Assassin's Creed Wiki
Assassin's Creed Wiki
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''{{PAGENAME}}''}}
 
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''{{PAGENAME}}''}}
 
{{Era|AC4|RW}}
 
{{Era|AC4|RW}}
{{Revamp}}
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{{Imageneed}}
 
{{Youmay|the video game|[[Assassin's Creed: Black Flag|the novel]]}}
 
{{Youmay|the video game|[[Assassin's Creed: Black Flag|the novel]]}}
{{Quote|I once sailed for a king. I obeyed men of privilege and wealth. Now, I bend my knee to no man. My only oath is to my crew and together we will take back what is rightfully ours. With blood and steel, we shall stand up to the powerful. Captains will curse our flag, and kings will fear it. As long as empires generate wealth and riches, we will be there to bleed them dry.|Edward Kenway, ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'''s "Under The Black Flag" Trailer.}}
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{{Quote|I once sailed for a king. I obeyed men of privilege and wealth. Now, I bend my knee to no man. My only oath is to my crew and together we will take back what is rightfully ours. With blood and steel, we shall stand up to the powerful. Captains will curse our flag, and kings will fear it. As long as empires generate wealth and riches, we will be there to bleed them dry.|Edward Kenway, ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''s "Under The Black Flag" Trailer.}}
 
{{Game Infobox
 
{{Game Infobox
|name = ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''
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|name = ''{{PAGENAME}}''
 
|image = Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag.jpg
 
|image = Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag.jpg
 
|Developer = Ubisoft Montreal
 
|Developer = Ubisoft Montreal
|Publisher = Ubisoft
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|Publisher = [[Ubisoft]]
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|Engine = {{Wiki|AnvilNext}}
|US Date Released = 29 October 2013 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U)<br>15 November 2013 (PS4)<br>19 November 2013 (PC)<ref name = "PCRelease">[http://au.ign.com/articles/2013/09/30/assassins-creed-4-pc-release-date-revealed-wii-u-version-delayed Assassin's Creed 4 PC Release Date Revealed, Wii U Version Delayed]</ref><br>22 November 2013 (Xbox One)
 
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|Released =
|UK Date Released = 29 October 2013 (Xbox 360, PS3)<ref>[https://twitter.com/EscoBlades/status/390026610801659904 Twitter - ''Escoblades'']</ref><br>22 November 2013 (PC, Wii U, Xbox One)<ref name = "PCRelease"/><br>29 November 2013 (PS4)
 
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'''PlayStation 3, Xbox 360'''
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*October 29, 2013
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'''Wii U'''
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*October 29, 2013 ([[North America|NA]])
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*November 21, 2013 ([[Australia|AU]])
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*November 22, 2013 ([[Europe|EU]])
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'''PlayStation 4'''
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*November 15, 2013 (NA)
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*November 29, 2013 (AU)
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*November 22, 2013 (EU)
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'''Microsoft Windows'''
 
*November 19, 2013 (NA)<ref name = "PCRelease">[http://au.ign.com/articles/2013/09/30/assassins-creed-4-pc-release-date-revealed-wii-u-version-delayed IGN: Assassin's Creed 4 PC Release Date Revealed, Wii U Version Delayed]</ref>
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*November 21, 2013 (AU)
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*November 22, 2013 (EU)
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'''Xbox One'''
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*November 22, 2013
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'''Nintendo Switch'''
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*December 6, 2019
 
|Genre = Historic Action-Adventure
 
|Genre = Historic Action-Adventure
|Game modes = Singleplayer, Multiplayer
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|Game modes = Single-player, Multi-player
 
|ESRB = M (Mature)
 
|ESRB = M (Mature)
|Platform = Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, PC, Wii U
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|Platform =
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*PlayStation 3
|Media = DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital download
 
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*Xbox 360
|Website = http://assassinscreed.ubi.com/ac3/en-US/index.aspx}}
 
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*Wii U
'''''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''''' is a 2013 action-adventure game, and the sixth main installment in the [[Assassin's Creed (series)|''Assassin's Creed'' series]]. A sequel to 2012's ''[[Assassin's Creed III]]'', the game has the player take on the role of an [[Abstergo Entertainment research analyst]] as they explore the story of [[Edward Kenway]] – father to [[Haytham Kenway]], grandfather to [[Ratonhnhaké:ton]] and an ancestor of [[Desmond Miles]].
 
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*PlayStation 4
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*Microsoft Windows
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*Xbox One
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*Nintendo Switch
 
|Website = http://assassinscreed.ubi.com/en-US/games/assassins-creed-black-flag.aspx}}
 
'''''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''''' is a 2013 action-adventure game, and the sixth main installment in the [[Assassin's Creed (series)|''Assassin's Creed'' series]]. A sequel to 2012's ''[[Assassin's Creed III]]'', the game has the player take on the role of an [[Noob|Abstergo Entertainment research analyst]] as they explore the story of [[Edward Kenway]] – father to [[Haytham Kenway]], grandfather to [[Ratonhnhaké:ton]], and an ancestor of [[Desmond Miles]].
   
''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'' is set primarily on and around the islands in the [[Caribbean Sea]] during the [[Golden Age of Piracy]] in the early 18th century, with the three major cities consisting of [[Havana]], [[Nassau]] and [[Kingston]].
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''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'' is set primarily on and around the islands in the [[Caribbean Sea]] during the [[Golden Age of Piracy]] in the early 18th century, with the three major cities consisting of [[Havana]], [[Nassau]], and [[Kingston]].
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On September 4, 2019, it was announced that ''Black Flag'', along with ''Rogue'' would be released together on the Nintendo Switch as a compilation known as ''Assassin's Creed: The Rebel Collection''<ref>{{Twitter|assassinscreed|status/1169398807865565184|Assassin's Creed|quote=Two epic games, one compilation. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag and Rogue coming to Nintendo Switch!}}</ref><ref>{{Youtube|bSDd56Inlmg|Assassin's Creed: The Rebel Collection: Switch Announce Trailer <nowiki>|</nowiki> Ubisoft [NA<nowiki>]</nowiki>|UCBMvc6jvuTxH6TNo9ThpYjg|Ubisoft North America}}</ref>
   
 
==Development==
 
==Development==
''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'' producer Martin Schelling and Mission Director [[Ashraf Ismail]] both stated that they began the project in the summer of 2011, with a pirate game as their focus.<ref name="AC4 - GR Interview">[http://www.gamesradar.com/harpooning-whales-blackbeard-assassins-creed-iv-interview/ GamesRadar: ''Harpooning whales with Blackbeard - Assassin's Creed IV interview'']</ref> Ismail also stressed that they aimed towards a more historically accurate take on the era, including staying away from the stereotypical image associated with pirates, such as parrots, Krakens and plank-walking.<ref name="IGN">[http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/03/04/the-dawn-of-assassins-creed-iv-black-flag IGN: ''The Dawn of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'']</ref> The pair also explained that because the game was so radically different from its predecessor and that the scope and open-world gameplay was so different from the previous game, they opted for the project to be a numbered sequel as opposed to a spin-off that followed in the footsteps of the last numbered game, ''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''.<ref name="AC4 - GR Interview" />
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''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'' producer Martin Schelling and Mission Director [[Ashraf Ismail]] both stated that they began the project in the summer of 2011, with a pirate game as their focus.<ref name="AC4 - GR Interview">[http://www.gamesradar.com/harpooning-whales-blackbeard-assassins-creed-iv-interview/ GamesRadar: ''Harpooning whales with Blackbeard - Assassin's Creed IV interview'']</ref> Ismail also stressed that they aimed towards a more historically accurate take on the era, including staying away from the stereotypical image associated with pirates, such as parrots, Krakens, and plank-walking.<ref name="IGN">[http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/03/04/the-dawn-of-assassins-creed-iv-black-flag IGN: ''The Dawn of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'']</ref> The pair also explained that because the game was so radically different from its predecessor and that the scope and open-world gameplay was so different from the previous game, they opted for the project to be a numbered sequel as opposed to a spin-off that followed in the footsteps of the last numbered game, ''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''.<ref name="AC4 - GR Interview" />
   
 
[[Ubisoft]]'s Montreal-based team, in conjunction with 7 other studios from Singapore, Sofia, Annecy, Kiev, Quebec City, Bucharest and Montpellier – accompanied by a band of developers of ''{{Wiki|Far Cry 3}}'' – contributed to the completion of the game, with each studio focusing on different elements.<ref name="IGN" />
 
