Discover the surprising origin of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, which started as a simple DLC for Valhalla before evolving into a full-fledged game.

Set in the bustling streets of 9th-century Baghdad, Assassin’s Creed Mirage had fans buzzing with its increased focus on stealth and parkour-based gameplay, marking a return to roots for the franchise. However, what many may not know is that Mirage was never originally intended as the full game it became.

The game was supposed to be a DLC for Valhalla. | Image Credit: Ubisoft

In fact, the title was supposed to be a simple DLC expansion for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. In an interview, Creative Director Stéphane Boudon shared some insights into how a single PowerPoint slide turned into a standalone title. It brought the franchise back to its roots and gave long-time fans a nostalgic throwback of what made them fall in love with the franchise in the first place.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage Evolved From a PowerPoint SIide to a Standalone Game

Developers decided to take the idea of Baghdad and evolve it into a full-fledged game. | Image Credit: Ubisoft

The story of Assassin’s Creed Mirage’s development is an interesting one, so take a seat. When talking about the game, Creative Director Stéphane Boudon shared an interesting fact. He explained that if someone wants to track the origin of the game, it can be traced back to a single slide in a PowerPoint presentation.

It was a very early idea, and it was really just one slide in a PowerPoint presentation. So it was quite rough, and the whole idea was that we wanted to come back to the Middle East. It was more the driver of the first pitch.

The studio was originally looking for a DLC expansion for Valhalla, where the protagonist, Eivor, would travel to the Middle East. Even though the idea was small, it was meant to take the series back to its roots and explore the birthplace of Assassins in an urban setting.

However, when the team started searching for other great cities, they stumbled upon Baghdad: the cultural, scientific, and religious heart of the Islamic world. This marked the shift from a DLC idea to a standalone title, evolving beyond just an expansion.

After settling on Baghdad as the central city, the team decided to shift the focus from Eivor to Basim, a character introduced in Valhalla with deep ties to the Middle East. This shift allows players to follow Basim’s journey before his time as an Assassin, with the vibrant city of Baghdad as the central backdrop.

Mirage Became a Love Letter to Long-Time Fans of the Series

Fans really enjoyed the title taking the series back to its roots. | Image Credit: Ubisoft

After its release on October 17th, 2023, Mirage quickly became a tribute to the franchise’s roots. Developers have successfully recaptured the feel of the classic Assassin’s Creed titles, with a dense cityscape to navigate and stealth at the forefront.

To stay true to the series’ origins, various ideas were scrapped during development, such as a monkey companion, sandstorms, and even a dog-commanding enemy. These changes were made to streamline development and focus on refining key mechanics like NPC detection and parkour pathways.

Overall, these changes highlight the team’s commitment to honoring long-time fans while delivering a focused, streamlined experience. As a result of this dedication, the game felt like a return to the series’ roots, offering a perfect balance of nostalgia and modern gameplay improvements.

In the end, looking at the recent controversies surrounding the latest title in the series, Shadows, it seems Ubisoft may have lost its way. However, let’s hope the next installment after Shadows is able to stir up the fans in the right direction.