Assassin's Creed Invictus: gameplay reveal and a manipulated leak

Assassin's Creed Invictus, the multiplayer spin-off in Ubisoft's popular Assassin's Creed franchise, was first announced in 2022. Since then, very little information about the game has been shared. Recently, however, in May 2026, new developments emerged following a controversial leak that drew plenty of attention.

Announcement and gameplay

The official announcement of Assassin's Creed Invictus came with the promise of a multiplayer experience, marking a significant departure from the franchise's traditional single-player approach. During playtests held in late April 2026, a first look at the gameplay was shown to a select group of players.

The footage shown during these playtests featured characters in historical clothing inside an arena. However, the build was still far from final, with the development version visibly unfinished and untextured elements such as gray blocks in the environment.

Controversy around the leaked image

On May 5, 2026, an image of a gameplay screenshot was leaked by well-known Ubisoft insider j0nathan. The image showed a character in historical clothing, but j0nathan admitted that the picture had been manipulated using AI. Official Assassin's Creed social media accounts quickly responded and criticized the leaked image as "misinformation."

Ubisoft's official account stated: "This image may have started as a picture from our private tests, but it has been heavily altered (likely with AI). It is not okay to spread misinformation."

After the criticism surrounding the leaked image, j0nathan posted an unmanipulated version of the same picture, which clearly showed more textures and fewer imperfections. He shared it on social media with the comment that the original version looked "exactly the same," while noting that fans' reactions should be viewed for better context.

Fan reactions

Reactions to the leaked image were mixed. While some welcomed the reveal of the footage, others criticized his choice to use AI to hide flaws in the original screenshot. Many players said that editing a screenshot from such an early stage of development undermined the leaker's credibility.

One fan commented, "Why use AI in the first place? It undermines the authenticity of the leak." Another asked, "Why alter an image if the point was to leak it?" These reactions highlight the community's skepticism toward manipulated content, especially in the early stages of game development.

With all the controversy surrounding the leaked images, it's clear that Assassin's Creed Invictus is in a major phase of development. There is still much to learn about the gameplay and the game's final visual presentation. Ubisoft has promised to share more information when the time is right, which we'll be following closely.

Despite the challenges that come with development, fans remain hopeful about the franchise's new direction. Assassin's Creed Invictus promises to deliver a unique multiplayer experience in a world full of history and action.