Imaginary Worlds Making History with Assassin's Creed
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Jan 14, 2026 Darby McDevitt, narrative director at Ubisoft, is known for his work on the Assassin's Creed series and his novel, The Halter. He shares insights into the challenges of blending historical accuracy with engaging gameplay, revealing his extensive research methods for crafting immersive backstories. The discussion touches on the limitations of interactivity in games, the balance between realism and player expectations, and the ethical portrayal of sensitive themes. Darby also delves into his novel's exploration of virtual reality addiction, raising questions about empathy and social impacts.
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Design Around Player Interaction
- Do prioritize interactivity when designing game worlds because player actions determine what matters in the environment.
- Coordinate research across art, sound, and writing so features serve gameplay, not just historical detail.
Journalist Mistakes Diorama For Playground
- At E3 a journalist asked if he could eat spices and fish shown in Assassin's Creed's market demo.
- Darby explained most on-screen objects were decoration because the game is focused on combat and traversal.
Trade-Off Between Interaction And Realization
- More interactable objects require massive resources and can dilute quality unless you accept lower realization.
- Designers balance depth of interaction against visual and narrative fidelity for the player's experience.
