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Full Steam announcements and update articles for this title.
Yo Ho Ho! More than 3 million copies sold across the seas... 🏴☠️
Special thanks to all of you for playing and sharing tall tales about your Caribbean adventures.
Guess we'll have to keep the adventures going with New Game+ later on, mates. 👀
Hello everyone,
Tomorrow, July 16th, we will be releasing Title Update 1.0.4 for Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced @ 14:00 UTC / 10:00 AM EST / 7:00 AM PST.
Want to discuss the Title Update with your fellow community members? Why not join our official Assassin’s Creed Discord server?
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to report issues to us via the Bug reporter. As always, you can contact our support team if you run into any trouble.
Xbox Series X|S: 15.35 GB
PlayStation®5: 2.44 GB
PC: 3.71 GB
Steam: 2.7 GB
Fixed multiple save/load issues.
Fixed various localization issues for Simplified Chinese, Italian and Arabic.
Fixed a dubbing issue that was affecting voiceover playback and cutscene visuals in localized versions.
Improved performance and stability.
Fixed an issue on PC where Cutscenes are locked at 30 FPS when graphics settings are set to ‘Custom’.
Fixed multiple lighting issues when players are indoors or in caverns.
Fixed an issue where players can double jump when advanced parkour option is turned on.
Fixed issues where players can clip into the ship’s hull while swimming.
Fixed an issue where players are locked out when attempting to move immediately after exiting a mini game.
Fixed an issue where the ally would stop moving if players were to assassinate their kill.
Fixed an issue where players can get stuck harpooning if they start Boarding immediately after starting Harpooning.
Fixed an issue where Civilians are entering Brawl zones.
Fixed an issue where players are unable to dodge the fatal Humpback Whale’s Tail slap during Harpooning.
Fixed an issue where players do not go back into aiming if they are hit by an enemy while aiming with "Rope Dart" and "Smoke Bomb".
Fixed an issue where upgrading the Jackdaw while docked can cause it to disappear, leaving players without their ship.
Fixed an issue where Edward’s hands have no movement while playing the mini game.
Fixed various Animus walls issues.
Fixed various Fast Travel issues.
Fixed various issues where players are able to reach locations they shouldn't be able to access.
Fixed the issue where the weather never becomes foggy.
Fixed floating bushes by grounding them to the world.
Tweaked weather system balancing to increase the proportion of sun and clear skies.
Fixed an issue where players can get stuck in Desynchronization screen when opening and closing the menu repeatedly.
Fixed an issue where Location activity icons on the Map disappear after rebooting the game.
Fixed various minor graphical issues.
Fixed a visual issue for some Hideout ship models.
Fixed various character clipping issues.
Fixed various clothes clipping issues.
Corrected texture issues on some side characters.
Fixed an issue where killing an enemy will cause a single body drop to sound like multiple bodies dropping.
“Rift: Wayward Desires”: Fixed an issue where players will miss the second zipline when falling from the first.
Fixed an issue where “Imagine my surprise” and “The Commander's Ruse” cannot be completed at the same time.
“The Other Brother”: Fixed an issue where Upton can be assassinated early.
“The Observatory”: Fixed an issue where your allies do not arrive together with Roberts.
“A governor no longer”: Fixed an issue where players are unable to progress due to being stuck by the Animus wall.
During the battle with El Tiburon, it might be unclear for some players on how to break his defense. We have added hints for players on how to break it.
Ahoy, mateys!
Our next Title Update arrives this Thursday, July 16.
It includes a fix for the cutscenes locked at 30FPS on PC, along with several other bug fixes and improvements.
We'll share the full patch notes tomorrow, so keep your spyglass close! 🏴☠️
2 million copies sold on launch day! To everyone who has jumped aboard the Jackdaw, shared their adventures, posted screenshots, shared gameplay, and celebrated this launch with us: thank you.
We've also been following your feedback closely. Many of you have helped us identify issues that need attention, including localization and VO issues affecting some territories or the 30FPS cutscene bug on PC. We want you to know that we hear you, we appreciate every report, and our teams are already working on fixes that will be rolling out very soon. In the meantime we invite you to flag any issue on our Bug Reporter | Ubisoft.
To celebrate this milestone and thank you for your support, we're granting the Crimson Storm sails to customize your Jackdaw, along with 1500 Animus keys that can be used to purchase unique items from the Exchange. These rewards are available for free to every player who purchased Black Flag Resynced and will remain available for a limited redemption period. You can now redeem the code \ on https://redeem.ubisoft.com/assassins-creed-black-flag-resynced and associate your Ubisoft Connect account to get your reward.
This is only the beginning of the journey. We'll keep listening, improving the experience, and sharing the adventure with all of you.
Thank you – Justin Ng, Producer on Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
Hello Assassins,
We are aware that there is an issue where cutscenes on PC are locked to 30 FPS when using Raytracing, BVH or Terrain Quality at Ultra High setting.
We have a fix coming soon, but in the meantime, we've provided a temporary workaround: Reset the graphics Overall Preset to any pre-configured setting and avoid manually setting Raytracing, BVH or Terrain Quality to the Ultra High setting.
Thanks for your patience!
Link to Known Issues: Day 1 Known Issues - AC Black Flag resynced :: Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced General DiscussionLink to Bug Reporter: Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Bug ReportHello everyone,
We have addressed an issue where some players could not find find their local language pack. In case you are still encountering the issue, here are some instructions to access the language packs:
Close the game
Close Steam + Reopen Steam
Set the language as seen on the following screenshot
With launch just around the corner, we dive deeper into the specificities of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced’s combat system, sharing a few tips & tricks to make the most out of each fight!
