whose setting would definitely fit within the franchise’s overarching conflict between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order. We remember saying it could be a perfect way to examine the period’s nuanced discourse, and that such insights would do wonders for its setting.
But that was two years ago. And with recent news about leadership shuffles, team restructuring, and a pivot back to a more “grounded” approach instead of the game’s purported supernatural direction, Project Hexe seems like it’s trying to find its stride again after a seemingly solid start. The good news is that it isn’t cancelled, and that it’s still being touted as a darker, more narrative-driven adventure. The bad news is that its fate might be tied to the developer’s own misfortunes and a massive loss tied to the recent cancellation of six projects in development.
So what’s going on with this intriguing addition to the franchise’s ranks? We’re here to give you everything you need to know. Let’s get started.
An Interesting Experiment
Let’s start with what we’ve heard about Hexe over the years. It was announced alongside Project Red, which we later learned was the codename for Shadows, which has been a very welcome trip to ancient Japan and a much-needed win for the genre. The early pitch was that Hexe wasn’t going to be a “Valhalla-sized RPG”. It was an opportunity for the franchise to explore a new direction, one that was free of checklist bloat covering massive maps.
It was interesting because Assassin’s Creed has always been great when it’s been willing to experiment. Black Flag brought in naval combat while Unity shook off a shaky start to be a title that explored how an Assassin and a Templar could work together. Rogue took things a step further, giving us a look into how the Assassin order’s negligence could drive one of its own to the Templar’s doors. All of these titles flourished under the creative freedom their teams were given, and the results are there for us all to see.
Hexe’s integration into the Animus Hub, and the fact that it was bringing in a new protagonist called Elsa were all rumors that had us very curious to learn more about it. However, the developer chose silence until the project was more rounded out, a decision that we’d argue is wise considering where we are today. But unofficial channels suggested that Elsa was going to be navigating the paranoia of the witch trials in central Europe when the Roman Empire held sway over the region.
She was going to have supernatural abilities, and the ability to possess her cat companion to sneak past enemy defences. We felt that it was a great choice, allowing an Assassin to fully lean into their abilities in a way that none of the others have managed to do in the past, Eagle Vision and a few tricks aside. Basim came close in Mirage, but was he really an Assassin to begin with?
Hexe continues to hold our attention, and we’d even say that we were quite eager to learn more about the bold new direction it was slated to bring to the Brotherhood’s subtle ways of subterfuge. But things might not be going down that route from the looks of things.
Shaking Things Up
Hexe might have been slated to bring a creative shake-up to Assassin’s Creed at a time where its RPG-esque gameplay loop was beginning to cause some fatigue among its players, but the developer has also seen a few upheavals over the past year or so. The studio’s restructuring led to Assassin’s Creed moving over to Vantage Studios under new leadership, and Hexe’s development would move to the newly created studio.
That brought Jean Guesdon in as the Head of Content for the franchise as a whole, while Clint Hocking, whom you might know from Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, Far Cry 2, and Watch Dogs: Legion was the creative director for Hexe. It was quite reassuring given Hocking’s track record, and it looked like Hexe was in good hands. Benoit Richer was the game’s director, and it looked like smooth sailing for the project up until this year.
But then came February 2026, and the news that Hocking had made his exit from the developer . Sure, Guesdon took over as Hexe’s creative director, but that was surely going to be a blow to Hexe’s development? Those worries are now further exacerbated by news of Richer moving on to run his own indie studio, and Hexe suddenly finds itself without a director, a situation that the developer hasn’t addressed yet as his replacement hasn’t been officially announced.
Does that mean Hexe is going to be in development hell, the place where once-ambitious projects often go when they’re going to fade away into the background? We don’t think so. But the loss of two key figures in its development cycle isn’t just background noise either. It’s still a flagship title for the developer, and an unrevealed one at that.
There’s also the massive reshuffling of resources to consider, with reports that nearly 50 staffers who were involved in Hexe’s development have since been moved to its interproject team. While the developer’s official position on the news passes this off as a normal part of its business operations, the fact that it happens when priorities change is something that makes us worry about where Hexe is headed. There’s speculation that it might not meet its June 2027 release window, instead being delayed to the holidays next year.
But we did see how Shadows was delayed to bring a more polished experience to the table. Wouldn’t a game that’s seen a bit of turbulence in its development benefit from more time in the oven? Well, the answer to that is a tad more complicated than a simple yes or no.
The Flight Of Fancy
The changes made within Project Hexe’s ranks are accompanied by rumors that the game might be moving away from a whimsical approach to its premise’s supernatural elements to present a more science-based approach to showcase Elsa’s bag of tricks. The best example for that is the alleged removal of her feline companion and her ability to possess it, similar to how Kassandra and Eivor were able to see through the eyes of their pet eagles.
The more exciting “witchcraft” is now reportedly going to be framed as the effective use of scientific principles, while the game’s setting showcases how ordinary folk could perceive such things as supernatural which in turn lets Elsa use fear and misdirection to her advantage. We think that it’s a solid approach, but could turn out to be a double-edged sword.
Let’s talk about the pros first. A more grounded approach would certainly fit the game’s narrative framing while also fitting well within the franchise’s broader narrative. The misinterpretation of myths has always guided Assassin’s Creed, and having rational explanations to what people without access to the knowledge of either the Assassins or Templars can make for a very interesting and nuanced look at the fear and general unease of the witch trials, from both granular and philosophical perspectives.
Hexe has the potential to be distinct, and potentially so different from what has come before it, but the new direction it seems to be taking could dilute the novelty to a large enough extent to make it less fun.
We’re not worried about Hexe becoming more grounded. We’re concerned that it’s becoming less fearless, a facet that has made several Assassin’s Creed games feel less because they play it too safe. But there’s also developer’s position in the gaming industry to consider as the last piece of the Hexe puzzle.
A Precarious Position
The developer’s restructuring, the backlash it has been facing, and the fact that its market cap is very low are all factors that could have brought on a more safe direction for Hexe. With the cancellation of multiple games, the studio needs Assassin’s Creed to succeed now more than ever. Black Flag Resynced might be enough to make 2026 a good year for the franchise, but the studio could be looking further ahead. In such a scenario, a risky title with experimental features might be fresh, but could also come with financial risks that the company cannot afford to take in its present state.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Guesdon comes with all of the experience he has accrued from his time with Origins and the original Black Flag. A grounded approach to witchcraft still has everything it needs to make Elsa stand out from her Assassin brethren, while a focused narrative could make her stand tall even in Ezio’s company. It all comes down to whether the game is trimming down its gimmicks to make the core gameplay better, or whether it is doing so to mitigate risks.
The way we see it, it’s time for the developer to bring Hexe and Elsa out from the shadows and into the light. It needs to show that Hexe is going to have the unique identity that it has been painted to bring thanks to the rumors. It needs to show that the game uses the witch-trials in a way that lets the fear and mistrust they brought weave themselves into the very fabric of its world. It needs to showcase a darker tone across the board, bringing that aspect out of its marketing language and into tangible proof that the game is indeed a departure from what has come before it.
Hexe needs to show us that its new direction hasn’t dampened the intention to stand out from the crowd. As it stands, it’s definitely going to benefit from a reveal and some gameplay details sooner rather than later. But until that time comes, we’re going to sulk about not getting the chance to potentially play as a feline Assassin, which was certainly something we were quite excited about.
Here’s to hoping that the eventual reveal of Hexe is able to lift our spirits.
