A cancelled Assassin's Creed game set in China has surfaced online this week, offering a rare glimpse into projects that never reach players. Ubisoft internally called the title Destiny, and it was being developed by Vantage Studios before the plug was pulled. The leaked footage suggests the game had moved beyond early prototyping, making the cancellation a notable loss for a franchise known for exploring different historical periods and geographies. How far the project actually progressed remains unclear, but the leak underscores how much work sometimes disappears behind studio doors.
The Call of Duty franchise took a moment this week to honor its legacy. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's credits now include an "In Memoriam" section recognizing Vince Zampella, the co-creator of Call of Duty and co-founder of Infinity Ward. Zampella's fingerprints are all over the franchise's DNA, having shaped it through 2009 before eventually moving on to lead the Battlefield series. Three other individuals - Rainer Yang, Matt Canale, and Preetam Raj Bordoloi - were also remembered in the tribute.
The week highlighted ongoing struggles in game development's economic reality. Swedish studio Liquid Swords, behind the open-city crime sim Samson, entered bankruptcy after staff reported going unpaid for two months. An administrator has been assigned to manage assets and search for a buyer, leaving both the studio and its game's future uncertain. Meanwhile, Pokémon Pokopia rolled out seasonal content with its Pumpkaboo's Sweet Surprises Halloween event, introducing Generation 6 Ghost-types through early November - a straightforward seasonal offering that contrasts sharply with the chaos elsewhere.
On the subscription front, Xbox Game Pass continues its regular rotation. Microsoft is removing eight titles from the service as October closes, with departures flagged in the Xbox app as usual. These departures are part of the ongoing churn that keeps the service's catalog fresh, even as players watch favorites rotate out.
The stories
Footage from a reportedly cancelled Assassin’s Creed game set in China has leaked
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 pays tribute to late COD co-creator and Infinity Ward co-founder Vince Zampella
Guide: Pokémon Pokopia Pumpkaboo's Sweet Surprises Halloween Event Guide, From Pumpkin Candy To Gourgeist
Liquid Swords, developer of open-city crime sim Samson, has gone bankrupt following staff claims that they haven't been paid in two months
Xbox Game Pass loses eight more games at the end of October