Assassin's Creed Mirage gets earlier October 5 release date

But what is Mirage bringing to this bustling gaming bazaar? Plenty, as a matter of fact.

For those who've found themselves trapped inside the Animus for quite some time, Ubisoft confirms Assassin's Creed: Mirage is a throwback to the glory days of the franchise, taking players on a trip to 9th century Baghdad. We'll walk in the shoes of Basim Ibn Ishaq, a character first introduced in the vast expanses of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. This isn't the wise and complex Basim of Valhalla, though. Mirage promises to unveil the tapestry of a younger Basim, tracing his journey from a mere street thief to a master assassin.

The game signals a conscientious return to the series' stealth-focused roots, moving away from the expansive RPG style of recent titles like Origins, Odyssey, and the enormous Valhalla.

Ubisoft, in an effort to evoke nostalgia, is striving to create an experience reminiscent of the early days of the franchise - those days of Altair in Masyaf and Ezio in Florence. Gone are the intricate RPG mechanics introduced in Origins. In its stead, Mirage offers a densely packed city setting filled with stealthy tools, like the smoke bombs of yesteryears, and yes, no more of that grinding to get a marginally better Hidden Blade.

Many in the community fondly recall the times when a 20-hour game was considered long - when Assassin's Creed 2, which saw the debut of the now-legendary gaming icon, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, and its rendition of Renaissance Italy felt colossal. Those days might seem far behind in an era where sprawling 100-hour narratives are the norm. However, Ubisoft's Mirage, centralized to Baghdad, promises a focused narrative that might span 20-23 hours, which is a duration that aligns with the series' classic entries. The price point, intriguingly set at $50, could be Ubisoft's way of gauging the waters, trying to find a sweet spot between game length, quality, and cost. Will players today be content with a quality, shorter game at a slightly reduced price point?

It's a move reminiscent of the series' older, sleeker, and sneakier days, something many long-time fans have yearned for. The more expansive recent games, while majestic in their own right, often felt weighed down by their own ambitions. Mirage, with its promise of tighter narrative focus and honed gameplay mechanics, could be the refreshing gust of wind the series needs.

This isn't to say that Ubisoft sneaked past controversies. Assassin's Creed Mirage is still going to have microtransactions, which hasn't sat well with some fans.

Ultimately, Assassin's Creed Mirage remains one of the most highly anticipated releases this year, and the game's early drop only adds to the excitement. After struggling to hit its mark in recent years, Ubisoft's confident declaration of the game's readiness feels like a precursor to something much larger.

Fingers crossed, Basim's arrival in Mirage kickstarts a new golden age for the ever-expansive Assassin's Creed franchise that will see the release of Codename Jade, Codename Red, and, if we're lucky, a remake of Assassin's Creed 4, in the next 2-3 years.