Why is Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced different?

Ubisoft positions “Resynced” as more than a remaster

Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is being marketed internally as a substantially reworked project rather than a straightforward remaster. In guidance from the game’s leads, Ubisoft drew a clear distinction between the two: a remaster typically preserves the original build while improving it, while what “Resynced” is aiming to do involves going back into the “guts” of the game and rebuilding—meaning changes that can affect systems and how the original behaves.

That matters for players because expectations vary widely when studios reuse an older game’s foundation. The provided stories also indicate that the remake approach goes beyond visuals. Ubisoft’s teams stress that the product isn’t just a facelift, and the leads describe it as a broader modernization effort.

On the design side, the project also clarifies a misconception about genre. Even with remake status, the leads say the series isn’t shifting toward an RPG structure in a way that would make the game an RPG; instead, they still point to the franchise’s ongoing RPG direction in future installments, separate from this specific project’s identity.

There are also continuity and content questions tied to the original. For example, multiple stories reference how the game handles modern-day framing compared with the 2013 original (including a focus on why certain sections aren’t included). Ubisoft’s messaging positions these choices as intentional rather than omissions.

Finally, the developer discussion around content scope includes promises for specific characters: Adewale’s role is described as being expanded, while Freedom Cry isn’t included in the remake—but Ubisoft also left the possibility of future remake work open.

The key takeaway

Resynced is being sold as a rebuilt remake experience with meaningful system and narrative/content adjustments, not a simple technical polish pass.