Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced launches July 9 on PS5,Xbox Series X/S,and PC,and after sitting down with Edward Kenway voice actor Matt Ryan at a recent preview event,one thing became painfully clear:this man loves this character more than almost anyone.The original Black Flag audition wasn't even for Assassin's Creed–it was pitched to Ryan as a pirate TV show,top secret and scriptless,and he walked in doing a completely different northern England accent because that's what they asked for.Then he flew to Montreal,opened his mouth,and the team froze."Oh,"they said,"you sound different."
Ryan laughed and told them he was from Swansea,Wales,and when they asked if it was by the sea,everything clicked.They rewrote Edward's origin on the spot,grounding the character in Ryan's own working-class roots–a small-town kid with no money who wanted more.The parallel gets even stranger:Ryan left Swansea at 19 for Bristol to study acting at the Old Vic Theatre School.Edward Kenway left Swansea at 19 for Bristol too.
"It's a really cool parallel,"Ryan told me,and you could hear him smiling through the phone.Coming back to Edward for Resynced wasn't automatic.Ryan admitted his voice has dropped slightly over the years,and there was a moment of panic–"Oh shit,where is he?How do I realign?"–but the moment he started reading new scenes,everything flooded back."He was there,man,"Ryan said."It was kind of easy to slip into."Those new scenes aren't filler either;they add real depth to Edward's already legendary arc–the ruthless pirate chasing fame and riches who slowly realizes he was hunting the wrong treasure all along."I think it's about his journey,"Ryan explained when I asked why Edward remains so beloved.
"He starts off as just a normal guy trying to get a better life for himself and his wife,but he's ruthless and he'll do whatever he can to take it.He thinks it's fame and glory and riches,and it's not."That failure,that painful redirection toward something worthwhile,is what separates Edward from every other charming rogue in gaming.Ryan is most excited for fans both old and new to discover that depth again,amplified by the new physics engine and visuals,but honestly?Watching him talk about Swansea,about leaving home at 19,about sliding back into a character he hasn't played in years like slipping on a worn leather coat–that's the real story.(By the way,I also finally got to tell him his Constantine kicks ass.He appreciated that.)