Ahoy! As the launch of Resynced is upon us, we want to dive deeper into the nuts and bolts of our combat system, while providing you with a few tips & tricks to make the most out of your upcoming fights!The combat system in Resynced has been rebuilt from the ground up to deliver the kind of swashbuckling experience the Golden Age of Piracy deserves — raw, rhythmic, and ruthlessly satisfying.Let’s dive in.
Hello everyone!
We’re back and with us being a week away from launch, it’s time to batten down the hatches and prepare yourselves to set sail on July 9th. Here’s all the key things you need to know to set off on your adventure in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced. And for those of you who have been following along with our Deep Dive series, check out some of the clips below for some new gameplay elements we haven’t shown before.HUD settings may vary depending on the capture to showcase examples of customizable options.
Hidden Blade Takedown: Breaking an enemy’s defense with a Perfect Parry will trigger a Hidden Blade takedown.
Chain Takedowns: Triggered by timing a Perfect Parry, Edward can chain his takedowns to up to four nearby enemies, depending on the sword he carries.
Wall Takedown: Kick an enemy into a wall to initiate a fatal takedown.
Ground Takedown: Grounded enemies (from an explosion or Sweep move) can be killed by a Ground Takedown
Kick and Sweep: The kick can also stagger enemies and send them back, great for crowd control. The Sweep will allow Edward to perform a Ground Takedown.
Rope Dart: Use the Rope Dart to open up enemies for attacks and bring them closer to you. You can use it to interrupt attacks from range as well. To make the Rope Dart a much more strategic item for Edward, he will be able to get his hands on it much earlier (sequence 3 in Resynced vs. sequence 11 in the original).
Each of Edward’s main weapons employs a Heavy Attack (by holding down the attack button) which causes more damage and can break defence easier but has a longer wind up time.
Rapier: Heavy Strikes are more damaging and can pierce through foes.
Cutlass: Heavy Strikes cover a wide area, hitting multiple enemies.
Pistol-Sword: Two damaging shots are fired, allowing Edward to focus fire on one enemy or spread the damage on two.
Edward can now crouch anywhere, which will make him harder to spot. This can be seen with the visibility meter in the HUD. Don’t want to engage in a battle with a Boar or Jaguar? Sneak up them while crouched and perform an assassination.
Running straight at an enemy will cause them to hear you, so make sure you are crouched or walking slowly in stealth situations. And if an enemy is alerted by your presence, make sure to take out the Alarm Bells scattered throughout plantations so that they can’t call for backup.
The Blowpipe has Sleep Darts (which cause an enemy to sleep for a period of time) and Berserk Darts (which causes enemies to attack each other).
Smoke Bombs can be thrown at enemies or dropped at your feet when Edward is in need of a quick escape.
The Rope Dart can be used to pull enemies in for an assassination or used to hang enemies from a perch which will serve as a distraction.
Hiring NPCs. You can hire the Dancers to distract guards and blend in passively while walking the dense urban environments of the Carribean.
You can blend in crowds of 3 or more to remain unseen. Benches, walls, haystacks, and closets are also classic returning hiding spots.
Edward will be able to throw money to create chaos and lure guards and citizens to a location.
Edward will also be able to toggle his hood on and off at any time.
With Advanced Parkour active (you can toggle in Settings) you can parkour down to trigger more precise side-eject behavior, while parkour up prioritizes heigh gains and upward momentum.
Manual jump gives you greater control over Edward’s directionality and allowing you to take shortcuts and increase velocity while parkouring.
You’ll encounter these brand new Ziplines throughout the Carribean, connecting Edward from high to low ground over a longer distance, and at a much faster pace.
The Padre: The Ram Dash will deal devastating collision damage and features its own dedicated camera. In the original this move was only unlocked after defeating all Legendary Ships, which happened too late to be of much use during the story. The Padre will also join your boarding party when capturing or looting disabled ships.
Lucy Baldwin: Perfect Brace will enhance your Brace and almost completely nullify incoming damage – if you time the Brace correctly.
Tobias “Deadman” Smith: Deadman’s Cohort will give the mortar a secondary firing option that will saturate an area with a huge number of Carcass bombs. You’ll be able to manually control where each projectile will land, devastating an area with sheer volume. You’ll also be able to fire an additional volley from your broadside cannons with a minimal cooldown between salvos, unleashing devastation on the hapless navies you encounter.
Boarding Enemy Ships: while you can simply choose to destroy enemy ships, this will provide significantly less loot than boarding. Disable an enemy ship through battle and board it to collect the most loot. Capturing a ship will also allow you to send it to Kenway’s Fleet (more on that in a bit), repair your ship, lower your Wanted Level or in the case of larger classes of ships like Man O’ Wars, take the Captain’s Lockbox for even more valuable loot.
You’ll also be able to find loot through exploration by land and sea. Floating loot will be collectible as you traverse, and make sure to stop by the playas you encounter on your travels. Playas are filled with treasure, especially in underwater chests that you can loot by using the new Dive Anywhere feature, allowing Edward to swim underwater anywhere in the game. Underwater shipwrecks also return, and once you unlock the Diving Bell, you’ll be able to access these shark infested areas to plunder precious treasure.
For example, the General Store will start out as an abandoned shack, run down and disused. Investing a little money, some crafting materials, and some trade goods will result in it being improved up to three times with a clear visual upgrade. You’ll also get access to rare and legendary weapons, decorations, and outfits for Edward.
