The upcomingAssassin’s Creed Hexeis one of several confirmed projects that are set to pave the way for the next era of Ubisoft’s longstanding franchise. Set to provide a much different experience compared to the expansive RPG entries that the IP has recently released, what exactly the Hexe project entails is still shrouded in mystery regarding its setting and narrative.
With that in mind, fans have been deciphering what little promotional material exists forAssassin’s Creed Hexe, leading to a consensus around the potential setting. The Holy Roman Empire will likely play a role in this, according to fandom interpretations, so players may want to know some of the broader details of this era of history and how it could shape the events of the upcomingHexe.
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The Potential Setting of Assassin’s Creed Hexe
A roughly 30-second teaser trailer is the main source of information that fans have to determine what kind of gameAssassin’s Creed Hexewill be. However, all the cinematic in question showcasing isthe iconic Assassin Brotherhood sigilmade of suspended twigs and branches. This, combined with the uncharacteristically dark and ominous tone of the trailer, has led many fans to believe that the title will portray witchcraft, with the title ofHexeonly reinforcing this notion.
One might immediately jump to something like the Salem Witch Trials, but applying this information to the typical areas thatAssassin’s Creedhas employed, it is currently believed thatHexewill be set in Europe during a time of intense persecution against perceived witchcraft. The Germanic regions of Central Europe would likely be the best real-world historical fit for such a setting. WithAssassin’s Creedoften applying a fictitious supernatural twist to real periods of human history, taking thelore of the Isuto this era could be a very good fit for the franchise from a narrative perspective.
Assassin’s Creed Hexe and the Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire is one of the most defining and powerful political entities coming out of Europe, existing in a variety of forms from as early as 800 AD all the way up to the early 1800s. While not directly related tothe older Roman Empire, the Germanic rulers of Europe continued the lineage of Roman emperorship to validate their claims to power, and thus carried forward the Roman name three centuries after the original empire’s collapse.
As the name suggests, the Holy Roman Empire can be characterized by the influence of religion, with the Papacy having a continued role in the crowning and succession of the Empire’s leaders - such as thenotorious historical figure Charlemagne. This influence of religion gave way to intense superstition and persecution under the Holy Roman Empire, with the latter centuries of the era seeing a large-scale increase in trials and killings over the suspicion of witchcraft.
These trials peaked between the years 1500 and 1600, and saw elderly women as the main persecuted demographic. With this in mind, it is likely the upcomingAssassin’s Creed Hexewould be set within Central Europe between these years, with the era fostering a perfect opportunity to feature a sole female protagonist given how intrinsically linked these trials were to the persecution of women. Given the contextual clues that fans have inferred fromHexe’spromotional material, combining with theACfranchise’s propensity to merge religion and the supernatural in its narratives,the Holy Roman Empiremay play an important role in the upcoming game.
Assassin’s Creed Hexeis currently in development.
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