Product Review: MADRINAS x Assassin’s Creed Shadows Boba Teas Review Share 6 Nov 2024 Written By: Edited By: Frame Hold Photography Colum Blackett Back To Database Experience a taste of Assassin's Creed Shadows with two new boba teas from MADRINAS! Thanks to MADRINAS for sending me this item to review! MADRINAS, an online specialty coffee and tea brand, recently released its collaboration with Assassin’s Creed Shadows on October 17th. This drop includes two boba tea flavors–cherry blossom fruit tea and strawberry matcha milk tea, and a limited-edition Collector’s Box. MADRINAS sent me a Collector’s Box to review, so let’s jump into everything that’s included! The Collector’s Box has one tub of cherry blossom and one tub of strawberry matcha tea mix. Each tub can make eight drinks (1 scoop of mix per drink). Each tea comes with its own boba pearls. For the fruit tea, you receive four packets of Honey Popping Boba Pearls, and for the milk tea, you receive four packets of Brown Sugar Tapioca Pearls. The Collector’s Box also includes a super awesome Assassin’s Creed Shadows shaker cup, which is exclusive to this box set. The shaker cup features the MADRINAS logo and the Assassin’s Creed logo alongside silhouettes of Naoe and Yasuke. The Japanese text featured on the cup are Naoe’s and Yasuke’s names. I absolutely love the artwork on this shaker, and I will happily use it as I count down the days to Assassin’s Creed Shadows' release on February 14th, 2025! Lastly, the Collector’s Box includes eight plastic boba straws and easy-to-follow instructions on how to make your teas. Instead of single-use straws, it would have been nice to have a reusable Assassin’s Creed Shadows-themed straw to go along with the shaker cup, but the provided straws work well to suck up the boba pearls. I have had boba tea before but have never tried a product from MADRINAS, so I was very excited to try their boba teas! First, I tried the cherry blossom fruit tea. To make the tea, pour one scoop of mix into 13 oz. of ice-cold water and shake. After about 20 seconds of shaking, the powered mix dissolves quickly into the water. I then added some ice and a whole packet of Honey Popping Boba. I have never had popping boba before, so trying them was a super fun experience! The tea has a pleasantly light cherry flavor, and the popping boba provides small, sweet bursts of honey. Since the drink is quite sugary for my taste, I found making it with half a scoop of mix and 13 oz. of water to be to my liking. I encourage anyone who purchases this set to play around with the ratios of mix to water to find what you enjoy most! Next, I tried the strawberry matcha tea. To make this tea, you follow the same steps as the fruit tea. However, to prepare the Brown Sugar Boba, you must open the packet and cook it in the microwave for 40 seconds. Despite the short time in the microwave, these boba pearls get very hot, so it is best to let them cool down for several minutes before handling them and adding them to your drink. Since this is a milk tea, it gets surprisingly frothy once you shake your drink! This tea has a strong matcha flavor, and the tapioca pearls are sweet and chewy. Like the cherry tea, I found adding half a scoop of mix to 13 oz. of water to be the better ratio for me. When diluted, the green tea notes become much lighter, allowing the strawberry flavor to come through more. If I had to pick a favorite between these two, it would be the cherry blossom fruit tea! I love its light fruity flavor, and the popping boba is so much fun. Overall, this is a lovely, high-quality Collector’s Box of boba teas, and the shaker cup is an awesome Assassin’s Creed collectible! Thanks again to MADRINAS for sending me the Assassin's Creed Shadows Collector's Box to review! To pick up your own limited edition Collector’s Box or one of the two boba tea mixes, visit MADRINAS’ website at: https://madrinas.com/products/assassins-creed-shadows-collectors-box And follow MADRINAS on socials: Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) YouTube TikTok Check out our video review of the MADRINAS x Assassin’s Creed Shadows boba teas here! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Frame Hold Photography is a passionate Virtual Photographer who joined our Video Content Creation Team in Summer 2022, as we began our efforts to break away from solely written content. During a period of uncertainty for TOWCB website, FHP stepped up and took on the role of Site Manager, overseeing our restoration efforts. Our website today now sits at the top of many Google searches📈 Outside of AC, she is also a full time editor and visual effects artist on TV commercials, and has been putting her skills to use in the community by creating epic Assassin's Creed tribute videos, miniature figure painting videos and editing episodes of our Rally the Creed podcast! Frame Hold Photography

5 Reasons to Love Assassin’s Creed Shadows And 5 That Might Let You Down Breakdown Share 21 May 2025 Written By: Edited By: Zephryss Colum Blackett Back To Database After years of anticipation, Assassin’s Creed Shadows finally launched on March 20, delivering a stunning take on feudal Japan. While the game introduced refreshing ideas and rich historical storytelling, it also came with its share of flaws. Here's a look at five things Shadows did right, and five where it missed the mark. Promo image for Assassin's Creed Shadows via Ubisoft What Assassin’s Creed Shadows Did Right 1. Dual Protagonists That Actually Work Unlike Syndicate, where dual protagonists felt uneven, Shadows balances Yasuke and Naoe incredibly well. Their gameplay styles are also very different. Yasuke is all about strength and direct combat, while Naoe focuses on stealth and agility. This contrast keeps the gameplay fresh and interesting. Switching between them feels fun and meaningful, not forced or gimmick like in past games. Promotional image for Assassin's Creed Shadows via Ubisoft 2. The Beautiful Japanese Setting & Stunning Next-Gen Graphics A game set in Japan was one of the most requested settings by Assassin’s Creed fans after Egypt and Greece. From the buildings and castles to the dynamic weather system, Assassin’s Creed Shadows brings feudal Japan to life in amazing detail. With the help of the upgraded Anvil engine, the world feels real and alive, with small touches that show how much effort went into getting things right. Each region has its unique culture and history, and it shows in everything from the clothes to the traditions. Compared to older games that focused mostly on Europe, this is a big and welcome step forward in how the series represents other parts of the world. Image: Feudal Japan in AC Shadows 3. Stealth Is Truly Back Stealth gameplay in Shadows has been improved in a few key areas. Both Naoe and Yasuke have access to the new Observe mechanic, which delivers a fast and easy way to toggle additional information on screen. Observe allows you to identify targets, tag and monitor enemies, and highlight lootable stashes, collectables, and quest objectives. While on a Synchronization Point, it also allows for close examination of nearby locations. Naoe has access to the classic Assassin's Creed Eagle Vision, which allows her to highlight the position of enemies hidden behind walls and other objects. For the first time in the Assassin's Creed series, hiding in the shadows will make you invisible to enemies. During night-time , any pocket of shadows becomes a dynamic hiding spot in which you can progress without being seen. Naoe and Yasuke are the first protagonists able to go prone in the series. Going prone reduces your "visibility" to enemies even further, whether on the ground, on rooftops, or underwater. Not only that, Naoe has four primary tools at her disposal to help ensure a quick kill or getaway: Smoke bomb, Shinobi Bells, Kunai and Shuriken. Image: Naoe attacking enemies with a Kunai 4. A Decent Story The story of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is solid and engaging, set during a rich and dramatic period in feudal Japan. It follows two main characters, Naoe and Yasuke, whose different backgrounds bring interesting perspectives to the conflict. The game mixes personal struggles with bigger political events, staying true to the themes fans expect from the series. While the plot doesn't break new ground, it’s well told and keeps you invested. The setting adds a fresh feel, and the characters help make the story feel more human and grounded throughout the game. Image: Main characters in AC Shadows 5. Beautiful Soundtrack and Voice Acting The soundtrack of Assassin's Creed Shadows mixes traditional Japanese instruments with modern cinematic music, creating a powerful and emotional atmosphere in every scene. It really adds depth to the world and helps bring the story to life. The voice acting stands out, especially when you play in Japanese with subtitles. It feels natural and respectful to the culture, making everything more believable. The combination of music and voice work pulls you into the game like never before. Image: Naoe (@MASUMI_Cherrie) and Yasuke (@_tongayichirisa) from Assassin’s Creed Shadows. What Assassin’s Creed Shadows Did Wrong 1. Yasuke’s Limited Stealth Options Since this is an Assassin’s Creed game, both main characters should have the skills of an Assassin. But Ubisoft made Yasuke very different. He’s a powerhouse in combat, but his stealth abilities feel too limited. Yasuke is a samurai, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be able to sneak and take out enemies quietly. For a game built on the Assassin’s Creed identity, it’s disappointing that half the gameplay focuses more on fighting than on stealth. Image: Yasuke attacking enemies with Kanabo 2. Unpolished AI Behavior The detection system is better than in previous games, but the enemy AI in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is still inconsistent. Sometimes guards see you from far away in unrealistic ways, and other times they walk right past you even when you’re clearly visible. In combat, some enemies just stand to the side and don’t even attack. The difficulty settings also feel unbalanced—“Expert” doesn’t feel much harder than normal. Ubisoft has said a tougher mode is coming in the future, so we’ll have to wait and see how that turns out. Right now, these issues break immersion and reduce the overall tension. Image: Naoe is fighting with one enemy, but the others are just standing there, not attacking 3. Open World Fatigue Returns One of the biggest issues in Ubisoft games is the lack of variety in open-world features, and that problem continues in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The map is smaller than Valhalla’s, but there’s still too much filler content. Many side missions feel repetitive, enemy camps are basic, and fetch quests slow down what could have been a more focused, story-driven game. Open-world activities like finding pages, praying at temples, or archery challenges all feel the same, with no unique twists. Some features like Sumi-E, Hidden Trails, Kata, and Kuji-kiri feel fresh at first, but after a few times, even those start to feel repetitive. Image: Side activities Sumi-E and Horse Archery in Assassin's Creed Shadows 4. Gear and Loot Systems Still Feel Bloated The gear and loot system in Assassin’s Creed Shadows still feels too bloated. There are too many weapons, armor sets, and upgrades that don’t feel very different from one another. This makes managing your inventory feel like a chore instead of something fun. Players often collect gear they never use, and the inventory can be confusing or slow to navigate. While the game tries to offer variety, it ends up feeling more like quantity over quality. A simpler, more meaningful gear system would help players focus more on gameplay and story, instead of sorting through piles of loot that barely change how you play. Image: Inventory menu in Assassin's Creed Shadows 5. Limited Modern-Day Story Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the first RPG-style AC game without a specific modern-day story or main character like in past titles. Instead, it introduces a new feature called the Animus Hub, where you can find data fragments, short stories, and videos, but that’s all. The modern-day storyline used to be a key part of the series, but now it’s almost completely removed. What was once a major part of the franchise now feels like an afterthought. This change may disappoint longtime fans who care about the bigger story and want more connection between the past and present. Image: Modern-Day gameplay in Assassin's Creed Shadows Conclusion Assassin’s Creed Shadows is bold, looks amazing, and brings fresh ideas, especially with how it uses two main characters and brings back stealth. But it’s not perfect. The enemy AI still has problems, the gear system feels too packed, and the modern-day story is weak. These show that Ubisoft hasn’t fully solved the series’ issues yet. Even so, it’s a strong game that shows the franchise is moving in a better direction. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Zephryss is a passionate social media manager based in India who joined TOWCB's Social Media Team in Summer 2024 to help the team prepare for coverage of Assassin's Creed Shadows news and updates. Recently, he completed his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and is now preparing to take on a PhD. He loves video games very much, and since childhood has enjoyed playing various types of games in different genres He also has 3 gaming channels (Zephryss, Assassin Zephryss & Spider Zephryss) where he uploads gameplay videos regularly. Zephryss