General Store (three levels) – unlock rare and legendary weapons, decorations, and outfits
Tavern – get access to three mini games which Edward can play, and add to the tip jar to increase your chances of finding a Royal Convoy on the open waters
Harbormaster (three levels) – increase the number and tier of upgrades you can purchase for the Jackdaw
Brothel – dancers become free to hire and a number of combat and sailing benefits are applied to Edward, the Jackdaw, and its crew
Campfire – drunk pirates become free to hire and two more slots are added to Edward’s fleet
Fisherman’s Wharf (New to Resynced) – increase Hideout passive income over time and double effectiveness of skinning hunted animals
Treasure Dealer (New to Resynced) – unlock exclusive items and a map restoration service, increase Hideout profit over time, and unlock a chance for increased profit on fleet trading missions
Mansion Façade – increase maximum passive income and a slot in Edward’s fleet
Tower and Garden - increase maximum passive income and a slot in Edward’s fleet
Guesthouse - increase maximum passive income and a slot in Edward’s fleet
New Blackbeard & Stede Bonnet Quests
New Naval Officer Side Missions
New Endgame Chapter “A World Without Gold”
Additional Animus Rifts
All Legacy Outfits are returning
All 35 original shanties return, plus 10 newly produced ones just for Resynced
All mini games and activities return from the original
Yes...You can have a pet on the Jackdaw
We’ve added a Photo Mode to Resynced allowing you to capture moments from your journey. We can’t wait to see your creations on Day 1, so be sure to tag us on socials and join our Discord.
Screenshot captured on Xbox Series S
Screenshot captured on PS5 Pro
Default – Enables most HUD elements to provide maximum clarity. Ideal if you want clear guidance, button prompts, and combat feedback as you explore the game.
Simple – A pared‑down HUD that removes some reminders and highlights, while still offering enough feedback to guide you through combat and navigation.
Minimal – Displays only essential information, such as Edward’s health, interaction prompts, and cannon aiming arcs while aboard the Jackdaw.
Disabled – Removes nearly all HUD elements for a fully immersion‑focused experience. No prompts, no indicators — just your awareness, timing, and the world itself.
You can always start with a preset and adjust from there as your comfort level changes.
The Forgiving setting, generally, is for story-focused players or players who have not yet mastered the mechanics of a particular activity.
Intended is the default and it closely mimics the experience of the original Black Flag, providing a balance between the two other settings and is most suitable for players familiar with action-adventure games.
Hard is for those who want a challenge and to test themselves against everything the game can throw at them.
Hello everyone!
We’re back with another Deep Dive article. This time, we’ll be showcasing some of the ways that we expanded on the original Black Flag in Resynced. From new missions and content and to updated environment layouts and level design, the team updated multiple elements while staying true to the core of the original game.This time we’re joined by Creative Director Paul Fu and Game Director Richard Knight.Please note that all footage is from a work-in-progress build. Make sure to watch in 4K for the best quality. HUD settings may vary depending on the capture to showcase examples of customizable options.General Store (three levels) – unlock rare and legendary weapons, decorations, and outfits
Tavern – get access to three mini games which Edward can play, and add to the tip jar to increase your chances of finding a Royal Convoy on the open waters
Harbormaster (three levels) – increase the number and tier of upgrades you can purchase for the Jackdaw
Brothel – dancers become free to hire and a number of combat and sailing benefits are applied to Edward, the Jackdaw, and its crew
Campfire – drunk pirates become free to hire and two more slots are added to Edward’s fleet
Fisherman’s Wharf (New to Resynced) – increase Hideout passive income over time and double effectiveness of skinning hunted animals
Treasure Dealer (New to Resynced) – unlock exclusive items and a map restoration service, increase Hideout profit over time, and unlock a chance for increased profit on fleet trading missions
Mansion Façade – increase maximum passive income and a slot in Edward’s fleet
Tower and Garden - increase maximum passive income and a slot in Edward’s fleet
Guesthouse - increase maximum passive income and a slot in Edward’s fleet
The Forgiving setting, generally, is for story-focused players or players who have not yet mastered the mechanics of a particular activity.
Intended is the default and it closely mimics the experience of the original Black Flag, providing a balance between the two other settings and is most suitable for players familiar with action-adventure games.
Hard is for those who want a challenge and to test themselves against everything the game can throw at them.
Hello everyone!
We're back with another Deep Dive into a core aspect of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced: Naval Gameplay.This time we're joined by Guilhem Marin, the lead Naval Designer to go in depth on Resynced’s naval gameplay.Please note that all footage is from a work-in-progress build. Make sure to watch in 4K for the best quality. HUD settings may vary depending on the capture to showcase examples of customizable options.Destroying or boarding enemy ships
Collect floating loot as you traverse
Finding underwater chests with the diving bell or the new free dive feature
Harpooning sea creatures
Taking out Forts
Finding burning ships.
Diving: Once the Diving Bell is unlocked through the main story, you’ll be able to use it to access diverse and dangerous underwater areas that contain much rarer loot. Edward will have to navigate the threats of stinging jellyfish and stalking sharks, fast moving currents in caves, all while watching his oxygen. Edward will be able to blend stealthily in schools of fish to avoid the watchful eyes of the lurking sharks.
Dive Anywhere: You can now dive under the waves whenever and wherever you like, even without access to the diving bell. This mechanic will allow Edward to find hidden chests of loot submerged near isolated island playas or approach ships and shorefront targets in total stealth beneath the waves. Diving Bell locations are still too deep to brave the depths without the Diving Bell, making it a critical apparatus for rarer loot.
Harpooning: Harpooning makes a return in Resynced. When you spot a location where a whale or shark can be found, Edward will step aboard on a small boat. Harpooning acts as a sort of mini game where you'll have to use finite harpoons and steady aim to kill or become prey. Successfully harpooning a whale or shark will reward Edward with some high-value resources you can sell off at the next port or use for crafting upgrades.
Customize your ship’s appearance like the sails or figurehead.
