Good morning!

First off, a huge welcome to all the new faces who hopped aboard through the August giveaway! Keep an eye on your inbox, the PS5 Pro winner announcement is right around the corner. 👀

Now, let’s talk shop. This week, Ubisoft just can’t keep a lid on things, because the Black Flag Remake has leaked. Again. And for once, it doesn’t look like a quick-and-dirty cash grab. We’re talking full engine upgrade, smarter world design, and (praise be) no more awkward Ubisoft-office lore dumps.

In this edition, we’ve got:

• The return of Assassin’s Creed’s best pirate

• Developers beefing with gamers (again)

• Some spicy studio drama you won’t want to miss

Here’s everything you need to know this week in the world of gaming.

TOP STORY

🏴‍☠️ Black Flag Remake Leaks Again – And It’s Not Just a Cheap Reskin

Alright, pirate fans, the Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Remake has sprung another leak. And no, this isn’t just some blurry screenshot from a dev’s cousin’s cousin. This time, it’s a big ol’ info-dump from French outlet Jeux Vidéo Magazine, and yes, I waded through the French so you don’t have to pretend Duolingo was worth it.

So here’s the scoop:

The remake is being steered by Ubisoft Singapore, the same team behind Skull & Bones, which we all mocked, but hey, they did make some pretty water. And since Black Flag is basically "pirate simulator meets water physics tech demo," this actually makes sense.

They’re rebuilding it using the AC Shadows engine, meaning: no more loading screens when you hop between ship and shore. You just sail into Havana like a main character and walk right off. That alone makes this sound less like a lazy reskin and more like an actual modern remake.

The combat system’s getting overhauled, ditching the old choreographed ballet-style sword fights in favor of more RPG-style mechanics. Think Valhalla or Origins, with loot, stats, and gear progression. Some fans are already mourning the old system, but let’s be real: it hasn’t aged like wine, it aged like a banana in the sun.

Oh, and those awkward modern-day Ubisoft-office scenes? Gone. Instead, we’re getting 4 extra hours of pirate content upfront. Honestly, no complaints here, it keeps the pacing tight and the immersion strong.

Even the world map’s getting a glow-up. It’s not bigger, but it’s smarter, more activities, less dead space, and islands that actually have something to do on them instead of just being cardboard cutouts with three chests and a seagull.

They’re also reviving some cut content from the original game, like the Mary Read questline. That’s the kind of addition that makes this feel more like a genuine reimagining than just a prettier port. Oh, and yes, get ready for people to rediscover that James the Kid is actually Mary, and melt down online like it’s a brand-new gender twist. Can’t wait.

So when’s it dropping?

Target date is early 2026, but let’s be honest, everything’s floating around GTA 6 like it’s a black hole. March seems likely, unless Rockstar decides to yeet their release into the fall and ruin everyone’s plans.

Final Verdict?

I went into this expecting a lazy asset flip and a $70 invoice, but this actually looks like a real remake. Full engine upgrade. New systems. More content. Better exploration. Fewer loading screens. And less time wandering around a beige office in first-person view pretending to care about the lore.

Color me cautiously hyped. And if it flops? Hey, I’ll just replay the original and whisper “yo-ho-ho” in defiance.

LATEST NEWS

QUICK LINKS

🔥 Industry & Business

• GOG wants to revive more classic Japanese games on PC

• Video Game Patents Are Often "Used In Bad Faith," Says Dev

⚔️ Game Updates & Development

• Borderlands 4 narrative lead Sam Winkler is "ridiculously proud" of the story team

• Battlefield 6 sniper glints won't be so blinding, devs tone them down after memes

• Slavic mythology-inspired ARPG launches first demo, Xbox exclusive for now

🚨 Controversies & Censorship

• An Anti-Censorship Site Just "Soft Banned" A Major Adult Game, Developer Believes Visa And Mastercard Are To Blame

• Adult games hit once more, as Valve seemingly denies Early Access to games with mature content

• Valve no longer permits games with "mature themes" to release in early access

🧨 Studio Drama & Hot Takes

• Borderlands 4 Dev Says PC Gamers Are the Problem, Not the Game

• Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford tells Borderlands 4 critics to "code your own engine"

• 'Stop Removing the Modern Day!' Assassin's Creed Fans React as Black Flag Remake Reportedly Cuts Everything Outside the Animus

📰 General Gaming News

• Roblox says it will remove posts re-enacting Charlie Kirk’s killing

• Roblox ‘Saddened’ Amid Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over Teenager’s Suicide

• Pokémon Legends Z-A Locks Kalos Starters’ Mega Evolutions Behind Nintendo Switch Online

• Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu shares concern about 'stagnation' in game music