This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: 19th -25th March 2022 Community Share 4 Apr 2022 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the new weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week, we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for capture across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. 1) Dawn of Ragnarok Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla This week’s first capture comes from @coalabr14 over on Twitter. Our first Dawn of Ragnarok shot to be featured. I am yet to play the DLC myself, however this picture inspires me to give it a go. I love the statue of what looks like Thor in the centre, with the steaming cauldrons either side. I am definitely getting God of War vibes from this. 2) Havi Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Photo number two comes from @Toringtino over on Twitter. Again I think this capture comes from Ragnarok, especially with how Eivor looks. This is a great portrait of the main man himself. He is fully armoured up and ready for battle, with a stare like that I would not want to get in his way. I really like how this shot showcases that epic beard. 3) The Revolution Game: Assassin’s Creed Unity This week’s third shot comes from @Zorik323 over on Twitter. A stunning black and white portrait of Arno. I particularly like how he is stood in an archway with the blurry background. The detail on the building in front of him is excellent. I am loving the pose more than anything though, classic Assassin. 4) Twilight Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP number four comes from @dpruttz_vp over on Twitter. This shot is too good. I love it when a portrait of the lead character comes off like this. It feels like a painting more than a game capture. The Twilight armour really is on show here, and the sparks behind Eivor just amplify it. Really enjoying the turned head look, showing off the eye patch, nice little touch. 5) Stones Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla The final capture of the week comes from @PodToGo over on Twitter. An amazing bird’s eye view of Aveberie Megaliths Standing Stones. There are so many of these picturesque locations in the game. What I adore about this shot is the camera angle, it really plays tricks on your mind. The white 8 with the stones all around looks very mysterious. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Jesper Kyd Interview Interview Share 31 Oct 2019 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Buckley Back To Database To celebrate the upcoming 10 year anniversary of Assassin's Creed II, we're proud to release a new Q&A with BAFTA award-winning composer and sound designer Jesper Kyd. Col: Hi Jesper, thank you very much for joining us today. It's a huge privilege to be able to conduct this interview. I'm sure most of our fans already know, but please could you tell us a little bit about yourself, and your work on the Assassin's Creed franchise. Jesper: I wrote the scores for the first 4 Assassins Creed games including what has become the theme of the franchise, Ezio’s Family. I have also composed all the Borderlands games, the first 4 Hitman games, Darksiders 2, all the State of Decay games, Freedom Fighters and many more. Outside of games my most recent project is the fantasy horror film Tumbbad (Amazon) . Col: It's been a couple years since you last composed a full soundtrack for the series, but your work has now become a big part of the Assassin's Creed legacy. How does it feel to hear different variations of your music in the recent soundtracks, and to have Ezio's family become the signature theme for the franchise? Jesper: I am a huge fan of the Assassin’s Creed franchise and it’s a thrill to see that Ezio’s Family has become the franchise theme. I originally envisioned the theme to represent Ezio’s loss and struggles and I tried to capture the emotion Ezio felt when thinking about this act of betrayal and tragedy. This moment defines who he is and who he becomes and of course why he joins the brotherhood and becomes an Assassin. There is always a sacrifice and struggle for all the characters in the series when they join this secret brotherhood and to me, that’s what Ezio’s Family has come to represent. It’s absolutely wonderful to hear all the different versions of Ezio’s Family not only in the games but also the many fan versions on YouTube . This theme has evolved so far beyond anything I could have imagined. Col: What are your top 5 Assassin's Creed soundtrack songs? Jesper My top 5 Assassin’s Creed tracks that I have written? That’s a tough one but here goes… Ezio’s Family \ Earth, Venice Rooftops, Sanctuary, Home in Florence, Dreams of Venice but there is also of course, Access the Animus. I am proud of all my Assassin’s Creed music, however the creative freedom and journey creating a new music style for the Italian Renaissance in Assassin’s Creed 2 was one of my favorite experiences of any score I have written. I did not have the benefit of a live orchestra budget for Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood and Assassin’s Creed Revelations so it was a bit limiting in trying to match the vision of a similar setting without the means that contributed to the sound of Assassin’s Creed 2. In many ways the achievements of the original Assassin’s Creed led the way for Assassin’s Creed 2 and enabled me to be set absolutely free creatively for the 2nd game. On the first Assassin’s Creed we spent a lot of time and effort coming up with the central music ideas and creating the blueprint for the ‘Assassin’s Creed sound.’ This includes mixing live performances through electronics to remind the audience that the experience is simulated through the Animus. We also had to invent a lot of new gameplay specific music for game mechanics such as eavesdropping, following targets, chase music, unique music for each of the 3 different cities (which included different music writing styles, different arranging and orchestration techniques as well as different instrument sets). Col:Which song for the series do you think holds the most emotion, and why? Jesper: That would be hard to say. I always try to put a lot of emotion in my Assassin’s Creed music such as “City of Jerusalem” from Assassin’s Creed or “Ruins of Rome” from Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood. I can say this though, I was pleased with the emotion in “Earth” from Assassin’s Creed 2 and when we recorded that theme with live orchestra and choir for “Ezio’s Family” I was very moved by the emotion the orchestra and choir brought to the performance. Similarly, with the choir’s performance on “Sanctuary” from Assassin’s Creed 2. Col: Do composers ever experience the musical equivalent to 'writers block', and did you find it difficult at all creating music for a video game? Jesper: I can’t speak for other composers but I feel music should flow naturally so if it doesn’t I think it’s because there’s something wrong. If I have trouble finding the sound or theme it either means I have not fully stepped into the project yet, meaning it’s the wrong time to write the music or perhaps there’s another idea floating around in my head that I need to express first, even if it doesn’t initially fit the game at all. I have been writing music pretty much every day since I was 13, so I just tend to keep writing until I get there. I don’t call that writers block, it’s more like you have to process ideas in your mind before fully finding the right sound, especially when you are inventing something unique, such as the Renaissance sound of Assassin’s Creed 2. Col: When composing music for AC, what would you say were your biggest inspirations? Jesper: How the game feels to play, the setting, the story, the characters and the atmosphere of the game. These are all very integral to the music creation process. On the first Assassin’s Creed, we focused on 3 main themes, Mysticism, War and Tragedy (of the Third Crusade). Then I worked these ideas into 3 different styles of music for the main areas in the game, Damascus, Acre and Jerusalem. For Assassin’s Creed 2 the music was inspired by Ezio’s story and the Renaissance and with Assassin's Creed Brotherhood we introduced a darker tone to reflect the corrupt and tyrant regime of the Borgia family in Rome. My music for Assassin’s Creed: Revelations was inspired by the city of Constantinople (today’s Istanbul), particularly the exploration and city music which features Greek as well as Renaissance and Middle-Eastern instrumentation. Additionally, all of the scores are filtered through the Animus. Col: Do you ever sit and listen to the AC soundtracks, like many of our fans? Jesper: I do listen to the music since it still retains a lot of deep emotions for me. It’s also important to review what you have written before as a refresher for interviews like this one(!) or when talking with fans at events. That might sound kind of strange but when you are working on the score, you are in the moment and everything is written to enhance the game. Once you take a step back, that’s when it helps you realize what you have created. A lot of people have told me Assassin’s Creed 2 is their favorite score of mine but to me it’s just one of many scores I have written and they all hold a special place in my heart for different reasons. Col: How many of the Assassin's Creed games have you fully completed, and which one is your favourite? Jesper: I have played quite a few but only fully completed Assassin’s Creed, Assassin’s Creed 2 and Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood. I really enjoyed the first Assassin’s Creed; Altair is a great character. But I would say Assassin’s Creed 2 or Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood are my favorites. They really improved the Assassin’s Creed 2 gameplay in Brotherhood and I really like the music implementation in Brotherhood. Assassin’s Creed 2 has the best story though. Col: Do you own Assassin's Creed merchandise? If so, what is your favourite item? Jesper: I quite like the Jack in the Box from Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood. However, I would love to have some more vinyl of my music released from Assassin’s Creed outside of the ‘Best of Assassin’s Creed’ picture disc LP that’s currently available. We are in talks with record labels regarding more vinyl releases and hope to have more news to announce soon. I would love to see something similar to the ‘Hitman: The Critical Collection’ box set release from iambit. Col: How did you first hear about the Assassin's Creed Symphony? Jesper: I first heard about the concert tour when the producers of the show, MGP Live, reached out and started collecting material for their suites of my Assassin’s Creed music. Col: How involved were you in the song selection process for the Symphony? Jesper: I was quite involved