Does Assassin‘s Creed Odyssey Have Co-Op?
No, the recently released action RPG Assassin‘s Creed Odyssey does not include any co-operative or multiplayer functionality. It is strictly a single player experience focused on an expansive open world and RPG progression systems.
As a passionate gamer and AC franchise fan, I was initially disappointed to learn Odyssey would not let me team up with friends to dominate ancient Greece. However, after over 50 hours exploring the sprawling landscapes as the mercenary Alexios, I understand why Ubisoft opted for a solo journey.
The Complex History of Co-Op in Assassin‘s Creed
Let‘s quickly chart the evolution of multiplayer features across the AC series:
| Game | Year | Multiplayer Modes |
|---|---|---|
| Assassin‘s Creed Brotherhood | 2010 | Competitive multiplayer |
| Assassin‘s Creed Revelations | 2011 | Competitive multiplayer |
| Assassin‘s Creed III | 2012 | Limited co-op |
| Assassin‘s Creed IV: Black Flag | 2013 | Limited co-op |
| Assassin‘s Creed Unity | 2014 | 4 player co-op campaign |
| Assassin‘s Creed Syndicate | 2015 | None |
| Assassin‘s Creed Origins | 2017 | None |
As highlighted in the table above, co-operative gameplay has had a troubled history within Assassin‘s Creed franchise. Attempts at multiplayer elements have either been abandoned in future releases or had mixed reception from critics and fans.
Unity stands out as the outlier that went all in on letting four players unite to take on story missions and side content together. And many cite Unity‘s lackluster launch as a reason why the series pulled back from ambitious cooperative goals.
Why RPG-Focused Odyssey Goes Solo
While it‘s still disappointing not to recreate classic Greek hero teams like Leonidas and his 300 Spartans with friends, Odyssey‘s roleplaying design makes more sense as a single player experience. Previous attempts at co-op struggled with:
- Syncing progression, quest status, and storylines between players
- Providing satisfying challenge when tackling missions as a synchronized team
- Dividing loot and skill upgrades in a fair way
Instead, Ubisoft focused on delivering a massive solo adventure revolving around player choice and freedom. I‘ve loved reaping the rewards of customizing Alexios as a powerful hunter archer blending assassination and combos.
Bringing co-op back for Assassin‘s Creed could still be great – as long as gameplay systems supported two heroes tackling objectives creatively based on their abilities. But I understand why launching their first full RPG kept Ubisoft‘s vision more narrow in scope.
Odyssey vs Origins vs Valhalla: Size, Sales and Scope
When reflecting on why Odyssey skipped multiplayer options, it‘s useful context to compare against Assassin Creed‘s other recent RPG efforts in Origins and Valhalla:
| Game | Year | Estimated Size (sq km) | Units Sold | Peak Players (Steam) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assassin‘s Creed Origins | 2017 | 115 | 10 million | 51k |
| Assassin‘s Creed Odyssey | 2018 | 130 | Not publicly reported | 53k |
| Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla | 2020 | 140 | Over 12 million | 62k |
Reviewing this data shows the AC developers have focused on delivering massive worlds paired with roleplaying systems. From 2017-2020, location sizes grew over 20% and corresponding sales hit impressive new records for the franchise.
Supporting co-op would have required cutting corners or shrinking Odyssey‘s already jaw-dropping recreation of ancient Greece. Ubisoft clearly knew solo was the only way to hit quality targets and push the boundaries of exploration.
The Verdict? Odyssey Made the Right Call
As someone passionate about gaming, I‘ll always prefer having the option to play with friends cooperatively. But Ubisoft definitely made the correct decision ensuring Assassin‘s Creed Odyssey realized its complete single player potential.
They created an utterly captivating world filled with brilliant visuals, rewarding progression, and user freedom. Adding co-op would have jeopardized too many of Odyssey‘s strengths. And the continued franchise success supports staying solo.
Could we get an equally astonishing co-op focused Assassin‘s Creed title someday? We can dream. But Odyssey doesn‘t need it to stand out as one of the most impressive RPG accomplishments in recent memory.
