Assassin’s Creed Hexe Brings Back Veteran Writer as Ubisoft Leans Into Witch‑Trial Horror

Assassin’s Creed has reinvented itself so many times that the franchise practically sheds its skin every few years. But this time? This time Ubisoft isn’t just pivoting — it’s stepping into the woods at night with no lantern and daring us to follow.

The next mainline entry, Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe, is shaping up to be the franchise’s darkest, strangest, and most intimate shift in more than a decade. And the latest development — the return of veteran writer Christopher Grilli as lead scriptwriter — only sharpens that direction.

Hexe is cashing in on the pressure cooker that was the witch trials, adding another historical playground to the AC arsenal!

A Witch‑Trial Assassin’s Creed Is the Kind of Chaos the Series Needed

Ubisoft first teased Hexe back in 2022 with a 30‑second mood piece: dead leaves, rotting branches, and an Assassin insignia made of twigs spinning above a fire. No gameplay. No protagonist. Just vibes — and those vibes were unmistakably witchy.

Reports since then have consistently pointed toward 16th‑century Europe, right in the middle of mass paranoia and witch hunts. Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier and Insider Gaming both described Hexe as a dark, witch‑themed entry with a tone unlike anything the series has attempted.

GamesHub’s reporting goes even further, calling Hexe a shift toward something “darker, stranger, and a tad more intimate” — a break from the loot‑heavy RPG sprawl of recent years.

This isn’t Assassin’s Creed doing spooky side quests. This is Assassin’s Creed stepping into full‑blown dread.

Christopher Grilli Returns — And That’s Not a Small Deal

The biggest confirmed development is the return of Christopher Grilli, a writer with credits on Origins, Valhalla, and Mirage, now officially back at Ubisoft Montreal as Hexe’s lead scriptwriter.

Grilli announced the move on LinkedIn, calling it a “thrilled” return to the franchise. Ubisoft doesn’t bring back a veteran like this for a side project — Hexe is being treated as a flagship entry.

GamesRadar+ also notes that Benoit Richter, known for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Batman: Arkham Origins, is attached to the project. That’s a writing bench built for heavy narrative lifting.

If Ubisoft wants to pull off a paranoia‑driven witch‑trial thriller, this is the team you’d expect to see.

What Hexe Might Actually Play Like

Ubisoft hasn’t shown gameplay, but the tone and setting practically write the design brief.

Here’s a small outline of the possibilities :

• Less power fantasy, more vulnerability — no bulldozing forts with gear scores.
• Stealth built around fear and consequences — suspicion spreads, witnesses matter.
• A tighter, denser world — not another 80‑hour map, but layered spaces full of tension.
• Occult themes without turning AC into a spell‑slinger — folklore as misdirection, not magic missiles.

If Ubisoft commits to this, Hexe could be the first Assassin’s Creed in years to feel genuinely dangerous.

The Witch in the Room: Who Are We Playing?

Insider reports suggest a female protagonist named Elsa, wielding supernatural‑leaning abilities — possibly even possession‑style tricks — though Ubisoft hasn’t confirmed any of this.

If true, Hexe could lean into the psychological horror of being hunted by society itself. Not a chosen hero. Not a demigod. A target.

That’s a far cry from the “unstoppable legend” era of Odyssey and Valhalla.

So When Is Hexe Actually Coming Out?

Ubisoft hasn’t given a release window. GamesRadar+ notes that with major roles still being filled, a launch this year is “well out of the question.”

GamesHub points out that the project has been public long enough that a fuller reveal is overdue — but timing remains a mystery.

Realistically? Late 2026 or 2027 feels like the earliest plausible window.

The Bottom Line: Hexe Doesn’t Need to Be the Biggest Assassin’s Creed — Just the Boldest

Assassin’s Creed has spent years chasing scale. Bigger maps. Bigger systems. Bigger everything.

Hexe feels like the first time Ubisoft is chasing tone instead.

A witch‑trial Assassin’s Creed — built on paranoia, suspicion, and survival — could be the jolt this franchise desperately needs. And with Christopher Grilli steering the narrative, Ubisoft is clearly treating Hexe as more than a spooky experiment.

If they lean into the dread, the intimacy, the fear? Hexe could be the entry that finally breaks Assassin’s Creed out of autopilot.