Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Wiki

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is the sixth main installment in the Assassin's Creed series, developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. Originally released October 29, 2013 on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii U (with PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One versions following weeks later), it's widely considered one of the best entries in the entire franchise and one of the greatest games of its generation. This page covers the original 2013 release; a separate ground-up remake, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, launched independently in July 2026.

A Genuinely Different Kind of Protagonist

Edward Kenway broke from the series' usual mold. Unlike Ezio Auditore or his own future grandson Connor Kenway, Edward wasn't driven by honor, revenge, or destiny -- he was selfish, reckless, greedy, and obsessed with freedom and fortune, a Welsh privateer who stumbles into the Assassin-Templar conflict almost by accident. He's the father of Haytham Kenway, grandfather of Ratonhnhaké:ton (Connor), and an ancestor of series mainstay Desmond Miles.

The Golden Age of Piracy, Faithfully Realized

Set in the early 18th-century Caribbean across three major cities -- Havana, Nassau, and Kingston -- Black Flag centers on the real historical attempt to establish an independent pirate republic in the region. Edward crosses paths with genuine historical pirates including Blackbeard (Edward Teach), Benjamin Hornigold, Calico Jack, Anne Bonny, Charles Vane, and Black Bart (Bartholomew Roberts).

Naval Gameplay Takes Center Stage

More than any prior entry, Black Flag foregrounds ship-based exploration and combat aboard the Jackdaw, battling Spanish and British navies alongside rival pirates and Templars. A spyglass lets you scout enemy ships and islands from afar, harpooning sea creatures and underwater treasure-hunting round out the naval-adjacent activities, and boarding or capturing passing ships remains a core loop alongside traditional land-based parkour, stealth, and melee combat.

Confirmed Multiplayer (Land-Based Only)

The original release includes a genuine multiplayer component -- land-based only, with no naval multiplayer modes -- confirmed to include Artifact, Domination, Manhunt, and Wanted modes. This is a real, notable difference from the 2026 Resynced remake, which is confirmed single-player only.

Editions and DLC

Beyond the Standard Edition, confirmed releases include the Deluxe Edition (adding the Aveline DLC, The Castaway's Prize, and the Illustrious Pirates Pack), and the Gold Edition (base game plus all available DLC). Freedom Cry, a substantial story expansion, was released both as DLC and as a standalone game in its own right. The game later became part of Assassin's Creed: The Rebel Collection alongside Assassin's Creed Rogue on Nintendo Switch in 2019.