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Interview with Charles Benoit: Assassin's Creed Shadows Game Director Interview Share 17 Mar 2025 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) TOWCB Team Back To Database Welcome to the first article in a new series of interviews covering all things Assassin's Creed Shadows. Today we are joined by Game Director Charles Benoit from Ubisoft Quebec! Col: Hi Charles, thank you for joining us for this interview. Please can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your role on Assassin's Creed Shadows. Charles: Hi! I’ve been working on the AC Brand for over 10 years now, starting on AC Freedom Cry and now Game Director on AC Shadows. Assassin's Creed Shadows (2015) and Assassin's Creed Freedom Cry (2013) Col: When did you first begin working on the project, and why did Ubisoft ultimately decide that the time was right to create an Assassin's Creed game set in Feudal Japan? Charles: I started working on Shadows a little more than 4 years ago. Honestly, it’s hard to know why, but I always wanted since I started on the brand to do an AC in Japan. It’s pretty much a mix of timing on which game we did before, what fans want, which team is available, etc. Col: Did the development team visit Japan at any point during production for inspiration? Charles: Yes we did! It was the best trip of my life. It was intense but we visited a big part of what we have in Shadows in term of landscape and historical locations, so for sure it was very inspirational. Col: What would you say were some of the main inspirations behind Assassin's Creed Shadows, perhaps movies, other games or comic books? Charles: I cannot talk for the whole team, we all of different inspirations, but for me, of course past AC games, but also a lot of Stealth games such as Metal Gear or even the good old Tenchu series. Col: What can you tell us about the lead motion-capture and performance actors for Assassin's Creed Shadows, Masumi Tsunoda and Tongayi Chirisa. How did they find the overall experience? Charles: I wasn’t involved with MOCAP. I know the team really felt in love with those actors, I especially like Tongayi as Yasuke and it’s probably one of the reason why I always have hard time to pick between Immersive mode where language is Japanese and the English version. Tongayi Chirisa and Masumi Tsunoda Col: Have you visited any other locations from the Assassin's Creed series? Charles: I didn’t have the chance to visit other locations. It’s always a small group of directors and art-oriented discipline that goes in those inspirational trips and on past AC projects I was directly in the production as Game Designer. Col: What would you say makes Assassin's Creed Shadows different to other games in the AC franchise? Charles: Clearly the Dual Protagonist gives a unique vibe on how you play it and how you discover the story from different points of view. I would say the seasons are also a great game changer on how you perceive the world and the time passing. Col: Can we expect encounters with wildlife whilst exploring the world of Assassin's Creed Shadows? Charles: You will encounter animals while exploring the world, but you know, there is not a lot of dangerous animals in Japan except the cute bear with round ears. So, we decided to keep wildlife peaceful; you cannot hurt them, they won’t hurt you and you can hunt them to paint them. Col: It's been mentioned previously that the game features 'Seasons' and dynamic weather cycles. How long does a season last roughly, and can players change it manually? Charles: We split the seasons in 8 chunks, so the start and the end of the 4 seasons. Each chunk is a bit more than 1h of gameplay time where winter is a bit longer since it’s so unique and it will switch automatically when you fast travel. You can decide to switch it manually when the time is up if you don’t want to fast travel, but not at any moment since we have multiple systems tied to season switch and it would break the economy. Col: Looking at the gameplay released during the marketing campaign, it looks like a lot of effort went into creating new animations for Naoe and Yasuke, from parkour to combat. Are there any new animations in particular that will excite players? Charles: There are a ton of new animations that are fantastic. It’s really hard to pick just a few examples. Personally, I feel the Assassinations are worth mentioning; they are fast and efficient to really work well with the small stature of Naoe. I also love the flips in the parkour, but also the beam walk of Yasuke. There are some funny ones like the “Leap of fail” of Yasuke when he destroys the haystack and some really intense like all those over-the-top Abilities and Finishers. You see, I have a hard time to stop! Col: Compared to other games in the Assassin's Creed series, how big would you estimate the map to be? Charles: We compare it to Origins. The map is really large, but it’s surrounded by the sea and mountains, so we can compare the playable space to Origins. Col: As Naoe is noticeably quicker than previous protagonists, can we expect mounts such as horses to also be faster when exploring the world? Charles: Yes the horses speed has been increased so Naoe is not faster than a horse and the horses are still relevant to navigate long distance. Official promo image for Assassin's Creed Shadows via Ubisoft Col: Will a photo mode tool be available at launch? Charles: Yes of course! Col: What sort of collectibles will players be able to find in the world? Charles: We have a couple of them, linked to your progression or your quests. For example, you’ll find Hideout cosmetic in chests that you can then use to decorate. We also have few quests that ask you to find Clan’s Crests, food from different regions, Kano painting, Tea set for Sen no Rikyu and Valuables inside some Tenshu. Col: Are you pleased with the response to the game from fans so far, and how excited are the team for launch? Charles: Since the last few months, we’re very hyped by the feedbacks we received from our deep dive articles, the Preview event reception and our internal playtests. We’re working hard to keep pushing the quality of Shadows and we feel it’s paying off. Col: What would be your dream setting for a future Assassin's Creed game? Charles: It’s a hard question because my dream setting was Japan. I would love to continue exploring Japan, there is so much we can do in this period or even after. We’ll see what fans want, there is always something great to discover and learn in any setting and time period. Col: Describe Assassin's Creed Shadows in three words. Charles: “Shinobi-Samurai-Fantasy" Assassin's Creed Shadows: Available March 20th 2025 We would like to say a huge thank you to Charles 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 (1) Write a comment Write a comment Sort by: Newest ahmadtf Jan 10 Cool information, i would be more appreciating if there is any documentation of this interview from u guys. i will put these topic on my thesis and quoting this interviews. Like Reply 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)