[[Ubisoft]]'s Montreal-based team, in conjunction with 7 other studios from Singapore, Sofia, Annecy, Kiev, Quebec City, Bucharest and Montpellier – accompanied by a band of developers of ''{{Wiki|Far Cry 3}}'' – contributed to the completion of the game, with each studio focusing on different elements.<ref name="IGN" />
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Writer [[Darby McDevitt]] began writing the game soon after completing ''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'', after being suggested to do a game expanding the "Kenway family saga", instead of Connor's life story as they did with [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]]. He considered beginning the story with Edward as a boy during the [[William Kidd]] and [[Henry Morgan]] era of piracy, but decided he felt skeptical as to whether ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' convincingly portrayed a similar span of time, and so opted to simply focus on the Blackbeard era towards the end of the Golden Age of Piracy.<ref>[http://www.nowgamer.com/features/2059339/assassins_creed_4_lead_writer_on_why_its_the_best_pirate_game_ever.html NowGamer: Assassin's Creed 4: Lead Writer On Why It's 'The Best Pirate Game Ever']</ref>
 
Writer [[Darby McDevitt]] began writing the game soon after completing ''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'', after being suggested to do a game expanding the "Kenway family saga", instead of Connor's life story as they did with [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]]. He considered beginning the story with Edward as a boy during the [[William Kidd]] and [[Henry Morgan]] era of piracy, but decided he felt skeptical as to whether ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' convincingly portrayed a similar span of time, and so opted to simply focus on the Blackbeard era towards the end of the Golden Age of Piracy.<ref>[http://www.nowgamer.com/features/2059339/assassins_creed_4_lead_writer_on_why_its_the_best_pirate_game_ever.html NowGamer: Assassin's Creed 4: Lead Writer On Why It's 'The Best Pirate Game Ever']</ref>
   
McDevitt stated the game's primary history resources were ''{{Wiki|A General History of the Pyrates}}'' (1724) and ''[http://www.republicofpirates.net/AboutBook.html The Republic of Pirates]'' (2008). As a homage to the former book, the game's subtitles rendered each noun with capital letters. ''Republic'' author Colin Woodard was invited to consult on the game.<ref>[http://uk.gamespot.com/features/mantling-the-challenges-of-writing-assassins-creed-iv-black-flag-6407241/ Mantling the Challenges of Writing ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'' at Gamespot]</ref>
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McDevitt stated the game's primary history resources were ''{{Wiki|A General History of the Pyrates}}'' (1724) and ''[http://www.republicofpirates.net/AboutBook.html The Republic of Pirates]'' (2008). As a homage to the former book, the game's subtitles rendered each noun with capital letters. ''Republic'' author Colin Woodard was invited to consult on the game.<ref>[http://uk.gamespot.com/features/mantling-the-challenges-of-writing-assassins-creed-iv-black-flag-6407241/ Gamespot: Mantling the Challenges of Writing ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'']</ref>
   
 
[[Lorne Balfe]], who was the sole composer for ''[[Assassin's Creed III]]'' and secondary composer for ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'' and ''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'', did not return to score the soundtrack for ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''. The score was instead composed by [[Brian Tyler]], the composer of ''Far Cry 3''.
 
[[Lorne Balfe]], who was the sole composer for ''[[Assassin's Creed III]]'' and secondary composer for ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'' and ''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'', did not return to score the soundtrack for ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''. The score was instead composed by [[Brian Tyler]], the composer of ''Far Cry 3''.
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==Gameplay==
 
==Gameplay==
 
===Locations and navigation===
 
===Locations and navigation===
About 60% of the game takes place on land; players can explore 50 locations ranging from fisherman villages, plantations, jungles, forts, islands, Templar hideouts, Mayan ruins and exotic Coconut Islands. Furthermore, there are around 75 beaches and sandbanks, which can hold various treasures and marooned sailors to add to Edward's crew.
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About 60% of the game takes place on land; players can explore 50 locations ranging from fisherman villages, plantations, jungles, [[forts]], islands, [[Templars|Templar]] hideouts, [[Mayans|Mayan]] ruins and exotic Coconut Islands. Furthermore, there are around 75 beaches and sandbanks, which can hold various treasures and marooned sailors to add to Edward's crew.
   
Other activities include hunting, harpooning and exploring underwater environments. The game aims to blend between its land and aquatic experiences seamlessly, to the point where players can simply dive off Edward's ship, swim to the shore and explore the land, as well as dive under the surface to loot underwater ship wrecks.
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Other activities include [[hunting]], harpooning, and exploring underwater environments. The game aims to blend between its land and aquatic experiences seamlessly, to the point where players can simply dive off Edward's ship, swim to the shore and explore the land, as well as dive under the surface to loot underwater ship wrecks.
   
View Points are also in Black Flag. As in the previous games, View Points have to be synchronized so as to reveal information about an area and its surroundings. Furthermore, they now also serve the function of fast-travel locations. Synchronizing with a viewpoint unlocks more loot and area of "interest" to Edward and can also be used as a faster way of locating a specific target.
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[[Viewpoints]] are also in ''Black Flag''. As in the previous games, viewpoints have to be synchronized so as to reveal information about an area and its surroundings. Furthermore, they now also serve the function of fast-travel locations. Synchronizing with a viewpoint unlocks more loot and area of "interest" to Edward and can also be used as a faster way of locating a specific target.
   
 
===Combat===
 
===Combat===
''<nowiki>Black Flag'</nowiki>''s combat has been upgraded to include free aiming. While previous instalments relied on the game's built-in auto aim, in ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'', players are able to just aim and fire, similar to third-person shooters.
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''Black Flag''<nowiki/>'s combat has been upgraded to include free aiming. While previous installments relied on the game's built-in auto aim, in ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'', players are able to just aim and fire, similar to third-person shooters.
   
[[Dual-wielding]] weapons has also been implemented, with Edward being able to carry four flintlock [[Firearms|pistols]] and be able to use them all together, chaining up to four gunshots into a combo of attacks to take down more enemies. Aside from the pistols and his [[Hidden Blade]]s, Edward can equip dual cutlass swords and chain their attacks together. Other weapons include a blowpipe with multiple effected projectiles and [[rope darts]]. Accompanying this, the stealth system has been remade and is encouraged in-game. 
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[[Dual-wielding]] weapons has also been implemented, with Edward being able to carry four flintlock [[Firearms|pistols]] and be able to use them all together, chaining up to four gunshots into a combo of attacks to take down more enemies. Aside from the pistols and his [[Hidden Blade]]s, Edward can equip dual cutlass [[swords]] and chain their attacks together. Other weapons include a [[blowpipe]] with multiple effected projectiles and [[rope darts]]. Accompanying this, the stealth system has been remade and is encouraged in-game. 
   
 
Combo attacks are achieved through chaining multiple attacks in a row while uninterrupted. The game includes many different ways of combo moves, with some available through running towards an enemy or jumping onto an enemy from the high ground.
 
Combo attacks are achieved through chaining multiple attacks in a row while uninterrupted. The game includes many different ways of combo moves, with some available through running towards an enemy or jumping onto an enemy from the high ground.
   
 
===Naval combat===
 
===Naval combat===
The game also includes naval combat, with 40% of the story taking place on the water, which includes numerous side missions. After checking out a ship with Edward's spyglass from the ''[[Jackdaw]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s crow's nest and evaluating the information and statistics, players can launch an attack using various scenarios; one can simply shoot the opposing captain, board the ship by leaping from mast-to-mast and performing an air assassination, or charge into the fray to cut down foes using Edward's swords. Once the objectives for each boarding process, all of which include killing a certain amount of soldiers, are completed, the player has three options - reduce the ''<nowiki>Jackdaw'</nowiki>''s notoriety, send the ship to Edward's fleet or salvage the ship to repair the ''Jackdaw''. Players are also able to exploit weather patterns, luring the opposition into less than ideal conditions such as rougue waves, to their advantage. Naval combat also features a trajectory-based aiming system that requires knowledge of distance and the speed of an enemy.
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The game also includes naval combat, with 40% of the story taking place on the water, which includes numerous side missions. After checking out a ship with Edward's spyglass from the ''[[Jackdaw]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s crow's nest and evaluating the information and statistics, players can launch an attack using various scenarios; one can simply shoot the opposing captain, board the ship by leaping from mast-to-mast and performing an air assassination, or charge into the fray to cut down foes using Edward's swords. Once the objectives for each boarding process, all of which include killing a certain amount of soldiers, are completed, the player has three options - reduce the ''<nowiki>Jackdaw'</nowiki>''s notoriety, send the ship to [[Edward Kenway's fleet|Edward's fleet]], or salvage the ship to repair the ''Jackdaw''. Players are also able to exploit weather patterns, luring the opposition into less than ideal conditions, such as rogue waves, to their advantage. Naval combat also features a trajectory-based aiming system that requires knowledge of distance and the speed of an enemy.
   