with the music selection for the ‘ Symphony of the Shadows ’ concert celebrating the 10th anniversary of Assassin’s Creed 2. For the Assassin’s Creed Symphony world tour, I was not involved in the track selection. Col: I understand that you were recently part of a community meet and greet. How did it feel to speak with fans of the franchise after the AC Symphony event? Jesper: Yes, I was at the world premiere of the Assassin’s Creed Symphony in Paris, where they held a meet and greet with fans after the concert. I love speaking to the fans of all the various franchises I am involved with. Often people share their stories about why the music is so important to them and I feel blessed and honored when fans share such personal stories. It’s almost like sharing a part of you with people when writing emotional music. I really try to pick projects where I can maximize the truth behind the music, writing music that has a deep meaning to me too, and I think that translates to people that hear the music in the games. Col: Do you have any plans to attend more AC Symphony events? Jesper: Yes, I will be attending their next show at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on November 10 and we have a special surprise in store for the fans in celebration of the 10th anniversary of Assassin’s Creed 2. Also, as I am writing, I’m actually flying back from an amazing performance of Assassin’s Creed 2 at the 10-year anniversary concert ‘ Symphony of the Shadows’ which was performed at the National Forum of Music in Poland together with Hitman…one of the best concert halls in Europe and an absolutely amazing performance by the Wrocław Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir. We would like to say a huge thank you to Jesper Kyd for joining us for this interview, and to Top Dollar PR for making it possible. BAFTA award-winning and MTV nominated composer Jesper Kyd has created the iconic music scores for the ASSASSIN’S CREED series, BORDERLANDS series and HITMAN series. Renowned for his non-traditional methodology of blending live instrumentation and manipulated sounds, Kyd’s dark electronic, choral and symphonic scores for the HITMAN series received Best Original Music from the British Academy as well as an MTV VMA nomination. As pioneer of Assassin’s Creed’s musical universe, Kyd’s cinematic and uniquely atmospheric music helped define the series for fans around the world, including his ‘Ezio’s Family’ theme which has become the signature musical theme of the franchise. Most recently Kyd’s evocative original music can also be experienced in the visionary, multi award-winning Indian horror-fantasy Tumbbad. Bestowed with the 2018 Global Creators Award by Rock & Roll Hall of famer Nile Rodgers (David Bowie, Daft Punk), Jesper Kyd’s journey as an artist is ever-evolving and latest opus Borderlands 3 continues his penchant for experimentation with new sounds. Links: Jesper Kyd Website Assassin’s Creed Symphony World Tour Trailer Assassin’s Creed Symphony Tour Launch Trailer Jesper Kyd - Ezio’s Family Concert Suite (Assassin’s Creed II) | WDR FMF 2018 | Video Games Music Gala | Ezio's Family Suite from Assassin's Creed 2 FMF 2018 | Video Games Music Gala | Assassin's Creed Suite from Assassin's Creed 2 comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

New Assassin's Creed Mirage Promo Images: Game Informer September 2023 News Share 31 Aug 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Here is a collection of new promotional images for Assassin's Creed Mirage featured in the latest issue of Game Informer magazine! Alongside the new issue, writers from the company joined Ubisoft at the Bordeaux studio for a sneak peak at the upcoming title! Check out the behind the scenes video showing the creation process of Assassin's Creed Mirage below, also featuring new gameplay clips! We take a leap of faith into Assassin's Creed Mirage for the latest issue, giving you new details on the back-to-the-roots game before it launches in October. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/06e6c8_32d8740e23114d0687d230aa844cf8f4/480p/mp4/file.mp4 Game Informer: Issue 359 available now! Digital Edition IOS Android comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

How the Community Celebrated AC Day 2019 Events Share 23 Dec 2019 Written By: Edited By: Lauren Harris Ashlea Blackett Back To Database December 21st is an important day in the Assassin’s Creed community. It was the day a solar flare was due to engulf the planet. It was the day Desmond Miles sacrificed himself to save the world. It was the day Juno was released into The Grey. And, of course, outside the AC universe, it was the day the Assassin’s Creed movie was released in the United States. It is a big day for fans of the franchise – affectionally dubbed ‘AC Day’ – and fans all over the world have been celebrating in their own ways. In this article, we will take a look at how the community embraced #ACDay 2019. Image by The Mentor's Guild The official Assassin’s Creed Twitter account kicked off the celebrations with a tweet asking the fandom for their favourite in-game moment of all time. The responses were varied. Twitter user @DCourteneySmith said his favourite moment was “Spartan kicking anything in Odyssey” whilst @LRidgeway14 said his was “everything Ezio has ever done”. Anouk Bachman , a member of the Assassin’s Creed marketing team, said her favourite was the ending of Black Flag, where Anne Bonny sings The Parting Glass. Other popular choices were Ezio and Federico’s scene on the roof just before the titles of ACII, Connor sharing a drink with Charles Lee before stabbing him in ACIII, and Bayek and Aya’s final scene on the beach at the end of Origins. However, the scene that appeared most in the replies was the scene where Ezio found Altair’s body in the library at the end of Revelations. With so many fantastic moments to choose from, it’s not surprising that the fans all have different opinions on which is the best. Other fans took the opportunity to use AC Day to raise money for charity. Twitter user @Blutkatze raised $720 for Child’s Play, a charity which seeks to improve the lives of children in pediatric hospitals through the power of play, through her #ACRaceforCharity which saw her play AC Origins on Twitch and give prizes to fans. Loomer, host of the Assassin’s Den Podcast, admitted that he did not make anything in honour of AC Day – but he did share a very cute photo of his cat, Aya – the Kitten One. Many of the AC fan pages celebrated with competitions and giveaways. Here at The Ones Who Came Before, fans had the chance to win one of five Assassin’s Creed prints courtesy of @katx_404 on Twitter. Access the Animus hosted a giveaway with prizes including 3 copies of The Rebel Collection for the Nintendo Switch, 2 copies of AC Odyssey, 5 Odyssey Season Passes, and 7 copies of the Odyssey novelisation. ATA also shared a review and analysis of chapter 2 of the AC China Manga. Image by Access the Animus The Mentor’s Guild declared a MEGA giveaway, including 5 copies of Odyssey, 5 Odyssey Season Passes, an Alexios statue, and 5 copies of The Rebel Collection. To win in this competition, the Mentor’s Guild asked what setting fans wanted to see in the next game. Responses varied from Central America during the Mayan era, Japanese Samurai era, Germany, Russia during the time of Rasputin, China, Ireland, Ancient Rome, and Medieval England. The cosplay community were embracing AC Day too. @bluemarinvo on Twitter shared her impressive Persephone cosplay, @KeiraSera520, @EvilCleverDog and @jesskerrcosplay posted photos of their respective Kassandra cosplays, and @Shiva_Abarai shared a collage of all her AC cosplays to date – which are really mounting up! Others were sharing their own AC Day inspired art, like @adriennczene who shared her painting of Desmond Miles, @kotorimitz who posted his festive Ezio and Leonardo comic strip, @riicemochii who gave us a picture of Ezio perched on a building, and @bbsketches who shared a collection of AC artwork from several different AC titles. @MlleBellec also created a new tribute video titled ‘Bloodlines’ to honour the occasion. All in all, it has been another incredible AC Day, bringing the fandom together and allowing them to share their creations, their passion, and their memories from twelve years of Assassin’s Creed. With so much to look forward to in 2020 in the world of Assassin’s Creed, who knows where the franchise will take us next. One thing is for sure, though. Wherever the Brotherhood goes, the fans will always follow with love in their hearts and a blade on their wrists. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Lauren is a online article writer who joined the program in 2019, which allowed for her work to be viewed by a larger audience. She is especially interested in Assassin's Creed lore, and wrote a number of thought provoking articles which you can find here in the Community HUB. Lauren left the program in 2021 shortly after the 'Assassin's Creed Infinity' announcement, which understandably left many fans feeling uneasy. We wish her the best of luck with her future projects. Lauren Harris

Q&A with Eric Baptizat: Assassin's Creed Valhalla Game Director Interview Share 6 Sept 2020 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Buckley Back To Database We're proud to release the first interview in a new series dedicated to the development of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, featuring Game Director Eric Baptizat from Ubisoft Montreal! Col: First of all, congratulations on the reveal of AC Valhalla, it looks absolutely phenomenal and we can't wait to learn more. Are you pleased with the response to the game so far? Eric: We are very happy about the first public reactions. It is very encouraging for our team to see how much the community is already commenting and creating content around the game. It is a morale boost on our side and we are eager to let everyone play the game in a few months and discover all the surprises we have for them. Col: Have you seen any of the Valhalla fan content created so far, and if so, does anything special come to mind? Eric: We have been very surprised by the way fans have created their own versions of Eivor. There are already a lot of cosplayers, weapons replicas and a large variety of beautiful artworks, the quality of those creations are also quite high and very impressive. We have also been pleased to see that the logo was appreciated, our Art Director Visual Design, Nicolas Rivard , was very adamant from day one to deliver a high quality logo that people would appreciate. Seeing fans already using it everywhere is really pleasing for us. Col: How excited are the team to be working on such a unique project? Eric: The team is energised to deliver a high quality game. People have spent several years on this project and are proud to be able to soon to let everyone play what they have been working on. There are many elements we want players to discover and talk about, many wonderful locations to visit, tons of secrets and gameplays to discover. Assassin's Creed Valhalla releases November 17th 2020 Col: Have the team taken inspiration from TV shows such as Vikings or The Last Kingdom, and how is Valhalla different to traditional Viking media depictions? Eric: The team has analyzed all references related to the time period from books, movies, tv-shows, video games, but it is really the real history that comes as a first source of inspiration. Our goal is to deliver a true Viking experience. When we create a game, we define first an objective we want to reach, a simple sentence that describes the type of game we want to make. Then, we study everything we can related to this time period and we select the relevant elements that will help us to concretise our objective. Col: How does Norse mythology tie into established Assassin's Creed lore, and will it make sense to longtime fans of the series? Eric: The pantheon of Nordic gods and Norse mythology played an important role in the daily life of the Norse. Norse customs and practices are integral to the world of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and the characters inhabiting this world, but otherwise we want to let fans discover it when they play the