Highlights
- Abubakar Salim, who played Bayek in Assassin's Creed Origins, wants a sequel to continue Bayek's story.
- Salim's studio, Surgent Studios, is releasing a game called Tales of Kenzera: Zau on April 23.
- Despite Bayek and Aya's story closure in Origins, Salim hopes for a sequel possibly set in Greece.
Abubakar Salim, the actor who portrayed Bayek of Siwa, protagonist of Ubisoft's acclaimed Assassin's Creed Origins, has expressed interest in bringing Bayek back for a follow-up sequel. Assassin's Creed Origins came out in 2017 to glowing reviews as it set a new precedent for the long-running franchise with its budding RPG elements, laying the groundwork for Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Valhalla to lean further into RPG territory.
After bringing Bayek to life in Assassin's Creed Origins, Abubakar Salim went on to create a transmedia development studio of his own, Surgent Studios. At the most recent Game Awards, Salim took the stage to introduce Surgent's first game, a 2D action platformer titled Tales of Kenzera: Zau. Players take up the role of Zau, a warrior shaman, as they explore the Metroidvania land of Kenzera rich with Bantu lore and culture. Tales of Kenzera: Zau is scheduled to release on April 23.
5 Years Ago, Assassin's Creed Origins Changed Everything
Assassin's Creed Origins turns five years old today, and it's clear now how it has deeply changed the beloved Ubisoft franchise.
In an exclusive interview with Den of Geek, Abubakar Salim spoke about his journey in the industry, his experience portraying Bayek in Assassin's Creed Origins, founding Surgent Studios, and creating Tales of Kenzera: Zau. A large portion of the interview was spent on Assassin's Creed Origins, where Salim excitedly expressed a desire to follow up with Bayek once more in a sequel to 2017's Origins, saying "I want a sequel man. Like I'm ready! I think it's one of those things where, yeah, I just didn't feel like the story was finished yet. So I would jump at it."
Bayek Actor Abubakar Salim Wants Assassin's Creed Origins Sequel
While Bayek and his wife Aya's story did gain some semblance of closure at the end of Assassin's Creed Origins, there is room for expansion on their respective journeys beyond that point. Salim mentioned Greece as an optimal location despite it being the home of 2018's Assassin's Creed Odyssey, saying "I think there could be something really cool about jumping in at that timeframe as well and seeing what that looked like." Earlier on in the Assassin's Creed franchise, it was more common to see direct continuations of assassins' stories like Ezio Auditore da Firenze or the Kenway family. Assassin's Creed Mirage's Basim Ibn Ishaq, who first appeared in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, is the first recurring character in the series in a very long time. With that said, if an Origins sequel were to happen, it'd be interesting to see whether a dual protagonist system would be implemented with Bayek and Aya, similar to Jacob and Evie Frye in 2015's Assassin's Creed Syndicate.
I think it's one of those things where, yeah, I just didn't feel like the story was finished yet. So I would jump at it.
It seems that Ubisoft currently has its hands full with a number of mainline blockbuster Assassin's Creed titles in development. Namely, Codename Red, a larger RPG-scale Assassin's Creed experience set in ancient Japan, and Codename Hexe, which features a seemingly darker tone set around the Holy Roman Witch Trials. It's possible that Assassin's Creed fans could learn more about Codename Red sometime this year, as some believe it's aiming for a Fall 2024 release. It's possible Ubisoft could look at continuing Bayek and Aya's story after Red and Hexe are out the door, though nothing concrete is known at this point.
Assassin's Creed Origins
Assassin's Creed Origins helped the series take a fresh turn by implementing RPG elements into the series. The journey takes place in Ancient Egypt and follows Bayek of Siwa as he attempts to protect people during troubling times.
