We spoke with Mirage’s artistic director about the decision to include this “nostalgic visual filter.”

Assassin’s Creed Mirage brings players to Baghdad in 861, during its Golden Age when it was the cultural and technological epicenter of the region. The city feels alive with merchants, townsfolk, guards, palaces, and more. It’s vibrant, lively, and, well, looks and sounds like a city. It’s painted with hues of desert orange and “Arabian Nights” blue skies, something intentional, according to artistic director Jean-Luc Sala.

Having lived in the region, Sala says he and his visual team infused many sights he remembers near the Tigris River to bring Baghdad to life. The result is beautiful, if my two hours of hands-on time is any indication. With Mirage meant to serve as an homage to the first Assassin’s Creed that started the series in 2007, Sala and the rest of the team at Ubisoft Bordeaux added an option to make Baghdad look more like the Jerusalem Altair explored.

…

“We know how excited our community is [and] we also have a nice surprise for our long-timers,” Sala says in the video. “We implemented a nostalgic visual filter as an option for those who wish to explore the game with the desaturated blue-gray color palette from the very first Assassin’s Creed game.”

…