Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed is a video game franchise and media franchise developed primarily by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft, focusing on a millennia-spanning conflict between the Assassin Brotherhood, who fight for peace and free will, and the Templar Order, who seek order through control. Created by game designer Patrice Désilets, the series debuted with the eponymous first game on November 13, 2007, for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, introducing stealth-based action-adventure gameplay set during the Third Crusade in the Holy Land.[1][2][3] The franchise blends historical fiction with science fiction elements, where protagonists use a device called the Animus to relive ancestors' memories, uncovering secrets about ancient artifacts known as Pieces of Eden that influence human history. Core gameplay emphasizes parkour traversal, melee combat, stealth assassinations, and exploration in richly detailed open-world environments inspired by real historical periods, such as the Renaissance Italy, the American Revolution, Ancient Egypt, and feudal Japan.[2][4][5] Since its inception, Assassin's Creed has expanded to over a dozen mainline titles, numerous spin-offs, short films, a live-action motion picture released in 2016, and educational modes like Discovery Tour for historical learning. Notable entries include Assassin's Creed II (2009), which introduced the popular protagonist Ezio Auditore and shifted to Renaissance Italy, and recent releases like Assassin's Creed Valhalla (2020) set in Viking-era England and Assassin's Creed Shadows (2025) in feudal Japan. The series has sold over 230 million units worldwide as of August 2025, making it one of the best-selling video game franchises, with ongoing updates and expansions sustaining its popularity across consoles, PC, and mobile platforms.[2][6][7][8]Franchise Overview
Core Premise
The Assassin's Creed franchise is built around a millennia-spanning ideological war between two secret societies: the Assassin Brotherhood, which champions individual free will and resists oppression, and the Templar Order, which pursues absolute order and control over humanity to prevent chaos. This core conflict drives the narrative, with both factions tracing their origins to ancient times and vying for dominance in the modern world through covert operations and advanced technology. The Templars, often operating under the guise of the multinational corporation Abstergo Industries, aim to harness powerful artifacts to subjugate free thought, while the Assassins counter these efforts to safeguard personal liberty.[2][9] Central to the storytelling is the Animus, a sophisticated device developed by Abstergo that enables users to relive the genetic memories encoded in their DNA, immersing them in the lives of their ancestors who were often Assassins or Templars. Modern-day protagonists, typically recruits into the Assassin cause, use the Animus to navigate historical simulations, piecing together clues from the past to identify and thwart contemporary Templar schemes that could tip the balance toward global control. This framing device blends historical fiction with science fiction, allowing the series to explore diverse eras while tying them to present-day stakes.[2][9] At the heart of the rivalry lies the search for Pieces of Eden, a collection of advanced technological relics created by the Isu, an extinct precursor civilization often mythologized as gods or ancient beings. The Isu, who engineered early humanity as a labor force and wielded godlike powers through these artifacts—capable of mind control, healing, or environmental manipulation—left behind a legacy that profoundly shaped human society and religion. Both Assassins and Templars seek these items, viewing them as keys to ultimate victory: the Assassins to prevent their misuse, and the Templars to enforce their vision of a controlled utopia. This sci-fi foundation elevates the historical adventures, revealing how ancient technologies continue to influence the modern conflict.[9][2]Themes and Lore
The Assassin's Creed series explores the philosophical tension between free will and predestination as its foundational theme, manifesting through the eternal conflict between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order. The Assassins uphold the principle that humanity's potential for peace and progress lies in unrestricted individual choice, encapsulated in their creed: "Nothing is true, everything is permitted," which encourages questioning authority and embracing personal agency to foster true harmony. In opposition, the Templars argue that free will inevitably leads to disorder, violence, and self-destruction, advocating for structured control over society to impose stability and eliminate suffering, often through manipulation of global institutions and advanced technologies. This ideological divide traces back to ancient origins, influencing historical events and modern-day struggles, and underscores the series' narrative that absolute certainty in either philosophy risks tyranny. Central to the lore is the Isu, an advanced humanoid species known as the First Civilization or Those Who Came Before, who dominated Earth during the Isu Era (c. 77,000–75,000 BCE). Emerging as the planet's apex society, the Isu engineered humanity during this era as a subservient workforce, genetically modifying early hominids to include a specific neurotransmitter that rendered them vulnerable to mental domination.[10] Their technology, exemplified by the Pieces of Eden—relics of immense power—shaped human history; the Apples of Eden, golden orbs capable of mass mind control and holographic illusions, were wielded by figures like Alexander the Great and influenced pivotal moments such as the founding of empires and religious schisms.[11] The Isu era ended abruptly around 75,000 BCE with the Great Catastrophe, a colossal solar flare that eradicated nearly all Isu and much of early humanity, leaving behind fragmented artifacts and encoded prophecies that continue to drive the Assassin-Templar war.[12] A pivotal element in this mythology involves human-Isu hybrids, particularly Adam and Eve, who represent the genesis of resistance against predestination. Created by the Isu as an experimental lineage immune to their control mechanisms—due to the absence of the obedience neurotransmitter—Adam and Eve rebelled by stealing an Apple of Eden from the Eden facility around 75,010 BCE, sparking the Human-Isu War and symbolizing the fight for autonomy.