 
===Upgrades===
 
===Upgrades===
Players are also able to upgrade Edward Kenway's the ''Jackdaw'' through pillaging, taking over enemy ships and completing missions, granting the ''Jackdaw'' with new weapons and abilities. Of these, weapon upgrades include round shot, heat shot, chain shot, fire barrels, mortars, swivel guns and a ram. Edward can recruit crew-members for the ''Jackdaw'' via side missions that include bar fights, and battle missions. It is also possible to simply rescue them while just sailing across the map. However, the crew members are also expected to die in the game while braving storms and boarding enemy ships, forcing Edward to continuously recruit more members. The game also has six different enemy archetypes at sea that all behave in vastly different ways and require the player to have different upgrades to deal with them.
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Players are also able to upgrade Edward Kenway's ''Jackdaw'' through pillaging, taking over enemy ships, and completing missions, granting the ''Jackdaw'' new weapons and abilities. Of these, weapon upgrades include round shot, heavy shot, chain shot, fire barrels, mortars, swivel guns, and a ram. Edward can recruit crew members for the ''Jackdaw'' via side missions that include [[Taverns|bar]] fights and battle missions. It is also possible to simply rescue them while just sailing across the map. However, the crew members are also expected to die in the game while braving storms and boarding enemy ships, forcing Edward to continuously recruit more members. The game also has six different enemy archetypes at sea that all behave in vastly different ways and require the player to have different upgrades to deal with them.
   
 
===Memories===
 
===Memories===
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The [[Social Stealth|notoriety system]] featured in previous ''Assassin's Creed'' games was remade in ''Black Flag'', as a "worldwide alert" for a pirate sailing between islands was deemed illogical. In its place, a system of pirate hunters were introduced, with four tiers of increasingly difficult ships appearing to attack the ''Jackdaw'' depending on how many robberies Edward has committed.
 
The [[Social Stealth|notoriety system]] featured in previous ''Assassin's Creed'' games was remade in ''Black Flag'', as a "worldwide alert" for a pirate sailing between islands was deemed illogical. In its place, a system of pirate hunters were introduced, with four tiers of increasingly difficult ships appearing to attack the ''Jackdaw'' depending on how many robberies Edward has committed.
   
The new "Horizon" open-world system dynamically creates side missions, such as merchant ships to rob, whales to hunt or pirates to rescue, dependent on an individual's playing style.
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The new "Horizon" open-world system dynamically creates side missions, such as merchant ships to rob, whales to hunt, or pirates to rescue, dependent on an individual's playing style.
   
 
Edward will put his hood on when in a restricted zone or in a city, and take it off when on the open seas or as soon as he is incognito.
 
Edward will put his hood on when in a restricted zone or in a city, and take it off when on the open seas or as soon as he is incognito.
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Adding to this, the locations are:
 
Adding to this, the locations are:
*La Havana
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*[[Havana]]
 
*[[Saba Island]]
 
*[[Saba Island]]
 
*[[Santa Lucia]]
 
*[[Santa Lucia]]
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*[[Fort St-Mathieu]]
 
*[[Fort St-Mathieu]]
 
*[[Charlestown]]
 
*[[Charlestown]]
*Kingston
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*[[Kingston]]
   
 
Furthermore, players can create custom game modes alongside default and Game Lab modes and share it to their friends.
 
Furthermore, players can create custom game modes alongside default and Game Lab modes and share it to their friends.
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==Synopsis==
 