game! Col: Assassin's Creed Valhalla brings back Social Stealth, and adapts it in a new way. What tools are available to players who wish to approach the game from a stealth perspective? Eric: As a Viking during this time period, Eivor is not welcome into the different towns and villages of England. The cloak you can wear allows you to pass undetected within the crowd and avoid guards’ attention. When using your cloak, you have as well a variety of tools at your disposal: Eivor can use civilian workstations to stay undetected when a guard patrol comes nearby, you can trick drunkards to create chaos and lure guards away from their position, and the last tool is a reference to the first Assassin’s Creed; blending into crowds in order to pass gatekeepers unnoticed. Col: How does 'Odin's Sight' differ to traditional eagle vision? Eric: Odin’s Sight represents Eivor’s perception of your surroundings. It is a mix between your intuition and your perception of what is around you. It is like a sixth sense you can trigger at anytime to highlight momentarily the nearby opportunities and dangers. "Going incognito is an efficient way to sneak through an area and not create unwanted noise." (Ubisoft) Col: What abilities / skills are available for Synin (raven companion), and how does the mechanic differ to what we saw in Origins and Odyssey? Eric: Synin is Eivor’s everyday companion. You can teach Synin new tricks through the ability system so that she can help you in fights, distract or lure enemies and even attack them. The player can at any time look at the game from the raven’s perspective: this will highlight the most important activities and rewards in the raven’s vision. The player can also trigger the raven’s stationary flight to use the bird’s eye view and spot even more elements to collect like chests, crafting minerals or animal presence. Col: Can Eivor eat, drink, sleep and bathe? Eric: In fact, Eivor can nearly do all of that. Eating is becoming a very important element, as you’ll need to eat food to regain some health. Collecting berries or hunting animals for food is essential for your survival. You can also eat mushrooms in the wilderness but there could be some risks there… Eivor can also sleep in the settlement to regenerate some health and wake up later in the day. In the settlement and in cities and villages you’ll be able to drink and even participate in some drinking challenges. The only element you cannot do is bathe, but if you feel the need to refresh yourself after a fight you can jump at anytime in water and it will do the job of removing all blood splatters on you. Col: Can the hidden blade be used in combat, as we saw in earlier games like AC3 & AC4? Eric: The hidden blade cannot be used as a single weapon in combat. Our combat system puts the focus on the dual wielding possibilities and allows the player to experiment with a large variety of weapon combinations by deciding which weapon you put on your right or left hand. You can even create some unique fight strategies by playing, for example, with one shield in each hand. Col: When can the feign death ability be used, and how does it work? Eric: The Feign Death ability can be used anytime once you have acquired it. It will make Eivor fall to the ground and fake death. You can use it anywhere: in the middle of the fight, in the street, even alone in the wilderness if you want. Outside of the strategic advantage to escape a fight or to lure an enemy toward you to assassinate them, the fun part of this ability is to play with enemies’ and civilians’ reactions. Be careful though, as you might not be able to fool someone twice. We would like to thank Eric for joining us for this interview, and to Gabe Graziani and the Ubisoft PR department for making it possible. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Searching for the Creed: Assassin's Creed London Landmarks Other Share 29 Dec 2023 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Colum Blackett Back To Database London - 1868 vs. 2023 Gustav also known as Gargudon from the TOWCB team, has found a second home in London over the few years, having done some back and forth travelling between there and Denmark, settling in London for a period of time every now and then. Seeing the city in real life provided the inspiration for this article, giving us the opportunity to showcase and compare various iconic landmarks of the great city, portrayed in-game in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate during the Victorian era, versus their real life counterparts today. St . Paul’s Cathedral St. Paul’s Cathedral, located right in the heart of the City Of London, is one of various landmarks there isn’t much about to say about, other than it has stood the test of time, and Marc Alexis-Coté and his team did a stellar job at recreating it in-game. It’s very likely some slight downscaling of the cathedral itself has taken place, but other than that it and the surrounding garden more or less looks the exact same. An iconic example of English Baroque architecture, St. Paul’s Cathedral boasts one of the largest domes in the world, inspired in the likes of the Roman grandeur. £23.61 to visit. Tate Modern Next is the massive factory and turbine hall in Southwark, right on the other side of the water from St. Paul’s, that has most likely turned into the museum known as Tate Modern. No name to this location is given in-game so we can’t be fully sure, but the size and location of it certainly suggests it. The factory has no matter what undergone a few changes on the outside, having an overall flatter exterior, no massive chimney on the left but in the centre instead… And most certainly on the inside too, trading in piping hot metal, dangerous machinery and fight rings for fancy exhibits, souvenir stores, cafés and such. The former Bankside Power Station that has now been repurposed into the Tate Modern as we know it was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the same architect who designed the iconic red telephone boxes in London. No tickets needed / free access to the public. Tickets only needed for temporary events. Cost may vary and unclear. Waterloo Station The famous Waterloo Station right in the heart of Central London, has certainly seen its share of changes and expansions, since first opening in 1848. Back then it only had 6 operating platforms, while today it is the biggest train station in London and the UK overall with 24 platforms. The interior itself has certainly also changed its looks, going from a very classic industrial and Victorian look, to a much more modern and brightly looking design. Trafalgar Square This famous square, named after the iconic naval battle in 1805 on the Spanish coast, led by Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, whose monument is also raised at this location, also housing The National Gallery, more or less looks the exact same then as it does now, and Ubisoft did a great job at replicating it. The surrounding area has certainly seen changes though, with among other things the gate to the main road towards Buckingham Palace yet to be constructed. Leicester Square The iconic Leicester Square located right besides Piccadilly Circus, is one area that has certainly undergone various changes over the last century and a half. Then, really just a park. Today, that park but surrounded by restaurants, a massive LEGO and M&M’s store, cinemas, and home to world premieres of some of the biggest movies in the world, attended by some of the biggest names in film. Covent Garden Not much has changed about the famous Covent Garden market and halls, located not far from Leicester Square. While the selection of shops and places for refreshments has certainly expanded, the halls themselves and the square outside, also housing St. Paul’s Church remains intact. Piccadilly Circus Another area that has certainly changed over the last 155 years is Piccadilly Circus, located but a little north of St. James’ Park in the heart of Westminster. Famous for its massive billboard and the lights from it, it’s safe to say this crossroad wasn’t as bright nor necessarily crowded then as it is today. A massive double floor Boots store under the billboard, as well as restaurants and other shops in the surrounding area have also found their way into this iconic circus, but one part that stood strong then, and most certainly still does today, is the also famous fountain, right in the centre of it. Big Ben & Houses Of Parliament Not much to say about what is undoubtedly London’s and one of the world’s most iconic landmarks, other than with restorations and repairs made to the tower every now and then, Big Ben and the Houses Of Parliament, also known as the Palace Of Westminster, has stood the test of time, more or less looking the exact same today as it did during the Victorian era, where the tower itself was still a relatively new landmark, only having been completed 9 years prior in 1859. The Clock Tower’s nickname comes from Sir Benjamin Hall’s name , who was the first commissioner of Public Works in London and also in charge of the construction of the Houses of Parliament, the building to which the tower is attached to. You can find his name inscribed on the bell within the tower cast in 1852. Tickets range from £25 for adults, and £10 for children 11-17. Westminster Abbey Once again, not much to say about this one, other than it has stood the test of time and Ubisoft did a spectacular job at recreating the iconic abbey located right besides Houses Of Parliament. Only real noticeable changes on the exterior would be the fencing around the abbey, further construction and the addition of a souvenir shop in the bottom right corner, as well as a clock on just one tower instead of both. Originally a Benedictine Monastery, The Abbey has become one of the most popular London attractions. Serving as the resting place for several notorious people such as Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin (among others). Interestingly, the Abbey proudly holds the oldest door in the whole country. A wooden door leading to the Chapter House that was crafted around the 1050’s. Tickets cost £31.10 for entry. Buckingham Palace Except for restorations now and then, the iconic royal palace itself hasn’t undergone many changes, and Ubisoft once again did a great job replicating it. It’s mostly the area out front that has changed over time, being more round, and overall much larger and more spacious today. The Victoria Memorial is also something that has only found its way onto the outside palace grounds in the last century or so, being unveiled in 1911, with construction fully finished in 1924. Although the actual core of the palace was designed by John Nash in the early 19th century, the construction and planning of the Palace itself dates way back, most precisely, in the 1700’s commissioned by King George III. To this day, the Palace is not only the home of the Royal Family, but also 800+ people, all staff members. There's a cinema, pool, post office, police station, clinic and even a cash machine. Buckingham Palace is basically its own opulent little village. Tickets cost £38.39. (Now imagine all of this being read out loud by Danny Wallace) Merry Creedmas! -UbiCypher Credits Factual contributions by UbiCypher (Joe) Additional photos by Colum Blackett ( Col_96 ) Banner design by Thea Marie Rivedal ( Moonchildgecko ) Other articles in the series Searching for the Creed: Assassin's Creed Florence Landmarks comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Gustav / Gargudon is an active and versatile content creator, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016 - hosting the discussion based show “The Memory Corridor” - but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews, writing and composing. He joined The Ones Who Came Before in 2019 for a merger, publishing new episodes - and reviving the show following nearly a year of inactivity - on our platforms, until phased out in 2023. Today, his landmark projects include the Sounds Of History project - an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental music project, featuring five tracks inspired by as many different games - other original fan themes plus covers of iconic AC tracks, as well as video interviews with a number of high profile names in the world of AC, from Roger Craig Smith, Jesper Kyd and more. Fun fact, among his growing colourful tattoo collection, Gustav is the only member of our team to have the TOWCB logo inked. Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon)