[13] Their actions are revered as the founding spark of the Assassin order, with their hybrid bloodline persisting through descendants, endowing select individuals with enhanced abilities like Eagle Vision, a precognitive sense derived from Isu genetics.[14] This lineage ties directly into the series' themes, portraying hybrids as bridges between creator and created, free from the deterministic chains imposed by Isu technology. Apocalyptic prophecies further interconnect the lore, centered on concepts like convergence—the alignment of global ley lines, or geomagnetic energy conduits established by the Isu for technological networks. The Wireless Energy Lattice, the Isu precursor to modern ley line concepts, powered their artifacts but is not linked to causing solar events.[15] Isu leaders, including Juno, Minerva, and Jupiter, foresaw recurring cycles of solar catastrophes similar to the Great Catastrophe and devised contingency plans, including global vaults and hybrid saviors, to avert a Second Disaster in the present day.[14] Recent titles such as Assassin's Creed Valhalla (2020) and Assassin's Creed Mirage (2023) have expanded this mythology, incorporating Norse and other cultural interpretations of Isu technology and prophecies as of 2025. These elements bind ancient mythology to contemporary narratives, positioning the Assassin-Templar conflict as a desperate bid to interpret and neutralize these cosmic threats, ensuring humanity's survival beyond predestined annihilation.[16]Development History
Origins and Early Games (2004-2009)
The development of Assassin's Creed began in January 2004 at Ubisoft Montreal, evolving from the team responsible for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.[5] Patrice Désilets, a key contributor to the rewind mechanic in Sands of Time, took on the role of creative director, envisioning a next-generation action-adventure that would redefine player freedom in open environments.[17] Initially titled Prince of Persia: Assassins, the project drew inspiration from the historical Hashashin order, prompting a pivot away from the prince protagonist to focus on a lone assassin navigating secret societies and moral dilemmas.[5] Désilets introduced the Animus device as a narrative tool to explore genetic memories across eras, laying the groundwork for the series' dual-timeline structure.[5] The game was unveiled at E3 2006, where it was positioned as a groundbreaking social stealth title set amid the Third Crusade in the Holy Land, emphasizing infiltration through crowded urban spaces inspired by real historical secret societies like the Assassins and Templars.[5] The demo showcased protagonist Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad blending seamlessly into teeming markets and rooftops, highlighting novel mechanics for observation, synchronization from high vantage points, and non-lethal crowd manipulation to evade guards.[5] This reveal generated significant buzz, with the live presentation underscoring the game's ambition to simulate lifelike social dynamics in a historical context, though early builds lacked the modern-day framing that would later tie into the Animus concept.[5] Development encountered substantial hurdles, including the need to construct a new proprietary engine from scratch, which stalled progress for nearly two years due to performance issues on early next-gen hardware like PlayStation 3 dev kits that frequently overloaded.[5] Scope creep exacerbated these problems, as the team's vision for expansive, AI-driven cities with thousands of interactive NPCs outpaced available tools, leading to a delay from the planned 2006 launch to November 2007.[17] The studio expanded from around 60 to over 200 members, but faced high turnover, burnout, and content cuts—such as side quests—to streamline the nine core assassination missions amid technical constraints.[5] Assassin's Creed released on November 13, 2007, exclusively for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, marking Ubisoft's entry into the next-gen era with a focus on historical authenticity and emergent gameplay.[18] By the end of 2009, it had sold more than 8 million units worldwide, establishing the franchise as a commercial cornerstone for the publisher.[19] Critics lauded its innovative narrative blending modern sci-fi with 12th-century lore, fluid parkour traversal, and immersive crowd simulations that conveyed the tension of social stealth.[20] However, it drew criticism for repetitive mission templates—primarily investigate, eavesdrop, and assassinate—that diminished engagement over time, alongside occasional AI glitches and a lack of mission variety.[20][21]Expansion and Innovation (2010-2015)
Following the success of the original Assassin's Creed, the franchise entered a phase of rapid expansion with Assassin's Creed II in 2009, which served as the foundation for deeper narrative and mechanical innovations. Set during the Italian Renaissance, the game shifted the historical backdrop to cities like Florence and Venice, capturing the era's architectural grandeur and cultural vibrancy through detailed recreations of landmarks such as Venetian canals and bridges. Developers at Ubisoft Montreal drew from real-world research trips to Italy to enhance authenticity, incorporating elements like the Ponte Vecchio and San Gimignano into the open-world design.[22] The sequel addressed criticisms of the first game by improving AI for more responsive NPC behaviors and crowd dynamics, enabling emergent interactions like eavesdropping on conversations or navigating bustling markets. A new economy system added layers to progression, allowing players to amass wealth through pickpocketing, looting, and strategic investments in Ezio Auditore's family villa in Monteriggioni, which generated passive income and unlocked upgrades. These features, developed by a team of over 200 at Ubisoft Montreal with support from Ubisoft Singapore for mid-production additions like puzzle-based missions, elevated gameplay depth. Assassin's Creed II shipped more than 9 million units, solidifying the series' commercial viability and paving the way for annual releases.[22][23] Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (2010) extended the Ezio trilogy to Renaissance Rome, emphasizing restoration of the city through renovations funded by the player's economy. This entry introduced the franchise's first multiplayer mode, crafted by Ubisoft Annecy, where players assumed roles as Abstergo recruits in competitive assassination sessions across varied maps, blending stealth and pursuit mechanics inspired by earlier titles like Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. On the single-player side, the recruitable assassins system allowed Ezio to liberate citizens from Templar control, train them at hideouts, and deploy them for missions or combat support throughout Europe, fostering a sense of brotherhood and strategic depth. Rome's setting highlighted urban decay turning to renewal, with over 30 kilometers of explorable rooftops and streets. The game reinforced the series' momentum, with strong sales reflecting fan enthusiasm for these interconnected systems.