The Potential Of Assassin's Creed Netflix Other Share 21 Oct 2025 Written By: Edited By: Hayden Bird Colum Blackett Back To Database Ubisoft announced a partnership with Netflix back in October of 2020 to bring an Assassin’s Creed series to its platform, and has plans to create a live-action TV show, an animated series and potential future projects under further consideration based on the deep lore of the franchise. It has been a long awaited and heavily anticipated project that has mostly stalled since its announcement, but according to recent reports, the show is very much in active development and getting closer to fruition. Fan Castings for the AC Netflix Show This news is exciting for fans of the franchise as we got the 2016 Assassin's Creed feature film from 20th Century already, but the concept was short-lived even though multiple sequels were planned before the release of the film but were shelved during Disney’s major acquisition of 20th Century Fox back in 2019 that shook up a lot of Fox projects that were in development and were left with uncertainty due to the acquisition. Since those cancellations, the movies and television version of the Assassin’s Creed franchise has been mostly dormant, but news of this Netflix adaptation gives the franchise a new story to tell and new characters to introduce. It has loads of potential, and Ubisoft is sure to exercise the amount of content they can create under the Netflix umbrella. Details of the upcoming live-action Assassin’s Creed show is mostly unknown, but this is clearly an advantage to the creators at Ubisoft and Netflix as the wide range of story angles they can reach is almost unlimited potential while avoiding leaks. This partnership with Netflix opens a lot of doors for Ubisoft that they may not have had in their first attempt to the big screen in 2016. The creative control seems to be heavily in Ubisoft’s favor, and there is so much more the creators can do with the Assassin’s Creed IP with the potential of several seasons of both the live-action and animated shows. Ubisoft has a lot of options they can take over the next years while partnered with Netflix. The fact is that two major projects are only just the beginning. The live-action show could very well become a hit and turn into a flagship original series to Ubisoft and Netflix’s name that Netflix has become so famous for in creating powerful original content they frequently produce. It is certain that Ubisoft and Netflix will prioritize the first two projects before considering other shows, but a few years down the line, if these shows become a success, the content Ubisoft could produce with Netflix can become a media-giant in the television form just as Assassin’s Creed is the same for the world of video games. Ubisoft has potential to continue their big screen plans for the Assassin’s Creed franchise even after the cancellation of the 2016 movie sequels. Ubisoft may take another shot at the cinema concept, as some recent reports suggest the creators are looking to try venturing into films again. This idea of a film could either be a Netflix original movie or completely separate and with a different studio tagged on to release in movie theaters again. There's plenty of possibilities to be found, and it is clear the future of Assassin’s Creed can go further than video games. Potentially becoming a staple in the industry for their film and television plans just as they are in the gaming world. The reports and ideas that Ubisoft has clearly expanded the franchise to a whole new level. While video games are still the main focus, film and TV could be just as important as an aspect if the creators of the Netflix series can captivate the audience with a very worthy adaptation that could create new fans who may not be huge gamers, but love the products created on screen. It is a possibility to attract viewers and build new fans of the franchise even to those unfamiliar with the games. Fans could be encouraged to try the games after what Ubisoft and Netflix end up putting together. Poster for the Assassin's Creed Movie (2016) While the only confirmed projects are the live-action and animated shows, there can be so much more to this partnership that many do not expect. Many gaming franchises have gotten new life and created new fans based on their television adaptations, such as Fallout on Prime Video or The Last of Us on HBO, which were already popular brands but built a fanbase outside of the gaming industry. Ubisoft has a chance to make a show seriously impactful that further grows the recognition of the Assassin’s Creed franchise in whole new ways. Other video games turned into TV shows have been successful, so Ubisoft venturing into this field now can lead to great possibilities to further cement the Assassin’s Creed series as the juggernaut it currently is, even currently without a major presence outside of gaming. Ubisoft and Netflix are choosing to expand the Assassin’s Creed brand to the small screen at a perfect time, as for years video games getting an on-screen adaptation always went to the cinemas, which started a trend of video game movies being disappointments at the box office and financially. This trend really started with the Super Mario Bros . movie in 1993 that created an ongoing trend of failures that many believed to be a curse. That is until developers chose to attempt the small screen for once, and that’s when video game adaptations finally caught on. The answer was trying the land of television rather than just movies every single time. Ubisoft and Netflix developing these shows now is smart to catch on to ongoing hype surrounding video games adapted to TV shows. It is the perfect time to capitalize on the success that most adaptations are receiving, giving the creators an advantage to get off to a strong start with their projects. It is safe to say Ubisoft is in good hands with a group like Netflix working with them, and the possibilities of these shows can grow so far beyond what they would be now. There is nearly limitless potential for the two groups to come up with something successful and further show why the Assassin’s Creed brand is regarded as a franchise with a bright future, even 18 years into its existence. The franchise is in some ways just getting started despite being a gaming icon for many years. With the Netflix partnership and many other ways to grow the brand outside gaming, the Assassin’s Creed series is here to stay. Assassin's Creed Protagonists (2025) comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Hayden is a passionate Freelance Writer based in South Carolina who joined TOWCB's Writing Team in 2020 during the Covid-19 Pandemic, writing articles on all things Assassin's Creed Valhalla. He left the group to focus on studies, joining our Alumni program, but triumphantly returned with fresh ideas in 2024 to pick up where he left off, only this time covering Assassin's Creed Shadows. In 2025, Hayden took on the position of Team Leader for TOWCB's Writing Team, overseeing article releases, assisting with recruitment and providing assistance with internal operations. Hayden Bird

Quick-Fire Community Questions - Round 4: McHeisenburglar (Irakli) Community Interview Share 30 Sept 2018 Written By: Edited By: Ashlea Blackett Colum Blackett Back To Database Ashlea: Hello Irakli, thank you for taking part in round four of our Quick-Fire Community Questions series! We would love to ask you a few questions about your work as an admin for The Ones Who Came Before and your time as a Star Player at Gamescom. As we already know you are one of the fellow admins here at The Ones Who Came Before, but tell us a little more abut yourself and the role you play in the Assassin's Creed Community. Irakli: My name is Irakli, though I mostly go by McHeisenburglar online, and I’ve been a member of the community for a couple of years now. Most of my work involves graphic design for Assassin’s Creed-related projects, such as the yearly Assassin’s Creed Marathon, the Assassin’s Creed subreddit, and, of course, The Ones Who Came Before. Ashlea: We know that you do a lot of work behind the scenes work within the Community. Please tell us more about this. Irakli: All the projects I am or have been a part of are team-based, so they’re often a cooperative effort with a lot of moving parts. For example, I help organize the Assassin’s Creed Marathon, and while I do take care of the designs you see online, I also help with the schedule of the Marathon, formatting and updating our daily threads, figuring out giveaway details and so on. On the subreddit, I help with updating the CSS, reworking the rules, wikis, FAQs, configuring AutoModerator. Ashlea: So when did you first start playing Assassins Creed, which game was the first you played? What intrigued you about the franchise leading you to start playing? Irakli: The first Assassin’s Creed game I played was AC3, though I had heard about the franchise for years. It was when one of my favorite YouTubers started a walkthrough for Assassin’s Creed 3 that I was intrigued by the idea, the gameplay and even the graphics. A couple of weeks later I got the game, and I played through it right away. While I did enjoy the single player, it was AC3’s multiplayer that really got me hooked and kept me playing for months, and I still consider AC3 to have the best multiplayer in the series. PvP was initially the only reason I purchased AC4 the following year, though it wasn’t long before I played the story of that as well and officially became obsessed with the series. A couple of months later, I bought all of the games I had been missing and played through the series in a little DIY-Marathon. Ashlea: How long have you been a part of the Community? How did you first become involved with The Ones Who Came Before? How long have you been involved with the AC marathons and as a Reddit moderator? What do you enjoy most about each of these roles you have? Irakli: I have been part of the online/Reddit-based Assassin’s Creed community for a little over three years. I visited the subreddit for the first time in June 2015, after watching the E3 gameplay of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate and wanting to discuss it online. There, I saw an announcement for an ‘Assassin’s Creed Marathon’ and was drawn to it right away, and decided to reach out to the team and offer to help out. That’s really when I first started taking graphic design and project work seriously. A couple of months later, as the 2015 Marathon was already underway, I reached out to The Ones Who Came Before regarding some of their designs. We had been working with TOWCB for Marathon promotion and I’d spoken with Colum personally, and I thought I would give feedback on their graphics and suggest things they could improve for their branding, and within a couple of hours I was offered to join the team as a graphic designer. I spent the next two years working on annual Assassin’s Creed Marathons and making designs for The Ones Who Came Before, and in 2017, in preparation for that year’s Marathon, I talked frequently with Dylan/Turul, one of the subreddit moderators, as the Marathon had always been a cooperation between our team and the subreddit mods, to allow things like custom user flairs and daily stickied posts. There were a lot of things we needed to get done, and some of them would’ve been impossible through Twitter DMs alone, so I was given a temporary moderator role on the subreddit. This was primarily for Marathon purposes, but I was free to help out with other subreddit matters, as a ‘trial’ for being a permanent moderator. Over the following weeks, I helped fix some CSS issues, rework the rules and open up the official r/AssassinsCreed Discord Server, and by the time Origins rolled around, I was announced as an official addition to the team. I like these roles (and other ones I’ve had in the community) for different reasons, I suppose. The Marathon remains the project I’m most passionate and sort of ‘protective’ of, so whenever I’m not that free, I try to use most of my AC free time to help out with that. I really enjoy working on TOWCB because of how much graphic design experience and skill I get out of it. The logo we unveiled in 2017 remains one of my single favorite design projects to date. The subreddit, on the other hand, has taught me what moderating forums is actually like, and what goes into a well-managed and run subreddit/forum. Plus, 90% of the CSS I know is thanks to the AC subreddit. Ashlea: What is your favourite part of being in the community? Irakli: The memes are nice. Ashlea: Your Twitter name is quite unusual, could you tell us where the name McHeisenburglar came from? Irakli: Honestly, I don’t remember exactly how it all happened. A couple of years ago I had to register for some site, and I guess ‘McHeisenburger’ was pretty funny (I was binging Breaking Bad at the time), and I didn’t give it a second thought. Years later I had to register for Reddit, and I saw that ‘mcheisenburger’ was taken, so on a whim I decided to change the ‘burger’ to a ‘burglar’. It sort of stuck once I joined the community. Ashlea: One of your main responsibilities with The Ones Who Came Before is you Graphic Design work how did you get into graphic design? Are you self taught or was it something you learnt at school? Irakli: I initially got into graphic design when I watched some YouTube videos of people making graphics and wallpapers and whatnot, and thinking it was the most incredible thing in the world. I couldn’t fathom someone making their own wallpaper. So then I pirated a bunch of Adobe programs, including Photoshop, and tried it out for myself. I was not good AT ALL, but that didn’t stop me from making dumb crap every once in a while, including YouTube channel artwork and logos for fake companies. It was really the Assassin’s Creed projects that made me take it seriously, and really pushed me to actually be decent at design. The 2015 Marathon was the first project I worked on, and a lot of the tasks I had were things I’d never done before, so I learned it through trial and error, and they turned out good because I worked with a team that didn’t hesitate to criticize. Other projects followed it, including TOWCB, The Bureau Podcast, ‘Assassin’s Creed Legacies’, all of which helped me improve, even if incrementally. Now it’s fun to look back on those old designs and see the progress I’ve made. Ashlea: What it means to you to be selected as a Ubisoft Star Player? Was it something you were expecting or was it a complete surprise? Irakli: I would be lying if I said that I didn’t expect to be selected this year. I had been active in many parts of the AC community over the years, and had worked on various somewhat-known projects. However, I wouldn’t have been so confident if Sofija hadn’t been picked the year before. That invite made it clear to us that being a Star Player was actually realistic, even if by doing just project work like we were. Ashlea: As a star player you recently attended Gamescom, what were you most looking forward to about the event? Did it live up to your expectations? Irakli: In the weeks leading up to Gamescom, I didn’t know what I was most excited about, though I knew it wasn’t Odyssey. As we got closer to the event, a Twitter group was created of all the Assassin’s Creed people that would be attending Gamescom, which made it clear what Gamescom was going to be about — meeting people. In the end, the best part of the event was really the opportunity to meet so many Assassin’s Creed community members and other Star Players. I had known a lot of these people online, and actually having a face-to-face conversation felt surreal. The event itself was also outstanding, especially with the VIP treatment we got from Ubisoft, getting to play the games early, etc. Overall, the two days were unforgettable. Ashlea: Were you excited to be able to play AC Odyssey early? What were your thoughts about the game? Irakli: I had very, very little hopes going into the Odyssey demo. I was not excited for the game at all, and barely kept up with the news and marketing (definitely a first for me). I played the demo twice at Gamescom, and it was almost exactly what I imagined. It’s a beautiful, well-built game with a lot of stuff to do, but I have a hard time seeing its place in the Assassin’s Creed series. I don’t think it will be a bad game, in fact, I think most people that enjoyed Origins will have a good time with this game as well. Unfortunately, I don’t consider myself to be part of those people. Ashlea: Do you have any hopes for things you would like to see in the game? Do you have any concerns about anything? Irakli: Still have a bit of hope that the marketing isn’t telling the whole story, and there are more ‘Assassin’s Creed’ things in the game that we have yet to see. I’m hoping it enriches the lore and treats it carefully, though I don’t think that is too likely. As is the consensus, I’d love to see a lot of First Civilization exposition and involvement in Odyssey, as there is not much else to do in a time period that predates even Bayek. Ashlea: Now that you have been to Gamescom what do you have planned next within Community? Irakli: Honestly, I am not sure. Right after Gamescom I moved to Germany to start university, and so the last month has been a great change of pace for me. Unfortunately, this also means I don’t have as much time or heart to pour into Assassin’s Creed anymore, but only time will tell. I’ll try to stick around, but with university taking up more and more of my time and interest (and Odyssey… not), it might be time to take a small step back. Ashlea: Thank you so much for taking part in our fourth round of Quick Fire Community Questions. You can find Irakli on Twitter here comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Ashlea is the Editor/ Charity Project Coordinator for The Ones Who Came Before on its wide variety of social media platforms. Her main responsibilities for TOWCB involve creating and editing articles, organisation of events and coordinating our charity fundraising, as well as hosting the Rally The Creed Podcast. Ashlea Blackett