Female Vikings: The Real History Breakdown Share 27 Oct 2020 Written By: Edited By: Lauren Harris Ashlea Buckley Back To Database When the first trailer for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla released and fans were introduced to the protagonist, Eivor, who can be played as either male or female, it was the subject of much discussion. Fans debated over how realistic the concept of a female Viking warrior was. Could a female Eivor be historically accurate? Or was it simply a gameplay decision made for the benefit of representation and player choice? In this article, we look at the true history of women during the Viking era and the role they played in their society. According to Judith Jesch, Professor of Viking Studies at the University of Nottingham and the author of Women in the Viking Age (1991), women could not be Vikings as the Old Norse word “vikingar” only applied to men. The idea of female Viking warriors being a historical fact seems to have originated with a DNA study into the remains found in a grave in Birka, Sweden, in 1889. For over one hundred years, the remains were assumed to be of a male warrior. However, in 2017, DNA proved that the bones belonged to a woman. The researchers then published their assessment that the deceased must have been a warrior woman. The reasoning for this was due to the possessions found in the grave, such as pieces of a chess-like board game. Items like this were often found in the graves of warriors, and so the assumption was made that this must have been a warrior. Vikings historians were quick to dispute this conclusion, however. For one, there was no concrete evidence that board games had any connection to warriors. Also, it was very possible that bones had been mixed together during burials, and that this was not specifically a warrior’s grave. Sadly, most scholars believe that female Viking warriors simply did not exist. However, that does not mean that women had no role in Viking society. Actually, research shows that Viking era women had a level of equality with men that most societies would not achieve for many, many years. In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, players can let the Animus choose which perspective to view the memory stream from depending on its strength. This is to encourage fans to play as both characters, rather than as just one. Women had a number of important roles in Viking society. Many of these involved work around the house and farm – but women were not simple housewives. In fact, they were responsible for all the wealth in their household. The women controlled the money and the keys to the property. If the men wanted to use either of these things, they would have to go to their wives first. Additionally, since the men were often away exploring, raiding, or voyaging, the women were in charge of making the decisions. They were the ones left behind to keep the economy flourishing and prevent the village from falling apart. In what was an incredibly progressive move for the time, women were allowed to have occupations outside of the home. They were traders, priestesses, and even rune masters. Often, women would produce textiles and sell them in the village. Sometimes, the power of a woman could overshadow her husband. Some men would admire their wives for this fiery personality, but others would feel emasculated. Regardless, society always respected a powerful woman. Evidence of a powerful Viking era woman was found in a burial in Oseberg. Remains of a woman, assumed to be of nobility or even royalty, were found buried in a large ship. She was interred with carved wooden furniture, a tapestry, fine bedding, and household utensils. This suggested that she had power within the society and was respected by her peers. Law was also much fairer to women in the Viking Age than in other periods of history. Women were able to inherit land from their parents, though less than their brothers would receive. A woman would also receive money from her groom upon marriage, of a similar value to the dowry she would present to him. Married couples in the Viking Age were able to divorce, a progressive concept in itself, and if they did, the woman would get to keep her own dowry and that of her groom. They were also free to remarry without judgement. Abuse of women was not tolerated in Viking society. Rape of a woman was a crime punishable by exile, and a woman could demand a divorce if her husband hit her three times. That said, female infidelity was not acceptable and was punished, though men were allowed to have mistresses. Another way that Vikings showed their appreciation for the women in their lives was through rune stones. Whilst most rune stones were erected for men, many were also erected in memory of women. This shows that Vikings wanted people to remember their women and felt that they deserved the same memorial as the men. Eivor is a fierce Viking warrior, and the leader of the Raven Clan. Despite the historians suggesting that female Viking warriors did not exist, there are many stories in Norse literature of women riding into battle alongside the men. Where did these myths come from? The Icelandic sagas with tales of Viking shield-maidens and Valkyries were written centuries after the Viking Age, which makes it difficult to believe the stories they tell. However, what these sagas do show is the way the Norse respected and admired strong women in their society. The women in these stories were depicted in various ways. Some were Valkyries sent by the god Odin to retrieve fallen warriors from the battlefield and bring them to Valhalla. Some were mortal but with supernatural powers, like fortune tellers and prophets. Others were regular humans who picked up a sword and shield and went into battle with their male counterparts. Famous female warriors in Norse literature include Sigrdrifa the Valkyrie, who appears in the poem Sigrdrífumál also featuring Sigurd the Dragonslayer. While little historical evidence has been found to support the idea of Viking warrior women existing, there have been some accounts which could lend support to the theory. One is from an Irish history book written in the 12th century which speaks of a warrior named “The Red Maiden” who attacked Munster with a Viking fleet in the 10th century. Another is from 11th century Greek historian Johannes Skylitze who recorded that there were armed female Vikings among the warriors who attacked the Byzantines in Bulgaria in 971. As with the Icelandic sagas, though, the fact these sources were written hundreds of years after the Viking age makes the stories less credible. Other evidence which could suggest female Viking warriors existed comes from two sets of remains found in Norway. One set was the skeleton of a woman around 20 years old who was buried with a complete set Viking weaponry. The other was a skeleton of a woman around 18 years old who had a full set of weaponry along with equipment for a horse. There is little reason for the women to be buried with these possessions unless they were important to them, suggesting that they could have been warriors themselves. However, under Viking law, a woman would gain all her husband’s belongings upon his death. It could be that these weapons belonged to their warrior husbands and were buried with the wives for sentimental reasons. To conclude, historians believe that the existence of Viking warrior women is unlikely – and so too would be a character like female Eivor. However, it is clear that women held more power in Viking society than any other culture for years to come. Women were not subservient and they were free to make their own decisions in life. It is said that no one could tell a Viking era woman what to do. We have to wonder then if a woman wanted to be a Viking warrior, who was going to stop her? In that case, maybe there were female warriors lost to the annals of history – and maybe Eivor was one of them. Available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation®4, Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Store on Windows PC, as well as on UPLAY+, and Stadia. Also coming to PlayStation®5. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Lauren is a online article writer who joined the program in 2019, which allowed for her work to be viewed by a larger audience. She is especially interested in Assassin's Creed lore, and wrote a number of thought provoking articles which you can find here in the Community HUB. Lauren left the program in 2021 shortly after the 'Assassin's Creed Infinity' announcement, which understandably left many fans feeling uneasy. We wish her the best of luck with her future projects. Lauren Harris

My name is Yazen, and I'm from Oman. I am very passionate about gaming. To me, interacting with other gamers with the same interests can be just as fun as playing the games; sharing theories and art can be so fulfilling. I am fluent in Arabic and English but can speak Japanese at intermediate level. I worked as a marketing intern for the leading telecommunication company in my country, where I learned to collaborate with colleagues from other departments. My Experience as a marketer allowed me to cultivate my skills in thinking creatively and picking things up quickly. In 2024, I joined The Ones Who Came Before as a Social Media Manager. Previous Next Social Media Team Yazen // MidnightMarauder Previous Partner My name is Yazen, and I'm from Oman. I am very passionate about gaming. To me, interacting with other gamers with the same interests can be just as fun as playing the games; sharing theories and art can be so fulfilling. I am fluent in Arabic and English but can speak Japanese at intermediate level. I worked as a marketing intern for the leading telecommunication company in my country, where I learned to collaborate with colleagues from other departments. My Experience as a marketer allowed me to cultivate my skills in thinking creatively and picking things up quickly. In 2024, I joined The Ones Who Came Before as a Social Media Manager. Twitter Work

Ubisoft UK Community Celebration Awards 2022 Photo Log (Jan 2023) Events Share 3 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Back in January, I had the pleasure of joining fellow UK community members at an awards ceremony in London hosted by Ubisoft. It was such an incredible experience, and so nice to see content creators and fans of Ubisoft titles recognised for their contributions. Here are my photos (and a few others) from the event. This was by far one of the best events I have ever attended, so a big thank you goes out to Marcus and Neale from Ubisoft for hosting, and for inviting TOWCB members. We are so proud of our very own Lisa Zaman from TOWCB Art Team for winning the 'Artist of the Year' award! It was also a surreal experience to be nominated for the 'Editorial Piece of the Year' award, a prize deservingly won by the Let's Talk Assassin's Creed team. Huge congratulations to all the winners! The Afterparty https://video.wixstatic.com/video/06e6c8_97190eda7b2a4697ad0d7250ce84ff00/360p/mp4/file.mp4 https://video.wixstatic.com/video/06e6c8_a8b64e039c43455a8a5192f72b974a88/360p/mp4/file.mp4 https://video.wixstatic.com/video/06e6c8_66d209e7cfce44eca810b02fb3fedf41/360p/mp4/file.mp4 https://video.wixstatic.com/video/06e6c8_85969e557004495cb048da4b27df3e39/360p/mp4/file.mp4 comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Interview with Simon Lemay-Comtois: Assassin's Creed Shadows Associate Game Director Interview Share 17 Mar 2025 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the second article in a new series of interviews covering all things Assassin's Creed Shadows. Today we are joined by Associate Game Director Simon Lemay-Comtois from Ubisoft Quebec! Col: Hi Simon, thank you so much for joining us for this interview. Please can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your role on Assassin's Creed Shadows. Simon: Hey! My pleasure! The TL;DR on my role as