Assassin's Creed 3's greatest feature was pushed to the side until Black Flag because Ubisoft was worried that 'the tech wouldn't work'
PC Gamer
by Fraser Brown February 23, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Assassin's Creed 3 laid the groundwork for one of the franchise’s most beloved features—the ship-based gameplay—that would later become a cornerstone in *Black Flag*. However, due to concerns about the technology not being reliable, Ubisoft held back on fully integrating naval exploration into the main game. Instead, it was relegated to side missions and remained underutilized until *Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag*, which became a critical success with its vast open-world nautical adventures. This decision highlights a broader issue in AAA development, where limited testing windows and risk aversion can lead to missed opportunities for innovation.
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Originally published on PC Gamer on 2/23/2026