Customize the appearance of Edward with his variety of outfits coming back from the original game (you’ll also be able to do this outside of the Captain’s Cabin)
Change your ship’s pet
Manage your fleet – send your fleet of vessels out on missions to gather resources, trade your loot, or fight enemy ships
The Ram Dash - This turns the bow of The Jackdaw into a brutal weapon as it surges forward to deal devastating collision damage. In the original game, this move was unlocked after defeating all four Legendary Ships. While a noteworthy reward for such an achievement, it happened too late in the game to be much use during the story. This ability can now be unlocked through the Padre (more on him later) even earlier in the game, and we’ve improved it with increased damage and a dedicated camera.
Deadman's Cohort – The regular mortar will be upgraded with the Deadman’s Cohort during your playthrough thanks to the new officer Deadman Smith. This new mortar keeps the original firing mode, but also gains a secondary firing option that saturates an area with a huge number of Carcass bombs. While each individual bomb does little damage on its own, you can manually control where each projectile will land as it fires, devastating an area with sheer volume.
Bow Chaser Cannons – In addition to the original chain shots, we are now adding a double shot as a secondary firing mode, dealing a powerful volley of cannonballs from the front of your ship and dealing heavy damage while chasing prey.
Broadside Cannons – On top of flexible round shot and the short range heavy shot, we are adding heated shots to the Jackdaw’s arsenal. Heated shot ammunition fires multiple volleys of fiery projectiles in quick succession, dealing high damage to a target should you manage to land them all.
Shrapnel Barrels – The new firing mode launches shrapnel barrels from the stern of the ship. As the name implies, they propel shrapnel upwards to shred enemy sails on explosion, providing a viable tool to escape when being chased. Also, all barrels now have increased area of effect to make them easier to use.
Repairing the Jackdaw will use the ship’s resources to round up your ship’s health back to the nearest health bar segment, which can be useful when far from a port or when exploring new areas.
Lowering your wanted level can keep Pirate Hunters off your tail and extend the time you have to sail free and unimpeded.
As mentioned earlier, adding the ship to your fleet increases the number and type of missions you can send your ships on for additional passive rewards.
Grab the Captains Lockbox! Previously after a successful boarding, you had a choice of adding a ship to Kenway’s Fleet, repairing the Jackdaw, or lowering your Wanted Level. The Captain’s Lockbox will be a fourth option offering more reales – though only available on larger classes of ships like frigates or Man O’ Wars.
Lucy Baldwin: A Shipwright of legendary status, she unlocks Perfect Brace – a mechanic to enhance your Brace and almost completely nullify incoming damage – if you time the Brace correctly.
The Padre: A Master-at-Arms turned priest returning to his roots, the Padre will join your boarding parties when capturing or looting disabled ships. He’s a tough fighter, and definitely someone you want on your side in a fight. He also unlocks the Ram Dash ability, allowing you to ram ships at even higher speed.
Tobias “Deadman” Smith: A Master Gunner, Deadman grants you the ability to fire an additional volley from your broadsides with minimal cooldown between salvos. Available in aimed mode, it adds an extra edge and increases your overall damage over time.
El Impoluto
HMS Fearless & Royal Sovereign (The Twins)
La Dama Negra
HMS Prince
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is set to launch on July 9 on Steam. A renewed and enhanced experience, the game invites players back into the adventure of Edward Kenway as he sails the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy. Among the enhancements from the original Assassin’s Creed Black Flag are improved and new accessibility features to make the game playable for as many people as possible.
We spoke with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced’s Director of User Experience Jonathan Bedard and Game Designer Maksym Smolynets about their approach to accessibility in the game, accessibility innovations in the past decade, and what new features they’re most proud of.
What was your approach to accessibility in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced?
Jonathan Bedard: For us, the approach was really about bringing a beloved classic, one enjoyed by millions, up to today’s Ubisoft standards, which have been shaped and refined over many years by our teams and our games. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag remains one of the most appreciated entries in the franchise, so it was important to be respectful of the original game's intentions.
Maksym Smolynets: It was also very important for us to stay closely connected to our community, to understand how players welcomed the accessibility improvements introduced in our more recent titles, and where they felt the experience could be pushed further. We kept an eye on what was being done on other Ubisoft projects, as well as in the industry, learning from it and sharing approaches. That cross‑team inspiration helped us improve the game and how players can interact with it.
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag is over a decade old. How has accessibility in games evolved since its release?
JB: The accessibility space has been shaped by many inspiring people and teams who have done tremendous work since Black Flag’s original release. They built the foundation on which we stand today. Many features that were once considered exceptional or optional have since become best practices. As developers, we’ve continuously pushed each other—both within Ubisoft and across the wider industry—in a spirit of friendly competition that ultimately benefits everyone, and most importantly, the players. While it was not possible to carry everything from recent titles to the game, it comes with a lot of expected improvements you could expect from a Ubisoft title in 2026.
What new accessibility features are in Resynced?
MS: Players will find many refinements and additions to core features. Much like with the rest of the remaster, our focus was first on expanding and improving existing functionality rather than introducing entirely new systems. Among the additions, we included a persistent, customizable camera dot at the center of the screen to help alleviate motion sickness. It’s a relatively minor feature, but it was widely requested and meaningful for many players.
Does the nature of Resynced being a remake create any challenges in adding accessibility features? How does it differ from creating accessibility features in a new IP?
JB: While the original game was not created with today’s accessibility standards in mind, the way we make games now allows us to build on it more effectively. Our modern pipelines and processes made it possible to improve the experience by integrating many of our recent developments. This is one huge way in which our constant investments in Accessibility over the last few years paid off. Systems like control remapping, color‑blind options, subtitles, and similar features were easier to bring up to standard because they were developed with long‑term scalability and reuse in mind.