This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: 28th May - 3rd June 2022 Community Share 12 Jun 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) Caveman Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey This week’s first capture comes from @CosmosThief over on Twitter. I am not sure if Alexios has been featured yet in our weekly showcases, however this shot makes a great debut for him. I am a fan of how this capture has been put together, such a small snapshot yet so striking. A fantastic silhouette of the Eagle Bearer brought to life by the light pouring in from above. 2) Eagle Vision Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Photo number two comes from @ kingforever008 , member of our Assassin's Creed VP Twitter community. For me this is photo of the week in our community. What an incredible capture of Ikaros and Kassandra. The striking thing about this is the positioning. It’s not always easy to line these sort of shots up. The subtle colour added to the eyes really make this capture something special. I think Bayek and Eivor should be next to complete the set. 3) Birdman Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins This week’s third shot comes from @ IshaanMishra05 over on Twitter. There had to be an Assassin’s Creed Origins capture in this week after the release of the 60fps patch. Continuing with the theme of hero and their pets, we see Bayek and Senu watching over the land. I love the colours in this picture, they really make the silhouette of Bayek stand out. The white pouring in also makes it feel like there is a sandstorm blowing in. 4) Landscape Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP number four comes from @ jules_vp_ over on Twitter. The fourth capture of the week actually comes from an amazing set of environmental shots. This picture really shows off how stunning the landscape is in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. The positioning of this capture is beautiful. Your eyes are just drawn down to the rocks and the amazing reflections in the water. I have been blown away by the details and the design of England in Valhalla. I think it was a nice change of pace after two very sun-drenched entries. 5) Night in Venice Game: Assassin’s Creed II The final capture of the week comes from @ Sirnotbanndwulf , member of our AC VP Twitter Community. For our final shot of the week we return to Italy and roll back the years to Assassin’s Creed two. I love this capture it is full of nostalgia for me. I would adore to play this game again with improved graphics and Unity movements. This is a fantastic capture showcasing the rooftops of Venice, I am mostly liking the light coming from the moon. 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