[24][25] Assassin's Creed: Revelations (2011) concluded the Ezio and Altaïr arcs in Constantinople (modern Istanbul), weaving a dual-timeline narrative that tied loose ends from prior games while exploring themes of legacy and mortality. New tools like the Hookblade enhanced traversal and combat, enabling faster climbing, zipline usage, and dual-wield counters against groups. Den defense missions introduced a tower-defense element, where players positioned recruited assassins to repel Templar waves from guild strongholds, adding tactical variety to base management. Developed primarily by Ubisoft Montreal with input from other studios, the title balanced closure with innovation, though its shorter scope reflected the trilogy's narrative culmination. Sales remained robust, underscoring the Ezio era's enduring appeal.[26][27] The franchise shifted to annual releases starting with Assassin's Creed III (2012), set amid the American Revolution, where protagonist Ratonhnhaké:ton (Connor) navigated colonial frontiers and battles like Lexington and Concord. This installment debuted naval combat, allowing players to captain the Aquila brig in open-sea engagements involving broadsides, boarding actions, and weather-affected sailing, developed by Ubisoft Singapore to expand exploration beyond land. The mechanics integrated hunting, frontier traversal, and a family storyline, though the denser historical scope strained development timelines.[28][29] Building on this, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (2013) fully embraced piracy in the Caribbean, with Edward Kenway as a rogue Assassin-turned-pirate. Naval exploration became central, featuring a vast archipelago for free-roaming sailing, treasure hunts, and dynamic weather systems that influenced ship handling and combat. Players could upgrade the Jackdaw jack-of-all-trades vessel for ramming, cannon fire, and underwater diving, making sea adventures a core loop distinct from land-based stealth. Ubisoft Singapore led naval refinements, enhancing immersion with harpooning sea creatures and fort assaults. The game's blend of high-seas freedom and historical figures like Blackbeard drove exceptional sales, exceeding 15 million units.[30][6] Assassin's Creed Rogue (2014) offered a Templar perspective through Shay Patrick Cormac, a former Assassin who defects after events in Assassin's Creed III, set during the Seven Years' War in the North Atlantic. This narrative flip explored moral ambiguity, with Shay hunting Assassins using Templar resources like the Morrigan sloop for naval chases and ice-bound exploration. Mechanics mirrored Black Flag's naval focus but added gangplank counters and submarine dives, providing closure to the Kenway saga. Developed by Ubisoft Singapore as a complementary title, it highlighted the franchise's willingness to subvert protagonist alignments.[31] Ubisoft's studio network grew during this period to support the annual cadence, with Ubisoft Singapore contributing naval expertise since Brotherhood and Ubisoft Quebec joining for core development on later titles like Assassin's Creed III. These expansions enabled global collaboration but also intensified challenges, as the pressure to innovate yearly amid rising fan expectations for larger worlds and refined systems led to extended work hours and reports of crunch, particularly evident in rushed polish for releases like Unity in 2014.[32][33]Reboot and RPG Shift (2016-2020)
Following the troubled launch of Assassin's Creed Unity in 2014, which featured a complete overhaul of the series' parkour system for more fluid navigation through crowds and architecture in revolutionary Paris, alongside the introduction of four-player co-op missions, the game suffered from widespread technical bugs that damaged player trust and contributed to a sales dip for its successor.[34][35][36] Despite initial first-week sales of nearly 2 million units worldwide, Unity recovered over time through patches, eventually surpassing 10 million copies sold across platforms.[37][38] Assassin's Creed Syndicate, released in 2015, attempted to address some criticisms with dual protagonists Jacob and Evie Frye, allowing players to switch between the brawling brother and stealth-focused sister, while introducing carriage-based combat and hijacking in a richly detailed Victorian London setting.[39] The game received strong critical reception for its engaging world and refined mechanics, earning scores of 8.2/10 from IGN and 9/10 from GameSpot, but its launch sales still declined compared to prior entries, partly due to lingering backlash from Unity's issues.[40][41][42] This prompted Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot to announce a strategic pause in annual releases and a full reinvention of the franchise, revealed at E3 2017 with Assassin's Creed Origins as the cornerstone of this shift toward RPG elements.[43] Assassin's Creed Origins, directed by Ashraf Ismail and released in 2017, marked the series' pivot to an open-world RPG format set in Ptolemaic Egypt, chronicling the origins of the Assassin Brotherhood—initially called the Hidden Ones—through the story of Medjay warrior Bayek and his wife Aya as they form the group in response to personal tragedy and systemic corruption. The game introduced choice-driven narrative elements in key quests, allowing limited player agency in outcomes like alliances or confrontations, alongside a revamped combat system emphasizing hitbox-based melee, dodging, and shield-breaking over previous animation-locked fights.[44][45] It garnered widespread critical acclaim for revitalizing the formula and earned over 10 million units sold, doubling the performance of Syndicate.[46][38][47] Building on Origins, Assassin's Creed Odyssey in 2018 expanded the RPG shift with a massive recreation of ancient Greece during the Peloponnesian War, spanning over 130 square kilometers of islands, cities, and seas for naval exploration and land traversal.[48] The title integrated Greek mythology through quests involving gods like Hades and historical-mythical figures, while adding romance options with multiple companions regardless of the player's chosen protagonist (Kassandra or Alexios), enhancing personalization in relationships and dialogue trees.[49][50] Odyssey achieved the highest launch sales in the series for that console generation, outperforming all prior entries in initial week performance across physical, digital, and microtransaction revenue.[51][52]Modern Era and Future Directions (2021-present)
