Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced doesn't bother with the original's DLC or multiplayer because Ubisoft is focusing on a "pure, story-driven adventure"

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced remakes most of the original pirate game, specifically all the swashbuckling parts starring Edward Kenway, but not all of the 2013 original. Ubisoft explains that's because it's just focusing on the game's story this time around.

The original Assassin's Creed Black Flag came out in an era where countless blockbuster single-player-focused games would ship with a multiplayer offering packed in (see Tomb Raider, Uncharted 3), and multiplayer-heavy games still regularly came with a slimmer solo campaign. Black Flag was no exception, and featured a suite of pretty cool PvP modes that put a different spin on the series' classic stealth.

But Ubisoft isn't bothering to remake the game's multiplayer or its big single-player DLC Freedom Cry, an expansion that followed one of the main game's best side characters.

At a preview event attended by GamesRadar+, Black Flag Resynced's creative director Paul Fu explained that the omissions were apparently part of a tighter focus. "With Resynced, we made a clear choice. It is a pure, story-driven adventure, and we are fully focused on Edward's adventures in the Caribbean," he says.

"As a result of this focus, we have elected to not have the multiplayer and not have the DLC. However, Resynced is built from the ground up with new story [content], new content and new systems, but we're staying true to its action adventure routes," Fu adds. "Resynced is a 2026 take on the original Legend, and for those of us who are curious, the original will still be available."

Since Black Flag Resynced promises to include new and expanded storylines not seen in the original, it's entirely possible that elements of Freedom Cry could be folded into this remake/resync/reimagining. Just don't expect to play as Adéwalé. And, at least, the original Black Flag is still readily available on most modern gaming systems.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced "remains a solo adventure and character-driven experience," says Ubisoft lead: "It is not an RPG"