Assassin’s Creed Wishlist: How Ubisoft Can Improve Photo Mode for Mirage Wishlists Share 8 Feb 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database As the host of TOWCB weekly virtual photography showcase, I thought I would use this platform to talk about the photo mo de tool i n Assassin's Creed Valhalla. I would like to discuss the strengths but also highlight areas for improvement. Virtual Photography has really taken off in the last few years due to the implementation of in-game photo tools that can replicate a real camera. Gamers can now express themselves through this medium, by showcasing their in-game captures on various social media channels. I believe it has become so popular due to its accessibility. Like myself you don't need to have photography experience to take part, just a love for the game. There are many websites that will now provide support to gamers, to get them started on their virtual photography journey. Additionally, many twitter accounts promote people's virtual photography in the form of retweets, showcases and competitions. My skills have improved greatly thanks to the brilliant virtual photography community. Just by being exposed to others photography you get a sense of how to take a great shot. When I look back and compare against my first captures from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla in 2020, the difference in quality is night and day. Virtual Photography isn't just a great tool for players, it is also a fantastic way for developers to achieve free advertisements of their game. How many times have you seen an incredible shot from someone online and thought, wow that game looks cool, maybe I will purchase it? The better the photo tools, the more striking images people can produce, increasing the online presence of a game. Assassin's Creed Valhalla's photo mode is the best in the series so far. From Origins onwards Ubisoft has added small changes to improve the way we take shots in game. The English and Norwegian landscapes have lended themselves well to VP, especially with the 4K HDR next gen consoles. The sliders can now be reset easily without having to start from scratch and the ability to create portrait shots is a real winner. This has resulted in Valhalla being praised within the community for the quality of shots that can be produced. One often overlooked feature from Assassin's Creed games i s the ability to share the location of the shot straight onto the map for others to see in their games. This is not only great for inspiration, but also for helping others find items in-game. Below I have asked five members of TOWCB VP Community what they would like to see added to future Assassin's Creed games. Assassin Poses - @ Falconswift87 For me personally Eivor will often cause frustration due to his hunched pose and awkward standing position. After playing Horizon Forbidden West, I could not understand why you would not add poses to photo mode. It creates so many different capture opportunities throughout the game. Given the many outfits that are available in AC games the possibilities could be endle ss. You just have to look on social media to see how iconic some of Aloy's poses have become. Time of Day - @ CreedScholars Scholars of the Creed said they would most like to see a time-of-day function added. There are many games that take advantage of this, but I would say Ghost of Tsushima was one of the best. The ability to fast forward time allows the player to amend lighting in so many ways. A shot taken in the middle of day can look vastly different once the stars come out. Valhalla already has multiple different environments, and they all react so differently depending on the time of day. Range of Free Camera - @ Virtualtourism I wasn't shocked at the answer I received from Jack, with range of the free camera being top of his list. As a VP artist who captures the most breath-taking scenery shots it must be frustrating to only be able to move within a defined box. It is great that Valhalla has the zoom in and out function, but it isn't great for wide angled shots. Most games that I have played do not utilise this, however someone found a way round it for Ghost of Tsushima and the scope of shots is now incredible. Character Models - @ dpruttz VP Dpruttz suggested that locking the character models would be a great addition to Assassin's Creed photo mode. This is something I struggle with at times as well, especially if you're a fan of close-up photography. It's not isolated to Assassin's Creed either, many games have this issue. There is nothing more frustrating than thinking you have found the perfect shot only to move the camera slightly and the character model disappears. I think Marvel's Spider-Man solved this issue as you can get incredibly close to the character. Light Source - @ PodToGo I would say light source would be in my top three requested features. Although if you're lucky with the sun Valhalla can produce some extremely satisfying shots. Marvel's Spider-Man & Gotham Knights takes this to another level. You can edit your shots normally but there is also a separate section that allows you to add custom lighting to your captures. You can add ambient light, rotate where the light comes from and even add a spotlight to the shot with varying intensity and colours. When it comes to photo modes Marvel's Spider-Man must be one of the best out there. Character Changes - @ FrameHoldPhotos Frame Hold agreed with a lot of what has been said above but there was one point I picked up on and that is the option to flip between Eivor and Havi in photo-mode. Although I don't think I have seen this in a game to date, there is the ability to change outfits in Marvel's Spider-man or face paints in Horizon Forbidden West. With the vast amount of armour and weapons in Valhalla the chance to flip between them in photo mode would be excellent. Even if it was just to you Armoury loadouts. 2022 Photo-Modes Two games particularly stood out to me in terms of photo modes in 2022. A Plague Tale Requiem blew me away with its ability to pause a cutscene and then have full movement and editing ability. This lent itself to some unbelievably great shots posted by players. I haven't seen this in any other game I have played. Unfortunately, the rest of the tools in the photo mode are generic, but I must give credit to the developers for pushing boundaries. The buzz for this game on social media has been fantastic and even four months after launch there are plenty of photos posted daily. The second game is God of War Ragnarök. Despite this being my game of the year, its photo mode feels very outdated. Originally the game was launched without it, which isn't uncommon as photo modes can cause spoilers. However, it did mean I and others I know waited a month to start the game. Even once the mode was added it felt very limited compared to the original and not even close to the photo modes of Assassin's Creed or its PlayStation peers. The buzz for God of War in terms of captures just doesn't feel the same as A Plague Tale. Both Gotham Knights and more recently The Last of Us have been running regular photo mode contest. Once again this shows how virtual photography can add so much to the overall experience of a game. In addition to this individuals and communities online create their own hashtags for weekly themes continuing the love of a game. #BeyondTheHorizon - Weekly from @Guerrilla with shot of the week being featured on their social media. #GKPhotoMode – Weekly usually with a more personal theme, once again the favourites are retweeted by the official page. #TLOUPhotoMode – Running alongside the TV series Naughty Dog are challenging gamers to recreate moments from the show. #PhotoModeMonday – Run by @ StefanieMcMaken this tag has a real buzz each week. #ACVPThursday #WolfKissedWednesday #TOWCBWeeklyCapture – All dedicated Assassin’s Creed tags that even without a supported title are thriving with entries each week. #MisthiosMonday still has a ton of shots each week despite it being focused on Odyssey. #HeroTuesday – Run by @VPRetweet team has endless possibilities, and is surely going to explode once Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 releases. There is even an e-magazine created by @ ThePhotoMode that releases bimonthly. Here you will find a fantastic selection of shots from a host of games and VP artist. I feel like Virtual Photography is a side to gaming that has steadily been growing and now is the perfect time to makes sure you have a decent photo mode attached to any new release. If the Mirage developers do happen to read this I hope they are able to add at least one of the suggestions above to their photo mode. I would implore them not to be too drastic with the changes though as what they have from Valhalla is one of the better modes out there. If I was to suggest one of the above it would likely be poses. As a long time photographer in Valhalla multiple poses/expressions would have brought many more exciting opportunities. After the announcement of Assassin's Creed Mirage, we are yet to officially find out if this game will have a photo mode. It would be very bizarre if it didn't as the marketing opportunities alone surely justify the inclusion. Still if it does indeed feature then I know our small Assassin's Creed Community will be buzzing with epic shots of Basim on the rooftops of Baghdad. 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

New Summer Roadmap for Assassin's Creed Shadows, Claws of Awaji DLC Release Date, and More Breakdown Share 30 Aug 2025 Written By: Edited By: Zephryss Colum Blackett Back To Database Ubisoft finally launched a new summer roadmap for Assassin’s Creed Shadows on July 24, 2025! Here’s everything you need to know about what’s coming to the game in the next few months. NEW GAME+ New Game+ is now available as soon as you complete the final story mission and credits have rolled. It will reset your Story and objective board progression as well as discovered locations but your character level, your acquired gear, skill points, Knowledge rank and your precious Hideout progression will remain untouched. When launching New Game+, you can choose to start again from the very beginning, reliving the important events of the Tensho War in Iga or you can fast-forward after the prologue to the moment Naoe inherits ownership of the Hideout. PROGRESSION UPDATE In the progression update the character level cap is now increased from 60 to 80 for all players whether you’re playing in NG+ or not. There are brand new Knowledge Ranks, new Mastery and Knowledge Skill ranks, and new upgrades for all Hideout buildings including new upgrades for Heiji’s Forge. One upgrade is coming with New Game+ and one coming with the next Summer update in September. NEW ANIMUS HUB PROJECT The 3rd Animus Hub project was launched on July 29. There will be new resources, data files, and exclusive Animus-themed rewards for you to collect. Remember, if you're still working on the first two projects, you can either finish them up or swap to the new Project. There's no time pressure. QUALITY-OF-LIFE IMPROVEMENT UPDATE The Quality-of-Life Improvement Update will be released in early September and packed with some of the most requested features from Assassin’s Creed community requests since launch. This update will come before the Claws of Awaji expansion and it will be free for all players. This update will include: - The world map unfogging after completing viewpoint synchronization (per region). - The ability to skip time-of-day, jumping ahead to dusk or dawn. - A new Forge upgrade level to reach Mythic (from Epic) and Artifact (from Legendary) equipment rarities. - Hideout Updates and Upgrades. - Uncapped framerate for cutscenes (PC only). - Additional goodies that may be familiar to long-time series fans. - Further bug fixes and stability improvements. CLAWS OF AWAJI DLC Ubisoft officially revealed that the Claws of Awaji DLC for Assassin's Creed Shadows will be released on September 16, 2025. If you pre-ordered Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you’ll be able to play it for free. Keep in mind, Claws of Awaji unlocks only after completing the main story of the game, so make sure you are ready! Ubisoft will share more details on the DLC soon. AMA (ASK ME ANYTHING) WITH DEVELOPMENT TEAM Ubisoft hosted a new AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit on August 12 with members of the Assassin's Creed Shadows development team. Here you will find the full breakdown of the new AC Shadows Reddit AMA. How do you like the new Summer Roadmap for Assassin's Creed Shadows? Which features are you most looking forward to? And how excited are you for the Claws of Awaji DLC? Share your thoughts down below! 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

Product Reveal: Assassin's Creed Through The Ages Tankard by Nemesis Now Merchandise Share 12 Feb 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) TOWCB Team Back To Database We are pleased to reveal the 'Through the Ages' Assassin's Creed Legacy Tankard by N e mesis Now! Releasing Summer 2024, this masterfully crafted collector's item pays tribute to the series and the multiple developments made over time to the hidden blade, the Assassins weapon of choice. Step into the shadows of history with this Officially Licensed Assassin's Creed Through The Ages Tankard . A masterfully crafted vessel that pays homage to the legendary assassins who have left their mark across centuries. Adorned with intricate gold details that capture the essence of the Assassin's Creed legacy. This Tankard is cast in the finest resin before being hand-painted, and will let you relive the adventures of assassins past at every glance. We can't wait to see this product in person when it releases in a couple of months, and can only imagine the sheer joy fans will feel when they receive their own. Assassin's Creed Syndicate Cosplayers in particular are in for a treat, as the style takes a stab at recreating a historical drinking vessel. Look out for it in stores June 2024, or pre-order now from the following retailers. PlanetMerch ComicWarehouse 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)