===Plot===
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Using the DNA collected from Desmond Miles’s corpse, Abstergo Entertainment developed an initiative called the [[Sample 17 Project]] to explore the genetic memories of Desmond’s ancestors to gather material for the production of various [[Animus|Animus Omega]] products and feature films. The project was started with the ulterior motive of locating various [[Isu|Precursor]] sites and [[Pieces of Eden]]. In 2013, the company hired a [[Noob|research analyst]] for scouting the memories of one of Desmond’s ancestors, [[Edward Kenway]], a British privateer-turned pirate who later went on to become an [[Assassin]].
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After an attack on the [[Ship|ship]] he was aboard, Edward found himself stranded on a deserted island with an Assassin. The man ran off into the jungle, after which Kenway chased him down and killed him. Among his possessions, he found a letter addressed to [[Duncan Walpole]], from the Governor of Cuba, [[Laureano de Torres y Ayala]], promising him a reward for some maps he was carrying. Edward donned Walpole's robes, heard shots in the distance, and proceeded to investigate, leading him to a ship with its crew being held by British soldiers. Edward killed the soldiers and rescued a merchant named [[Stede Bonnet]], later accompanying him to [[Havana]].
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Having arrived in Havana, Edward, still posing as Walpole, met with Governor Torres and his associates, hoping to claim his reward. Edward learned of the existence of the [[Templar]] Order and a Precursor site known as the [[Observatory]], with the power of locate and monitor every person on Earth with a vial of blood. According to the old tales, the blood of a [[Sage]] is required to enter the Observatory. Afterwards, Edward was inducted in the Templar Order.
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Edward met with the Templars at the docks in the next morning to meet a Sage named [[Bartholomew Roberts]] and escort him to the governor's mansion. During the journey to Torres' mansion, the group was attacked by Assassins, allowing the Sage to escape. Edward fought the Assassins and managed to capture the Sage. He later claimed his promised reward, but was unhappy with its quantity. Edward decided to free the Sage and find out more about the Observatory, hoping to make more money. However, as he snuck into Torres' mansion, he found his cell empty and scattered with dead bodies. While investigating the area, Edward was knocked out and identified as an imposter by the Templars. He was taken prisoner and locked up on one of the ships of the [[Spanish Treasure Fleet]].
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Edward awoke to find himself in leg irons together with a fellow prisoner, [[Adéwalé]]. After freeing themselves, the men rescued the fleet's prisoners and stole a brig, which Edward decided to keep afterwards. He named his new ship the [[Jackdaw]] and made Adéwalé his quartermaster. Following this, the pirate set course for [[Nassau]]. After assembling a crew, he met with [[Edward Thatch]] and [[Benjamin Hornigold]], who took Edward out to sea to teach him how to plunder ships. He then met with [[James Kidd]], and devised a plan to rob a plantation. Edward and Thatch set out to acquire a galleon for Nassau's defense. The pirate assassinated its captain, the Templar [[Julien du Casse]], and claimed his vessel for Nassau's defense and [[Great Inagua|his island]] for himself.
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While exploring Edward’s memories, the analyst was enlisted by IT head [[John Standish]] to hack computers, Animi, security cameras, and servers around Abstergo Entertainment's [[Montreal]] facility in order to obtain information on Abstergo's actions for the Assassins, and pass it on to [[Rebecca Crane]] and [[Shaun Hastings]], who routinely collected it at Shaun's coffee stand in the building's lobby, though the analyst wasn’t originally aware of this.
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A few weeks later, Edward set course for [[Tulum]], looking for Kidd, who was expecting him in the Assassin hideout. Upon [[Mentor]] [[Ah Tabai]]’s behest, Edward navigated a Mayan ruin to identify the return of a Sage. Upon confirming Roberts’ identity, Edward and Kidd exited the Mayan ruin to discover both the Assassins and the Jackdaw's crew held hostage by slave traders. Edward freed the Assassins and his crew members. Ah Tabai absolved Edward of the deaths of his fellow Assassins in Havana, but exiled him from Tulum.
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Edward devised a plan to find Roberts and earn some money by using Torres as bait. He set out to [[Kingston]], where he planned to tail Torres and [[Laurens Prins]], hoping to find the Sage. He found Kidd trying to assassinate both men and stopped him, allowing them to escape. Edward then prepared to assassinate Prins after having promised Kidd he would do so. Suddenly, Kidd removed his bandana and reddened his lips with his blood, revealing himself to be a woman named [[Mary Read]]. Edward found Prins and assassinated him, but Roberts appeared, holding Mary hostage. The Sage managed to escape once again.
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While staying in Nassau, Edward witnessed the arrival of the [[Royal Navy]] and [[Woodes Rogers]], who came to offer the King's pardon to all pirates, and Hornigold and his men decided to accept it. They also lifted a naval block around Nassau, preventing the pirates from leaving. After learning that Commodore [[Peter Chamberlaine]] planned to destroy all the pirate ships in Nassau's harbor, Edward assassinated him and escaped Nassau with [[Charles Vane]].
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Edward sailed north to meet with Thatch. During a confront with the Royal Navy, Thatch was killed, and Edward barely managed to escape. He also learned of a ship called the [[Princess]], aboard which he could find the Sage. Edward and Vane went after a slave ship to find information about the Princess, but due to [[Jack Rackham]]'s mutiny, they were stranded on [[Isla Providencia]]. Edward was forced to deal with an insane Charles Vane, and managed to leave the island on a ship that had arrived.
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After retrieving his ship and crew from Rackham, Edward traveled to Kingston to learn more about the Sage's location. Edward located Hornigold and Rogers, who met with Torres. Through them, Edward learned that Bartholomew Roberts could be found on the island of [[Príncipe]]. He traveled to Príncipe, in order to find Roberts. During his search, Edward assassinated [[Josiah Burgess]] and [[John Cockram]], freeing pirates from a [[Portugal|Portuguese]] camp along the way. With that, Edward finally gained the trust of Roberts, who in turn requested his aid. Edward met with Roberts to claim a set of vials from a Portuguese fleet. They managed to acquire the blood vials, and Edward was promised a chance to enter the Observatory.
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When meeting up with Roberts again, Edward was directed to assassinate Hornigold, who had tailed him. Edward informed Adéwalé of his plan of selling the Observatory for the highest price. Adéwalé suggested inform the Assassins instead, so they could protect it, but Edward refused. Edward arrived at the Observatory, but was betrayed by Roberts and imprisoned in Port Royal.
  +
  +
Eventually, the hacking activity was discovered at the same time that the company's Chief Creative Officer, [[Olivier Garneau]], went missing. In response, Olivier's stand-in, [[Melanie Lemay]], reluctantly imprisoned the analyst and several other employees in bunkers in the basement, where they would continue their work until the hacker could be identified.
  +
Subsequently, John raised the analyst's security clearance so that they could leave their bunker, and instructed them to hack the main server in order to cover their tracks. Unbeknownst to the analyst, following John's instructions activated a program designed to transfer [[Juno]]'s consciousness into another body; unfortunately, Juno was not yet strong enough to maintain a physical form, and this aspect of the plan failed, much to John’s rage. The analyst then resumed exploring Edward’s memories.
  +
  +
Edward was led into the trial of Mary Read and [[Anne Bonny]]. They warn that they’re pregnant, so their executions are postponed. Four months after the trial, Edward was locked in one of [[Port Royal]]'s gibbets. Ah Tabai freed Edward, returned his weapons and requested his aid to free Mary and Anne. Along the way, Edward found Jack Rackham's skeletal corpse in a gibbet and a delirious Charles Vane in a cell. In a nearby cell, Anne shouted for help from the guards, because Mary’s gotten ill after childbirth. Edward helped Mary to reach outside, but she passed away.
  +
  +
After suffering the loss of Mary, Edward tried to drown his sorrows, which resulted in a disturbing dream. Adéwalé woke Edward up on the beach afterwards. Edward then set sail for Tulum to meet with the Assassins and make amends. After aiding the Assassins with a Spanish invasion, Edward earned their trust.
  +
  +
Edward, now allied with the Assassins, set out to Kingston to assassinate Rogers. Then Edward sailed to Principe to kill Roberts. He attempted to assassinate Torres in Havana, but found his victim to be a decoy, [[El Tiburón]]. He killed him and set out for the Observatory, where Torres would be. Edward began to make his way towards the Observatory, freeing its guardians as he came across them and killing the Spanish soldiers. Edward found and assassinated Torres, returned the Observatory to its dormant state, and received a letter, learned of [[Caroline Scott|his wife]]'s passing.
  +
  +
John then entered the analyst's bunker while they were using the Animus and revealed himself to be a Sage, a reincarnation of [[Aita]]. He attempted to poison the analyst, weakening them enough that their body could host Juno. However, he was shortly caught and killed by Abstergo's security guards. The analyst later woke in Melanie's office, where she apologized for imprisoning them. She claimed that while she originally believed them to be the hacker, information recovered from John's computer proved that he was responsible. After Melanie revealed the completed trailer for [[Devils of the Caribbean]] as a token of good will, the analyst was allowed to return to work.
  +
  +
Edward met with Ah Tabai and Adéwalé at Great Inagua, awaiting the arrival of his daughter. He passed on his manor on Great Inagua to the Assassins for their new base, and met his daughter, [[Jennifer Scott]], for the first time. Edward then sailed to [[England]] with Jennifer. Sometime later, Edward remarried and conceived a son, [[Haytham Kenway]]. The post-credits scene shows Edward, Jennifer and Haytham attending The Beggar's Opera at the Theatre Royal.
  +
  +
===Cast===
  +
*[[Matt Ryan]] as [[Edward Kenway]]
  +
*[[Olivia Morgan]] as [[Mary Read|James Kidd/Mary Read]]
  +
*[[Ralph Ineson]] as [[Charles Vane]]
  +
*[[Mark Bonnar]] as [[Edward Thatch|Edward “Blackbeard” Thatch]]
  +
*[[Tristan D. Lalla]] as [[Adéwalé]]
  +
*[[Luisa Guerreiro]] as [[Caroline Scott]]
  +
*[[Sarah Greene]] as [[Anne Bonny]]
  +
*[[James Bachman]] as [[Stede Bonnet]]
  +
*[[Cristina Rosato]] as [[Melanie Lemay]]
  +
*[[Vincent Hoss-Desmarais]] as [[Olivier Garneau]]
  +
*[[Danny Wallace]] as [[Shaun Hastings]]
  +
*[[Eliza Jane Schneider]] as [[Rebecca Crane]]
  +
*[[O. T. Fagbenle]] as [[Jack Rackham]]
  +
*[[Oliver Milburn]] as [[Bartholomew Roberts]], [[John Standish]]
  +
*[[Milton Lopes]] as [[Ah Tabai]]
  +
*[[Tom Kane]] as [[Laurens Prins]]
  +
*[[Alex Ivanovici]] as [[Julien du Casse]]
  +
*[[Ed Stoppard]] as [[Benjamin Hornigold]]
  +
*[[Shaun Dingwall]] as [[Woodes Rogers]]
  +
*[[Conrad Pla]] as [[Laureano de Torres y Ayala]]
   
 
==Marketing==
 
==Marketing==
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==Other media==
 
==Other media==
A [[Assassin's Creed: Awakening|Japanese manga adaptation of the game]], written by Takashi Yano and illustrated by Kendi Oiwa, began serialization in Shueisha's ''Jump X'' magazine on 10 August 2013.<ref>[http://www.animenewsnetwork.co.uk/news/2013-07-09/welcome-to-the-n.h.k.s-oiwa-draws-assassin-creed-4-manga Anime News Network: ''Assassin's Creed 4 Manga'']</ref> The manga however contradicts many points of the game's actual storyline in both the modern times and the 18th century.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Awakening]]''</ref>
+
A [[Assassin's Creed: Awakening|Japanese manga adaptation of the game]], written by Takashi Yano and illustrated by Kendi Oiwa, began serialization in Shueisha's ''Jump X'' magazine on 10 August 2013.<ref>[http://www.animenewsnetwork.co.uk/news/2013-07-09/welcome-to-the-n.h.k.s-oiwa-draws-assassin-creed-4-manga Anime News Network: Oiwa Draws ''Assassin's Creed 4'' Manga]</ref> The manga however contradicts many points of the game's actual storyline in both the modern times and the 18th century.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Awakening]]''</ref>
   
 
==Controversy==
 
==Controversy==
Line 144: Line 231:
 
*Three exclusive single player locations, [[Black Island]], [[Mystery Island]], and [[Sacrifice Island]]
 
*Three exclusive single player locations, [[Black Island]], [[Mystery Island]], and [[Sacrifice Island]]
 
*Access to all pre-order packs
 
*Access to all pre-order packs
  +
|-|
 
Buccaneer Edition=
+
|-|Buccaneer Edition=
 
[[File:buccaneer edition.jpg|right|250px]]
 
