Assassin’s Creed fans already know about Assassin’s Creed Jade, the mobile entry set in Qin Dynasty China. But newly surfaced prototype footage reportedly reveals a second, larger console and PC project, codenamed Assassin’s Creed Destiny, also set in the final years of the Qin Dynasty. If the leaked gameplay is legitimate, Ubisoft once had two distinct China-set Assassin’s Creed games in development, separated by just a few years of history.
What the leak shows
The footage, pulled from developer portfolio materials and first reported by MP1st, is early grey-box prototype material dating from February 2025. This is not polished final game footage. Environments are unfinished, assets are placeholder, and many visual elements are still rough.
The project was a collaboration between Ubisoft and Tencent’s TiMi Studio Group. It was designed as a full standalone PC and console action-RPG, not a mobile title. Its story takes place in 206 BCE, during the collapse of the Qin Dynasty — nine years after the timeline of Assassin’s Creed Jade, which is set in 215 BCE.
The leaked clips show classic Assassin’s Creed hallmarks: parkour climbing, stealth takedowns, free-running, and a leap of faith. The protagonist is a female assassin wielding a unique rotating umbrella-style weapon, designed for both melee strikes and ranged attacks. Snippets of mission gameplay hint at encounters with rebel armies, with references to historical figures from the late-Qin collapse, including forces led by Xiang Yu.
Two Qin Dynasty Assassin’s Creed games — what’s the difference?
This is the key detail that makes the leak so surprising. Many fans assumed Jade was the only Qin China project. Instead, Ubisoft and TiMi were building two games set in the same dynasty, different years, and for different platforms.
Assassin’s Creed Jade
- Mobile-focused title, still in active development
- Set in 215 BCE, during Qin’s peak expansion
- Built for touchscreen gameplay, streamlined open world
Assassin’s Creed Destiny (cancelled)
- Full PC/console open-world RPG
- Set in 206 BCE, as the Qin empire crumbles into civil war
- Broader, more traditional Assassin’s Creed design
- Cancelled very early in development, never officially announced
The gap between the two timelines lets the games tell very different stories. Jade explores the empire at its height, while Destiny would have focused on rebellion, collapse, and the fall of the first unified Chinese imperial dynasty.
Why it got canned
From what the leak reveals, Destiny was scrapped while still in the prototype phase. It never reached full production. Early grey-box testing likely showed scope, technical, or strategic conflicts. Having two large Assassin’s Creed projects set within the same historical dynasty would have been a tough sell, especially one targeting PC/console alongside a big mobile China release.
Ubisoft has not confirmed or denied the authenticity of the leaked prototype footage. No official statement about Assassin’s Creed Destiny has been released, so everything we see remains alleged. Developer portfolio leaks can contain real prototype assets, but there is always a small risk of manipulated or out-of-context clips.
What this tells us about Ubisoft’s China ambitions
For years, fans have begged for a proper full Assassin’s Creed game set in ancient China. The franchise touched on China before with the side-scrolling Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China, but many players wanted a full 3D open-world experience.
Jade answered part of that demand, but as a mobile game. Destiny was the big console/PC version of that dream. The leak makes it clear Ubisoft saw massive storytelling potential in Qin-era China and explored it twice.
The late-Qin setting is rich for Assassin’s Creed’s core themes: brutal imperial centralization, rebellion, secret factions, and the clash between order and freedom. The fall of the Qin dynasty is packed with power struggles, betrayals, and shifting alliances — perfect for the series’ mix of historical drama and hidden war between Assassins and Templars.
The prototype’s standout gameplay ideas
Even in this rough state, some mechanics stand out:
- The rotating umbrella weapon is a creative twist on the series’ usual blades, mixing defense, melee and ranged attacks.
- Parkour built for ancient Chinese architecture: imperial palaces, fortress walls, villages and rugged mountain terrain.
- Story beats built around the chaos of dynastic collapse, where allegiances shift constantly.
- Classic social stealth, blending into crowds of rebels and imperial soldiers.
That said, because it is only a grey-box prototype, we don’t know how many of these systems would have survived into a full release. Many features get cut or reworked after early playtests.
What this leak does not mean
- It does not confirm Destiny will ever be revived. The project was cancelled in the prototype stage.
- It does not change the status of Assassin’s Creed Jade, which remains in development.
- The footage is not representative of final graphics; grey-box builds use placeholder geometry and textures.
- Ubisoft has not verified the leak. All details should be treated as unconfirmed for now.
Final thoughts
This alleged prototype leak is a fascinating look at what might have been. Assassin’s Creed Destiny would have delivered the full PC/console ancient China open-world Assassin’s Creed many fans have long requested, set during the chaotic fall of the Qin Dynasty.
It’s wild to discover Ubisoft and TiMi were building two separate Qin-era Assassin’s Creed games at once. While Destiny is dead, Jade is still on the way. Even if we never get to play this cancelled console project, the leak shows how seriously Ubisoft wanted to dig into China’s ancient history.
We’ll have to wait for official word before treating this as 100% confirmed, but the portfolio footage makes for a compelling glimpse at a lost Assassin’s Creed chapter.
