Barely out of the gates, the recently launched Assassin's Creed Mirage seems to be running into some turbulence. The complaint on the table is an unexpected one, with players mainly dissatisfied with the game's character models. Despite shifting its focus to traditional stealthy gameplay, reminiscent of the classic AC entries, this return to roots doesn’t appear to please all fans who remember earlier iterations fondly.

Delving deeper into the heart of the matter, AC Mirage's character models take the brunt of the criticism. The complaint resonates across a large section of the fanbase, most vocally aired on platforms like Reddit. Some players argue that the character models bear a stark resemblance to avatars from previous titles, some even dating back over a decade. This discussion soon enflamed into controversy and saw the Reddit thread amass a staggering 22,000 upvotes, undoubtedly elevating the issue's prominence within the gaming community.

Further amplifying the disappointment, the animations in Mirage became another point of contention. Adding to the list of grievances, players reported experiencing jarring interruptions to their immersion within the game's setting — 9th-century Baghdad. These issues, as some theorize, could stem from Ubisoft's pattern of repurposing assets across its diverse array of titles.

However, not all feedback on the platform was critical. Some Redditors approached the contentious subject with pragmatism, justifying these shortcomings considering the game’s smaller development budget and lower launch price. Consolidating this positive perspective were those who met the furor with humor, cheerfully asserting that Mirage delivered exactly what they expected from a return to the classic Assassin's Creed style. 

As the dust settles on this controversy, the reception and success of Mirage will undoubtedly serve as critical indicators for Ubisoft's forward plans. The lessons learned from Mirage might shape how Ubisoft approaches the series' future, especially with its next venture, Assassin's Creed Red. Will they stick to the RPG elements found in Valhalla, Odyssey, and Origins, or will they continue to attempt to recapture the magic of their classic style? Time will tell.