How Assassin's Creed Can Wrap Up Abstergo's Many Plot Threads
Ubisoft's upcoming Assassin's Creed project was confirmed shortly after it was leaked to the public, though little is known about how it might wrap up remaining Abstergo plot threads. The project has temporarily been titled Assassin's Creed Infinity and will be introducing several new features to the franchise. It will be the first live-service Assassin's Creed game, and will also be exploring multiple different settings. While announced and assumed changes have met with mixed reception, some of these features could contribute to bringing current storylines to a close.
Throughout the many years of Ubisoft's development on the IP, the storyline for the Assassin's Creed franchise has been less than coherent, with spiraling storylines and in-game story information sometimes lacking, leaving details scattered throughout comic books, novels, spin-off games, and hidden lore entries. One of the specific plots that has been generally abandoned surrounds Abstergo's ongoing conflicts. Abstergo is the modern-day Templar faction that doubles as a huge corporate entity. The company has acted as the modern antagonistic force for Assassin's Creed's many modern protagonists, no matter their faction, and while some of these plotlines were more appealing than others, Abstergo has several stories that could be definitively resolved through Assassin's Creed Infinity's live-service model and different time periods.
Ubisoft can use the new model to allow more consistent progression of stories with less-choppy transitions. Many fans of the franchise preferred past storylines, which forced Ubisoft's focus away from the modern plotlines. Even DLCs in games such as Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Odyssey sometimes failed to deliver satisfactory endings, and some didn't even address the larger story. With a live-service development style, Assassin's Creed Infinity could steadily resolve Abstergo's plots in the modern-day segments of each update. While the storytelling methods of the upcoming Assassin's Creed game have yet to be fully revealed, a story delivered in chapters could function to provide the modern-day conflict the same attention as the conflict in the past.
Ubisoft has confirmed that Assassin's Creed Infinity will explore different time periods, unlike many of its predecessors which primarily focus on a single Brotherhood agent in a specific era. By exploring a variety of time periods, Assassin's Creed Infinity can pursue a more linear form of storytelling centered around specific plot points. There are many characters that seem to have vanished from the in-game spotlight. Some of their fates (such as Olivier Garneau) can be surmised from Easter Eggs in games like Watch Dogs, or within the Assassin's Creed extended universe comics and novels. Bringing prominent Abstergo figures back into the game through various timelines could complete the modern-day plots that have been neglected. Facing the ancestor of a future Abstergo employee, such as Otso Berg, could give modern-day confrontations more weight.
Both the development style of Assassin's Creed Infinity and the choice to explore different time periods within the same installment of the franchise can work towards resolving abandoned Abstergo plotlines. One of the most significant plots that was abandoned and then strangely addressed was Juno's involvement at the Abstergo company. At the conclusion of Assassin's Creed 3, it was shown that Juno was influencing Abstergo to make Isu clones, though for what purpose was ultimately unknown. While Juno is still regarded as a threat, this modern plot has been more or less abandoned. Additionally, following Desmond Miles' untimely demise at the conclusion of Assassin's Creed Revelations, Abstergo reportedly stole his body for tests. While this is used as a plot device to explain how various memories were accessed in Assassin's Creed Black Flag's story, the ultimate goal for keeping his body has also not been revealed, nor has its current whereabouts.
Assassin's Creed Infinity has plenty of potential for the Assassin's Creed franchise, but the storytelling opportunities can save the series' modern-day narrative if executed correctly. Combined with a live-service format and more movement throughout different settings, the plot holes left in the Abstergo storyline can steadily be resolved during the game's ongoing development. Chapters dedicated to specific enemies, nefarious plots, and Eden artifacts can construct a more linear progression to the plotlines of the Assassin's Creed franchise. Ubisoft has not yet revealed a release date for Assassin's Creed Infinity, as it is still in the early stages of development.