The modern era of the Assassin's Creed franchise, beginning with post-launch support for Assassin's Creed Valhalla in 2021, has emphasized expansive RPG elements alongside a diversification of gameplay styles and platforms. Valhalla, set in 9th-century Norway and England, introduced settlement-building mechanics in the form of Ravensthorpe, allowing players to customize and expand their Viking clan's base, which became a core feature influencing subsequent titles. As the longest entry in the series by playtime, it received multiple expansions through 2022, including Wrath of the Druids and The Siege of Paris, extending its narrative and world-building. By late 2022, Valhalla had surpassed 20 million players, underscoring its commercial success and role in solidifying Ubisoft's RPG pivot.[53] In 2023, Ubisoft returned to the franchise's stealth-oriented origins with Assassin's Creed Mirage, directed by Stéphane Boudon and set in 9th-century Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age. The game focused on social stealth, parkour traversal, and targeted assassinations, stripping back RPG bloat to emphasize a more linear, narrative-driven experience reminiscent of earlier entries like Assassin's Creed II. This shift addressed fan feedback on the series' evolution, prioritizing agility and immersion over open-world scale.[54] Assassin's Creed Shadows, released on March 20, 2025, after delays from its original November 2024 target and a subsequent February 2025 date, marked a return to dual-protagonist storytelling in feudal Japan. Players alternate between Naoe, a shinobi emphasizing stealth and agility, and Yasuke, a historical African samurai focused on direct combat, blending the series' core mechanics in a richly detailed Sengoku period setting. The delays allowed for additional polish on combat fluidity and environmental interactivity, as stated by Ubisoft. Post-launch, it introduced live-service elements like seasonal content updates, including new story arcs and map expansions, aligning with the franchise's growing emphasis on ongoing engagement.[55][56][57] Ubisoft's multi-project strategy, unveiled progressively at events like Ubisoft Forward 2024, aims to expand the franchise across platforms and genres through 2026 and beyond. Assassin's Creed Jade, a mobile title set in ancient China during the Warring States period, entered closed beta in 2024 before a full release in 2025, offering open-world exploration tailored for iOS and Android. Assassin's Creed Hexe, slated for 2026, explores 16th-century witch hunts in a more linear format with supernatural elements and a female protagonist, diverging from pure RPG scale while incorporating open-world zones. Complementing these, Assassin's Creed Invictus is planned as a 2025 arcade multiplayer experience, featuring 18-player PvP parkour battles across historical arenas with legacy characters. This pipeline reflects Ubisoft's focus on live-service models, with ongoing DLC for major titles, and rumors of remakes like Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag potentially launching in late 2025 to revitalize classic entries. Announcements at Ubisoft Forward highlighted this diversification, including integration with the Animus Hub for unified lore access across projects.[58][59][60][61]Gameplay Mechanics
Combat and Stealth Systems
The combat and stealth systems in the Assassin's Creed series form the foundational gameplay loop, emphasizing precise timing for counters and assassinations while rewarding evasion over direct confrontation.[62] In the original Assassin's Creed (2007), combat revolves around a counter-based mechanic where Altaïr locks onto enemies, enters a defensive high-profile stance to block incoming attacks, and executes counters by pressing the attack button during the block animation, often leading to instant kills.[63] This system prioritizes defensive play, with limited offensive options beyond basic strikes, making prolonged fights risky without perfect timing. Stealth integrates seamlessly through social blending, where Altaïr mimics groups of scholars or monks to avoid detection, and Eagle Vision, a perceptual ability that highlights enemies in red and allies in blue for strategic planning.[62] Hidden blade assassinations enable one-hit low-profile kills from behind or above, underscoring the series' ethos of striking unseen.[62] The Ezio trilogy—Assassin's Creed II (2009), Brotherhood (2010), and Revelations (2011)—refines combat into a more fluid parry system, where holding the guard button (RT on consoles) maintains defense while pressing attack just before an enemy's strike connects triggers a cinematic counter-kill, allowing chain executions against groups.[64] This evolution reduces reliance on directional inputs from earlier prototypes, emphasizing rhythm and positioning over rigid blocking angles, and introduces weapon variety like swords and spears for extended combos.[65] Stealth mechanics expand with enhanced social blending, such as hiring courtesans for dynamic cover or pickpocketing in crowds to lower notoriety, while Eagle Vision gains depth for marking targets and spotting climbable ledges, facilitating hidden blade approaches from vantage points.[62] The shift to RPG elements in Origins (2017) and Odyssey (2018) introduces skill trees that allow players to customize combat builds, diverging from linear counters toward versatile loadouts. In Origins, the Warrior tree enhances melee proficiency with abilities like shield bashes and overpower attacks for aggressive play, while the Hunter tree bolsters stealth via arrow varieties (e.g., fire or sleep darts) and predator bows for silent takedowns.[66] Odyssey refines this with three trees—Hunter for ranged precision, Warrior for charged heavies and crowd control, and Assassin for stealth chains and multi-kills—enabling hybrid builds like a warrior-focused protagonist who occasionally dips into stealth for arrow-based distractions.[67] Eagle Vision evolves into a more tactical tool for tagging enemies through walls, supporting varied infiltration tactics. Naval combat emerges prominently in Black Flag (2013) and Rogue (2014), transforming sea battles into strategic encounters with ship broadsides via cannons, mortars, and flaming shots to weaken hulls from afar.