[[File:buccaneer edition.jpg|right|250px]]
 
*A retail copy of ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''
 
*A retail copy of ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''
Line 155: Line 242:
 
*Three exclusive single player locations, Black Island, Mystery Island and Sacrifice Island
 
*Three exclusive single player locations, Black Island, Mystery Island and Sacrifice Island
 
*Pre-order pack: Captain Kenway's Legacy
 
*Pre-order pack: Captain Kenway's Legacy
  +
|-|
 
Skull Edition=
+
|-|Skull Edition=
 
[[File:skull edition.jpg|right|250px]]
 
[[File:skull edition.jpg|right|250px]]
 
*A retail copy of ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''
 
*A retail copy of ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''
Line 165: Line 252:
 
*Two exclusive single player locations, Mystery Island and Sacrifice Island
 
*Two exclusive single player locations, Mystery Island and Sacrifice Island
 
*Pre-order pack: Captain Kenway's Legacy
 
*Pre-order pack: Captain Kenway's Legacy
  +
|-|
 
Special Edition=
+
|-|Special Edition=
 
[[File:Special edition.jpg|right|250px]]
 
[[File:Special edition.jpg|right|250px]]
 
*A retail copy of ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''
 
*A retail copy of ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''
Line 172: Line 259:
 
*Pre-order pack: Includes Captain [[Francis Drake]]'s [[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag outfits#Captain Drake's outfit|outfit]], swords, and flintlocks
 
*Pre-order pack: Includes Captain [[Francis Drake]]'s [[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag outfits#Captain Drake's outfit|outfit]], swords, and flintlocks
 
*Pre-order pack: Captain Kenway's Legacy. Includes dual golden swords and the Treasure Hunter costume for the [[Navigator]] multiplayer character
 
*Pre-order pack: Captain Kenway's Legacy. Includes dual golden swords and the Treasure Hunter costume for the [[Navigator]] multiplayer character
  +
 
{{-}}
 
{{-}}
  +
|-|
 
Gamestop Edition=
+
|-|Gamestop Edition=
 
[[File:Gamestop edition.jpeg|right|250px]]
 
[[File:Gamestop edition.jpeg|right|250px]]
 
*A retail copy of ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''
 
*A retail copy of ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''
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<tabber>
 
<tabber>
 
Limited Edition=
 
Limited Edition=
  +
[[File:Assassin's_Creed_IV_Black_Flag_Limited_Edition.jpg|thumb]]
 
*18-inch statue of Edward Kenway
 
*18-inch statue of Edward Kenway
 
*Pirate flag measuring 28 inches by 48 inches, embroidered with the Assassins' crest
 
*Pirate flag measuring 28 inches by 48 inches, embroidered with the Assassins' crest
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*Steel game case
 
*Steel game case
 
*Original soundtrack
 
*Original soundtrack
  +
|-|
 
Lethal Pirate Edition=
+
|-|Lethal Pirate Edition=
 
[[File:AC4-Lethal Pirate Edition.jpg|right|250px]]
 
[[File:AC4-Lethal Pirate Edition.jpg|right|250px]]
 
*A retail copy of ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''
 
*A retail copy of ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''
 
*Black Bart action figure by McFarlane Toys
 
*Black Bart action figure by McFarlane Toys
 
*Digital wallpaper by Todd McFarlane
 
*Digital wallpaper by Todd McFarlane
*The ''[[Royal Fortune]]'''s sails, wheel and figurine
+
*The ''[[Royal Fortune]]''{{'}}s sails, wheel and figurine
 
*Mystery Island location
 
*Mystery Island location
 
*[[Stede Bonnet]]'s sails, wheel and figurine
 
*[[Stede Bonnet]]'s sails, wheel and figurine
  +
 
{{-}}
 
{{-}}
|-|
 
Jackdaw Edition (PS4, Xbox One and PC only)=
 
[[File:Jackdaw Edition.jpg|right|250px]]
 
The Jacdaw Edition is practically the Game of the Year Edition of ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''. It includes all available downloadable content released so far for ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''. They are mentioned below:
 
 
   
 
|-|Jackdaw Edition (PS4, Xbox One and PC only)=
 
[[File:Jackdaw Edition.jpg|right|250px]]
 
The Jackdaw Edition is practically the Game of the Year Edition of ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''. It includes all available downloadable content released so far for ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''. They are mentioned below:
 
*A retail copy of ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''
 
*A retail copy of ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag''
 
*''Freedom Cry'' single player missions
 
*''Freedom Cry'' single player missions
Line 213: Line 301:
 
*Kraken sails, wheel and figurine
 
*Kraken sails, wheel and figurine
 
*Illustrious Pirates Pack
 
*Illustrious Pirates Pack
  +
*Captain Kenway's Legacy Pack
 
*Multiplayer Characters Pack
 
*Multiplayer Characters Pack
 
</tabber>
 
</tabber>
 
==Awards==
 
===Winner===
 
*''Best Action/Adventure Game''
 
   
 
==Trivia==
 
==Trivia==
 
*''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'' is notable for being the only main game to have both a Roman numeral in its title and a subtitle, as well as being the first main entry to have the historical element set before the previous one.
 
*''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'' is notable for being the only main game to have both a Roman numeral in its title and a subtitle, as well as being the first main entry to have the historical element set before the previous one.
 
*This is the first ''Assassin's Creed'' game to not have a mobile version released.
 
*This is the first ''Assassin's Creed'' game to not have a mobile version released.
*This is the first ''Assassin's Creed game ''to both have a complete edition and Game of the Year Edition exclusive to the eighth generation of consoles.
+
*This is the first ''Assassin's Creed'' game to both have a complete edition and Game of the Year Edition exclusive to the eighth generation of consoles.
*This is the last game in the entire ''Assassin's Creed ''series on the Wii U and any other Nintendo platform to be ever released.
+
*As of yet, ''Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag'' is the last game in the series to have been released for Nintendo platforms.
   
 
==Gallery==
 
==Gallery==
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Videos=
 
Videos=
 
<gallery widths="180" spacing="small" position="center" captionalign="center">
 
<gallery widths="180" spacing="small" position="center" captionalign="center">
Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag Making of Poster Art|''Black Flag'' Making of Poster Art
 
 
Gameplay Reveal Trailer Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag North America|Gameplay Reveal Trailer
 
Gameplay Reveal Trailer Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag North America|Gameplay Reveal Trailer
 
The_Official World Premiere Trailer - Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag UK|World Premiere Trailer
 
The_Official World Premiere Trailer - Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag UK|World Premiere Trailer
 
Edward Kenway, A Pirate Trained By Assassins - Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag SCAN|''Edward Kenway'' Trailer
 
Edward Kenway, A Pirate Trained By Assassins - Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag SCAN|''Edward Kenway'' Trailer
Assassin's Creed 4 - Ubisoft Interview|Wikia Ubisoft Interview
 
 
Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag - The Watch Official Trailer|Ubisoft's ''The Watch''
 
Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag - The Watch Official Trailer|Ubisoft's ''The Watch''
 
True Golden Age of Pirates Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag North America|True Golden Age of Pirates
 
True Golden Age of Pirates Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag North America|True Golden Age of Pirates
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Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag -- Tattoo TV Spot UK|Tattoo TV Spot
 
Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag -- Tattoo TV Spot UK|Tattoo TV Spot
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
 
|-|Promotional media=
|-|
 
Promotional media=
 
 
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" spacing="small" widths="180">
 
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" spacing="small" widths="180">
 
BlackFlag promo 1.jpg
 
BlackFlag promo 1.jpg
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AC4 E3 Banner by Chillyo.jpg|E3 2013 promotional banner
 
AC4 E3 Banner by Chillyo.jpg|E3 2013 promotional banner
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
 
|-|Concept artwork=
|-|
 
Concept artwork=
 
 
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" spacing="small" widths="180">
 
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" spacing="small" widths="180">
 
Caribbean_city_ACIV.jpg
 
Caribbean_city_ACIV.jpg
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BlackFlagConcept.jpg
 
BlackFlagConcept.jpg
 
AC4CA-Jackdaw.jpg
 
AC4CA-Jackdaw.jpg
AC4CA-JungleSiege.jpg
 
 
AC4-CaribbeanSea_FortAssault.jpg
 
AC4-CaribbeanSea_FortAssault.jpg
 
AC4-Mayan_Temple.jpg
 
AC4-Mayan_Temple.jpg
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</gallery>
 
