(WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW)
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’s goal is to usually let the player make their own choices regarding what their protagonist does. But a twist ending to Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’s new DLC is making them feel like they have zero choice in their character’s fate.
The ending to Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’s second DLC Shadow Heritage gives you two options at the end: Either you can choose to settle down with Darius’ offspring, which leads to the birth of a child, or let them sail away, perhaps never to see them again.
It’s a big choice for anyone, real or not. But apparently Ubisoft decided that either way, the baby has to happen, and you have to fall in love. If you choose to let them go, they will come back in dramatic fashion after you read a letter that they left before departure. The same ending happens regardless of what choice you make.
The intention was to create a twist ending to what seemed like a choice with some gravity to it. But it’s left people upset that their choices effectively didn’t matter in this DLC, especially for those who aren’t interested in having their character be part of a heterosexual relationship.
Ubisoft apologized in a statement given to EuroGamer, saying that the character’s actions will become more clear in the third chapter of the DLC arc Legacy of the First Blade.
“We strive to give players choice whenever possible in Odyssey and apologise to those surprised by the events in this episode,” they said in the statement. “Without spoiling it, you will engage in an important relationship as part of a set story. The motivation behind this relationship is yours to explore in game and will be reflected in your character’s story arc. There is one episode left in Legacy of the First Blade which will tie your character’s actions together.”
A second statement said that players will be able to choose their motivations regarding this narrative in the next chapter.
“We don’t want to reveal too much right now, but we have always tried to keep the story inclusive of people of all sexual orientations, and players will be able to choose their motivations behind this particular narrative depending on their sexual preferences,” they wrote. “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey was developed by people of all sexual orientations, backgrounds, genders and beliefs, and we have tried to reflect that within the game.”
Shadow Heritage, the second chapter of the Legacy of the First Blade expansion pack was released on January 15. The third, Bloodline, will be released in March.
