The wait for Edward Kenway's return is almost over. Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced launches on July 9, and the good news is that Ubisoft has confirmed exact release and preload windows for every major platform. The less straightforward news: the times vary quite a bit depending on whether you're on PC or console.
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PC players get a global simultaneous launch
On PC, Ubisoft went with a single worldwide unlock time: 2PM UTC on July 9. No regional staggering, no waiting for your local midnight. Every player on Steam, the Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Connect, GeForce Now, and Blacknut gets access at the exact same moment.
Here's what that looks like broken down by region:
Preloading on PC opens 48 hours early, at 2PM UTC on July 7. You'll want to start that download ahead of time since Steam lists the install size at roughly 65GB. Getting that queued up now means you're not watching a progress bar when the game unlocks.
Console launch runs on local midnight
PS5 and Xbox Series X take a different approach. Both platforms release at midnight local time on July 9 in your region, which is the standard console launch format most players are used to.
Preload availability differs between the two:
- PS5: Preload opens at midnight on July 7 in your local region (48 hours before launch)
- Xbox Series X: Preload is available now
Xbox players already have a head start on getting the game installed, which is worth doing sooner rather than later.
What this means for gamers jumping in at launch
Here's the thing: the regional midnight rollout on consoles means players in New Zealand and Australia are technically first in line globally, with PC's simultaneous release catching everyone else up by mid-morning in the Americas.
Black Flag Resynced is a full remake of the beloved 2013 original, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, rebuilt from the ground up with reworked combat, new quests, and a revamped world. It's one of the most anticipated releases of the summer, and the preload window being open right now on Xbox means there's no reason to delay getting it installed.
If you want to know exactly what's different from the original before you start playing, the full breakdown of every change in Black Flag Resynced covers everything from the combat overhaul to the tailing mission reworks. For a closer look at what's genuinely new, the complete new features guide covers dual-wield combat and the three new officers in detail.
July 9 is close. Get that preload going.