Weekly Assassin's Creed News Recap: 24th - 30th July 2022 News Share 31 Jul 2022 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to a new weekly Assassin's Creed News Recap series, hosted by Colum Blackett (Col_96) from The Ubisoft Star Players Program (Formerly Mentors Guild). Every week, we will be rounding up Assassin's Creed News and sharing it here on The Ones Who Came Before website. Keep an eye on the site every Sunday for more weekly recaps, or check out our social media links down below to stay updated on everything Assassin's Creed. 1) We begin this week's Assassin's Creed recap by sharing another collaborative project by community members Arshak ( AC: Landmarks ) , Zark ( Master Hekate's Ceremonials ) & Science_creed, who once again came together to host a 2-hour long virtual tour and trivia, this time for Assassin's Creed Unity! In this week's stream, the team covered everything from the Palace of Versailles to Napoleon Bonaparte, and dived deeper into the bloody history behind the French Revolution. You can find the AC Unity Virtual Tour / Trivia here 2) We here at TOWCB released a new article titled Aztec Empire: Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game The article, written by new Isu Network member Finn Fletcher launched on Wednesday this week, and has already broken one of our own personal records! The sensational piece is now the biggest debut article to launch in the history of our website, attracting thousands of new readers to the site! In the article, Finn pitches an Assassin's Creed game set during the Aztec Empire, along the way creating an original character and unique storyline! We will certainly be exploring this era and other potential settings further in future articles. You can look to more articles by Finn, which are set to launch 3) This week, Aaron Young from the Writing Team launched a special edition of our ' This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography ' series. For the first time ever, we featured six shots, to mark six months worth of articles! The theme for the article was Black and White, showcasing incredible captures by community members. A big congratulations to Aaron for reaching the milestone, and to all of the community members featured in the article! You can look forward to more articles in the series, which release every Saturday, or head to the VP Hub to see everything in the series so far. 4) Ubisoft revealed that an Assassin’s Creed 15th Anniversary Community Cosplay Championship event would be taking place at Insomnia Gaming Festival #i69 in August! In a short video shared on social media, cosplay projects, including those created and worn by our good friends Kim Beacham and Jamie Oakley from Assassin's Creed United Kingdom advertised the upcoming event. According to the Insomnia website, the winner of the event will win a 'true Assassin’s Creed VIP Experience'. More details will be shared on this at a later date, but the prize will be a 'fantastic moment' for any Assassin’s Creed fan! Good luck to all the participants! 5) Some disturbing news to share this week. According to Axios's Stephen Totilo former Assassin's Creed creative director Ashraf Ismail (terminated by Ubisoft in 2020 after an internal misconduct investigation) has been quietly working for Tencent's TiMi studios since 2021 as "a consulting creative director". Here is the statement provided to Axios by TiMi's company rep : “During our work with Ash, he has carried himself in a professional manner and has consistently shown an eagerness to learn and grow as both a team member and person," The news broke on Twitter and sparked an uneasy feeling within the community. The wound is still fresh, and for many, the disgraced figure gaining a position at another gaming company simply feels like abusers can be recycled to other companies. The other worrying factor for many is that this individual could potentially be working with fans again one day. A link also remains, as Ubisoft and Tencent are working together on various projects, including Assassin's Creed mobile games launching in Asian territories. As this is a difficult topic, we have opted to share our message to the community from 2020 instead of a photo of a person which we deem to be highly toxic. We stand with the victims and our fans 6) New State Mobile announced an unexpected collaboration with Assassin's Creed. PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, a free battle royale game available on Steam will soon be launching an Assassin's Creed crossover event, beginning August 17th and running until September 22nd. According to PC Gamer , the following items will be available: Costumes (x2 sets) Bag Skins (x2 sets) Parachute Skin Emote Gun Charm Spray Item (x2 sets) PUBG's Haven map will also be transforming a main building into an Abstergo Industries facility, featuring an Animus machine and Leap of Faith ledges! Although this crossover came completely out of the blue, it sounds like a ton of fun for gamers. We look forward to seeing the community response to the event! 7) Sad news to report this week, as Assassin's Creed Community Developer Sebasteann Barradas announced that he would be leaving the position. In a closing statement posted on Twitter, he reflected on his 'rewarding, transformative, and utterly unbelievable time working on Assassin's Creed.'' ''I will always remember the warmth and passion of this community, how AC acts as a unifier, and how every detail matters. I need to thank you all. Thank you for your ambition. Thank you for your wonder.'' Although Sebasteann only joined the AC dev team in January 2022, he demonstrated great community engagement and passion for the brand. Our own experiences with Seb were extremely positive. Most recently, Seb was one of the team members who hosted the Assassin's Creed 15 Year Anniversary Celebrations stream. We wish him good luck on his future endeavours. 8) Finally, we close our recap by revealing that this week, Ubisoft announced the release date for Assassin's Creed Valhalla: The Forgotten Saga, along with the launch of the 2022 Sigrblot Festival! The Forgotten Saga is a free roguelite game mode which is set to launch August 2nd, and take players to Niflheim, the Norse Hell. Odin will battle the forces of Niflheim, making critical decisions along the way which will determine the outcome. Challenges will take place throughout the four regions of the realm, with the end goal being to defeat all of the enemies, and return to the realm even stronger with upgraded weaponry. This mode is perfect for speedrunners, (also known as Creedrunners), who will no doubt discover the best ways of slaying dragons and other forces of Hel. Also announced was the return of the Sigrblot Festival, which last year introduced a number of new activities and rewards to Ravensthorpe. We understand that the 2021 festival brought with it some major technical issues, so we hope that the 2022 version is much smoother for players. What are your thoughts on Assassin's Creed Valhalla's post-launch content so far? Let us know in the comments below! We hope that you enjoyed this Assassin's Creed News Recap! You can look forward to more articles like this, dropping every Sunday! What was your highlight of the week? Let us know in the comments! 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)

Junaid is a UK-based digital artist who joined the art team in Summer 2022. In 2017, he created various art pieces to mark the 10 year anniversary of Assassin's Creed, and by joining the program, we will be collaborating on a number of projects that create exclusive artwork for the community to mark events such as the 15 year anniversary, and the annual AC community fundraiser for charity. Previous Next Junaid Iqbal (Medjay_Graphics) Artist Previous Partner Junaid is a UK-based digital artist who joined the art team in Summer 2022. In 2017, he created various art pieces to mark the 10 year anniversary of Assassin's Creed, and by joining the program, we will be collaborating on a number of projects that create exclusive artwork for the community to mark events such as the 15 year anniversary, and the annual AC community fundraiser for charity. Twitter | Instagram | Website Work