</gallery>
 
</tabber>
 
</tabber>
  +
  +
==Appearances==
  +
{{Appearances
  +
|characters=
  +
*[[Adéwalé]] {{1st}}
  +
*[[Edward Kenway]] {{1st}}
  +
*[[Stede Bonnet]] {{1st}}
  +
*[[Anne Bonny]] {{1st}}
  +
*[[Benjamin Hornigold]] {{1st}}
  +
*[[Bartholomew Roberts]] {{1st}}
  +
*[[Edward Thatch]] {{1st}}
  +
*[[Charles Vane]] {{1st}}
  +
*[[Woodes Rogers]] {{1st}}
  +
*[[Laureano de Torres y Ayala]] {{1st}}
  +
  +
|creatures=
  +
*[[Capuchin monkey]]
  +
*[[Crocodile]]
  +
*[[Deer]]
  +
*[[Iguana]]
  +
*[[Hutias|Hutia]]
  +
*[[Howler monkey]]
  +
*Red Howler monkey
  +
*[[Jaguar]]
  +
**Black jaguar
  +
**White jaguar
  +
*[[Ocelot]]
  +
*[[Rabbit]]
  +
*[[Wild pig]]
  +
*[[Bull shark]]
  +
*[[Great white shark]]
  +
*[[Hammerhead shark]]
  +
*[[Killer whales|Killer whale]]
  +
*[[Humpback whale]]
  +
*[[Sperm whale|White whale]]
  +
*[[Moray eel]]
  +
*[[Sea urchin]]
  +
*[[Jellyfish]]
  +
  +
|events=*[[Golden Age of Piracy]]
  +
**[[Spanish Treasure Fleet]]
  +
**[[Attacks on Tulum]]
  +
**[[Siege of Charles-Towne]]
  +
**[[Blockade of Nassau]]
  +
**[[Attack on Ocracoke]]
  +
  +
|locations=
  +
*[[Earth]]
  +
**[[The Bahamas]]
  +
***[[Nassau]]
  +
**[[Cuba]]
  +
***[[Havana]]
  +
**[[Jamaica]]
  +
***[[Kingston]]
  +
***[[Observatory]]
  +
  +
|organizations=
  +
*[[Assassins]]
  +
**[[West Indies Brotherhood of Assassins]]
  +
*[[Templars]]
  +
**[[West Indies Rite of the Templar Order]]
  +
*[[British Army]]
  +
*[[Royal Navy]]
  +
*[[Portuguese Navy]]
  +
*[[Spanish Army]]
  +
*[[Spanish Navy]]
  +
  +
|species=
  +
*[[Humans|Human]]
  +
  +
|vehicles=
  +
*[[Ship]]
  +
**''[[Jackdaw]]''
  +
  +
|technology=
  +
*[[Animus]]
  +
*[[Firearms]]
  +
*[[Hidden Blade]]
  +
  +
|miscellanea=
  +
*[[Leap of Faith]]
  +
}}
   
 
==References==
 
==References==
{{Reflist}}
+
{{Reflist}}
 
{{ACSeries}}
 
{{ACSeries}}
 
{{AC4}}
 
{{AC4}}
  +
[[Category:Assassin's Creed series]]
 
  +
[[ar:أساسنز كريد IV: بلاك فلاغ]]
  +
[[de:Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag]]
  +
[[es:Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]
  +
[[fr:Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]
  +
[[he:אמונת המתנקש 4: דגל שחור]]
  +
[[hu:Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]
  +
[[it:Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]
  +
[[ja:アサシンクリードIV:ブラックフラッグ]]
  +
[[ko:어쌔신 크리드 IV: 블랙 플래그]]
  +
[[lt:Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]
  +
[[nl:Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]
  +
[[pl:Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]
  +
[[pt-br:Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]
  +
[[ru:Assassin's Creed IV: Черный Флаг]]
  +
[[uk:Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]
  +
[[zh:刺客信条IV:黑旗]]
 
[[Category:Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag| ]]
 
[[Category:Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag| ]]
[[Category:Real world video games]]
+
[[Category:Real world video games|IV: Black Flag]]
 
[[Category:Assassin's Creed series|IV: Black Flag]]

Revision as of 14:28, 1 May 2020


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"I once sailed for a king. I obeyed men of privilege and wealth. Now, I bend my knee to no man. My only oath is to my crew and together we will take back what is rightfully ours. With blood and steel, we shall stand up to the powerful. Captains will curse our flag, and kings will fear it. As long as empires generate wealth and riches, we will be there to bleed them dry."
―Edward Kenway, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flags "Under The Black Flag" Trailer.

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is a 2013 action-adventure game, and the sixth main installment in the Assassin's Creed series. A sequel to 2012's Assassin's Creed III, the game has the player take on the role of an Abstergo Entertainment research analyst as they explore the story of Edward Kenway – father to Haytham Kenway, grandfather to Ratonhnhaké:ton, and an ancestor of Desmond Miles.

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is set primarily on and around the islands in the Caribbean Sea during the Golden Age of Piracy in the early 18th century, with the three major cities consisting of Havana, Nassau, and Kingston.

On September 4, 2019, it was announced that Black Flag, along with Rogue would be released together on the Nintendo Switch as a compilation known as Assassin's Creed: The Rebel Collection[2][3]

Development

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag producer Martin Schelling and Mission Director Ashraf Ismail both stated that they began the project in the summer of 2011, with a pirate game as their focus.[4] Ismail also stressed that they aimed towards a more historically accurate take on the era, including staying away from the stereotypical image associated with pirates, such as parrots, Krakens, and plank-walking.[5] The pair also explained that because the game was so radically different from its predecessor and that the scope and open-world gameplay was so different from the previous game, they opted for the project to be a numbered sequel as opposed to a spin-off that followed in the footsteps of the last numbered game, Assassin's Creed III.[4]

Ubisoft's Montreal-based team, in conjunction with 7 other studios from Singapore, Sofia, Annecy, Kiev, Quebec City, Bucharest and Montpellier – accompanied by a band of developers of Far Cry 3 – contributed to the completion of the game, with each studio focusing on different elements.[5]

Writer Darby McDevitt began writing the game soon after completing Assassin's Creed: Revelations, after being suggested to do a game expanding the "Kenway family saga", instead of Connor's life story as they did with Ezio Auditore da Firenze. He considered beginning the story with Edward as a boy during the William Kidd and Henry Morgan era of piracy, but decided he felt skeptical as to whether Assassin's Creed II convincingly portrayed a similar span of time, and so opted to simply focus on the Blackbeard era towards the end of the Golden Age of Piracy.[6]

McDevitt stated the game's primary history resources were A General History of the Pyrates (1724) and The Republic of Pirates (2008). As a homage to the former book, the game's subtitles rendered each noun with capital letters. Republic author Colin Woodard was invited to consult on the game.[7]

Lorne Balfe, who was the sole composer for Assassin's Creed III and secondary composer for Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Assassin's Creed: Revelations, did not return to score the soundtrack for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. The score was instead composed by Brian Tyler, the composer of Far Cry 3.

Gameplay

Locations and navigation

About 60% of the game takes place on land; players can explore 50 locations ranging from fisherman villages, plantations, jungles, forts, islands, Templar hideouts, Mayan ruins and exotic Coconut Islands. Furthermore, there are around 75 beaches and sandbanks, which can hold various treasures and marooned sailors to add to Edward's crew.

Other activities include hunting, harpooning, and exploring underwater environments. The game aims to blend between its land and aquatic experiences seamlessly, to the point where players can simply dive off Edward's ship, swim to the shore and explore the land, as well as dive under the surface to loot underwater ship wrecks.

Viewpoints are also in Black Flag. As in the previous games, viewpoints have to be synchronized so as to reveal information about an area and its surroundings. Furthermore, they now also serve the function of fast-travel locations. Synchronizing with a viewpoint unlocks more loot and area of "interest" to Edward and can also be used as a faster way of locating a specific target.

Combat

Black Flag's combat has been upgraded to include free aiming. While previous installments relied on the game's built-in auto aim, in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, players are able to just aim and fire, similar to third-person shooters.