Associate Game Director is - I’m the “gameplay guy”! I decide which button does what, and how fast our characters should run. But there’s more to it, of course. New characters Yasuke and Naoe, as seen in the Assassin's Creed Shadows TV Spot Trailer Col: When did you first begin working on the project, and when did the project officially gain the title 'Shadows' instead of 'Codename Red'? Simon: I think I joined as “employee number 12”on the project a little over four years ago. It's been Codename Red for so long, I still get tripped-up when talking about the project, but the game did acquire its name about a week before our initial CG trailer reveal, if memory serves. Col: Did you join the development team on the research trip to Japan? Simon: Unfortunately, not – I had personal business to attend to in another corner of Asia at the time. Col: What would you say are some of the main inspirations behind the atmosphere and tone the team wanted to capture within the world of Assassin's Creed Shadows? Simon: The levels of details at any scale – from Japan’s rolling landscape and agricultural valleys, down to the various types of wood, the lacquer used on door frames, floors or paintbrushes – the amount of details our art team went into to re-create feudal Japan is astonishing. Col: Assassin's Creed Shadows is said to have a huge amount of enemy types patrolling the map. What can players do on launch day straight away to prepare for the conflict ahead? Simon: Learn to pick out samurai from the rest! Unlike other archetypes – like Ashigaru soldiers, say - samurai are extremely well trained and ready for a fight at any moment. Sneaking-up on them can be tricky, as they do not easily fall for the usual Assassins tricks – and even when they do, they’ll likely be a step ahead of you. Official promo image via Ubisoft Col: Have you visited any other locations from the Assassin's Creed series? Simon: I’ve visited both New England and old England. Does that count? Col: What would you say makes Assassin's Creed Shadows different to other games in the AC franchise? Simon: The way AC Shadows splits the narrative, backstories and unique perspectives between our two protagonist - as well as how each of them plays – is quite unique in the AC Pantheon, I think. Col: Do different areas of the map feel different to each other? Simon: Yes of course! Each region has their own landscape quirks, weather conditions, specific flora and fauna, unique architecture and local specialties. We try to find and promote every specific things that defines our various regions during the Sengoku period. Col: Do Seasons play a role at all in any of the questlines at all or is it purely to change the appearance of the land? Simon: Short answer is – yes: seasons factor in some questlines. A more nuanced answer would be that, while some specific things might be season-specific, its is fairly limited and always logical. One example I could give is the painting of wild animal activity called “Sumi-e”: you will only be able to paint short-tailed macaques bathing in hot springs during winter – as they are known to do during the colder months. Col: Is there a large variety of wildlife in the game, and are there any animals in particular that you feel will excite players? Simon: Japan has a colorful and charismatic line-up of domestic and wild animals – from the beloved Shiba Inu to the gorgeous mandarin ducks. But for me, the tanukis feel special – especially their tiny babies! Col: The last RPG in the series, Assassin's Creed Valhalla featured the Ravensthorpe settlement, which acted as a base for players. Is there a headquarters or space you can customize in Assassin's Creed Shadows? Simon: Oh yeah :D Players can expect unprecedented levels of customization and self-expression when it comes to Shadow’s Hideout! Col: Naoe and her father live in Iga, a historical region occupied by Shinobi Ninjas. Are there any links between this faction and the Assassin Brotherhood? Simon: Maybe - or maybe not? Depends if you want me to spoil some interesting story elements, here. Naoe and her father, Fujibayashi Nagato Col: How big of a role does music play when exploring the world of Assassin's Creed Shadows, and will fans of the series recognize any sound effects from previous instalments? Simon: Sound effects, yes. We are using the same audio feedback for detection as Assassin’s Creed Mirage – because it worked so well there. But music is another story entirely. In fact, I believe we have one of the boldest, most eclectic musical score ever in the franchise. What our composers and musicians have made is truly special, and I can’t wait for people to get their ears on it! Col: What were some of the challenges that the team faced when recreating Japan? Simon: The one thing that really stood out to me was how castles of the period were deliberately laid out to mislead invaders, tricking them to take a left turn when they should’ve gone right - only to end up at a chokepoint or dead-end where arrows could rain down on them from above. So, creating cohesive gameplay spaces where players would not get turned around too much was pretty tricky, considering our source material was built to fulfil that exact purpose! Col: Are you excited to see the photo mode captures that will be taken by players once Assassin's Creed Shadows launches? Simon: Yes I am! But who’s kidding who - I’m even more exited to use it for myself :D Col: What sort of mysteries will players be able to find in the world? Simon: The mysterious kind, mostly. (Sorry, no spoilers!) Col: Are you pleased with the response to the game from fans so far, and how excited are the team for launch? Simon: Any time we get the game into players’ hands, we’re getting what all dev teams hope for: lots of smiles, a few loud shouts – and the occasional tear. We couldn’t be more exited for this thing to finally come out and find its way into players’ hands on a massive scale! Col: What would be your dream setting for a future Assassin's Creed game? Simon: I’m a big fan of World War 2 and all the secret bunker shenanigans an Assassin could get themselves into Col: Describe Assassin's Creed Shadows in three words. Simon: Deliberate, realistic, grounded. Assassin's Creed Shadows: Available March 20th 2025 We would like to say a huge thank you to Simon for joining us for this interview, and to Ubisoft for making it happen. In particular, we acknowledge the efforts of Dan St Germain from the AC Community Team! Look out for more interviews in the series, coming soon! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Journey Through History: TOWCB’s Timeline of the Assassin’s Creed Universe - 2023 Edition Breakdowns Share 29 Jun 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal (Moonchildgecko) from TOWCB Art Team. It's time for an update to the timeline I released last year here on The Ones Who Came Before for the Genetic Memory Timeline for the entire Assassin’s Creed Universe (or at least what I find to still be relevant). To get started, please download a copy of the following Google Sheet that I am sharing in a View Only format to avoid unapproved changes to the timeline. You can download a copy of the timeline here . As you read through the timeline, you can check off what items you own and which ones you have completed on one or both timelines. Links are provided for discontinued services that will redirect you to another site that has documented the content of these entries to read over. Overall, these timelines are a great way to explore the Assassin’s Creed universe. Not every single item that Ubisoft has branded will be included such as the companion apps for games or the old mobile versions of titles that would have been played on non-smartphone devices. However, I scoured the internet from AC Wiki, Access the Animus, Wikipedia, and other sources to gather as much lore that I could and put it in on the timeline. In total there are over 250+ items within the Assassin’s Creed timeline so there will be plenty to choose from. The original Genetic Memory timeline is organized by Century (both BCE and CE) from ancient content to modern day, but the new addition for this year’s timeline is the Release Date Timeline; organized by the date of release based on the information that I was able to locate. This timeline is divided by Release Year from 2007 - 2023, with a TBA section at the end for content that has been announced but not yet provided a release date. Unlike the GM timeline, certain transmedia such as the Echoes of History podcast are not divided into individual episodes within the RD timeline, but grouped as one item to be enjoyed all at once. This is also something that you will notice with similar data points being merged together in each column to make it easier to read (at least it is to me). If you do not find this useful, once you download the spreadsheet, you will be able to edit it to your personal preferences. If a piece of content is available in a non-English language, it will be notated in parenthesis. Beginning with the Genetic Memory Order tab, I will walk through each Century and provide a small explanation of what you will find in each section. With the dates for each historical period, you will find the range of when the content took place and find that some items may start at a similar point in time or even during the same time period as another (such as the Assassin’s Creed movie and Assassin’s Creed II). The earlier start date will take precedence over the other, so you can image this as a “Elsewhere this was happening” when moving through the recorded history. Periods that had no major event taking place are labeled with the area that the content takes place. Additionally you will find the GM character (such as Kassandra, Eivor, or Ezio) and then the Modern Day time period and respective character if available. If you have interest in following the MD story in order, see the Release Date Order tab for that option. However as we progress to the 21st Century, the GM periods will fill more with N/As and be replaced with more detail in the MD period and character. The format that you will see for the majority of the main games in the series as it is meant to be an option of how you want to enjoy the story, is that the novelization and game are next to each other in order. I suggest going back to the one you didn’t start with (book or game) once you finish the first to get the full experience. You will also find that the supplemental content for the games in the form of strategy guides, art books, and soundtracks are grouped with their game to provide that full content line. If you would rather explore the timeline in Release Date order, you can select the tab and just read top to bottom as it is organized by dates and doesn’t need any additional explanation. 6th Century BCE From the Facebook application Project Legacy (courtesy of Access the Animus’ recording of the site data) we have a single entry for the period showing how Pythagoras received the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus via the story of his companion Kyros of Zarax. 5th Century BCE Assassin’s Creed Odyssey resides in this Century and all of the content for the story of Kassandra will be located here (minus the Valhalla end of the Crossover Story with Eivor in the 9th Century CE). Starting with the Behind the Legend episode from Echoes of History, fans can learn more about Kassandra’s grandfather, King Leonidas I of Sparta before moving into either the novelization or the videogame for AC Odyssey. Fans will continue with the game’s DLC with a few items mixed in and follow this with the Discovery Tour, and close with the various VR offerings that are available either commercially (at a VR business) or on the Meta Oculus Quest. 3rd Century BCE Assassin’s Creed: Codename Jade is the exclusive entry for this century. It is set in the Qin Dynasty and will be coming to mobile devices in the future. 1st Century BCE Assassin’s Creed Origins is the focus of the 1st Century BCE. Starting with the prequel novel and another Echoes of History episode to set fans up for the main game and its additional content. Much like Odyssey, this will be followed with the Egyptian Discovery Tour and end with the Origins comic that takes place after the story of the game. 3rd Century CE Moving into the Common Era, The Ankh of Isis Trilogy will be next on the checklist. Now while the Modern Day adaptation of Desmond Miles’ story is not considered canon to the universe, the Genetic Memories are as there are references to this transmedia piece in later content. 