Aztec Empire: Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game Wishlist Share 26 Jul 2022 Written By: Edited By: Finn Fletcher Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Since the release of Assassins Creed II, one of the most exciting aspects of the franchise has always been fantasising about how the creed could apply to different places in history. Although many websites have created drawn out listicles, I want to try something different, creating a detailed pitch for a games setting. Discussing the true history, the style of the story, and the type of unique gameplay that could be applied to this period. One of the most important factors when choosing a setting is applying themes relevant to the turmoil and struggles of the time. AC III used the American Revolution to discuss freedom and corruption, while Black Flag used piracy to discuss greed and inequality. So today, I'm going to take the opportunity to pitch a game in what is currently one of the most heavily rumoured settings, the Aztec Empire. Now simply saying "Aztecs" is pretty broad, covering a people and Empire who existed for centuries. First things first then, a little history. The legend goes that the Aztec people founded their capital city of Tenochtitlan under strict instructions of one of their gods Huitzilopochtli. He told the settlers to build a city where they find a giant eagle eating a snake while perched on a cactus (a symbol which is now used on the Mexican flag). Supposedly, this strange event was seen in the marshy land of Lake Texcoco around 1325 CE, and construction began. The city's construction was a technical marvel, consisting of multiple connected artificial islands, that allowed for irrigation of gardens as well as construction for towering pyramids. Moveable causeways connected the islands to the mainland, while also functioning as dikes that could separate the freshwater and saltwater of the lake. It truly was a floating marvel, like Venice on steroids, that at its height was the most populated city in Mesoamerica. Originally one of many city states in pre-colonial Mexico, the Aztecs' impressive military conquered the surrounding land, with the aid of an intelligent group of diplomats and traders. By the early 16th century, the Aztecs had come to rule 5 to 6 million people across 200,000 square kilometres. It was around this time that tragedy struck. The arrival of the Spanish led to the destruction of the empire and genocide of it's people. Through disgusting military tactics, and the spreading of diseases that the native people lacked immunity to, the Spanish managed to tear the entire civilization to the ground, destroying centuries of history and culture in the process. This is the period I believe the game should be set, during the final war of the empire against the Spanish. This period of tragedy could be used as a great foundation for a discussion of grief, loss and imperialism. What a perfect time for this story to be released, after we ourselves have come out of the biggest pandemics of our lifetime and are currently facing rising temperatures causing wildfires across the planet. If done well, this touching story of someone watching the destruction of everything they know, the whole world from their perspective, could allow for a relevant and inspiring journey for players. The story will follow Guatemoc (OC: name translates to 'attacks like an eagle'), an elite soldier of the Eagle Warrior guild. From a poor background, he worked in the military as all men were expected to at the time, showing great prowess and rising through the ranks. The greatest units of soldiers were the Jaguar or Eagle battalions, with soldiers having to take enemy captives to rise to this divine duty, a group Guatemoc rightly earned his place in. The opening of the game will be set before the Spanish arrived in Tenochtitlan, with NPC's discussing and questioning the rumours about new arrivals to the land. During this time the player will be sent on tasks for the Eagle warriors, acting as a gameplay tutorial, while the open world will give an opportunity for exploration of a still fully native Aztec world. The city of Tenochtitlan will be filled with different activities, allowing for full immersion in the period. Mainly I would love to see mini games (a fan favourite within the franchise, just think of Orlog), that would allow you to play Ullamaliztli, an Aztec sport, as well as Patolli, a board game of the time. Ullamaliztli would definitely be more difficult, a type of proto-basketball where two teams of seven players aim to get a rubber ball through a ring on either side of the court. If this is too difficult to create in gameplay, it would still be great to watch and potentially place bets on games played by NPC's. I believe the open world as a whole would benefit from remaining rather small, focusing mainly on the city of Tenochtitlan, which needs the same level of detail as Paris or London from previous titles. I do however believe it's important that the game isn't limited to a single city, with the surrounding area offering an important perspective for the period. Smaller towns and villages can provide quest opportunities and loot for players, whilst ancient ruins, functioning as tombs, unravel a larger mystery and provide access to late game armour. Veracruz, the Spanish headquarters in Mexico, needs to be a secondary city in the game that can be used to shine a better light on Spanish culture, and will also offer a completely unique setting to explore for this game. In terms of gameplay, I think it's important to return to the roots of the series somewhat, especially in regards to parkour. As much as I may enjoy the recent RPG games, the parkour has been undoubtedly lacklustre, providing nowhere near as much complexity and style as before. Traversing across rooftops shouldn't be a simple task, it needs to be challenging, where finding and successfully pulling off the best route will reward you with more speed, and some visual flair. I would also love to see the return of tree climbing from Assassins Creed III. The Aztecs lived among rich jungles that were difficult to travel across. It would be amazing to see a change from the usual use of horseback, in favour of full parkour, where in a seamless open world you can travel from city to city across tree branches while never touching the ground. Combat meanwhile needs to retain the grittiness of the newer games, especially Origins, while fine tuning to adjust for new weapon types. Aztecs used a variety of weapons, from short spears to clubs, and having the option to use them all would be incredible. Obviously when meeting the Spanish, players will also be introduced to early muskets, as well as more European weapons like lances and crossbows. These should definitely be usable by the players, though I would like guns to be temporary tools, similar to muskets in The Kenway Saga, where they can't be added to the players main arsenal. After completing these introductory tasks for the Eagle Warriors, the narrative will introduce Hernán Cortés, when he arrived at Tenochtitlan in November 1519; one of the most important moments in Aztec history. Cortès was a vile human, a bloodthirsty warmonger who's only thought was who to kill next. He even directly defied the orders of his higher ups in his determination for nothing short of genocide. These historical accounts provide a clear path for Cortès to be the main villain of this title. His arrival in Tenochtitlan however, was unusually peaceful as he entered the city as an honoured guest of King Montezuma. This diplomatic invitation was quickly upended, when Cortès slaughtered his way out of the house he was staying in, entered the Royal Palace and took the king hostage, claiming the city as his own. I imagine this event being a major set piece for the game, with Guatemoc acting as a guard for the Montezuma and Cortès, allowing peaceful interactions with the villain prior to the conflict. Additionally, for the keen eyed players, a white hooded figure can be seen skulking in the shadows, watching the ensuing events. The conquest of the palace will then play as a drawn-out action sequence, where Guatemoc fights his way through the burning city, barely escaping after failing to kill Cortès. It would be obvious to make Cortès a Templar, however I feel that his cartoonishly evil behaviour doesn't fit with the more sympathetic Templars we've come to expect. Instead, I would make him a failed Templar candidate, someone aware of the ancient struggle who was denied entry to the Templar Order due to his brash attitude and uncontrolled rage. Since that point, he has aimed to surpass the Templars, his ego getting the best of him as he hopes to someday show the Order what they missed. By taking over Tenochtitlan, he effectively became the Spanish ruler of the land, leaving him somewhat in command of even Templar officials. Meanwhile, the loss of his home will leave Guatemoc in the worst position of his life, and it is here that we will be introduced to the Assassins. Alejandra is a Spanish master Assassin, born to wealth and finding the Brotherhood after her curious young mind spent too many hours searching through the inconsistencies of historical texts. She's a devout follower of the creed, loyal to her core. When learning of the "new world", she snuck aboard a ship, hiding away to attack the Templars who have already settled in America. After the attack on Tenochtitlan, she would follow Guatemoc, a clearly skilled soldier closer to the king and culture than she will ever be. Finding him passed out in the dirt, she will wake him and introduce him to the creed, giving him the hidden blade. Despite being deep within the rainforest, Alejandra needs to be perfectly clean, with every inch of her robes in place. Her upbringing left her with a posh sensibility; she speaks well and even as an Assassin, looks down on others. Guatemoc only earn her respect because he is useful to her. It is then through her, that the player will learn more enhanced stealth techniques, as Guatemoc becomes a blend of Aztec warrior, and ancient Assassin. This game could finally provide a return to the much beloved stealth of older Assassin's Creed games which has been missing from recent titles. Stealth will be vital for our Aztec Assassin, with a return to tools and a need for fleeing from battle when outnumbered. Spanish Conquistadors will be unstoppable in open combat, heavily armoured with better weapons. Attacking from the shadows will be the only option, with in-depth social stealth mechanics playing a key role. As an Aztec soldier, appearing in Spanish controlled areas will instantly attract attention, meaning a hood and crowd blending approach will be the only effective way to travel safely. I would also love to also see the option to raise and lower the hood at will, just for the aesthetic. A range of new and exciting tools will be available to players, I personally would like a range of poisons that cause different effects to enemies. These can be deployed through atlatls, Aztec dart and spear throwers that would be a historically accurate and unique weapon for this outing. Additionally throwable smoke bombs and the bows of Origins are a must. This will provide the basic foundation for the rest of the game, as Guatemoc assassinates Spanish Templars across the land, working his way to Cortès. Each target needs a solid reason for invading, with some being completely opposed and trying to take down the manic Cortès, while others have become corrupted by his actions. Historically speaking, it was decades after the invasion that Cortès died in Spain after fighting dysentery. Part of me wished to change this to allow for a final battle to the death in Tenochtitlan, possibly atop one of their incredible pyramids, however after reflection I don't think this is the best solution. That fight could still take place as the climactic action scene of the game, but there's something more tragic about Cortès escaping and living a full life despite his despicable behaviour. This made me reconsider, with Cortès' death still taking place during the epilogue of the game set at a much later date in time. In 1547, having spent his life trying to save his people and culture, Guatemoc is a bitter old man. His people have been killed, his history tarnished, and Mexico is now nothing more than an extension of the Spanish Empire. Having tracked Cortès down, the man whose actions he cannot forget, Guatemoc approaches him while he's stuck in bed worsening from his illnesses. Even after all these years, Cortès recognises the old Aztec and smiles. They have a discussion about what's been lost. Having mellowed somewhat in age, Cortès does admit to regretting some of his actions, having children of his own now from Aztec heritage who he truly cares for (according to historical accounts). Still, he can't help but smile when thinking back to those days, clinging on to the moments where he "ruled the world". Angered, Guatemoc finally finishes off Cortès, knowing full well it means little now. Everything he knew is gone, and the killing of an old man is the only compensation he can get. Throughout the story, Alejandra, while an ally, will grow into a more antagonistic role. Her self determination and snooty attitude contrasts with Guatemoc's humble beginnings, and the further she pushes him to her own ideals, the more he feels distanced from his cultural beliefs. This could even progress into her initiating plans which include the destruction of Aztec monuments, rigging them to blow with Templars inside. In the end, even the Assassins in this story are colonisers, judging the Aztec culture as primitive and in need of their guidance to progress. This may cause contention with some fans, but I believe this story would be most effective if by the end Guatemoc disowns the Assassins, turning his back on all those who's petty political and philosophical struggles led to the destruction of his home. He, like us, is the everyman, watching as titans battle with little care for those they claim to protect. And so that's it, my pitch for Assassins Creed Aztec. I've tried to provide something different, while not forgetting what made the series great. I hope you enjoyed it, and we would love to hear your ideas for future Assassin's Creed games in the comments. A special thanks goes to all the artists whose work continues to amaze, especially BQoverlord0 who's work helped create a visual inspiration for our original creation. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Finn is a creative writer from Rotherham, UK who has previously supported TOWCB's Fundraising events, and raised awareness surrounding Men's Mental Health. Finn's writing covers a wide scope, with releases so far including reviews, interviews and stories. He is known in the AC Community for his 'Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game' series, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website! Finn Fletcher