[68] Boarding actions allow players to leap onto enemy vessels for close-quarters fights using hidden blades or cutlasses, while weather effects like rogue waves and waterspouts demand evasion maneuvers—steering into waves to brace or avoiding spouts to prevent damage.[68] Rogue builds on this with upgrades to the Morrigan's arsenal, including puckle guns for anti-personnel fire, emphasizing fleet management and environmental hazards in North Atlantic storms.[69] Recent titles reinforce stealth's primacy while innovating combat styles. Mirage (2023) reverts to one-hit assassinations as the default for undetected approaches, using tools like throwing knives for ranged headshots and smoke bombs to isolate foes for hidden blade finishes, making direct combat a last resort due to Basim's vulnerability against groups.[70] In Shadows (2025), dual protagonists enable contrasting styles: Yasuke's samurai approach favors heavy parries, combo-enders with kanabo clubs or naginata poles for guard breaks, and blocking stances for endurance; Naoe's shinobi playstyle prioritizes agile dodges, kusarigama chains for crowd pulls, and rush assassinations as gap-closing strikes, blending stealth with quick strikes.[71]Exploration and Parkour
The parkour system in the Assassin's Creed series originated with the 2007 debut title, featuring a dedicated free-run button that simplifies complex movements like climbing walls, leaping between buildings, and descending via the Leap of Faith, all while emphasizing fluid, context-sensitive animations for urban traversal. Synchronization points, typically elevated structures such as church spires or towers, function as navigational hubs where players perform a synchronization animation to unveil nearby map areas, icons for points of interest, and fast travel capabilities, fostering a rewarding sense of discovery in densely packed historical cities. In the initial games, including Assassin's Creed (2007) and Assassin's Creed II (2009), rooftop navigation dominated, with "sticky" mechanics allowing seamless adherence to ledges and beams, designed to evoke the agility of assassins scaling Renaissance-era architecture without excessive button inputs.[72][73] World design has progressively expanded from these linear, vertically oriented city districts to immersive open-world environments that prioritize environmental interaction and scale. Assassin's Creed Origins (2017) transitioned to seamless landscapes across ancient Egypt, incorporating vast deserts for horseback traversal and hidden tombs filled with puzzles and traps, which players explore to uncover papyrus lore and silica for upgrades, marking a pivotal shift toward RPG-style freedom in discovery. Subsequent titles built on this, with Assassin's Creed Odyssey (2018) introducing sprawling Greek islands and mountains, where climbing mechanics support extended vertical ascents, and Assassin's Creed Valhalla (2020) featuring England's rolling hills and rivers that encourage dynamic pathfinding on foot or by mount.[74][72] Collectibles enhance the exploratory loop by rewarding thorough investigation of the world. Ancient tablets, hidden within tombs and ruins in Assassin's Creed Origins, reveal mythological lore fragments when collected and can be used to upgrade the player's ship in later naval contexts, while similar artifacts in Odyssey contribute to Adrestia enhancements and Isu knowledge. Animus shards, appearing as glowing fragments in various environments across the series—particularly in spin-offs like the Chronicles trilogy—accumulate to unlock modern-day bonuses or cosmetic items upon reaching thresholds. Fast travel via synchronized towers remains a core mechanic, instantly relocating players to unlocked viewpoints and reducing backtracking in expansive maps.[74] Mounts and vehicles diversify traversal beyond pedestrian parkour, adapting to diverse terrains and settings. Horses debuted in Assassin's Creed III (2012), enabling swift ground navigation through colonial frontiers and combat maneuvers, with customizable saddles and breeds available in later entries like Valhalla for varied speeds and stamina. Naval exploration peaked in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (2013), where players captain the Jackdaw—a fully upgradable brig—for sailing open Caribbean seas, discovering elite shipwrecks, and engaging in broadside battles that integrate with island-hopping. In Assassin's Creed Odyssey, the eagle Ikaros serves as a scouting companion, controllable in free-flight mode to tag resources, enemies, and objectives from above, streamlining reconnaissance without direct player movement.[75][76] Recent enhancements refine these systems for modern hardware and player feedback. Assassin's Creed Valhalla introduces river raiding, a mode where players pilot longships along England's waterways to access fortified monasteries and foreign gear sets, expanding coastal exploration with cooperative Jomsviking summons for larger raids. Assassin's Creed Mirage (2023) emphasizes compact urban scaling in 9th-century Baghdad, incorporating pole vaulting and tightrope walking for precise, acrobatic navigation through crowded markets and minarets, with post-launch updates accelerating free-run speeds and adding back-eject mechanics reminiscent of early titles. Parkour traversal occasionally supports stealth by providing elevated perches for observation during missions. In Assassin's Creed Shadows (2025), a post-launch parkour update released on October 28, 2025, introduced an "Advanced Parkour" toggle that removes movement barriers, enables side and back ejects from any height, improves vertical ledge grabs on non-standard objects, and adds manual beam jumps and directional ledge catches for greater traversal freedom.[77][72][78]Progression and Multiplayer Elements
