Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, developed by Vantage Studios, has seen a robust launch, selling over two million copies within its first 24 hours. The game, which released on July 9, has also garnered positive critical reception, achieving a score of 84 on Metacritic, making it the most highly rated Assassin's Creed title since 2013 according to the aggregate site. On Steam, Resynced recorded a peak of 99,451 concurrent players on its debut day, setting a new record for the series on the platform.
Despite the strong sales and player engagement, the game is facing significant player dissatisfaction regarding its microtransactions. Players have pointed out that the total cost of optional in-game purchases can exceed the base game's price of $60, with a reported $85 worth of microtransactions available. Ubisoft has acknowledged the community's feedback, stating in a Steam post that they are "reading all of it" and that the add-on content is "entirely optional" and not required to complete the game.
The majority of the microtransaction items consist of $10 cosmetic packs, including items like a blue monkey with glowing eyes. A $5 "Map Pack" offers a special spyglass that reveals collectible locations, a feature that players would otherwise need to discover manually. This focus on microtransactions aligns with a broader trend in Ubisoft's recent game releases and the industry as a whole, with other titles also drawing similar criticism.
GameSpot's review of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced awarded it a 7/10. The review noted that while the game significantly enhances the original experience, it also introduces new issues not present in the 2013 release. Reports from Insider Gaming also suggest that cost-cutting measures at Ubisoft have impacted developers who worked on Resynced.