<Tr> <Th> Mode (s) </Th> <Td> Single - player, multiplayer </Td> </Tr> <P> Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is an action - adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft . It is the sixth major installment in the Assassin's Creed series . Its historical time frame precedes that of Assassin's Creed III (2012), though its modern - day sequences succeed III's own . Black Flag was first released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii U in October 2013 and a month later for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows . </P> <P> The plot is set in a fictional history of real world events and follows the centuries - old struggle between the Assassins, who fight for peace with free will, and the Templars, who desire peace through control . The framing story is set in the 21st century and describes the player as an Abstergo agent . The main story is set in the 18th century Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy, and follows notorious Welsh pirate Edward Kenway, grandfather and father of Assassin's Creed III protagonist and antagonist Ratonhnhaké: ton and Haytham Kenway respectively, who stumbles upon the Assassin / Templar conflict . The attempted establishment of a Republic of Pirates utopia (free from either British or Spanish rule) is a significant plot element . </P> <P> Unlike previous games, gameplay elements focus more on ship - based exploration of the seamless open world map, while also retaining the series' third - person land - based exploration, melee combat, and stealth system . Multiplayer also returns, albeit with only land - based modes and settings . The game spans across the Caribbean with the three main cities of Havana, Nassau and Kingston along with numerous islands, sunken ships, and forts . Players have the option to harpoon large sea animals and hunt land animals . For the first time in the series, naval exploration is a major part of an Assassin's Creed game, where Edward Kenway captains the Jackdaw, a brig he captures from a Spanish fleet . </P>

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