MS: For Resynced, our goal was to further improve the quality and customization of our features, settings and options.
We had a very solid framework based on iterations and improvements made across recent releases. Ubisoft Kyiv in particular has strong experience designing and delivering accessibility features for Assassin’s Creed and many other Ubisoft titles.
What new accessibility features are you particularly proud of?
MS: I would answer with not a single feature, but instead the breadth of the improvements. Firstly, in addition to bringing across a wide range of features from recent Assassin’s Creed titles, we were able to improve on them. subtitles are larger and clearer, colorblind options now modify important color‑coded visual effects like attacks and intuition highlights, and control customization is more intuitive, with more input options available.
The Audio Glossary has been expanded, HUD customization is deeper, and narration now supports more elements, and its speed can be increased further. We were able to bring ship fast travel from Odyssey, an upgraded Observe from Shadows, the highly motor-accessible map system from Shadows but adapted for tracking quests and quickly jumping around the map.We also have a range of accessibility considerations that are unique to this game. From actions at sea like docking and looting requiring less precision and visual perception through to more flexible stalk/chase missions and the ability to tone down the intensity of underwater sections, either partially through in-game items or more substantially through settings to turn off both oxygen limits and shark attacks.These are just a few examples. Together, the changes make the experience more comfortable and readable for a much wider range of players.JB: I'll cheat a little too and say all of it! I’m proud that we can bring back one of my favorite games for both new players and longtime fans, while aligning it more closely with today's accessibility standards. This allows more players to discover—or rediscover—this timeless classic, including some who might have felt the original was not accessible enough for them to fully enjoy. It’s a reflection, and a testament of the efforts made across the industry in general, and some for our teams in particular.
It’s a first for us, compared to the original Black Flag this is the most substantial accessibility upgrade that a Ubisoft game has ever had.
GAMEPLAY
Multiple difficulty settings, adjustable separately for naval, ground, activity and stealth gameplay.
More flexible missions, with less chance of desync on stalking and chasing missions.
Underwater gameplay intensity can be reduced, to a lesser degree by items that reduce oxygen drain and increase health, or to a greater degree by turning off the oxygen limit and shark attacks completely.
Healing during combat is now possible, via remedies (three initially, with the ability to find/buy more).
QTEs (‘quick time events’ that require mashing or precise timing) can be skipped.
Aim Assistance has four settings - off, light, moderate, full.
Blood/gore can be turned off.
Assassinations are always successful, as in the original.
"Pathfinder" toggleable GPS for both land and sea gameplay, which draws a path in the world to guide the player to the most recently set quest marker or player marker.
Autopilot function to command the Jackdaw to automatically sail to follow the GPS path.
Ship fast travel option added for the Jackdaw, functioning in a similar way to Assassins Creed: Odyssey.
Map screen can be operated without a cursor by cycling through points of interest in a similar way to Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, but also with an in-map quest tracker that works in the same way.
Observe feature to make it easier to spot treasure and quest objectives at a distance, also tied into location tracker to help find all things in a given area.
Tutorials can be found in the Codex section at any time.
Menu tutorial alerts when there are new menu functions, available at all times once unlocked.
Settings available on first boot, allowing critical options to be adjusted before gameplay.
Accessibility presets - a menu that is part of the first boot flow and options menu, containing groups of similar accessibility settings that can be turned on/off together with a single press. Toggle the presets or customize individual options within.
Control remapping - customize inputs, menu split by gameplay contexts, with the deepest level of customisation yet for an Assassins Creed game.
Left handed button swaps.
Swap holds for toggles for multitude of gameplay actions, both naval and on ground.
X and Y axis inversion - granular inversion options for each stick, configurable separately for ship and on-foot, aiming, camera, world map navigation
Deadzones and thresholds are configurable for triggers and both analog sticks.
Configurable haptics (vibrations), strength is adjustable separately for gameplay, cinematics, interface and adaptive triggers (DualSense only)
Multiple input devices supported, with auto switching - Mouse and keyboard, controllers, and combinations.
Lock-on camera - a setting to automatically lock the camera on a nearby enemy.
Auto movement option, double-tap to automatically walk forward.
Area loot option, to loot all nearby bodies with a single button press.
Camera follow setting for the camera to auto-adjust and follow behind the player.
Advanced parkour and manual jump - customize how the game controls, whether you prefer classic AC or a more modern control scheme.
Action flexibility - unlike the original you can now crouch anywhere, swim anywhere, and put on/remove your hood as you please.
Shanty player directly in the HUD, for easy selection of sea shanties for the crew to sing.
Proximity action prompts for actions at sea like boarding, docking and looting now hug the screen edges whenever you are in interaction range, so they need less precise timing/aiming to select.
Fleet management is now accessible directly in the captain’s cabin rather than requiring the house of a separate mobile app.
No audio reliance, all important information communicated by sound is also communicated visually.
Subtitles with extensive color modifications, toggleable speaker names and speaker emotions, directional indicators, configurable background transparency and colour, and a ‘Largest’ size increment of 46px, larger than any previous Assassins Creed game.
Gameplay captions - text equivalents for important sounds that are not already communicated visually, with directional indicators.
Audio cues with glossary - signs and feedback allowing some navigation and path finding with non-visual cues, including support for naval gameplay events like docking availability, collisions and aiming at enemy ships, and positional audio cues to communicate the location of nearby loot.
Separate volume sliders with preview sound, covering voice, music, foley FX (character-driven sound effects), gameplay FX, menu sounds, ambient effects, and sea shanties.
Focus mix, which hides the less important sounds to let you focus on the ones that are critical.
Configurable dynamic range for control over the volume difference between loudest and quietest sounds.
