Ubisoft’s new Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced remake was made in Singapore

Ubisoft Singapore led the project to remake the popular 2013 game with modern gameplay and graphics alongside 14 other Ubisoft studios.

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French game developer Ubisoft has unveiled Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, the company's first-ever remake, with development led by its Singapore studio alongside 14 other Ubisoft studios.

A reimagining of 2013's critically acclaimed Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, the game returns players to the Caribbean Sea in the early 18th century, where they once again take on the role of pirate assassin Edward Kenway in a swashbuckling high-seas adventure.

Available now, the remake uses the latest Ubisoft game engine to deliver richer and more immersive graphics such as weather systems and realistic waves, while also updating the gameplay system to modern standards by adding the ability to crouch and hide (which weren't available in the original), improved combat, and more story.

"Black Flag holds a special place in the hearts of many players around the world, and also in the history of Ubisoft Singapore," said Justin Ng, the game’s lead producer, during its launch on Thursday (Jul 9).

"Our goal was not only to preserve what made the original unforgettable, but to elevate it with the tools, craft, and expectations of today."

A SINGAPORE EFFORT

The remake is also the first title from the Assassin’s Creed franchise to be led by a studio in Asia, with other games led by outposts in Canada and France.

Which explains the palpable sense of pride during the launch event at Ubisoft Singapore’s office. The predominantly local staff (over 85 per cent are Singaporean or permanent residents) had arranged exhibits featuring hand-made assets taken from the game as well as adorable crochets of sea animals.

There’s a good reason for this: Since it opened in 2008, Ubisoft Singapore has been contributing to the popular franchise since Assassin's Creed III. 

The studio also had a hand in developing the naval combat and water physics elements in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, before embarking on the ambitious Skull And Bones project that came out in 2024. 

And for those with keen eyes, the remake also features some Singapore references, including durians, a map of Singapore, and a Merlion figurehead located on the bow of a sunken ship.

BUILT FROM GROUND UP

Despite it being a remake, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced was rebuilt from the ground up and not just a "copy paste" job, and this included new animations, audio clips, and level design. 

However, the studio did try to retain the vocal performance of the original game as much as possible, and also brought back the original cast to record additional lines for existing and new content.

Thanks to the new engine, Ubisoft Singapore had to work on creating new combat movements, factor in 3D sound for a more immersive experience, and rework the maps to take in the new movements and interactive environments.

"Pretty much most things have to be built from scratch, since our game engine, Anvil, had significantly evolved since then. We had to recreate the various gameplay features and systems from the original game, improve and modernise them while also adding new features based off recent Assassin's Creed titles and adapting them for Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced," said Terry Han, content director.

"All quests had to be built from ground up, and prop assets, most of which are destructible, had to be newly created with upgraded visuals." 

RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL

Interestingly, staff who were involved in the original Black Flag game were also involved in the remake. For example, audio director Erik-Jon Evangelista had originally provided the drowning sound of the game's protagonist, Edward Kenway, by diving underwater multiple times to simulate a drowning sound. For the remake, he decided to reuse his original sound.

"It wasn't easy to record Edward's drowning moments because we couldn't open our mouths under the cold water. This was a very tedious process because I could only do three takes before I ran out of breath," recalled Evangelista.

"To actually be able to come back and do something, it's really truly a privilege. More importantly, people always ask: What's new? What did you change? So here is something I did not change. As a director, I wanted to keep my voice, so when you're drowning, that's my voice that you're hearing."

For game director Richard Knight, it was an opportunity he "couldn't pass up" and a chance to “remake it as a modern Assassin's Creed game in 2026".

"Being the lead studio means Singapore was responsible for the game’s overall creative vision and execution, and we also worked with our great partners in 14 other Ubisoft studios worldwide to make the final product happen," said Knight.

"As the lead studio we have to coordinate this global effort and have our hands in a bit of almost everything. It was a great experience working with so many experts across Ubisoft to solve problems and make sure each feature works together as a cohesive whole."

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced retails for US$59.99 and is available to play now.

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