This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: 9th - 15th July 2022: Portraits Community Share 16 Jul 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) Shadow Queen Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla The first capture of the week comes from @ Lidertzz over on Twitter. This week’s portraits special begins with an image of Eivor looking very gothic. I love this capture as it is so intriguing due to the colour choices. I always feel that black is a difficult colour to work with as it can overpower a shot. This isn’t the case here where instead, it adds to the image, giving a menacing and mysterious feel to Eivor. I would not want to see her emerge from the shadows if I were a member of the order. 2) Warrior Queen Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Photo number two comes from @ 6VAC1 over on Twitter. Next up we move to Odyssey and everyone’s favourite Misthios. I have spent more time with black and white virtual photography recently and have become quite a fan. This shot instantly caught my eye when it popped up on my feed. Here we have a striking capture of Kassandra that shows her deep in thought. She looks very much like a woman on a mission here. The lighting is perfect too and highlights much of the detail of Kassandra’s armour. 3) The Hidden One Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins This week’s third shot comes from @ JamesTiddlyQuid a member of our Assassin’s Creed VP Twitter Community. I have been looking for a portrait of Aya for quite some time, lucky for me this one showed up in the perfect week. A fantastic shot of Aya contemplating what she is about to do. Dressed as an assassin, she very much looks the part. I adore the amount of detail that has been captured here, it really shows off the amount of work that went into designing this character. I recommend checking out the full set of images captured by @ JamesTiddlyQuid as it showcases the whole scene brilliantly. 4) London Calling Game: Assassin’s Creed Syndicate VP number four comes from @ MissEvieFrye a member of our Assassin’s Creed VP Twitter Community . Syndicate captures are hard to come by, however thanks to the AC15 celebration week I came across multiple worthy candidates. This one stood out as my favourite though as the outfit and the stance are perfection. I am really impressed that this photo has been taken as a portrait, it really adds to the sense of falling. The incredible work blurring the background makes you feel like you’re playing the game. The outfit is the winner here though with the amazing red, black and gold showcased so beautifully. The hidden blade also catches the eye making this a true Assassin’s Creed shot. 5) The French Assassin Game: Assassin’s Creed Unity The final capture of the week comes from @ ophierian_vp over on Twitter. This last shot comes from Unity and actually completes a mini Assassin’s Creed timeline for this week’s showcase. This was a hard choice as the set in which this capture comes from is flawless. Once again we get to see the assassin in all his glory thanks to beautiful work with the depth of field. This photo gives me the sense that time is passing Arno by quickly as he awaits his next target. A fantastic outfit which gives off that French vibe, and the leather bracer with the Assassin symbol is just genius. 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

Cracking the Isu Code: Part 2 Analysis Share 22 Jan 2022 Written By: Edited By: Preston Carbonaro Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Have you read Part 1 of our codebreaking series? Ready for more? Well, good news! We’re back with some brand new Isu codebreaking goodness for you all! 10th March is steadily approaching, and everyone here at TOWCB is gearing up for Ragnarok! ... No, there won’t actually be a catastrophic end-of-the-world event. Don’t worry. We're referring to the upcoming DLC, Dawn of Ragnarok. The much-awaited expansion for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. In this article we’ll be looking at the Isu text engraved into the stone gate leading to Muspelheim, the realm of fire; home of the fire giants, and guarded by the fierce jötunn Surtr wielding his massive fiery blade. Deciphering the Ragnarok Gate Alongside the Dawn of Ragnarok Cinematic World Trailer, Ubisoft have also been promoting an image of a gate which could lead to another realm. Fans were quick to notice the strange symbols that surround it, which are in fact written in secret language of the highly advanced precursor race known as the Isu. Here is our step by step guide to decoding it! Underlined in blue above is the Isu word for ‘blind’ (wàrh). The character underlined in white denotes that the word is in its singular form. With this information, we can conclude that the word in the yellow box translates to ‘Blind One’ (referring to Havi / Odin), who is missing his left eye after sacrificing it in exchange for newfound wisdom gained by drinking water from Mimir’s well. Note: In Access The Animus’ video, ‘blind’ is replaced with ‘mad’. This is a direct reference to when Loki called Odin the “Mad One” in the game’s Isu era cutscene. As you can see, both words can be used interchangeably without affecting the meaning of the message. The final step, as always, is to form a comprehensible phrase using all of our findings. Thus, the Muspelheim gate message translates to: “Blind One, what did you do?” or “Mad One, what have you done?” But the work doesn’t stop there, as we still have one more symbol left to decode. The one at the very top of the gate. And as most of you could probably tell, this is not in the Isu language. Odin by Mentor Of The Creed Dawn of Ragnarok will be the third story expansion for the game, and is set to be released on 10th March 2022 worldwide on all platforms. The new DLC will further expand upon Norse mythology, and will allow players to travel to the dwarven realm of Svartalfheim where Eivor must step back into the role of Havi (Odin) to rescue his son Baldr from the fire giant Surtr. Link to Access The Animus video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLyG52L3S1c Link to the free downloadable Codex Transferendum 2.0.1, written by ActualSpider-Man from TOWCB's Writing Team: https://www.docdroid.net/wommaEU/codex-transferendum-201-pdf comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Preston is a long-time Assassin's Creed fan of both the games and the soundtracks. He works as a primary school educator, and is also a part-time actor. He takes a keen interest in mythology, symbology, codes and puzzles. Some of his passions include writing, reading, art, gaming, football, and music. Preston Carbonaro

The Ones Who Came Before: Plans for 2021 News Share 29 Dec 2020 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Buckley Back To Database 2020 is nearly over, and it's been a crazy year for everyone. Although we were all limited due to restrictions, we here at TOWCB tried to make the most of it . The new year is almost here, so in this article we will be outlining some of our plans and goals for 2021. Huge thank you to everyone who has supported TOWCB this year, and especially to those who have been shopping via our Amazon links , helping to keep the site running and ad-free. Assassin's Creed Valhalla Review Look our for our review for Assassin's Creed Valhalla, which was delayed due to the sheer size of the game, and time required to complete. By pushing our review back, we have given our fans a window to explore the game for themselves, and make up their own minds. It also gave fans who received the game for Christmas a chance to play without spoiler-related discussions appearing online. Here's a sneak peak: "There's never a dull moment whilst exploring the world of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, as it continues to find ways to surprise the player at every turn. It's the first game in the series to properly fill the open world, making it feel dynamic and life-like" Anti-Spoiler Filter Removed We will also be removing our Anti-Spoiler filter in January, meaning we will finally be discussing plot points and other elements that we have not yet covered. It's a great opportunity to dive into some Isu lore and dig our teeth into the real history that inspired the game. With the help of our Partnership Program team, we will be covering fresh aspects of the game that we have not yet explored. More opportunities and giveaways We were recently invited to join The Mentors Guild, an official community program that bridges the gap between community members and developers. So far, Ubisoft has so far arranged two giveaways (Valhalla codes) along with constant social media support, creating numerous opportunities for members of the AC community. We are looking forward to working closely with Ubisoft in the new year on the program, and strive to make the most of our new position. Wedding Prep! Ash and Col from the admin team are getting married in November! As you might expect, the wedding may have one or two Assassin's Creed related elements! Keep an eye on our social media channels for updates, or check out the Rally The Creed podcast Reboot The AC Partnership Program In 2021, we are looking to do a soft reboot of our AC Partnership Program, a community initiative that provides a platform for content creators to shine. We are always looking out for the next wave of passionate AC fans who are creating content on a regular basis, and we hope to discover new talent in 2021 to join us. If you are interested, simply message our social media channels and send some of your projects our way. Fundraising projects 2020 was our biggest year so far for fundraising projects, and we would like to recognise the efforts of Ashlea Buckley and Lisa Zaman who helped raise over £500 for The Italian Red Cross! These efforts provided resources for Italy in it's time of need, and brought the entire community together. We will be doing even more fundraising in the new year, and Ashlea, who is now our Charity Project Coordinator, will be taking charge of these efforts. Keep an eye on our social media channels for updates. We hope that you enjoyed our last article of 2020! As you can see, we have a lot planned for 2021, and we can't wait to get started! See you all in the New Year! 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)