Colourblind accessible by default where possible, for example iconography, markers and item rarity communicated by shape and background as well as colour difference.
Colorblindness presets that provide color changes to other areas of the interface that are still color-coded, and also for essential color-coded VFX such as special attacks or ‘intuition’ glows.
VFX customization - control over gameplay VFX such as highlights of docking spaces, areas of interest, and glow for telegraphed attacks.
Togglable motion blur, screen shake, and camera effects to reduce blurring, distortion and uncontrolled camera movement, particularly during naval combat and minigames, and some other visually intense effects like sparks from parries and special attacks too.
Camera sway during naval gameplay in the original has been removed by default.
Toggable camera dot - a permanent dot in the center of the screen, on top of other reticles and HUD elements. Size and color can be customized.
Configurable FOV angle (PC only, for performance reasons)
Eagle vision provides temporary higher contrast between important elements, and between them and the background.
Clear menu text by default, in clear sans serif font on plain well contrasted backgrounds.
Screen narration within both menus and game, for all information that is delivered through text. Including some gameplay information such as coordinates, locations, and ship info panels. Choice of two voices, and adjustable speed.
HUD customization - ability to turn all HUD elements on or off either all at once, or individually, either with shortcut or using presets - increase opacity, resize text, resize Icons or add background to increase readability. Backgrounds also cover some in-world elements, such as interaction prompts.
Text and icon sizes can be increased and decreased.
Control reminders shown in the HUD for some essential controls, including a toggleable reminder module for naval controls.
Hello everyone!
We know you’ve been anticipating Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, and we’re delighted to share more information on key gameplay topics through a series of deep dive articles over the next several weeks, starting with the evolution of Edward’s ground gameplay.We’re joined by Paul Fu, Creative Director and veteran developer of the original Black Flag, to provide additional insights.Parkour, Stealth, and Combat in Resynced have all been rebuilt from the ground up using the latest advancements across the franchise, including some of the Anvil engine technology developed for Assassin’s Creed Shadows.“Our goal was to honor the foundations of the original game while enhancing the experience for an action-adventure game,” says Paul.So, let’s step out of the Jackdaw for now, and look at how our famous Pirate-Assassin, Edward James Kenway, moves and engages on the ground in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced.Please note that all footage is from a work-in-progress build. Make sure to watch in 4K for the best quality. HUD settings may vary depending on the capture to showcase examples of customizable options. And in case you’re wondering, all HUD elements can be individually hidden as desired using the Interface customization menu. You can even play with nothing activated, if you dare...Parkour remains at the heart of what it means to be an Assassin, and even a pirate like Edward is no exception to that.
Our intention was to keep Edward’s responsive movement from the original and make it snappier and more deliberate. Whether you’re jumping across the colorful rooftops of Havana, the wild and untamed jungles, or the raw scaffolds of Nassau, parkour has been tuned to prioritize responsiveness and player choice.
“One thing that we worked on a lot and iterated with feedback we received early on from community members during playtests was to nail the responsiveness and pace of Edward.” says Paul.A variety of steps were taken to make it work:Throughout development, the landing animations were refined, so that Edward recovers more quickly from a drop. This removes any sense of stumbling or heaviness and keeps movement feeling smooth and continuous. Jumping from one spot to the other is also more responsive; we know keeping a sense of flow is what makes a parkour run most rewarding.We also made subtle changes to heighten this sense of fluidity; for example, when mantling after a wall run, Edward will have a short speed boost that allows him to keep the pace of his run despite slightly recovering. You can also roll upon hitting the ground to maintain a sprinting pace – which ends up being very useful during chase missions.
Of course, that smoothness is supported by the depth of design and the tools available for you to leverage.In cities, familiar features like the corner swing and lifts return. We’ve also included brand new Ziplines scattered across the cities that Edward will visit, connecting you from high to low ground over a longer distance, and at a much faster pace.The Caribbean landscape that Edward has to contend with is very different to that of his predecessors, and the wild untamed jungles encountered while island hopping will be full of flora to climb and parkour.These tools give experienced players finer control of their traversal lines across Havana’s rooftops, Kingston’s balconies, and Nassau’s rigging networks. However, you can disable it if you prefer a more guided approach.
And yes, we also have a manual jump that reinforces control and decision-making – something we know is heavily discussed amongst players. Manual jump offers more direct control over traversal, allowing you to take shortcuts and increase velocity while parkouring for a smoother flow of movement.Classic Assassin’s Creed Eagle Vision returns for Edward, allowing him to highlight enemies hidden behind walls and objects, as well as isolating any relevant sounds they make.
Now, this skill is enhanced by the Observe feature – first introduced in Assassin’s Creed Shadows – which adds the ability to observe your surroundings to find your quest objectives, clues, and tag enemies. Bringing the camera in closer during Observe mode creates a more cinematic and immersive experience as Edward surveys his surroundings.To expand Edward’s stealth options, he can now crouch at any time, and will remain hidden from view anywhere on rooftops, in any suitable vegetation, behind walls or buildings, or behind objects like crates scattered throughout the Caribbean.
Edward is also even less visible at night when crouching, and enemies will take longer to spot him in the dark; however, he will not be fully hidden, so you’ll still need to watch your surroundings and stay out of sight.“Crouching modifies Edward’s visibility meter, affecting enemy visibility at medium to long range. This is especially useful while stalking through bushes and rooftops. It also reduces movement stimuli, making it easier for Edward to perform stealth kills,” says Paul.Edward has a full arsenal of tools at his disposal to increase his stealth capabilities:
Edward’s blowpipe returns, loaded with two distinct dart types. Using a Berserk dart will cause an enemy to start attacking his own, creating windows of chaos ideal for slipping past guards undetected (or, if you like to go in guns blazing, Edward can join in the carnage).
