Leaked Footage Reveals Cancelled Assassin’s Creed Project Set in Ancient China

Leaked footage has surfaced online, offering an unexpected glimpse into a cancelled Assassin’s Creed project that was reportedly in development for PC and consoles. According to reporting from Rock Paper Shotgun, the game carried the working title Assassin’s Creed Destiny and was distinct from the currently in-development mobile title, Assassin’s Creed Jade.

Development Details

Based on findings from developer portfolios cited by MP1st, the project was being headed by TiMi Studio Group, a subsidiary of Tencent Games. The narrative was reportedly set in 206 BCE during the Qin Dynasty, placing it in a similar historical era to Assassin’s Creed Jade, though the two projects appear to be separate. The leaked footage shows a female assassin infiltrating a palace under siege by the historical warlord Xiang Yu while attempting to secure a mysterious artifact—a premise that aligns with traditional series tropes. Additional clips depict fighting animations within grey-walled development environments.

The Fate of the Project

It appears that the development of Assassin’s Creed Destiny has been halted. Reports suggest the project was scrapped as part of a wider strategic shift by Tencent to move away from developing major Western series. The decision was reportedly driven by a desire to focus internal resources on large-budget titles that do not incur significant royalty fees paid to other firms. While this PC and console project did not survive, Ubisoft continues to work on the mobile-focused Assassin’s Creed Jade, though that title currently lacks a firm release date.

Why it matters

For fans who have long requested a mainline console experience set in China, the discovery of Destiny highlights a missed opportunity for the franchise. While the 2.5D title Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China remains available, the prospect of an open-world console entry set in the Qin Dynasty would have been a major milestone for the series.

Players looking for an Assassin’s Creed experience in the region will have to wait for further updates on the status of Assassin’s Creed Jade. As it stands, the cancellation of Destiny reinforces that even large-scale projects can be subject to shifting corporate priorities regarding international intellectual property partnerships.