7th Century CE The first book in the Imperial Jade Seal series will take place in 660 CE following Chinese Assassin, Zhangsun Qi. This book, Assassin's Creed: Chang'an Wang (Prophecy of the Emperor) is available exclusively in Chinese and has no current information available for additional languages. 8th Century CE The Tang Dynasty continues with Assassin’s Creed: Dynasty in five volumes (6 volumes in France). 9th Century CE This century is the one that many fans will currently be in or waiting for as both Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Valhalla take place here. With Valhalla you will see multiple DLC and content updates listed individually as they have major plot points and was the first game to offer a 2-year content schedule. If you do not see a particular content update listed, it was not added as it was assumed that you will play with the main story (such as the festivals). 10th Century CE Another century with a single entry, The Last Descendants - Fate of the Gods. A good way to wrap up the Viking stories as we move to the original game. 12th Century CE Assassin’s Creed (2007), the original game is the focus of this century. Starting with the DS game Altaïr's Chronicles and The Secret Crusade (Spoilers: This will cover content that you won’t play until the 16th Century as it is about Altaïr's life). The main game and Bloodlines will follow and wrap up with the historical podcast about the overall Assassin’s v. Templars in Echoes of History. I added this podcast after the original game and not in the 11th Century as I felt that it was better fitting to listen to after playing the first game as story elements of the game are covered within. 13th Century CE Mongolia is a key location in the 13th Century as we start with the final content for Altaïr and his family, following with an Echoes of History episode on Niccolo and Maffeo Polo, and wrapping up with the second book of the Last Descendants trilogy, Tomb of the Great Khan. An additional YA novel takes place in Scotland with AC Fragments - The Highlands Children. 14th Century CE The sequel to the Ankh of Isis Trilogy (3rd Century CE) is next with The Hawk Trilogy of books. Either the individual books or the combined trilogy will be acceptable here as it will get read all together. Of all the AC content that I have interacted with so far, this trilogy is my least favorite. 15th Century CE Ezio Auditore takes over in the 15th Century after fans read AC: Heresy by the awesome Christie Golden. Assassin’s Creed II will be the majority focus this century, but will intertwine with the Assassin’s Creed movie as well. 16th Century CE This is the second largest century for content with 41 items to read & play. AC Brotherhood, AC Revelations, and AC Chronicles: China are the major players as Ezio’s story continues and he passes the torch to Shao Jun. 17th Century CE Do you know what the 17th Century has that the others don’t? Witches! Three of the four content entries in this century are about the witches in the US (Trial by Fire comic), France (The Witches of the Moors YA novel), and Germany (AC Hexe, not-confirmed). This century also includes the audiobook, AC Gold, that follows the blind Assassin Omar Khaled during The Great Recoinage in 1696. 18th Century CE The Kenway Saga is the anchor for the 18th Century. Edward Kenway leads with AC IV: Black Flag & the currently running Forgotten Temple manga on Webtoon. His Quartermaster Adéwalé continues our time in the Caribbean with the DLC add-on, Freedom Cry (also available as a standalone game).Edward’s son Haytam is the transition with AC Forsaken (novel) into the Templar led AC Rogue, and then into his son Ratonhnhaké:ton’s (Connor Kenway) game Assassin’s Creed III. AC Liberation adds Aveline de Grandpré to the cast of Assassins and wraps the America’s story before rewinding to a character fans met in Rogue, Arno Dorian. The French Assassin takes us to the French Revolution for the next 16 years of the series and the collection of media based around this release from 2014. 19th Century CE A century of revolution and civil war. Assassin’s Creed India and Syndicate provide plenty of gaming options while The Engine of History trilogy provides amazing stories in novel form from author Kate Heartfield and Aconyte Books. Lots of time will be spent in the UK and Europe this century and covers a vast amount of historical time periods. 20th Century CE The comic lines of the Assassin’s Creed universe take over from here as the games have not continued past the 19th Century, with the exception of Assassin’s Creed Russia. The Russian Civil War, World War II, and the Vietnam War all occur this century. This is also the century that Abstergo Industries was founded (the modern day Templar Order) so fans will get to explore the history of the organization via websites and multiplayer-files from previous games. 21st Century CE We come full circle with more information about Abstergo Industries, including the Employee Handbook and the final volume of the original Assassin’s Creed comic line from Titan Comics. Fans can also continue into the future with the non-canon story of Assassin Darcy Clarkson in the DLC update for Watch Dogs: Legion if they choose to do so. Additional Data (Multiple Time Periods) In this section, I positioned alphabetically the content that covered too many time periods or content that was made for the Assassin’s Creed audience and not the story itself. This includes “The Network Podcast” which I have singled out in this explanation as one of the hosts, Andrien (@EscoBlades) was reported in 2020 for abuses against women. While TOWCB do not support this man in any form, the podcast which was also hosted by Stephen O'Neill (@SickSteeny) & Gabe Graziani (@GabeGraziani) who I feel should not be shadowed by this person. Reference Books If you want to deep dive into the series or get a quick overview of the story, this is the section for you. The Encyclopedias, The Essential Guides, The Official Collection magazine series, and other similar materials are all included here. I could have divided the magazines into their respective time periods, but there are 80 issues and I don’t have them to do that. Maybe if I can ever get my hands on them I will divide them, but it's best to keep them together for now like the Encyclodpia’s various pages on each Assassin and time period. Announced Titles Any and all titles and projects that have been announced by Ubisoft and the Assassin’s Creed Brand that do not have enough information to be placed in the timeline are here. These will be added once more information is provided. But it's a nice way to see what is around the corner for us to explore when the time comes. I hope that this timeline helps all of you organize your plans to explore the Assassin’s Creed universe. If you happen to find an issue with the timeline (as I have found a few typos or copy/paste issues that I have corrected), or if you have additional content that you think fits in the timeline, please reach out to me on this site in the comments or on Twitter @thelordreylus and I will look into it further. I plan on updating this article at least once a year, but with the spreadsheet, I will attempt to keep it updated as I update my personal copy. So go forth and explore this historical playground that we all enjoy and I will see you online to discuss your favorites! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Mike Smith is a collector of all things Assassin's Creed and a major supporter of transmedia who joined TOWCB as a writer from 2021 - 2024 With nearly a full library of Assassin's Creed media, his work explored the universe in order of Genetic Memory. Notably, his Assassin's Creed Timeline became an essential tool for fans of the franchise looking to complete their collection and consume AC media in a particular order. Michael Smith

What we want to see from the Assassin's Creed Franchise in 2020 Wishlists Share 29 Dec 2019 Written By: Edited By: Mieke Dix Ashlea Blackett Back To Database 5. Assassin’s Creed 1, Version 2.0 This is effectively a repeat from last year’s list which is why it’s first on this one, but it’s just as relevant. The game that started it all has yet to receive a remaster on current-gen platforms, unlike every other previous-gen title. Sure, there are plenty who dislike it due to its gameplay being simplistic and repetitive, particularly in comparison to the later games, but that doesn’t make Altaïr’s story any less compelling. It’s definitely a game that would benefit from a significant technical overhaul instead of merely an aesthetic one, which may well explain why they haven’t remastered it yet - or just won’t bother. However, whether we’ll be seeing this anytime soon or not is unclear, so all we can do is once again cross our fingers that it’ll feature in the upcoming UbiE3 lineup. 4. Next Instalment Announced With all the leaks and rumors that have been abounding on the internet this year, it’s somewhat inevitable that Ubisoft’s E3 press conference in June will feature a teaser trailer for the next game, at the very least. What’s less certain is whether Ubisoft will announce the game for release this year on current-gen only, or wait until 2021 when they can release it on the new Xbox and PS5, whether that’s a dual-release or next-gen only. This is where we can only hope that, if they are planning a dual-release, Ubisoft thoroughly learned their lesson following the disaster that was Rogue/Unity’s release. Whatever the case, we fully expect there to be a new main series title announced at some point in the coming year. 3. The Symphony on CD The Assassin’s Creed Symphony was a wonderful celebration of the many composers who have been a part of the franchise since its inception and their beautiful, emotive music. I personally attended the performance in London (and probably cried 90% of the time). Each game’s soundtrack was arranged into an excellently-composed suite which showcased the music at its best. What would be greatly appreciated, doubly so by those who couldn’t get a ticket for whatever reason, is an album of the arrangements for us to enjoy at our leisure. Of course, what would also be appreciated is an announcement that the Symphony will become an annual event visiting more locations worldwide, or even a series of concerts that would allow for even more arrangements of each soundtrack….! Wait, where was I? 2. Creed-Con 2020? (Confirmed 12/4/20) Something that was evident by the response to the Symphony - mainly the rapidity at which it sold tickets - is that there really is a market for official Assassin’s Creed events and experiences. That’s not to say that we demand an official Assassin’s Creed convention or anything, but there is plenty of scope for other events. (I mean, a convention also sounds freaking awesome). The community already organises a fair amount of events of their own accord, but to be able to pull all that passion under one, officially-endorsed roof would be grand. For example: the Symphony becoming a regular event could be a good start. It could be the perfect headline act of a convention, or even a one/two-day festival of celebration for the franchise, especially if it was then streamed live for all to enjoy. 1. A Return to its Roots I plan on getting a bit more in depth about this at some point, but let’s face facts: the series is nothing like it was in the beginning. This isn’t actually a bad thing, and Origins and Odyssey are both fantastic games. However, the criticism that neither game feels like Assassin’s Creed is entirely fair, and there is a good deal of worry that the series will just continue to stray further and further from where it began, until it’s purely Assassin’s Creed by name only. Hopefully we can see a return of the rooftop-skulking, shadow-lurking assassins that we all came to love, and less of the colossal maps half-full of empty space. We love naval combat because it’s fun, fast-paced and exhilarating, but we also love balancing precariously on window ledges four storeys up as we stalk a Templar far below, ready to dive gracefully into the nearest hay bale and wait for the perfect moment to strike. Now that is Assassin’s Creed at its heart, and we desperately want that back. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Mieke is a huge fan of the Assassin's Creed franchise, and is looking forward to creating regular content for the AC community as an online article writer. She has previously written articles for Cultured Vultures and currently runs an online gaming blog. By joining the program, Mieke will be able to write articles on a wide variety of topics for the community. Mieke Dix