Meanwhile, the Sleep dart neutralizes targets silently, making it useful for clearing lightly guarded entrances or setting up diversionary tactics.The Smoke Bomb returns, allowing Edward to assassinate basic enemies while shrouded in smoke, making it a lethal offensive tool as well as a defensive one. And for players needing a fast escape, the smoke bomb is a great quick-use option.
Edward’s Rope Dart tool has also returned, which will allow him to strike targets from short to medium ranges, pulling them in closer for an attack, as well as giving him the ability to suspend enemies from beams, both killing them and serving as a distraction to others. And to make the Rope Dart a much more strategic item for Edward, he will be able to get his hands on it much earlier (sequence 3 in Resynced vs. sequence 11 in the original).
Sail, fight, or sneak how you wish with the hood on/off toggle. With a quick press of a button, Edward can throw his hood on or off, allowing you to take full advantage of those stylish Assassin robes when adventuring across the Caribbean.
Edward can exploit the dense urban environments of the Caribbean's Golden Age of Piracy to outmaneuver and evade enemies through a refined set of social stealth tools.
“One thing that we really wanted to improve from the original when it comes to stealth was how you would desync from tailing and eavesdropping missions when you were out of range, and that this could be super punishing. We’ve removed this, so that if you get sidetracked and lose a target while trailing or eavesdropping, you’ll still be able to complete the mission,” says Paul.
The Hiring Dancers feature returns from the original game. Edward can recruit a group of dancers who accompany him through the streets, providing natural cover in busy areas. Edward can use them to blend in passively or direct them to distract nearby guards while he plunders loot or retreats after an assassination.
Crowd blending also makes a comeback, but with an update: Edward can now blend into any groups of three civilians or more to remain unseen. Benches, walls, haystacks, and closets are also classic returning hiding spots within a busy city.
And for those who like creating chaos, throwing money remains an option to lure guards and citizens to a location. Edward will have to be selective when using this as it will cost 10 Reales per use, with a very short cooldown window to make you don’t empty your pockets too fast.
Our combat system is designed to capture the full experience of being a pirate: charismatic, swashbuckling, dual‑wielding swordplay mixed with stylish gunplay.
“At its core, Resynced is an action-adventure game, and combat is designed to be systematic and deliberate; every move is designed to have an advantage, a disadvantage, and a specific role to play,” says Paul.The foundation of Resynced’s combat revolves around triggering takedowns – a state where enemies are vulnerable to a deadly finisher. There are many ways to trigger a takedown, each suited to different situations:
Hidden Blade Takedown: Breaking an enemy’s defense with multiple attacks will trigger a Hidden Blade takedown
Perfect Parry Takedowns: Triggered by timing a Perfect Parry, Edward can chain his takedowns to up to four nearby enemies, depending on the sword he carries.
Wall Takedown: Kick an enemy into a wall to initiate a fatal takedown.
Ground Takedown: Grounded enemies (from an explosion or Sweep move) can be killed by a Ground Takedown
Environments can have a big effect on fights: ledges allow fatal kicks, tight corridors are ideal spaces for Chain Takedowns, powder kegs can be blown up, to drop enemies for a Ground Takedown, walls are killing surfaces which allow Edward to perform Wall Takedowns after a well-placed kick. As Paul puts it, “We wanted each fight situation to feel different without introducing RPG stats.”
Edward also has a new Dodge Attack, which causes additional damage if executed with precise timing – as a Perfect Dodge attack.
The Heavy Attack is another new advanced move to add to his combat kit, performed by holding the attack button. The Heavy Attack provides the highest damage, suitable against advanced foes, but takes a moment to wind up before landing. For maximum punish damage, perform a Heavy Strike at the end of Edward’s basic combo.Heavy Attacks also vary in function depending on which type of weapon Edward is carrying:Rapier: Heavy Strikes are more damaging and can pierce through foes. Cutlass: Heavy Strikers cover a wide area, hitting multiple enemies. Pistol-Sword: Two damaging shots are fired, allowing Edward to focus fire on one enemy or spread the damage on two.Combat in Resynced is more demanding than before, and enemies can react to repetitive behavior, so players will need to vary their playstyle.
“For example, wait around too much for a Parry, and enemies will react by performing Unstoppable Attacks that cannot be parried. Abuse a Kick too much, and enemies will quickly dodge them. The trick is to alternate between offense and defense. Varying your combos helps. Rotate between Kicks, Sweeps, Rope Darts, Pistols and Heavy Strikes at the end of your attack combos to confuse enemies.” Paul explains.Soldiers coordinate attacks against Edward, which requires him to parry twice in quick succession before performing a Double Takedown.
Not all enemies are made equal, and each requires different tools, tactics, and skills to ensure Edward not only survives an encounter but comes out on top.Advanced archetypes such as the Brute, Captain, and the new Demolitionist pack a punch and are harder to take down than your average soldier. They will deny Chain Takedowns if they have defense, so Edward will need to use his Flintlock to break defense between Chain Takedowns. This maneuver was inspired by fan-made combat videos from the original Black Flag. Not only this, but these archetypes also have high defense and will more often employ unblockable attacks, making parry opportunities rarer and forcing you to find other strategies like dodges and combos to deal with them.Edward has several tools and abilities to help him against enemies who have adapted to more predictable combat patterns.The Rope Dart’s most common utility is drawing an opponent in for a combo, or a direct Sweep into a Ground Takedown. As mentioned, it’s also a ranged attack counter.A quick shot from the pistol instantly breaks the guard of any advanced archetype, opening them up for attacks they would otherwise deny.
The iconic Gun Kata also returns, allowing Edward to kill multiple nearby enemies in quick succession when you have progressed enough in the game.And that’s what we had for today!