In the early entries of the Assassin's Creed series, character progression centered on skill points earned through mission completion and DNA synchronization, allowing players to unlock abilities in a constellation-based tree that enhanced stealth, combat, and traversal capabilities. For instance, in Assassin's Creed II, these points enabled upgrades like improved eagle vision or double assassinations, tying player growth to reliving ancestral memories via the Animus device. This system evolved in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, where progression extended beyond the protagonist to include DNA-based unlocks that revealed lore while funding personal ability enhancements.[79] The series shifted toward full RPG mechanics starting with Assassin's Creed Origins, introducing dual skill trees for melee and ranged combat, alongside health and stamina upgrades allocated via ability points gained from experience.[74] Players could craft and upgrade gear using resources looted from exploration, creating a loop of progression that scaled difficulty with enemy levels and rarified equipment tiers.[74] Subsequent titles like Assassin's Creed Odyssey built on this by incorporating crew management for naval progression, where recruiting lieutenants from conquered foes provided combat bonuses and ship upgrades, integrating social hierarchy into character advancement.[80] Recruitment systems further diversified progression, notably in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, where Ezio could train civilian allies into a network of assassins, promoting them through missions to unlock advanced support roles like distractions or assassinations during gameplay.[81] This mechanic emphasized leadership and brotherhood themes, allowing recruited assassins to undertake contracts independently, yielding resources for further upgrades.[82] Multiplayer elements introduced competitive progression across several titles, beginning with Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood's online modes featuring deathmatch-style PvP between Assassins and Templars, where players earned experience to unlock customization and abilities in a shared progression tree.[81] Assassin's Creed Unity expanded this to cooperative play, enabling up to four players to tackle heists—narrative missions requiring synchronized stealth and combat—in the open world of Paris, with shared rewards scaling team performance.[83] In Assassin's Creed Rogue, multiplayer incorporated naval PvP, blending ship-to-ship combat with on-foot pursuits in competitive modes that rewarded fleet upgrades and tactical maneuvers.[84] Later games adopted live-service models to sustain progression post-launch, as seen in Assassin's Creed Valhalla's seasonal content updates, which delivered free narrative arcs, gear sets, and events like festivals, alongside premium expansions that extended skill trees and settlement building.[85] These seasons, running over two years, included crossovers and ability unlocks tied to time-limited challenges, fostering ongoing player investment.[86] Complementing this, Discovery Tour modes across Valhalla, Odyssey, and Origins transformed progression into educational exploration, disabling combat for guided historical tours with collectible codex entries that unlocked deeper lore without traditional upgrades.[87] Experimental approaches appeared in spin-offs, such as the 2.5D side-scrolling progression in Assassin's Creed Chronicles, where levels featured upgradeable brushes for ink-based abilities and shadow mechanics that advanced stealth options through collected scrolls.[88] In Assassin's Creed Nexus VR, motion controls integrated with automatic storyline unlocks for upgrades, allowing physical gestures to enhance abilities like hidden blade throws or eagle vision scans, emphasizing immersive growth over menu-based allocation.[89]Narrative Structure
Modern-Day Storyline
The modern-day storyline of the Assassin's Creed series centers on the ongoing conflict between the Assassins, who champion free will, and the Templars, who operate through the corporate facade of Abstergo Industries to impose order via ancient Isu artifacts known as Pieces of Eden.[9] This narrative frame, experienced through the Animus device that allows users to relive ancestral memories, begins in 2012 with Desmond Miles, a former Abstergo test subject and Assassin descendant. Kidnapped by Abstergo, Desmond uses the Animus to explore his ancestors' lives—Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad in the 12th century, Ezio Auditore da Firenze in the Renaissance, and Connor (Ratonhnhaké:ton) during the American Revolution—to locate Pieces of Eden and avert a prophesied solar flare catastrophe on December 21, 2012.[90] In Assassin's Creed III, Desmond activates an Isu shield in a New York vault to prevent the flare, sacrificing his life in the process, but inadvertently releases Juno, a malevolent Isu entity who had been imprisoned by her kind and now seeks to subjugate humanity.[9] Following Desmond's death, the storyline fragments, with Assassins like Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane continuing operations in a decentralized manner, often evading Abstergo's global surveillance network. Abstergo Entertainment, a Templar subsidiary, emerges as a key antagonist, using consumer-grade Animus technology to commodify historical simulations while covertly hunting for artifacts.[90] Juno's influence persists through digital means, manipulating events to manifest physically via the Shroud of Eden, but she is ultimately defeated by Assassin Charlotte de la Cruz in a 2016 comic storyline involving Desmond's son, Elijah, a genetic "Sage" reincarnation of an Isu.[9] This era emphasizes themes of corporate overreach and data privacy, as Abstergo deploys the Helix platform to track users and extract genetic memories en masse.[9] The narrative shifts to Layla Hassan, a disillusioned Abstergo archaeologist who defects to the Assassins after uncovering suppressed findings in Egypt. In Assassin's Creed Origins, Layla constructs a portable Animus to relive the memories of Bayek and Aya, founders of the Hidden Ones (precursors to the Assassins), while evading Abstergo kill squads led by Templar Juhani Otso Berg.[90] Her arc continues in Odyssey and Valhalla, where she acquires the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus from the immortal Misthios Kassandra, warned of the need for balance between Assassins and Templars to avert cosmic threats. Influenced by Isu visions from Aletheia, Layla accidentally kills her colleague Victoria in a fit of aggression, leading her team to abandon her.[9] In Valhalla, Layla enters an Isu simulation via the Basilisk protocol to stabilize Earth's magnetic field, disrupted by Desmond's 2012 intervention; she encounters Basim Ibn Ishaq, who steals the staff and escapes into the present as a Loki reincarnation, trapping Layla in the Yggdrasil simulation with an entity called the Reader to safeguard against future extinctions.[9] Post-Layla developments further decentralize the plot, with Basim emerging as the primary modern-day figure in Mirage, reflecting on his past while pursuing Isu-related goals that blur loyalties. In Assassin's Creed Shadows (released 2025), the modern-day storyline advances to the 2090s following a "Great Shift" in Earth's magnetic field caused by prior Isu interventions. Abstergo introduces the Animus Ego, a simulation exploiting genetic memories to control users through the Bleeding Effect and enforce order via an AI called Ego. Countering this are glitches and hacker messages from The Guide, an AI advocating human autonomy, tying into Basim/Loki's actions from Valhalla. While traditional modern-day segments remain minimal, framed through an Animus Hub, this future narrative expands on themes of AI control and free will. Ongoing mysteries include the fulfillment of solar flare prophecies through Desmond's actions, Juno's lingering digital echoes despite her defeat, and Basim's role in potential Isu resurgences.[9][91][92]Historical Settings and Protagonists
