In May 2026, Ubisoft Singapore hosted a demo and showcase for 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced.' The event featured a brief introduction and hands-on demo, allowing attendees to play a limited portion of the game and interact with the developers.

After the demo, I had the opportunity to have a brief conversation with the game's producer, Justin Ng. The following is the full transcript of the interview with him.

The Assassin's Creed series has a long history and numerous masterpieces. Why was 'Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag' chosen as the first remake? I am curious why you didn't choose the Ezio trilogy or the third installment, which began the Kenway saga.

"I believe 'Black Flag' was a turning point where the Assassin's Creed series expanded from an action-adventure structure into an open-world style. It was a structure that could reach modern players more naturally, and I think it fits well with current trends in the gaming market.

Furthermore, the Singapore studio is the team that handled water simulation and naval combat since the original game. Because the studio itself had a deep understanding of maritime technology and systems, we determined that 'Black Flag' was the most suitable title when we were tasked with a revival project for an older game.

Ubisoft has recently been running classic Assassin's Creed-style and action RPG-style titles in parallel. What role do you think 'Resynced' plays within the current flow of the series.

"While it is difficult to discuss the future direction of the entire series, we intentionally chose not to go with an RPG style for 'Resynced.' We viewed Edward Kenway as a character whose narrative follows the growth of a pre-defined individual, rather than one where the player freely crafts their own role.

The development team decided that preserving the story of Edward's transformation from a pirate to an assassin was paramount. We felt that while the gameplay could be modernized, the essence of the character had to be maintained.

The original 'Black Flag' was sometimes criticized for being 'the best pirate game, but a relatively weak Assassin's Creed story.' How does the development team define the identity of this project? Is it a 'pirate game,' or is it still 'Assassin's Creed' at its core.

"That is a very difficult but fair question. Personally, I see the Assassin's Creed brand as a series that allows players to personally experience specific eras and history. Players get to experience the culture and history of each period, as well as the stories of the people living within them.

In that sense, I think 'Black Flag' was a title where pirate fantasy and the core values of Assassin's Creed aligned perfectly. The pirate's pursuit of freedom naturally connects with the Assassin philosophy, which prioritizes freedom over control. Therefore, this game is a 'pirate game' while simultaneously being a clear 'Assassin's Creed' title.

Two distinct features stand out in the title itself. You removed the numbering '4' from the original and used the term 'Resynced' instead of a simple 'remake.' What was the reasoning and intent behind this choice.

"Removing the numbering is connected to the recent direction of the Assassin's Creed brand. Since 'Origins,' the series has shifted toward emphasizing the theme and era of each title rather than using numbers. We approached this project with that same flow in mind. The name 'Resynced' was something we deliberated on from the early stages of development. Even within the team, we felt that calling it just a 'remake' didn't quite capture it.

Later, when I met with community members and content creators in Montreal in 2025, a fan suggested the term 'Resynced,' and I felt it fit perfectly. The Assassin's Creed series is fundamentally built on the concept of synchronizing memories, and I thought the idea of re-synchronizing memories from the past fit very well.

The original 'Black Flag' had DLC like 'Freedom Cry' and multiplayer content. However, you announced that these are not included in this version. Why were they excluded, and is there any chance they will be added later.

"After discussions between the development, technical, and business teams, we decided that this project must focus above all on Edward Kenway's story. Edward is a beloved character in the series, and we felt that properly reinterpreting him was the most important aspect of this project.

So, instead of DLC or multiplayer, we focused our resources on new content, revamping existing systems, and enhancing naval gameplay. While it is hard to talk about the possibility of DLC or multiplayer returning in the future, we are currently focused on making Edward's story as polished as possible.

This title seems to target not only existing fans but also new players accustomed to the latest Assassin's Creed style. Was securing a new user base an important goal.

"As a producer, I always want as many players as possible to enjoy the game, as the entire team has poured a great deal of time and effort into it. While existing fans are important, attracting new players was also a key goal. We designed the content structure and flow so that even users familiar with the latest Assassin's Creed titles can accept it naturally. We aimed to keep the core of the original while modernizing the way content is consumed.

What fan feedback did you take most seriously while working on the remake project.

"The biggest reactions were regarding the parkour and combat systems. Having worked on the series for a long time, I've noticed that players' expectations for parkour feel have become very clear over time. That's why we collaborated closely with the 'Assassin's Creed Shadows' team and consistently referenced the latest updates and community feedback.

We also tried to make combat much more player-driven than in the original. While the original was closer to watching pre-set animations after a parry, this version is more about the player actively chaining attacks and combining combat flows. The goal was to allow players to create their own flashy combat styles.

After playing the demo, I got the impression that the combat system is quite similar to 'Assassin's Creed Shadows.' How did the two projects actually influence each other.

"It is true that we based several aspects, such as the UI and input systems, on 'Shadows.' We actively referenced the latest systems, particularly the AI reaction system and combat structure. However, while 'Shadows' was built around abilities and skills, 'Resynced' was adjusted to allow for faster use and chaining of techniques. We focused on letting players naturally string together various attacks to create their own combos. We collaborated closely with the 'Shadows' team throughout development and shared a significant portion of the latest technology and know-how.

It is also interesting that the Singapore studio led the development. How did this compare to your previous experience developing 'Skull and Bones'.

"This project was significant in that it was the first time the Singapore studio led a main Assassin's Creed project. While 'Skull and Bones' was a multiplayer-focused title closer to a fantasy naval combat experience, 'Resynced' aims for a much more realistic direction.

However, the experience in naval combat design was very helpful. We actively utilized our existing expertise, particularly in areas like the crew system and ship combat structure. For example, instead of simply upgrading the ship, we restructured the system to allow players to recruit officers with specific abilities.

What is your personal favorite new element in this game.

"Personally, I really love the lieutenant system. We had similar ideas during the development of the original, but they weren't implemented. In this version, players can recruit lieutenants, and each officer provides unique roles for the ship and crew. Beyond just strengthening the ship, I wanted to enhance the feeling of actually being a captain who gathers and manages a crew. Also, as this was led by the Singapore studio, we hid a few Easter eggs related to Singapore in the game.

Lastly, there are many fans of Black Flag in Korea. Do you have a message for them?

"I have been consistently checking online reactions and feedback since the game's reveal. While I cannot check every single Korean community, I can feel that the fans' expectations are very high. Above all, I am grateful for the immense interest and support.

The development team is working very hard on the final polish, and we are continuing to monitor player feedback. While I cannot promise everything right now, I want to convey that we are taking fan opinions very seriously. The pressure is as high as the expectations, but I hope we can live up to them at launch.