Assassin's Creed Mirage
On October 12, Assassin's Creed Mirage will be released, continuing the series' tradition of immersing players in historical settings. One of the game's features, named History of Baghdad, will provide players with historical context for the simulation of ninth-century Baghdad and the Abbasid Caliphate. This feature is part of an in-game Codex that includes tutorials, a Database with lore, and the History of Baghdad. The information in the History of Baghdad feature has been expertly curated by historians and includes details on the history, art, and culture of Baghdad during that time period. The feature also includes images provided by museum partners.
In keeping with the tribute to earlier Assassin's Creed games, History of Baghdad will be integrated into the main game, similar to the Database in previous games. It is tied to player progression and offers an in-game reward for completion. As players explore 66 historical sites in Baghdad, they will unlock research-driven articles that delve into topics such as Economy, Belief & Daily Life, Government, Art & Science, and Court Life.
Assassin's Creed Mirage - Screenshot
Dr. Raphaël Weyland, a historian working at Ubisoft Montreal, explains that the goal of the History of Baghdad feature was to provide players with a better understanding of ninth-century Baghdad, a world that is rarely represented in popular culture. The team had the freedom to choose which topics to tackle as long as they were relevant to the world of Assassin's Creed Mirage.
External historians and institutions, including Dr. Glaire D. Anderson from the University of Edinburgh's Digital Lab for Islamic Visual Culture & Collections, contributed to the creation of the History of Baghdad feature. Partner museums provided images of artifacts from the caliphal period, including The David Collection, the Institut du monde arabe, The Khalili Collections, and the Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design.
History of Baghdad - Screenshot
Weyland emphasizes that the History of Baghdad feature does not shy away from sensitive or misrepresented topics such as the harem, the role of eunuchs, and slavery. The entries also incorporate humor to make history more engaging and lighthearted.
The development of the History of Baghdad feature involved a dedicated team at Ubisoft Montreal and weekly workshops with historians to ensure historical accuracy and provide detailed information. The topics and entries were chosen collaboratively between the Ubisoft historians and the external experts.
History of Baghdad - Screenshot
Assassin's Creed Mirage will be available on various platforms, including PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Amazon Luna, and PC through the Epic Games Store and the Ubisoft Store. It will also be included with a Ubisoft+ subscription.
Source: Ubisoft