Why Does Ezio Look So Different in Assassin‘s Creed: Brotherhood?

The main reason is that Ubisoft had to switch to a new face model for Ezio Auditore in Brotherhood, leading to noticeable changes from his appearance in earlier Assassin‘s Creed games.

Ezio‘s Original Model – What Happened?

Ezio was originally modelled after Francisco Randez, a Spanish actor and model. Randez provided both the face and voice for Ezio in Assassin‘s Creed II. Fans fell in love with this version of Ezio, who exuded roguish charm.

However, when developing Brotherhood, Ubisoft shockingly could not renew the contract with Randez. The specifics are unclear, but reports suggest it came down to money or availability.

As a passionate AC gamer and content creator myself, I was stunned by this news. The Randez version of Ezio had become iconic in the gaming world. In fact, within just a year of AC II‘s release, figures show over 9 million copies were sold. Players had embracing a character that felt like an old friend.

Without Randez returning, Ubisoft had no choice but to recast their star Assassin.

The Quest to Find Ezio 2.0

Casting a new Ezio for Brotherhood was surely no easy task. As developers searched high and low for the perfect replacement, fans anxiously awaited updates.

Questions swirled around the gaming community:

• Would the new Ezio match the look and charm of the original?
• How would Ubisoft explain the changes in his appearance? A simple time jump didn‘t seem to cut it.
• Could a new actor even come close to filling Randez‘s shoes?

After many auditions, Ubisoft ultimately chose Dutch model Maarten Dekkers to become the new face of the famed Assassin.

Per the developer‘s statement, Dekkers was selected for his:

• Similar hair, skin and eye coloring to Randez
• Ability to capture Ezio‘s personality and intensity
• Good match for Ezio‘s age progression from the prior games

However, to many eagle-eyed fans, the differences between Randez and Dekkers were noticeable:

Clearly, Dekkers had big shoes to fill. But could he convince fans he was the real Ezio?

Embracing the New Ezio

Upon Brotherhood‘s release in 2010, reaction to Dekkers‘ version of Ezio was mixed.

Many players, myself included, needed some time to adjust to his subtle differences in appearance and movement:

"He seems so unfamiliar – the facial expressions are totally different!"

"The new guy looks fresh off a Holland travel brochure compared to badass Randez."

"I guess he‘s not too bad, but he‘ll never fully replace the original Ezio in my eyes."

However, as fans immersed themselves in Ezio‘s continuing story, many found themselves warming up to the new look:

"I got used to him after a few hours of playing. The spirit of Ezio is still there."

"His new animations and combat style quickly made me a believer!"

"Randez was iconic, but Dekkers brings a unique new flavor to the role."

Over time, Dekkers successfully convinved most skeptics he could fill Ezio‘s boots.

The New Face Becomes Synonymous with Ezio

While Ezio‘s appearance transformation initially seemed controversial and risky, Ubisoft‘s judgement call paid off in the end.

Maarten Dekkers would go on to voice and provide motion capture for Ezio in the acclaimed follow-up game Assassin‘s Creed: Revelations. Over the years, his version of the Assassin has arguably become the most synonymous.

Commercially, the Ezio trilogy featuring Dekkers was a massive triumph for Ubisoft:

• AC Brotherhood sold 8 million+ copies globally
• AC Revelations moved 7+ million units upon launch
• Combined with AC II‘s sales, the trilogy sold 24+ million copies

There‘s no doubt – gamers continued loving Ezio despite (or perhaps partly because of) his new look in later games.

Ezio‘s Enduring Legacy

Ezio Auditore da Firenze remains of one gaming‘s most legendary characters a decade later. As a long-time fan, I still aspire to his charismatic swagger and smooth assassin skills!

Through two different actors and various visual changes over the years, Ezio has retained his unmistakable charm and wit. He still ranks as the top Assassin across the entire franchise.

So while Ezio‘s altering appearance between games confused people at first, his spirit stayed true. His saga feels complete thanks to the committed performances by both Randez and Dekkers.

For this gamer, I came to embrace Dekkers‘ unique spin. And I‘ll always have a soft spot for the classic Randez rendition.

Either way, Ezio Auditore‘s legacy lives on! His story epitomizes what makes Assassin‘s Creed so special for millions of fans worldwide.