Assassin's Creed is taking a year off. For the first time in years, Ubisoft won't be releasing a new major entry in the blockbuster franchise. "This year, we also are stepping back and re-examining the Assassin's Creed franchise," the company said in a statement. "As a result, we've decided that there will not be a new Assassin's Creed game in 2016." Since its debut Assassin's Creed has turned into an annualized franchise, with new main releases coming out each year, in addition to plentiful spinoffs on mobile and other platforms.

The results have been mixed; while last year's London-based Syndicate was largely heralded as a return to form, it was preceded by the disappointing Unity. "We're taking this year to evolve the game mechanics and to make sure we're delivering on the promise of Assassin's Creed offering unique and memorable gameplay experiences that make history everyone's playground," the company says of the decision. But even without a major new game, 2016 is still a big year for the franchise: in December Assassin's Creed will make its big-screen debut with a new film starring Michael Fassbender.