I was given exclusive access to early, exclusive B-roll footage of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced ahead of its July 9 launch. The Caribbean is back — and from what I've seen, Ubisoft have built something special. Here's what caught my eye.
"Black Flag understood atmosphere in a way most games still don't. Seeing it come back like this — and seeing it early — is something else."
— CoalaTV, @coalabr14
I was given exclusive access to early B-roll footage of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced ahead of its July 9 launch. And I've been sitting with it for a bit, trying to figure out how to put into words what it feels like to see one of the most beloved open worlds in gaming history given this kind of treatment.
The Caribbean was always special. Not just as a setting. The light on the water, the storms rolling in, the way the Jackdaw moved through it all. Black Flag understood atmosphere in a way most games still don't. Resynced isn't just bringing that back — it's building on it with ray tracing, a full dynamic weather system, and a world rebuilt on the latest Anvil engine. The result is something that makes you genuinely excited for July 9.
Here's what caught my eye.
Edward Diving
Watching the footage, the level of detail in the background stopped me immediately. It reminded me of Assassin's Creed Shadows — that same density, that same attention to what's happening behind the obvious. The crystal water and the transition underwater is absolutely beautiful. And for virtual photographers, that transition alone is a moment. The way light behaves differently the second you break the surface — that's a shot.
Switching Sea Shanties
I remember just letting the crew singing along as we tried to approach pirate ships — cannons firing, crew shouting, absolute chaos. And then boarding. That was the pirate experience. The thing is, back then there was no photo mode — I was relying on mods just to capture those moments. Seeing that world rebuilt, knowing we'll actually have proper tools this time around, changes everything.
Lightning Strikes
What hit me immediately was the dynamic weather — and what that means for photography specifically. Sunny Caribbean beaches on one end. The Jackdaw fighting through cyclones and rough waves on the other. That range of conditions in a single world is extraordinary. The same location tells a completely different story depending on what the sky is doing.
Harpooning a Shark
I spent so much time hunting in the original — chasing the white whale specifically. Getting those photos back then, with mods, always added to the experience. Seeing it in the footage with ray tracing, with what looks like a seriously expanded underwater environment — I can already picture the shots. The hunt, the tension, the moment before impact. That's the kind of photography this game was built for.
What We Need From the Photo Mode
Let's be honest — from Origins to Odyssey to Valhalla, the photo mode barely changed. It was essentially a copy paste across three massive games spanning years. Assassin's Creed Shadows was the first time Ubisoft actually moved the needle. Better depth of field, improved poses, lighting that started to understand the world it was working with. It was a genuine step forward.
During my time testing the photo mode in Assassin's Creed Shadows I provided feedback directly to Ubisoft on several points. Some were addressed in later updates. The range wasn't. And it's still the biggest complaint from the community — because what draws us to Assassin's Creed games is the realism of these worlds, built with such detail for a specific time and place. Not having enough range to actually capture those moments is such a bummer. I'm hoping Resynced changes that. July 9 is when we find out.
From everything I've seen, this is shaping up to be an absolute masterpiece of a remake of a beloved original. Ubisoft are clearly putting a lot of effort into getting this right. Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced will absolutely be covered here in full. Can't wait to show you more.
Early access B-roll footage provided by Ubisoft.