Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced: Release Times, File Size, Editions, and Reviews

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced (via Ubisoft)

Ubisoft has confirmed the global release and preload times for Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced. The wait is almost over.

After years of anticipation and a steady stream of leaks, Edward Kenway's return to the Caribbean is now just days away. This remake rebuilds the beloved 2013 original from the ground up for PC and current-gen consoles. Expect sharper visuals, refined gameplay, and fresh story content layered on top of the classic pirate adventure.

The original multiplayer mode and the first-person modern-day segments have been cut entirely. Ubisoft wants players focused purely on sailing, plundering, and exploring the open seas. So when exactly can you set sail? Here's the full breakdown.

When Does Preloading Start?

Preloading kicks off first, and the schedule varies slightly by platform.

• Xbox Series X/S: Already live as of June 22, 2pm UTC

• PC: Begins July 7 at 2pm UTC

• PlayStation 5: Begins July 7 at 12am local time

When Can You Actually Play?

The release rollout follows a familiar region-by-region pattern, though PC timing differs slightly from consoles.

On both PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, players everywhere can jump in at midnight local time on July 9.

PC players, across Ubisoft Connect, Steam, Epic Games Store, and cloud platforms GeForce and Blacknut, will see release times staggered by timezone. As per the release schedule, that generally lines up with 10am Eastern, 7am Pacific, or 3pm UK time on July 7.

Here's the full territory-by-territory breakdown.

PC Release Times

• Australia (Sydney) = 12am AEST

• South Korea (Seoul) = 11pm KST

• Japan (Tokyo) = 11pm JST

• China (Shanghai) = 10pm CST

• UAE (Abu Dhabi) = 6pm GST

• South Africa (Johannesburg) = 4pm SAST

• France (Paris) = 4pm CEST

• UK (London) = 3pm BST

• Brazil (Sao Paulo) = 11am BRT

• Mexico (Mexico City) = 8am CST

• USA (Los Angeles) = 7am PDT

PS5 and Xbox Series X/S Release Times

• Australia (Sydney) = 12am AEST

• South Korea (Seoul) = 12am KST

• Japan (Tokyo) = 12am JST

• China (Shanghai) = 12am CST

• UAE (Abu Dhabi) = 12am GST

• South Africa (Johannesburg) = 12am SAST

• France (Paris) = 12am CEST

• UK (London) = 12am BST

• Brazil (Sao Paulo) = 12am BRT

• Mexico (Mexico City) = 12am CST

• USA (Los Angeles) = 12am PDT

How Big Is The Install?

Good news for anyone worried about storage space. This remake stays fairly lean compared to most modern AAA releases.

• PS5: around 61.87 GB

• Xbox Series X/S: around 64.13 GB

• PC: around 63.1 GB, with some storefronts recommending closer to 65 GB free

An SSD is required, and a day one patch is expected, which could bump those numbers up slightly.

What Are The Editions And Prices?

Ubisoft is offering four editions this time around, each aimed at a different type of player.

• Standard, $59.99: The base game, available both digitally and physically

• Launch or Premier, $59.99, physical only: Base game plus an artbook, world map poster, and Blackbeard's Crimson Pack

• Deluxe, $69.99, digital: Base game plus the Master Assassin Character Pack and Master Assassin Naval Pack

• Collector's, $199.99: Everything in Deluxe plus a 31cm Edward figurine, leather logbook, metal brooch, cloth map, steelbook, and shanty sheet

Anyone who preorders any edition also gets Blackbeard's Crimson Pack as a bonus, which includes a costume along with a sword and pistol carrying their own perks.

Worth noting, the original 2013 release of Black Flag remains available separately and untouched. Resynced does not include the old multiplayer mode or original DLC like Freedom Cry. This version is built entirely around Edward's story, start to finish.

What Are Critics Saying?

Early reviews for Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced are largely positive, with critics praising the visual overhaul and refined combat while noting the remake sticks closely to the original blueprint.

• Game Rant (90): "At its best, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced firmly establishes the formula for new remakes in the franchise, if not what all new Assassin's Creed games in 2026 and beyond should feel like. At its absolute bottom-of-the-ocean worst, it's a reminder of what made the Assassin's Creed franchise the beloved game series it was in the first place."

• Game Informer (83): "For me, a lot of the joy and excitement of Assassin’s Creed comes from visiting a new era in history and rediscovering the series’ conflict through the lens of that time and place. This return to a familiar locale lacks that, but it should still offer it for newer players who never experienced the game more than a decade ago. But even without that sense of newness, Black Flag Resynced is an impressive rework, setting a high bar for how to return to an older action game and make it relevant once more. I’d prefer to sail to new horizons, but I’m also happy to rediscover a journey that reminds me why I embraced the franchise in the first place."

• VGC (80): "Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is a great remake of a game that probably didn't need to be remade. Of all the games in the AC franchise, Black Flag holds up better than many, but that doesn't change the fact that I had a wonderful time going back. The cast, setting and atmosphere are still some of the best ever realised in the series, and the new content feels right at home."

• Push Square (80): "Like a captain going down with their ship, Ubisoft has remained loyal to the classic Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag experience in this new Resynced version. It’s as you remember it, except better, bigger, and markedly flashier in all the right ways. Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced demonstrates there’s still a charm to staying faithful."

• TheGamer (80): "If you enjoyed the original adventure, chances are you will love Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced. It keeps everything that made that game so special and adds more than enough new content to make revisiting it worthwhile. Unfortunately, the splendid new visuals aren’t enough to hide cracks in the open world foundation, lacklustre side activities, and a combat system that refuses to offer any depth before the first few hours. Somehow, though, all of this ceases to matter when your crew breaks into a shanty as you sail off into the sunset. These moments made me forget about the behemoth this series would become and enjoy my time spent as a legendary pirate trying to find his place in a changing world."

• GamesRadar+ (70): "Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced isn't smooth sailing. Strong pirate adventure foundations and roguish charm keep this remake afloat, but it splashes between wanting to be faithful, and wanting to make adjustments, not quite able to find an elegant middleground between the two. Combined with bugs and other annoyances, this isn't the bold, confident swing its predecessor was, but still a fun outing."

• Eurogamer (60): Compared the remake to the Ship of Theseus, questioning how much of the original survives once so many parts get replaced. They praised the reworked combat and the still-enthralling Caribbean setting, but felt the new questlines were inconsistent, some genuinely moving and others falling flat. 

Overall, critics agree the core adventure still holds up. Most of the criticism centers on combat depth, side content, and how closely the remake sticks to its 2013 source material.