Matt Ryan, the actor who portrayed Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag protagonist Edward Kenway, seems to have gotten into legal trouble with Ubisoft. The voice actor has indicated that some past behavior apparently got him in hot water, leading to a threat of a lawsuit from Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag developer Ubisoft.
Video game developers and publishers being litigious is nothing new, but it's fairly rare to hear about lawsuits being aimed at their own performers. However, those involved with a game's development have to take care to not violate any non-disclosure agreements they may have signed.
Assassin’s Creed 4 Black Flag and Red Dead Redemption 2 Are In Opposite Boats
Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag and RDR2 have both ignited rumors recently, but the former seems far more promising than the latter.
From the sound of it, that may be what happened here. In a recent video at an autograph signing, a fan asks Matt Ryan whether an Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag remaster is coming out. Ryan initially simply responded that he didn't know, but the fan continued asking, bringing up a prior video where Ryan had seemingly teased the possibility of a remaster being in the works. Ryan looks notably embarrassed at that point, and explains that he didn't know he was being recorded when that exchange occurred, and was being "free and open" with the fan. Before he goes back to signing autographs, he notes that "the company" threatened to sue him, presumably referring to Ubisoft, and reiterates, "I say nothing."
Edward Kenway Voice Actor's Prior Statement
In the aforementioned video clip, which broke in late June 2025, Ryan was signing an autograph for another fan, and asked them if they had finished playing Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag. The fan said they had, to which Ryan responded that they might need to beat it again, with a sort of coy expression on his face. He went on to add that there was a reason for him saying that, but that he couldn't say anything further on the matter. It seems that the moment was meant as a little teaser exclusively for the fan, who, unfortunately for Ryan, shared the hint that a Black Flag remaster was finally happening with the world.
Though he technically didn't confirm anything one way or another, it seems that Ubisoft may have found the clip to be infringing enough to issue a legal threat to him. Presuming that an Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag remaster is actually in the works, Ryan has likely had to sign an NDA regarding his involvement and the development of it. As a result, hopeful Assassin's Creed fans shouldn't expect to hear anything else from Ryan on the matter until if and when such a time that the remaster is actually announced by official sources.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 85 /100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- October 29, 2013
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Montreal
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
- Engine
- AnvilNext
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Assassin's Creed
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Open-World