We hope you enjoyed this look at the ground gameplay of Black Flag Resynced. Stay tuned for our next deep dive article looking at Naval gameplay!Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced has officially been announced, and today we’re taking a closer look at one of the topics we’ve seen many of you discuss: the HUD.
In Resynced, the HUD has been reworked to be cleaner, more contextual, and, most importantly, fully customizable – similar to what was done on AC Shadows. Whether you want clear feedback while learning new systems or the most immersive experience possible, the goal is simple: give you control over how much information appears on screen, and when.
At a glance, you’ll notice changes compared to the original such as UI elements that now appear only when they’re relevant — like weapon selection, combat indicators, and health information. You'll be able to customize the visibility of these as you see fit, so let’s dive into that.
To make things easy for you, Resynced includes several presets that let you jump straight into your preferred experience without adjusting individual settings:
Default – Enables most HUD elements to provide maximum clarity. Ideal if you want clear guidance, button prompts, and combat feedback as you explore the game.
Simple – A pared‑down HUD that removes some reminders and highlights, while still offering enough feedback to guide you through combat and navigation.
Minimal – Displays only essential information, such as Edward’s health, interaction prompts, and cannon aiming arcs while aboard the Jackdaw.
Disabled – Removes nearly all HUD elements for a fully immersion‑focused experience. No prompts, no indicators — just your awareness, timing, and the world itself.
You can always start with a preset and adjust from there as your comfort level changes.
Beyond presets, every element of the HUD in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced can be enabled or disabled individually for those looking for a finely‑tuned experience that matches exactly how you want to play.
This is where you can play around with blood effects, VFX visibility or in-game notifications to find the right balance between visual guidance, and immersion.
For example, if you’re a player that typically enjoys a minimalist UI, here are some settings you can play around with:
Combat – You might keep defense and parry indicators active while learning the new combat mechanics, then later remove health bars or attack indicators once timing and animations feel second nature.
Stealth – You may prefer keeping only the visibility meter and awareness indicators enabled, while turning off outlines or perception indicators for a more instinct‑driven sneaking approach.
Naval Gameplay – You can retain aiming arcs for readability during cannon fire while disabling other naval UI elements for a cleaner view of the sea.
This level of granularity means you’re in control of the experience. Whether you want targeted feedback for specific systems or a nearly HUD‑free.
Ground combat is a great example of how the HUD highlights the gameplay improvements the team worked on for Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced to best support players’ decision making.
On default settings, the HUD provides clearer combat visual feedback highlighting the added depth of the reworked combat system, while always remaining optional for players who prefer a more cinematic or minimalist presentation.
For example, enemy health and defense bars will be visible on top of enemies to help understand and master the new enemy defense mechanic.
(Defense represents an enemy’s ability to withstand pressure in a fight. Well‑timed parries, strong attacks, and sustained offensive pressure will deplete an enemy’s defense, opening them up to powerful takedown opportunities.)
This display will highlight how and when enemies are weakened, and how different enemy archetypes respond to specific combat actions – which is at the core of the new combat depth where your choices and the move you trigger will dictate a fight.
The way defense works is that some enemies may crumble quickly under relentless pressure from your sword attacks and be vulnerable for a takedown, while more resisting brutes may have their defense broken by a simple gunshot opening a takedown. This readability is where much of the system’s depth lies compared to the original Black Flag — making enemy behaviors and vulnerabilities clearer and rewarding players who adapt their approach rather than repeating a single tactic.
But this is also where more experienced players can begin to push themselves further. Once you’re familiar with enemy archetypes, combat moves, and the rhythm of defense and takedowns, reducing or removing visual feedback can turn combat into a more instinct driven challenge. For those of you who would rather not play with the health and defense bars, we added a visual tell for you: an enemy’s defense is broken when their hat or headpiece falls off.
Disabling elements like defense indicators, enemy health bars or certain VFX shifts the focus to animations, spacing, and timing — offering a tougher, more cinematic experience for players who want to test their mastery of the system.
Please note: although health and defense bars are present in default settings, this does not change the fact that Black Flag Resynced remains an action-adventure game. The combat works similarly to the original game, with health and defense bars being optional. There are no levels, no gear scores and no progression gates.
Well, we want you to experiment! This level of customization is all about player expression. Try the game on Default or Simple settings to get familiar to the new combat, stealth and naval systems before gradually fine‑tuning the HUD as your confidence grows.
Whether you prefer clear feedback while mastering new mechanics or a more stripped‑back presentation that relies on instinct and observation, the choice is always yours.
And for those looking to fully immerse themselves, playing with minimal or no HUD is also a great way to capture the beauty of the Caribbean for screenshots or cinematic videos to share with the community.
These are just some of the UI customization options available in Resynced.
For more information on customization and accessibility, we’ll be sharing some more details in May.
We’ll also be sharing some more in-depth information on combat, stealth and naval soon in dedicated articles, but in the meantime, be sure to join the Reddit AMA with our Creative Director Paul Fu and Game Director Richard Knight on r/assassinscreed tomorrow at 10:15amET/4:15pmCET! Thank You!
Join us tomorrow at 10:15am ET on r/assassinscreed for a Reddit AMA with Resynced's Creative Director Paul Fu & Game Director Richard Knight.
Ask your questions here 👉 ubi.li/IjGRq
About
This page aggregates Steam news feeds, patch notes, and developer announcements for Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, sourced from official Steam community posts.
Major updates, balance changes, and seasonal events often correlate with player-count spikes — cross-reference announcements here with the live charts on the main Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced statistics page.
Articles link back to Steam for full changelogs. SteamScope refreshes news entries as new posts are published to the game's Steam hub.