The Assassin's Creed series immerses players in diverse historical eras, where protagonists embodying the Assassin ethos—freedom, justice, and resistance against tyranny—clash with the Templar Order's pursuit of control through ancient Isu artifacts. These settings blend real historical events, figures, and cultures with fictional narratives centered on the millennia-old Assassin-Templar conflict. Protagonists, often drawn from or inspired by historical archetypes, navigate pivotal moments to safeguard Pieces of Eden, precursors to advanced technology, while forging the Brotherhood's legacy.[93] The earliest depicted era unfolds during the Peloponnesian War in ancient Greece (431–422 BCE), where the mercenary Kassandra (or Alexios) wields a powerful Isu staff, the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus, to dismantle the Cult of Kosmos—a proto-Templar group seeking to manipulate the war and harness Isu technology for domination. As a descendant of the Isu king Leonidas I, Kassandra's journey uncovers the mythological roots of the Assassin creed, emphasizing personal vengeance and protection of free will against cultist oppression.[94] Shifting to Ptolemaic Egypt (49–43 BCE), Bayek of Siwa and his wife Aya establish the Hidden Ones, the foundational order that evolves into the Assassin Brotherhood, in response to the murder of their son by the Order of the Ancients, a secretive Templar precursor. Operating amid the power struggles between Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII, they assassinate key Order members to avenge their loss and protect Egypt from authoritarian rule, laying the ideological groundwork for the creed's tenets of staying hidden and striking from the shadows.[93] In 9th-century Abbasid Caliphate Baghdad (861 CE), Basim Ibn Ishaq serves as a master mentor within the Hidden Ones, guiding young Assassins against the Order of the Ancients while grappling with his own reincarnation as the Isu trickster Loki. Amid the city's golden age of scholarship and intrigue under Caliph Al-Mutawakkil, Basim's story explores themes of identity and destiny, as he thwarts Order plots to seize control through ancient artifacts, reinforcing the Brotherhood's role in preserving knowledge and liberty.[94] The Viking Age invasions of England (872–878 CE) feature Eivor Varinsdottir (or son), a Norse raider whose visions reveal ties to the Isu god Odin, allying with Hidden One Hytham to eradicate the Order of the Ancients during the Great Heathen Army's campaigns against King Ælla and Alfred the Great. Settling in England after fleeing Norway, Eivor builds alliances among Anglo-Saxon and Viking clans, using raids to disrupt Templar ambitions for a unified, controlled realm under the guise of Christianity.[95] During the Third Crusade in the Holy Land (1191 CE), Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, a Levantine Assassin, redeems his hubris after a failed mission by authoring the Codex—a seminal text outlining the Brotherhood's philosophies and strategies—while assassinating nine Templar leaders to reclaim the Apple of Eden from Robert de Sablé. Navigating the sieges of Acre and Jerusalem amid conflicts between Richard the Lionheart and Saladin, Altaïr's transformation strengthens the Assassin presence in the region, emphasizing discipline and moral clarity in the fight against Templar conquest.[93] The Italian Renaissance (1476–1512 CE) centers on Ezio Auditore da Firenze, who rebuilds the decimated Italian Brotherhood after his family's execution by Templar Rodrigo Borgia (Pope Alexander VI), allying with historical figures like Leonardo da Vinci to recover the Apple of Eden and access an Isu vault beneath the Vatican. From Florence to Venice and finally Constantinople, Ezio mentors successors like Altaïr's descendants, confronting Ottoman and Byzantine Templar influences while promoting the creed's ideals of liberty during an era of artistic and political upheaval.[94] In feudal Japan during the Sengoku period (1570s CE), the shinobi Naoe and samurai Yasuke form an unlikely duo to establish the Japanese Brotherhood, combating Templar-backed Portuguese Jesuits who exploit the chaos of Oda Nobunaga's unification wars to impose control via Isu artifacts. Naoe, a stealthy kunoichi seeking vengeance for her clan's destruction, complements Yasuke, an African retainer to Nobunaga inspired by the real historical figure, as they navigate Iga Province and beyond to safeguard Japan's sovereignty.[56] The Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean (1715–1722 CE) follows Edward Kenway, a Welsh privateer who transitions into an Assassin after encountering the Observatory—an Isu site revealing global locations—while allying with Blackbeard and other pirates against Templar governor Laureano Torres in the Bahamas and Cuba. Amid the War of the Spanish Succession's aftermath, Edward's exploits originate key Assassin networks in the New World, blending piracy's freedom with the creed's opposition to Templar imperialism.[93] The American Revolution (1754–1783 CE) introduces Ratonhnhaké:ton (Connor), a Mohawk Assassin trained by Achilles Davenport, who forges colonial alliances against British Templar Charles Lee, securing a key to the Grand Temple amid the Boston Tea Party and Yorktown siege. Displaced by the destruction of his Kanien'kehá:ka village, Connor navigates tensions between Patriots, Loyalists, and Native tribes, embodying the Brotherhood's fight for indigenous and revolutionary freedoms against Templar orchestration of the war.[94] Amid the French Revolution's Reign of Terror (1789 CE), Arno Dorian joins the French Brotherhood to expose Templar Grand Master François-Thomas Germain, who manipulates the chaos from Versailles to the Bastille to impose a new authoritarian order using the Shroud of Eden. Orphaned and entangled in elite Parisian society, Arno's pursuit through revolutionary Paris highlights the Assassins' role in restoring balance after the monarchy's fall, confronting post-revolutionary corruption.[93] Victorian London's Industrial Revolution (1868 CE) pits twin Assassins Jacob and Evie Frye against the Templar-led Starrick Industries, which dominates through monopolies on tea, locomotives, and medicine via the Shroud of Eden. Arriving from Crawley to liberate the city's underworld from gangs and corruption under Queen Victoria, the Fryes ally with figures like Charles Darwin and Karl Marx, dismantling industrial Templar control to empower the working class and expand the Brotherhood's influence.[94] These historical threads connect to the modern-day narrative through the Animus, a device reliving genetic memories to uncover Isu secrets.[93]Video Games
