After more leaks than Edward Kenway’s rickety old tub, Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced has finally been shown off in an 8+ minute trailer, and it’s looking good.

13 years after the game launched, Resynced is a full-blown remake of what many people consider the best AC game in history and one of the best pirate games. This remake is done on the latest version of Ubisoft’s Anvil engine, the very same one powering Assassin’s Creed: Shadows.

First, the graphics. It looks bloody amazing. To steal the video’s top comment by Gergopahollo, “It’s so weird seeing this because this is what Black Flag looks like in my head lmao.” Couldn’t have said it better myself.

On console, these improved looks will be available via “60 FPS options” or you can opt for a 30FPS fidelity mode. There’s also the option of a 40FPS balanced mode for those with a 120hz screen.

Game director Richard Knight also addressed the biggest potential concern: “Assassin’s Creed: Black Resynced matters deeply to us and to you. That’s why we took the time to rebuild it with the care it deserves. This remains a solo adventure and character-driven experience. It is not an RPG.”

There was a lot of worry prior to the announcement that the remake would try to make Black Flag more like the modern Assassin’s Creed games, and thus destroy what fans loved.

While the original story hasn’t been touched, there’s new content being added, based around three new crew members: Lucy Baldwin: The Padre, and Deadman Smith. They will add new ship abilities, along with new questlines that explore who they are and why they’ve ended up hanging out with Edward Kenway.

On the ship front, things have markedly improved there. There’s new firepower thanks to weapons getting alt-fires, and now you can have a monkey or cat running around the ship. There’s even new sea-shanties to enjoy. Arguably, the best bit of the entire game was just sailing around, listening to the crew singing.

Oh, and there’s now seamless transition between sailing and land. Just pull up, hop off, stab some folk, hop back on and sail off into the distance like nothing ever happened.

Combat has been reworked, too, although this is one area I’m not yet convinced on. The premise is an “action-oriented experience” based around countering opponents, which lets you pull off chain-takedowns. The original game’s combat was rather crappy, so almost anything will be an improvement, but this didn’t speak to me.

Parkour has been upgraded with things like free jumps, back ejects and side ejects. In theory, this should provide more precise movement.

As for stealth, you can crouch now whenever you want and freely dive wherever you like in the water. Light and shadow will also have an effect now, which should help spice up stealth a tiny bit.

Multiplayer is out the door as well, as the team wanted to focus on the singleplayer. However, the original game is going to remain on sale, so you can always check out the multiplayer there.

“With Resynced, we made a clear choice,” Resynced creative director Paul Fu said. “It is a pure, story-driven adventure, and we are fully focused on Edward’s adventures in the Caribbean. As a result of this focus, we have elected to not have the multiplayer, or the DLC. Resynced is a 2026 take on the original legend, and for those of us who are curious, the original will still be available.”

It also seems like most of the modern-day stuff involving Desmond has also been thrown overboard in favour of keeping the focus on Kenway and his band of nutters, although the wording suggests a few sections will remain.

 “Today, the modern day has evolved. For Black Flag Resynced, we have approached it in a way that focuses on Edward’s journey while still connecting his memories to the Animus.The modern day rifts in Black Flag Resynced will feature new moments that focus on Edward’s internal struggles.”

Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced will launch on July 9 for Xbox, PlayStation and PC. Here’s the pricing and editions available.

• Standard Edition (59.99 €/$)
  • Digital/physical copy of the game. Physical copy is only available through local retailers.
• Deluxe Edition (69.99 €/$)
  • Digital copy of the game.
  • Digital download: Master Assassin Character pack – sword, pistol, and trinket each with a unique perk, and costume for Edward.
  • Digital download: Master Assassin Naval pack – sail set, ship’s pet, crew attire, wheel, figurehead, and hull trim.
• Collector’s Edition (199.99 €/$)
  • Digital (PC)/physical (PS5/Xbox Series X|S) copy of the game.
  • Edward Kenway figurine (31cm/12inch) – a lifelike statue of Edward Kenway, poised for battle on the deck of the Jackdaw
  • Edward’s Leather Logbook – recreated from Edward’s own writings: maps, thoughts, and pirate chronicles bound in leather.
  • Metal Brooch – a bold, premium metal Assassin insignia inspired by Edward’s gear.
  • Exclusive Steelbook® – featuring exclusive art designed especially for the Black Flag Collector’s Edition.
  • Sea Shanty Music Sheet – a stylized, age print of a new sea shanty sung aboard the Jackdaw.
  • Digital download: Master Assassin Character pack.
  • Digital download: Master Assassin Naval pack.
  • Digital download: Blackbeard’s Crimson pack – including a pistol, and sword which each provide a unique perk, as well as a costume for Edward.
• Launch Edition† (59.99 €/$)
  • Physical ONLY copy of the game.
  • 34 pages Artbook (physical)
  • World Map Poster (physical)
  • Digital download: Blackbeard’s Crimson pac