Not Salem but Würzburg: AC Hexe Setting Leaked

Würzburg, not Salem. That's the alleged setting of Assassin's Creed Hexe, according to a batch of leaks from a figure known as "Rogue" that surfaced on r/GamingLeaksAndRumours this week. If accurate, Ubisoft has sidestepped the most obvious witch trial setting in pop culture history and picked one that's far more interesting.

The Würzburg witch trials of the early 17th century were among the largest mass trials in European history, with hundreds of executions over just a few years. It's a brutal, relatively untouched period for games, and I think it's a far better fit for what Hexe has been pitched as than Salem ever would have been. Salem is well-trodden ground in film, TV, and games. Würzburg gives Ubisoft room to build something players haven't already seen a dozen times, and the dense forests and architecture of Franconia sound like a perfect backdrop for the "darker" tone the developers have been teasing.

Fans seem to agree. One post on X responding directly to the leaker called Würzburg "the best possible outcome I had hoped for AC Hexe." Others on Reddit pointed to the historical scale of the Würzburg persecutions as evidence the setting could carry an entire game. The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, which is something Ubisoft desperately needs right now after Hexe lost both its directors and reportedly underwent significant design changes.

Ezio's Return

The setting isn't the only headline from Rogue's leak. The protagonist is reportedly named Anika, described as a descendant of Claudia Auditore, Ezio's sister. And Ezio himself is supposedly appearing in some form, with leaked dialogue lines including: "Come. Leap with me. One last time for an old man." Another exchange has Anika recognizing his signature white hood from her mother's drawings, with Ezio telling her that Claudia wanted her to "have a life" away from the Brotherhood.

If any of that is real, Ubisoft is leaning hard into nostalgia. Bringing back the franchise's most beloved character is a big swing, and I'm curious whether it'll feel earned or whether it'll come across as a safety net for a game that's had a troubled development. The last time we saw Ezio was in Assassin's Creed Revelations, and the short film AC: Embers established his death in 1524 at age 65. Any appearance in Hexe would need to fit within that timeline.

Other details from the leak mention a character named "Wolfgang," blood pacts, ritual sites, and "lots of forests." Anika is reportedly labeled a "demon" within the story, which tracks with the witch trial setting. None of this has been confirmed by Ubisoft, and leaks of this specificity should always be treated with skepticism. But the volume of detail, including specific dialogue lines, suggests either a very committed fabricator or someone with access. Rogue has a track record with Ubisoft leaks, which lends some weight, though nothing is certain until Ubisoft shows the game officially.