A leak about Assassin’s Creed Hexe suggests the comeback of a legendary hero, and I’m eagerly anticipating it.

      The legendary Assassin may be set for a comeback in Ubisoft's darkest Assassin's Creed game to date.

      Ubisoft

      Ezio Auditore could be making a return to the Assassin's Creed franchise. Ubisoft seems well aware of the nostalgia factor they're tapping into.

      Assassin’s Creed Hexe leaks suggest Ezio’s return

      Recent leaks regarding Assassin's Creed Hexe indicate that Ubisoft might be reintroducing the series' most iconic character, Ezio Auditore, in some capacity. According to sources from leakers Rogue and j0nathan, the main character of Hexe is reportedly named Anika, with “Elsa” previously serving as a placeholder during development. Crucially, the leaks suggest that Anika is a descendant of Claudia Auditore, who is Ezio’s sister.

      Ubisoft

      Moreover, the connections appear to run even deeper. Reports claim that Ezio himself may appear in the game as a seasoned mentor figure guiding Anika throughout her journey. Leaked dialogue allegedly includes lines like “Come. Leap with me. One last time for an old man,” which is likely to evoke strong emotions for long-time Assassin’s Creed fans.

      The anticipated setting also seems vastly different from recent games. Hexe is expected to unfold during the German witch trials, adopting a darker, horror-influenced tone that emphasizes fear, persecution, alchemy, and psychological tension rather than the massive open-world RPG experience. Leaks suggest that Würzburg may serve as one of the main locations, with the narrative heavily focused on themes of superstition and paranoia, depicting villagers who reportedly pursue anyone suspected of witchcraft.

      Ubisoft

      Additionally, there are indications of adjustments to stealth gameplay, more intricate forests featuring unlockable tree-to-tree traversal, stricter NPC suspicion mechanics, and missions centered around witchcraft investigations. Some leaked dialogue even refers to recovering stolen artifacts, blood pacts, and searching for ritual sites, while NPCs are expected to respond more quickly to suspicious behavior compared to previous Assassin’s Creed titles.

      I genuinely look forward to seeing Ezio again.

      For dedicated Assassin’s Creed fans, Ezio Auditore is more than just a protagonist; he embodies the essence of the Assassins. First introduced in Assassin’s Creed II, Ezio quickly became the franchise's face due to his charm, compelling story arc, and evolution from a carefree young noble to a legendary Master Assassin throughout three full games. Even today, many fans still regard the Ezio trilogy as the pinnacle of Assassin’s Creed storytelling, which is why rumors of his return in Hexe are sparking considerable excitement online.

      Ubisoft

      What makes this leak particularly intriguing is that Hexe reportedly will not merely feature Ezio for nostalgia’s sake. Instead, he may take on the role of a mentor figure connected to Anika through the Auditore lineage, potentially guiding her via visions, memories, or some kind of Isu-related link. Coupled with Hexe’s darker backdrop of witch trials and horror-inspired atmosphere, this feels less like a brief cameo and more like Ubisoft seeking to recapture the emotional essence that endeared fans to Assassin’s Creed from the onset.

      Varun is an experienced technology journalist and editor with over eight years in consumer tech media. His work encompasses…

      The Steam Controller will scream if you drop it, and I don’t know how to feel about it

      Valve’s new controller does not suffer drops quietly.

      The new Steam Controller from Valve includes a hidden Easter egg that causes it to emit a scream upon being dropped, which is amusing until you consider its price tag of $99. Users have been posting clips of the controller producing the famous Wilhelm scream after falling from approximately three feet while in Big Picture Mode. It doesn’t activate every time, with one widely circulated post claiming it occurs roughly once every five or six drops.

      How does the Steam Controller scream without a speaker?

      I played like a rat in Arc Raiders, and the loot was disgustingly good

      Ratting my way downtown to secure the best gear.

      I entered Arc Raiders without intending to play like a rat. After a few unsuccessful runs, I had lost some valuable gear and just wanted to unwind in the game’s unofficial PvP arena "Stella Montis." Ideally, my goal was to go in aggressively, snatching quality equipment from other raiders and making my escape to the extraction point. The worst-case scenario, where I could lose everything, didn’t concern me since I was only using a free loadout.

      Stella Montis has earned a reputation. It features tight and tense corridors that encourage player interaction. However, another reason for its notoriety is how it highlights one of players' major frustrations with the game: the free loadout issue. Players with free loadouts enter with basic gear—gun, ammo, shield, and health—which may seem limited, but can become quite dangerous when they have nothing significant to lose.

      I’m still not convinced about a disc-less Xbox, but Project Helix feels inevitable now