Dual-wielding weapons has also been implemented, with Edward being able to carry four flintlock pistols and be able to use them all together, chaining up to four gunshots into a combo of attacks to take down more enemies. Aside from the pistols and his Hidden Blades, Edward can equip dual cutlass swords and chain their attacks together. Other weapons include a blowpipe with multiple effected projectiles and rope darts. Accompanying this, the stealth system has been remade and is encouraged in-game. 

Combo attacks are achieved through chaining multiple attacks in a row while uninterrupted. The game includes many different ways of combo moves, with some available through running towards an enemy or jumping onto an enemy from the high ground.

Naval combat

The game also includes naval combat, with 40% of the story taking place on the water, which includes numerous side missions. After checking out a ship with Edward's spyglass from the Jackdaw's crow's nest and evaluating the information and statistics, players can launch an attack using various scenarios; one can simply shoot the opposing captain, board the ship by leaping from mast-to-mast and performing an air assassination, or charge into the fray to cut down foes using Edward's swords. Once the objectives for each boarding process, all of which include killing a certain amount of soldiers, are completed, the player has three options - reduce the Jackdaw's notoriety, send the ship to Edward's fleet, or salvage the ship to repair the Jackdaw. Players are also able to exploit weather patterns, luring the opposition into less than ideal conditions, such as rogue waves, to their advantage. Naval combat also features a trajectory-based aiming system that requires knowledge of distance and the speed of an enemy.

Upgrades

Players are also able to upgrade Edward Kenway's Jackdaw through pillaging, taking over enemy ships, and completing missions, granting the Jackdaw new weapons and abilities. Of these, weapon upgrades include round shot, heavy shot, chain shot, fire barrels, mortars, swivel guns, and a ram. Edward can recruit crew members for the Jackdaw via side missions that include bar fights and battle missions. It is also possible to simply rescue them while just sailing across the map. However, the crew members are also expected to die in the game while braving storms and boarding enemy ships, forcing Edward to continuously recruit more members. The game also has six different enemy archetypes at sea that all behave in vastly different ways and require the player to have different upgrades to deal with them.

Memories

Instead of Desmond Miles, the modern day portion is centered around the players themselves, who act as Abstergo Entertainment research analysts that are reliving the memories of Edward Kenway. The Animus no longer constrains the players with its barriers whenever they attempt to interact with an environment the ancestor has not; instead tougher enemy ships will block the way, with the only way around them being to actually explore the world, and finding things that can go towards upgrading the Jackdaw. In addition, players are able to connect with other players in the modern day, which will allow them to interact and share information with each other.

Other

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag includes many historical figures such as Benjamin HornigoldJack RackhamAnne Bonny, Charles Vane, and Edward Thatch.

The notoriety system featured in previous Assassin's Creed games was remade in Black Flag, as a "worldwide alert" for a pirate sailing between islands was deemed illogical. In its place, a system of pirate hunters were introduced, with four tiers of increasingly difficult ships appearing to attack the Jackdaw depending on how many robberies Edward has committed.

The new "Horizon" open-world system dynamically creates side missions, such as merchant ships to rob, whales to hunt, or pirates to rescue, dependent on an individual's playing style.

Edward will put his hood on when in a restricted zone or in a city, and take it off when on the open seas or as soon as he is incognito.

Multiplayer

The multiplayer aspect of Black Flag includes cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes, some of which that are reused from previous games, along with all new maps and new characters.

To date, the characters are as follows:

Adding to this, the locations are:

Furthermore, players can create custom game modes alongside default and Game Lab modes and share it to their friends.

Synopsis

Plot

Using the DNA collected from Desmond Miles’s corpse, Abstergo Entertainment developed an initiative called the Sample 17 Project to explore the genetic memories of Desmond’s ancestors to gather material for the production of various Animus Omega products and feature films. The project was started with the ulterior motive of locating various Precursor sites and Pieces of Eden. In 2013, the company hired a research analyst for scouting the memories of one of Desmond’s ancestors, Edward Kenway, a British privateer-turned pirate who later went on to become an Assassin.

After an attack on the ship he was aboard, Edward found himself stranded on a deserted island with an Assassin. The man ran off into the jungle, after which Kenway chased him down and killed him. Among his possessions, he found a letter addressed to Duncan Walpole, from the Governor of Cuba, Laureano de Torres y Ayala, promising him a reward for some maps he was carrying. Edward donned Walpole's robes, heard shots in the distance, and proceeded to investigate, leading him to a ship with its crew being held by British soldiers. Edward killed the soldiers and rescued a merchant named Stede Bonnet, later accompanying him to Havana.

Having arrived in Havana, Edward, still posing as Walpole, met with Governor Torres and his associates, hoping to claim his reward. Edward learned of the existence of the Templar Order and a Precursor site known as the Observatory, with the power of locate and monitor every person on Earth with a vial of blood. According to the old tales, the blood of a Sage is required to enter the Observatory. Afterwards, Edward was inducted in the Templar Order.

Edward met with the Templars at the docks in the next morning to meet a Sage named Bartholomew Roberts and escort him to the governor's mansion. During the journey to Torres' mansion, the group was attacked by Assassins, allowing the Sage to escape. Edward fought the Assassins and managed to capture the Sage. He later claimed his promised reward, but was unhappy with its quantity. Edward decided to free the Sage and find out more about the Observatory, hoping to make more money. However, as he snuck into Torres' mansion, he found his cell empty and scattered with dead bodies. While investigating the area, Edward was knocked out and identified as an imposter by the Templars. He was taken prisoner and locked up on one of the ships of the Spanish Treasure Fleet.

Edward awoke to find himself in leg irons together with a fellow prisoner, Adéwalé. After freeing themselves, the men rescued the fleet's prisoners and stole a brig, which Edward decided to keep afterwards. He named his new ship the Jackdaw and made Adéwalé his quartermaster. Following this, the pirate set course for Nassau. After assembling a crew, he met with Edward Thatch and Benjamin Hornigold, who took Edward out to sea to teach him how to plunder ships. He then met with James Kidd, and devised a plan to rob a plantation. Edward and Thatch set out to acquire a galleon for Nassau's defense. The pirate assassinated its captain, the Templar Julien du Casse, and claimed his vessel for Nassau's defense and his island for himself.

While exploring Edward’s memories, the analyst was enlisted by IT head John Standish to hack computers, Animi, security cameras, and servers around Abstergo Entertainment's Montreal facility in order to obtain information on Abstergo's actions for the Assassins, and pass it on to Rebecca Crane and Shaun Hastings, who routinely collected it at Shaun's coffee stand in the building's lobby, though the analyst wasn’t originally aware of this.

A few weeks later, Edward set course for Tulum, looking for Kidd, who was expecting him in the Assassin hideout. Upon Mentor Ah Tabai’s behest, Edward navigated a Mayan ruin to identify the return of a Sage. Upon confirming Roberts’ identity, Edward and Kidd exited the Mayan ruin to discover both the Assassins and the Jackdaw's crew held hostage by slave traders. Edward freed the Assassins and his crew members. Ah Tabai absolved Edward of the deaths of his fellow Assassins in Havana, but exiled him from Tulum.

Edward devised a plan to find Roberts and earn some money by using Torres as bait. He set out to Kingston, where he planned to tail Torres and Laurens Prins, hoping to find the Sage. He found Kidd trying to assassinate both men and stopped him, allowing them to escape. Edward then prepared to assassinate Prins after having promised Kidd he would do so. Suddenly, Kidd removed his bandana and reddened his lips with his blood, revealing himself to be a woman named Mary Read. Edward found Prins and assassinated him, but Roberts appeared, holding Mary hostage. The Sage managed to escape once again.

While staying in Nassau, Edward witnessed the arrival of the Royal Navy and Woodes Rogers, who came to offer the King's pardon to all pirates, and Hornigold and his men decided to accept it. They also lifted a naval block around Nassau, preventing the pirates from leaving. After learning that Commodore Peter Chamberlaine planned to destroy all the pirate ships in Nassau's harbor, Edward assassinated him and escaped Nassau with Charles Vane.

Edward sailed north to meet with Thatch. During a confront with the Royal Navy, Thatch was killed, and Edward barely managed to escape. He also learned of a ship called the Princess, aboard which he could find the Sage. Edward and Vane went after a slave ship to find information about the Princess, but due to Jack Rackham's mutiny, they were stranded on Isla Providencia. Edward was forced to deal with an insane Charles Vane, and managed to leave the island on a ship that had arrived.

