A leak about Assassin’s Creed Hexe suggests the comeback of a legendary hero, and I’m really looking forward to it.

      The iconic Assassin may soon make a comeback in Ubisoft's darkest Assassin's Creed entry to date.

      Ubisoft

      Ezio Auditore could be making a return to the Assassin’s Creed series, and it's clear Ubisoft is strategically leveraging nostalgia.

      Leaks about Assassin’s Creed Hexe indicate the potential return of the franchise's most recognized character, Ezio Auditore. According to information from leakers Rogue and j0nathan, the central character in Hexe is named Anika, with “Elsa” having been a temporary name in development. Notably, these leaks suggest that Anika is a descendant of Claudia Auditore, Ezio’s sister.

      Ubisoft

      The connection seems to run deeper as reports indicate that Ezio might appear in the game as an older mentor, guiding Anika through her journey. Leaked dialogue includes lines such as, “Come. Leap with me. One last time for an old man,” which is bound to evoke strong emotions among longtime Assassin’s Creed fans.

      The anticipated setting also promises to be quite different from recent titles. Hexe is expected to unfold during the German witch trials, featuring a significantly darker tone that emphasizes fear, persecution, alchemy, and psychological tension rather than the expansive open-world RPG experience. Leaks suggest that Würzburg will serve as a key location, with the narrative focusing on themes of superstition and paranoia, as villagers allegedly hunt down those suspected of witchcraft.

      Ubisoft

      Additionally, there are indications of gameplay changes prioritizing stealth, denser forests with the ability to move between trees, more stringent NPC suspicion mechanics, and missions related to witchcraft investigations. Some leaked dialogue hints at recovering stolen relics, forming blood pacts, and searching ritual sites, with NPCs reacting more quickly to suspicious actions compared to previous Assassin’s Creed titles.

      I genuinely cannot wait to see Ezio return.

      For long-time fans of Assassin’s Creed, Ezio Auditore is far more than just another character; he embodies the essence of the Assassin. Introduced in Assassin’s Creed II, Ezio quickly became the franchise's face due to his charm, compelling story arc, and evolution from a reckless young noble to a legendary Master Assassin across three complete games. Even now, many fans regard the Ezio trilogy as the pinnacle of Assassin’s Creed storytelling, which is why rumors of his return in Hexe have sparked significant excitement online.

      Ubisoft

      What makes this leak particularly intriguing is that Hexe is reportedly not simply inserting Ezio for mere nostalgia. Instead, he may serve as an older mentor whose connection to protagonist Anika is through the Auditore lineage, possibly guiding her through visions, memories, or an Isu-related connection. Coupling this with Hexe’s darker witch-trial backdrop and horror-inspired tone creates the impression that Ubisoft is aiming to recapture the emotional resonance that initially drew fans to Assassin’s Creed.

      Varun is a seasoned technology journalist and editor with over eight years of experience in consumer tech media. His work spans…

      Valve's new Steam Controller screams if you drop it, evoking mixed feelings.

      The new Steam Controller from Valve has a hidden feature that makes it emit a scream upon being dropped, which is amusing until you consider its $99 price tag. Users have been posting videos of the controller playing the iconic Wilhelm scream after falling from about 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 sneakily in Arc Raiders, and the loot was surprisingly good.

      I did not enter Arc Raiders intending to play stealthily. After a few unsuccessful attempts, I had lost some of my good gear and simply wanted to release some frustration in the game’s unofficial PvP arena “Stella Montis.” Ideally, my plan was to go in aggressively, snag some better equipment from other players, and escape to safety. The worst-case scenario of losing everything didn’t concern me since I was using a free loadout.

      Stella Montis is notorious for its narrow and tense layout that promotes player engagement. However, it’s also known for highlighting a major frustration among players: the issue with free loadouts. Those with free loadouts enter with basic gear—just a simple gun, some ammo, a shield, and health—seemingly limited, but they can quickly become a threat when they have nothing significant to lose.

      I’m still unsure about a disc-less Xbox, but Project Helix now seems likely.

      Game Pass, cloud gaming, and digital libraries are on the rise, whether we like it or not.

      Xbox’s next-gen console might be going entirely digital. If the latest leaks are to be believed, Microsoft could finally be making the shift it almost attempted over a decade ago, before the internet erupted in protest.

      Could Xbox Project Helix completely eliminate physical discs?