Assassin's Creed Shadows Trailer and Promo Images Unveiled News Share 15 May 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) TOWCB Team Back To Database Assassin's Creed Shadows (formerly titled 'Codename Red') was today revealed to the world with the release of a 'World Premiere' Cinematic Trailer, alongside promotional images appearing on retail / video game news sites. Here you will find our round-up of the images and videos that were released to kick-start the promotional campaign. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vovkzbtYBC8 A seriously impressive trailer showing off the dynamic combat system and duel protagonists who come together to fight for what seems to be a newly-formed branch of the Brotherhood. An interesting concept! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhMOQowMjM8 Ubisoft released an official breakdown of the trailer A new series of the 'Echoes of History' podcast began. Concept Art That concludes our round-up of the media released on day one of the AC Shadows marketing campaign! Stay tuned here at The Ones Who Came Before for all things Assassin's Creed. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Introducing Sounds Of History - an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental project by Gargudon Other Share 25 Feb 2023 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database We are pleased to announce “Sounds Of History”, an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental project by our very own Gargudon ! A unique fan project, never really seen before in the Assassin’s Creed community, featuring five original tracks written, arranged and produced by Gargudon, each inspired by different AC games. A tribute to the soundtrack, to sneaking, fighting and free running throughout the years, and the composers behind them who have shaped the sound of the franchise. French Highlands - Inspired by the Parisian Medieval remnants of Assassin’s Creed Unity …Away From The Crowds… - Inspired by the mystery, abandoned undergrounds and ominous ambience of Assassin’s Creed II & Brotherhood 60’s - Inspired by British (Soft) Rock, the spirit of which partially originated during the era of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate Eagle’s Path - Inspired by the Native beliefs, Colonial settlements and history of a nation birthed during the era of Assassin’s Creed III Tales Of The Winds And Waters - Inspired by the colonies, cultures and waters of the Caribbean and West Indies explored, settled and sailed upon during the era of Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag Coming soon! Stay tuned here on The Ones Who Came Before for updates. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvFmigArf3o comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Gustav / Gargudon is an active and versatile content creator, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016 - hosting the discussion based show “The Memory Corridor” - but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews, writing and composing. He joined The Ones Who Came Before in 2019 for a merger, publishing new episodes - and reviving the show following nearly a year of inactivity - on our platforms, until phased out in 2023. Today, his landmark projects include the Sounds Of History project - an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental music project, featuring five tracks inspired by as many different games - other original fan themes plus covers of iconic AC tracks, as well as video interviews with a number of high profile names in the world of AC, from Roger Craig Smith, Jesper Kyd and more. Fun fact, among his growing colourful tattoo collection, Gustav is the only member of our team to have the TOWCB logo inked. Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon)

Assassin's Creed Mirage Early Access Demo Gameplay Round-up News Share 12 Sept 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Back To Database On the 12th September 2023, an embargo lifted for Assassin's Creed Mirage which saw a flood of content circulate the internet. The coverage included gameplay, screenshots and information captured and documented by media outlets, community members and Youtubers, taken from the first few hours of the game. We here at The Ones Who Came Before made a conscious decision not to share any of the footage on our social media channels as we are so close to launch. Instead, we have decided to round-up all of the gameplay videos we can find and share them here on our website! Please enjoy and support the content creators listed below, and always be considerate when sharing unreleased content. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc9DbG-jzbc Footage by Jackfrags and first impressions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHgaolJLQoY Footage by IGN. Previewed on PC by Nick Maillet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY-Gak8DPVk Footage captured by theRadBrad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-ztu_HV-6Y Footage captured by Luke Stephens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-9Yq8cF2Uk Footage captured by jayvee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXniX4XRzek Footage captured by Zanar Aesthetics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB9YDYcsB-g Footage captured by JorRaptor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJONnDtGfrU Footage captured by That Boy Aqua https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRtRjcQxmMw Footage captured by GameSpot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH3FVTf3XB4 Footage captured by GameRiot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH-9o00quMY Footage captured by Hollow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AiCFUugMT0 Highlights video by Playstation Access https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RTrT23Kb_0 Footage by Nick930 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d2SXYLILmA Footage by Easy Allies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnxsizQ7PuY Footage by Arekkz Gaming https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Dwhl9sTmWc Footage by Rickster2344 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRWMTUS18i0 Footage by Shirrako https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wFu8mpx9i8 Footage and Impressions by Franky Boy and JorRaptor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMxDQrRO6DI Footage by Mirror Gaming https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UADDzQAePRQ Footage by MadMorph https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6dQcQeK_e8 Footage by GamersPrey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kguGcnteYbw Footage by Access the Animus Screenshots Image captured by @ LegacyKillaHD Screenshots by RockPaperShotgun Screenshots by TheLoadout Did we miss your early access coverage of Assassin's Creed Mirage? Message us privately to be featured on the site! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 2nd - 8th January 2023 Community Share 8 Jan 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the weekly virtual photography roundup series hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week I will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. This week’s theme: Assassin’s Creed 1. Snake in the Shadows Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ MechXican First up this week we have a striking shot of Kassandra dressed for the kill. I love the lighting of this capture, the dark background with the snippets of light on her face really gives off Assassin vibes. I love finding stealth focused shots from Odyssey due to it often receiving criticism for its lack of Assassin’s. This shot is worthy of its place in the first showcase of 2023. 2. Assassin Pose. Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Platform: PS5 VP Artist: @ Amaya_Nocturna Just like with Odyssey it is cool when you find a real Assassin's pose in Valhalla. Personally, I focus more on the Viking aspects when playing the game , but I think the cities lend themselves to some very classic shots. I love this one of Eivor. The background is just stunning, showcasing the true beauty of Valhalla. The pose is perfection, that head turn makes the shot for me. 3. From the Dark Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Platform: PlayStation VP Artist: @ artschoolglases Capture number three matches that of Kass andra with the spectacular black background. I particularly like how the darker outfit and hair blend brilliantly with the atmosphere of the shot. Eivor's pale skin tone allows her face to really shine. Coupled with the subtle green eye tattoo it makes for one marvellous portrait of our favourite Viking. 4. The Ghost of Valhalla Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ SGVphoto Something a little different for photo number four. Here we have a unique edit of Eivor in the Monster Hunter crossover outfit. I am not one for armour sets that don't fit the time period but this one does look awesome. The choice of colour is truly amazing, giving off a real movie poster vibe. I wonder if this could be an insight into what we might expect from Codename Red. 5. Magnificent Paris Game: Assassin’s Creed Unity VP Artist: @ ophierian_vp This week's final shot comes with a touch of class. Assassin's Creed Unity always oozed class when it comes to buildings and this capture proves it. I am really blown away by the details and the lighting in this shot. To the untrained eye this could be mistaken for real life. I am hoping Mirage can bring back some of the beautiful interior's thanks to its smaller scale. Link to set: The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week: Judge: Colum Blackett (TOWCB Community Admin // Creator) Snake in the Shadows Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ MechXican I absolutely love the colours in this shot, and the look on Kassandra's face as she observes her pray beneath a mask. The snake set turns Kassandra into a predator, ready to strike. This shot would make a very cool phone wallpaper. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Early Assassin's Creed Shadows Box Art Designs Revealed News Share 29 May 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) TOWCB Team Back To Database Creative Studio Two Dots have revealed that they had the opportunity to work alongside Ubisoft to create the stunning visuals and box art designs for Assassin's Creed Shadows. From intricate details of the characters’ posings to the majestic landscapes, every aspect of the visuals were crafted with care and precision. The images that interest us the most are the ones which give us a look at early concepts which inspired the finished pieces, with the close-up images also providing a better look at the finished designs. TwoDots have worked alongside Ubisoft on previous Assassin's Creed marketing campaigns, and have created some of the most iconic imagery for the series in recent years. Colour tests on "Standard" Concept Sketch Final Colour Concept Sketches From Greyblock to Color/Mood to Final "Standard" art Final Designs Standard Edition Close-up Gold Edition Close-up Ultimate Edition Close-up Stay tuned for more news and updates on Assassin's Creed Shadows. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

COMING SOON: Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game: Futuristic Modern Day Wishlist Share 31 Dec 2010 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Back To Database Coming Soon! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)