Assassin's Creed Mirage: It's Time to End the Hidden Ones

Ever since Assassin's Creed Origins, the AC franchise has stepped away from the Brotherhood. Instead, the series has put the focus on an earlier version known as the Hidden Ones. This has let players see the rise of the assassins throughout history, which has been great for fans. However, after Assassin's Creed Mirage, Ubisoft should consider leaving that period behind and bringing the franchise back to the classic Assassin vs. Templar story it was built on.

With the release of Assassin's Creed Mirage, players have been with the Hidden Ones for three games now. Within these games, they have combated mysterious cults and orders rather than the Templars proper. While these titles have been great additions to the series canon, some players also long for a return to form. And since AC Mirage has given players a version of the Hidden Ones at their height, it feels like the perfect time to leave them behind.

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The Hidden Ones Saga Should End with AC Mirage

The Hidden Ones were the earliest incarnation of what fans know as the Assassin Brotherhood. They were founded by Bayek of Siwa and his wife Aya of Alexandria, which players got to be a part of in Assassin's Creed Origins. It was created to fend off the vile Order of the Ancients who would one day become the Templar Order. After saving Egypt from their influence, the Hidden Ones would expand out across the world, and become the shadowy organization that players have come to know over the years.

Since the start of Assassin's Creed Origins, players have gotten to watch the Hidden Ones grow in power and strength. They may not have seen them in Assassin's Creed Odyssey as that took place centuries before their formation, but they did get to see a stronger version of them through Basim in Valhalla and Mirage. Valhalla let players see them expand through England while Mirage let them see a version of the Hidden Ones at one of their strongest points, which led to some exciting stories.

Players have seen the beginnings of the Hidden Ones, they have seen that middle chapter with Mirage, and they have gotten to witness their expansion in Valhalla. Now that it feels like they have more complete picture of this early version of the Brotherhood, it feels like the best time to leave it behind. One of the few remaining stories that may be interesting would be to see them officially adopt the moniker of the Assassin Brotherhood in 1090, but the future of the franchise does not seem to include that story right now.

While the Hidden Ones may have been interesting, it feels like the right time to return to the Assassin-Templar War. That shift in focus may be exactly what the series needs right now as some fans have become burnt out by the massive RPGs and have been yearning for a return to the core of the series for years. And while Mirage may have brought them close to that, putting the Assassin Brotherhood at the center again would truly deliver on those wishes.

The Hidden Ones are a core part of the franchise mythos, and it has been a lot of fun seeing them grow and change over the years. However, now that players have seen them at their largest, it feels like the perfect time to move on. There may still be more time periods to explore with them, yet the only way to really bring the series back to its roots would be by re-introducing the Brotherhood. Plus, there are even more periods Ubisoft could explore with them than there are for the Hidden Ones, which makes them the perfect protagonists going forward.

Assassin's Creed Mirage is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

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