Assassin's Creed Jade likely delayed to 2025 - report

Assassin's Creed Jade, the upcoming major open-world mobile game set in Ancient China, will now likely arrive in 2025.

That's according to a Reuters report detailing a change of focus within Tencent, the Chinese publishing giant which is handling development duties on the project.

Tencent has declined to comment on the report. Eurogamer has contacted Assassin's Creed franchise creator Ubisoft for additional comment (UPDATE: Ubisoft passed along a standard "we do not comment on rumours and speculation" note in response).

Today's report states Tencent is currently looking to capitalise on the Chinese success of its own title DreamStar, a party and hangout game that has blown up in popularity, and has moved hundreds of Assassin's Creed Jade team members onto that project instead.

While a blockbuster franchise, the report notes that Assassin's Creed is a western-focused franchise that is yet to make an impression in the smartphone market - and is therefore likely to provide a thinner margin for Tencent.

The Chinese conglomerate is no stranger to developing mobile spin-offs of big external franchises, of course, having developed Call of Duty and PUBG for mobile previously. It also worked on Apex Legends Mobile, which EA discontinued last year citing quality concerns.

Additionally, Tencent is reportedly working on an Elden Ring mobile adaptation, though development has been "slow". That's after it cancelled a previously unannounced NieR mobile game.

A delay to 2025 would leave this year clear for Ubisoft's homegrown Assassin's Creed: Project Red to take centre stage. Set in feudal Japan, the title is the next project to arrive from Ubisoft Quebec, the studio behind 2018's brilliant Ancient Greek-set Assassin's Creed Odyssey.

I got to try an early version of Assassin's Creed Jade back at Gamescom last summer, and found it a surprisingly efficient effort at bringing the series' open worlds to smartphone screens.