After retrieving his ship and crew from Rackham, Edward traveled to Kingston to learn more about the Sage's location. Edward located Hornigold and Rogers, who met with Torres. Through them, Edward learned that Bartholomew Roberts could be found on the island of Príncipe. He traveled to Príncipe, in order to find Roberts. During his search, Edward assassinated Josiah Burgess and John Cockram, freeing pirates from a Portuguese camp along the way. With that, Edward finally gained the trust of Roberts, who in turn requested his aid. Edward met with Roberts to claim a set of vials from a Portuguese fleet. They managed to acquire the blood vials, and Edward was promised a chance to enter the Observatory.

When meeting up with Roberts again, Edward was directed to assassinate Hornigold, who had tailed him. Edward informed Adéwalé of his plan of selling the Observatory for the highest price. Adéwalé suggested inform the Assassins instead, so they could protect it, but Edward refused. Edward arrived at the Observatory, but was betrayed by Roberts and imprisoned in Port Royal.

Eventually, the hacking activity was discovered at the same time that the company's Chief Creative Officer, Olivier Garneau, went missing. In response, Olivier's stand-in, Melanie Lemay, reluctantly imprisoned the analyst and several other employees in bunkers in the basement, where they would continue their work until the hacker could be identified. Subsequently, John raised the analyst's security clearance so that they could leave their bunker, and instructed them to hack the main server in order to cover their tracks. Unbeknownst to the analyst, following John's instructions activated a program designed to transfer Juno's consciousness into another body; unfortunately, Juno was not yet strong enough to maintain a physical form, and this aspect of the plan failed, much to John’s rage. The analyst then resumed exploring Edward’s memories.

Edward was led into the trial of Mary Read and Anne Bonny. They warn that they’re pregnant, so their executions are postponed. Four months after the trial, Edward was locked in one of Port Royal's gibbets. Ah Tabai freed Edward, returned his weapons and requested his aid to free Mary and Anne. Along the way, Edward found Jack Rackham's skeletal corpse in a gibbet and a delirious Charles Vane in a cell. In a nearby cell, Anne shouted for help from the guards, because Mary’s gotten ill after childbirth. Edward helped Mary to reach outside, but she passed away.

After suffering the loss of Mary, Edward tried to drown his sorrows, which resulted in a disturbing dream. Adéwalé woke Edward up on the beach afterwards. Edward then set sail for Tulum to meet with the Assassins and make amends. After aiding the Assassins with a Spanish invasion, Edward earned their trust.

Edward, now allied with the Assassins, set out to Kingston to assassinate Rogers. Then Edward sailed to Principe to kill Roberts. He attempted to assassinate Torres in Havana, but found his victim to be a decoy, El Tiburón. He killed him and set out for the Observatory, where Torres would be. Edward began to make his way towards the Observatory, freeing its guardians as he came across them and killing the Spanish soldiers. Edward found and assassinated Torres, returned the Observatory to its dormant state, and received a letter, learned of his wife's passing.

John then entered the analyst's bunker while they were using the Animus and revealed himself to be a Sage, a reincarnation of Aita. He attempted to poison the analyst, weakening them enough that their body could host Juno. However, he was shortly caught and killed by Abstergo's security guards. The analyst later woke in Melanie's office, where she apologized for imprisoning them. She claimed that while she originally believed them to be the hacker, information recovered from John's computer proved that he was responsible. After Melanie revealed the completed trailer for Devils of the Caribbean as a token of good will, the analyst was allowed to return to work.

Edward met with Ah Tabai and Adéwalé at Great Inagua, awaiting the arrival of his daughter. He passed on his manor on Great Inagua to the Assassins for their new base, and met his daughter, Jennifer Scott, for the first time. Edward then sailed to England with Jennifer. Sometime later, Edward remarried and conceived a son, Haytham Kenway. The post-credits scene shows Edward, Jennifer and Haytham attending The Beggar's Opera at the Theatre Royal.

Cast

Marketing

As with its predecessor – Assassin's Creed IIIAssassin's Creed IV: Black Flag features an additional 60 minutes of downloadable gameplay for Sony's PS3 and PS4 consoles, which features Aveline de Grandpré.

During the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con, Ubisoft hired the Star of India to stand in for the Jackdaw.

McFarlane Toys' action figures of characters from Black Flag and Assassin's Creed III come with unique codes to unlock in-game weapons, outfits, and sails for the Jackdaw.

Other media

A Japanese manga adaptation of the game, written by Takashi Yano and illustrated by Kendi Oiwa, began serialization in Shueisha's Jump X magazine on 10 August 2013.[8] The manga however contradicts many points of the game's actual storyline in both the modern times and the 18th century.[9]

Controversy

BlackFlag promo 4

Edward aboard the Jackdaw as a whale breaches the water ahead

After this screenshot (right) was released, PETA issued a statement condemning Black Flag as "disgraceful" as it "glorified" whaling.

A Ubisoft spokesperson provided this response to IGN.

"History is our playground in Assassin's Creed. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is a work of fiction that depicts the real events during the Golden Era of Pirates. We do not condone illegal whaling, just as we don't condone a pirate lifestyle of poor hygiene, plundering, hijacking ships, and over the legal limit drunken debauchery."

Ubisoft later established Susan Drayton, a character in Assassin's Creed: Initiates, as being anti-whaling.

Editions

Ubisoft announced several collector's editions of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.

Black chest edition
  • A retail copy of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
  • A collector's box
  • A steelbook case
  • A copy of the world map
  • An artbook
  • A copy of the official soundtrack
  • Two exclusive lithographs
  • Two canvas prints
  • A black flag
  • A 55 centimeter Captain Edward Kenway diorama
  • Three exclusive single player locations, Black Island, Mystery Island, and Sacrifice Island
  • Access to all pre-order packs

Buccaneer edition
  • A retail copy of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
  • A collector's box
  • An artbook
  • A copy of the official soundtrack
  • Two exclusive lithographs
  • A 46 centimeter Captain Edward Kenway figurine
  • Three exclusive single player locations, Black Island, Mystery Island and Sacrifice Island
  • Pre-order pack: Captain Kenway's Legacy

Skull edition
  • A retail copy of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
  • A jumbo steel case
  • Two exclusive lithographs
  • An artbook.
  • A copy of the official soundtrack
  • Two exclusive single player locations, Mystery Island and Sacrifice Island
  • Pre-order pack: Captain Kenway's Legacy

Special edition
  • A retail copy of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
  • An exclusive single player location, Sacrifice Island
  • Pre-order pack: Includes Captain Francis Drake's outfit, swords, and flintlocks
  • Pre-order pack: Captain Kenway's Legacy. Includes dual golden swords and the Treasure Hunter costume for the Navigator multiplayer character

Gamestop edition
  • A retail copy of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
  • An exclusive single player location, Black Island
  • Access to the Black Ship sails, wheel and figurine
  • Captain Henry Morgan's outfit, silver flintlocks, and swords for single player, and additional Captain Morgan items for use in multiplayer
  • Todd MacFarlane poster

Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag Limited Edition
  • 18-inch statue of Edward Kenway
  • Pirate flag measuring 28 inches by 48 inches, embroidered with the Assassins' crest
  • Art book
  • Steel game case
  • Original soundtrack

AC4-Lethal Pirate Edition
  • A retail copy of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
  • Black Bart action figure by McFarlane Toys
  • Digital wallpaper by Todd McFarlane
  • The Royal Fortune's sails, wheel and figurine
  • Mystery Island location
  • Stede Bonnet's sails, wheel and figurine

Jackdaw Edition

The Jackdaw Edition is practically the Game of the Year Edition of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. It includes all available downloadable content released so far for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. They are mentioned below:

  • A retail copy of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
  • Freedom Cry single player missions
  • Aveline single-player missions (PS4 and PC only)
  • Death Vessel sails, wheel and figurine
  • Ezio's sails and figurine
  • Altaïr's sails and figurine
  • Kraken sails, wheel and figurine
  • Illustrious Pirates Pack
  • Captain Kenway's Legacy Pack
  • Multiplayer Characters Pack

Trivia

  • Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is notable for being the only main game to have both a Roman numeral in its title and a subtitle, as well as being the first main entry to have the historical element set before the previous one.
  • This is the first Assassin's Creed game to not have a mobile version released.
  • This is the first Assassin's Creed game to both have a complete edition and Game of the Year Edition exclusive to the eighth generation of consoles.
  • As of yet, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is the last game in the series to have been released for Nintendo platforms.

Gallery

Appearances


References