Mainline Titles
The mainline titles in the Assassin's Creed series form the backbone of the franchise's canon, focusing on key protagonists and historical periods while advancing the overarching Assassin-Templar conflict. These games, developed primarily by Ubisoft Montreal, emphasize stealth, exploration, and narrative depth, with each entry introducing innovations in gameplay or setting. Below is a catalog of the core releases, including their initial release details, platforms, unique features, and sales performance where reported by official sources.| Title | Release Date | Initial Platforms | Key Features and Setting | Sales Figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assassin's Creed | November 13, 2007 (PS3/Xbox 360); April 8, 2008 (PC) | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows | Follows Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad during the Third Crusade in the Holy Land (1191), introducing social stealth mechanics and memory sequences via the Animus device.[2] | Over 8 million units sold worldwide as of 2009.[96] |
| Assassin's Creed II | November 17, 2009 (PS3/Xbox 360); March 4, 2010 (PC) | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows | Centers on Ezio Auditore da Firenze in Renaissance Italy (1476–1499), expanding open-world exploration with tombs, economic systems, and deeper character backstory. | Over 15 million units sold lifetime, driven by critical acclaim and expanded content.[97] |
| Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood | November 16, 2010 (PS3/Xbox 360); March 18, 2011 (PC) | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows | Continues Ezio's story in Rome (1499–1507), debuting multiplayer modes with Templar vs. Assassin factions and recruitable allies for missions. | Approximately 7.2 million units sold.[98] |
| Assassin's Creed: Revelations | November 15, 2011 (PS3/Xbox 360); December 2, 2011 (PC) | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows | Concludes the Ezio and Altaïr saga in Constantinople (1511–1512), featuring hookblade combat, puzzle-solving with Eagle Vision, and alternating historical timelines. | Nearly 7 million units shipped as of 2012.[99] |
| Assassin's Creed III | October 30, 2012 (multi-platform) | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, Microsoft Windows; later remasters on PS4/Xbox One/Switch | Protagonist Ratonhnhaké:ton (Connor) during the American Revolution (1754–1783), introducing dynamic seasonal weather changes, naval combat basics, and frontier hunting mechanics. | Over 12 million units sold.[97] |
| Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag | October 29, 2013 (multi-platform) | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One | Follows pirate Edward Kenway in the Caribbean (1715–1722), emphasizing full naval exploration, ship customization, and underwater diving for treasures. | Over 15 million units sold as of 2020.[100] |
| Assassin's Creed Rogue | November 11, 2014 (PS3/Xbox 360); December 11, 2014 (PC, remastered 2018) | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows; remaster on PS4, Xbox One, Switch | Explores Shay Patrick Cormac's perspective as a Templar during the Seven Years' War (1752–1776) in North Atlantic waters, offering a narrative counterpoint to Black Flag with advanced ship combat. | Approximately 1.7 million units sold as of 2015.[101] |
| Assassin's Creed Unity | November 11, 2014 (PS4/Xbox One/PC) | PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows | Arno Dorian in Revolutionary Paris (1789–1794), introducing four-player co-op missions, customizable parkour, and crowd-blending stealth amid a recreated Notre-Dame. | Over 5 million units sold, following post-launch patches addressing technical issues.[97] |
| Assassin's Creed Syndicate | October 23, 2015 (PS4/Xbox One/PC) | PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows | Twin protagonists Jacob and Evie Frye in Victorian London (1868), featuring carriage chases, a grappling hook for vertical navigation, and gang warfare mechanics. | Over 5 million units sold. |
| Assassin's Creed Origins | October 27, 2017 (PS4/Xbox One/PC) | PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows | Bayek of Siwa in Ptolemaic Egypt (49–43 BCE), marking the RPG shift with skill trees, quest hubs, and Senu the eagle for scouting. | Over 10 million units sold. |
| Assassin's Creed Odyssey | October 5, 2018 (PS4/Xbox One/PC); cloud version on Nintendo Switch | PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch (cloud) | Playable as Kassandra or Alexios in Ancient Greece (431–422 BCE) during the Peloponnesian War, incorporating choice-driven dialogue, romance options, and massive mythical side quests. | Over 20 million players reached. |
| Assassin's Creed Valhalla | November 10, 2020 (multi-platform) | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Microsoft Windows, Stadia | Eivor Varinsdottir/son leading Viking raids in 9th-century England and beyond, with settlement building, deep RPG progression, and mythological Norse elements. | Over 20 million units sold as of 2022. |
| Assassin's Creed Mirage | October 5, 2023 (multi-platform) | PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Microsoft Windows | Basim Ibn Ishaq in 9th-century Baghdad, returning to stealth-focused gameplay with simplified mechanics, time anomalies, and a focus on social disguise over RPG bloat. | Over 4 million units sold. |
| Assassin's Creed Shadows | March 20, 2025 (PS5/XSX/PC) | PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Microsoft Windows | Dual protagonists Naoe (shinobi Assassin) and Yasuke (samurai) in feudal Japan (1573), blending stealth and direct combat with seasonal environmental changes and co-op elements. | Over 7 million players as of October 2025.[102] |