The Adults Only 18+ rating was a mistake.
Ubisoft has made clear that an Adults Only 18+ rating that was presented ahead of Assassin's Creed Mirage's reveal was a mistake. The game will definitely not feature gambling or lootboxes, which were suggested by the rating.
In a statement made to IGN, an Ubisoft spokesperson said the game hasn't yet been rated and that any reference to an Adults Only 18+ rating - which apparently meant the inclusion of intense violence, blood and gore, sexual themes, partial nudity, and real gambling - was a mistake.
"Following the announcement of Assassin's Creed Mirage during Ubisoft Forward, some store pages mistakenly displayed the game for preorders with an Adults Only ESRB rating," said the Ubisoft spokesperson.
"While Assassin's Creed Mirage is still pending rating, Ubisoft wants to reassure players that no real gambling or lootboxes are present in the game."
This rating appeared ahead of Mirage's reveal at the Ubisoft Forward event last week and on its Xbox Store rating, causing many fans of the series to grow concerned over the "real gambling" element specifically, and how it could signal real money games or the potential inclusion of lootboxes.
This will come as a relief to many, especially considering Ubisoft's other recent announcement that it would be introducing an almost live service-esque hub system for its games in the future called Assassin's Creed Infinity, something that's often associated with lootboxes that offer randomised rewards.
Though exact details are still to come, Ubisoft has told IGN that Infinity is instead designed to be the player's own Animus that leads them into its various titles.