2025 Assassin's Creed Community Fundraiser for Blood Cancer Launched Community Share 8 Jun 2025 Written By: Edited By: TOWCB Team Colum Blackett Back To Database Cancer. Everyone has a story. It affects us all. We are proud to announce that the 2025 Assassin's Creed Community Fundraiser will be raising funds for Blood Cancer Alliance and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), a collection of charities around the world leading the fight in the battle against Blood Cancer. The Assassin's Creed Community are once again coming together to make a real-world impact for a cause connected to the franchise. Every Assassin's Creed fan knows that the series is deeply connected to DNA, exploring the memories of our ancestors using the Animus Device. Blood holds the key to every adventure. It's the holding cell for memories, and the life force of existence. There are around 240,000 people living with blood cancer in the UK. Together, blood cancers are the fifth most common type of adult cancer, the most common cancer amongst children and the third most fatal cancer. Your support will ensure that those fighting leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma and all types of blood cancer are able to live longer, better lives. In particular, your financial support will fund lifesaving research that will be used to improve diagnosis, treatment and care. Beating Cancer is in our blood. We are Assassins. GoFundMe Our Partners AC United Kingdom All-Father Media AndyReloads Cadaea G Assassin HangryHiggs Ironside George Ropotopolous The Hidden One The Podyssey Podcast Team: ExileAC & WillisMakesMovies Ubisoft We would like to say a huge thank you to all of our partners for supporting the 2025 Assassin's Creed Community Fundraiser! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author A collection of articles from The Ones Who Came Before team. TOWCB Team

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Starter Guide focussing on Norway for new players looking to begin their Assassin's Creed Valhalla adventure. Community Guides Assassin's Creed Valhalla Starter Guide: Norway By Aaron Young 2/2/21 Share Top Stories The Assassin's Creed Community are raising money for Ocean Conservancy. Donate today Assassin’s Creed Valhalla can seem like a daunting game at first. When you start in Norway the map is already a decent size. The amount of collectables and content to discover can feel slightly overwhelming, especially with most of the main game set in England. In this article I will try and set you up for your Viking adventure, with hints and tips for your beautiful starting location, Norway. I am going to keep away from the story aspects of the Norway arc, as it is best you discover this yourself. The only thing I will say is that the story can drag you in, and before you know it you will be sailing off to England without exploring everything Norway has to offer. Take time in-between quests to have a look around. Important to note, you will be able to return to Norway at any moment once you are in England. When you begin the game you will immediately start levelling up, however this is only the beginning. Norway is a snowy playground that you can use to set yourself up for your adventures in England. You will notice many icons scattered around Norway on the map. They range from gold (wealth), blue (mysteries) and white (artefacts). These are often separate from the main story and are here to enrich the experience. Completing the main quest will always be your best way to level up as the XP reward is high. The little gold markers have less of an impact on completing an area but offer valuable XP and resources. If you are a completionist like me then these small loot boxes are worth it even if they don’t seem like it at the time. Edited by Ashlea Buckley XP and the Map Interview with Magnus Bruun - Eivor Assassins' Creed Valhalla Merchandise Guide Q&A with Abubakar Salim - Bayek of Siwa TOWCB Plans for 2021 Netflix announce upcoming live-action Assassin's Creed series Female Vikings: The Real History Building an Assassin's Creed Community: Getting Started Mentors Guild Announcement Interview with Benoit Richer: Valhalla Co-Dev Game Director Interview with Eric Baptizat: AC Valhalla Game Director Interview with Jordan Van Andel (JorRaptor) Colours in Assassin's Creed: A Short Review 6 ways to stay entertained in the Assassin's Creed Community during isolation Interview with Carlos Ferro - Da Vinci 5 ways you can support TOWCB Interview with Jesper Kyd Top Stories For anyone who played Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Mysteries may come as a welcome addition. I found Odyssey a tad repetitive, but Valhalla’s Mysteries help diversify the world and keep things fresh. They often come with a small bit of problem solving, but be sure to check your surrounding area for clues. Mysteries are great for XP too, but don’t feel compelled to complete them all as some are power dependant. Gear and Skill Points Unlike Odyssey, don’t expect to find loads of gear throughout the world. Norway does not have many gear items and you can find yourself in the same outfit for quite some time. Personally I enjoy this, as I find I use each piece way more than I would in Odyssey/Origins. Your best way to scout out these gear pieces is to find the synchronization points. This will open up the world, and although Valhalla is less click and go, waypoints will become clearer after syncing with the world. Upgrading your gear can be done in multiple ways. The major upgrades will not be available until you reach England (Settlement Blacksmith), but runes and resources can be applied to your gear right from the start. I did this sparingly but if you follow the guidance above then you can use resources such as iron and leather to upgrade your gear as often as you like. Try not to get overloaded with skill points. The maximum power in Valhalla is 400, but this level will be increased during future DLC expansions. The points can be added to 3 different routes, however you do not have to specialise as by the end of the game you will most likely have filled all of the skill tree. Red is the way of the bear (Melee), yellow is the way of the raven (Stealth) and blue is the way of the wolf (Ranged). The game lets you view what is available under each section, so just find a skill you wish to acquire and work towards it. Combat Combat will take some getting used to but with perseverance you will prevail. I don’t tend to make the strongest builds or use that many different weapons, as I prefer to keep to the pure Viking simulator. If you take the time, you can make your character very powerful, even in the early stages of the game. When in Norway, I preferred the axe and the shield combination for close up fights and then switching to the bow for anything at a distance. There are not a lot of weapons to choose from in Norway, but there are enough to get you started. Once in England you will gain many more abilities which will tie in with your weapon choices. Health and stamina play a larger role in Valhalla. You will not have the luxury of health regeneration and must forage for food to store in a rations bag which can then be used during combat. Your stamina bar will deplete when running/fighting, so it is important to slow things down from time to time. Traveling and Discovering When navigating Norway it is best to use your longship. This will help you to discover fast travel points for easy access later in the game. It is also a great way to view the beautiful scenery Norway has to offer. On land you will find yourself on horseback. I found it a tad slow due to the mountain ranges. Try if you can to keep to the main paths, as this is a lot quicker and will not deplete your stamina. Quite often you will find items in the world that are trapped behind locked or barricaded doors. Sometimes it can be frustrating to find a way in. Remember, locked doors will always have a key nearby and Sýnin your raven can help. Sýnin cannot tag everything in the environment like Senu or Ikaros could, but your bird will still be useful for finding things. If that fails you have Odin’s sight (Eagle Vision) which will give you a glimpse of the environment around you. Anything that is barricaded will just be a small puzzle to solve. Keep an eye out for gaps in windows, or weakness in walls/roofs for a way in. Hopefully these tips will help you get started on your Viking adventure. Valhalla is a wonderful game full of intrigue and mystery with a story that sucks you in slowly. Be patient and take your time, you will not regret it. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who recently joined TOWCB AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer. Throughout 2021, Aaron and other writers will be joining the admin team in a collaborative effort to create an Assassin's Creed Valhalla Guide Database, which you can find here . Twitter Aaron Young Save 10% on officially licensed Assassin's Creed Origins merchandise with the code "TOWCB"

Rally the Creed Episode 1 TOWCB Highlights Podcasts Share 24 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Michael Doyle Back To Database We here at TOWCB admin team have been overwhelmed by the positive community reaction to the launch of our latest project: Rally the Creed video podcast. Each episode of Rally the Creed (2023+) will be released in three versions: Video, Audio and Transcript, as to create a more personal experience, and allow for viewers to enjoy the podcast in multiple ways. The second and most important change is host rotation, as we plan on getting different members of TOWCB Team to host each episode. We hope that this new and exciting structure keeps the podcast fresh, and helps it to stand out from other fan projects. The new series will cover a huge range of topics relating to the Assassin's Creed series, and give a voice to community members. For some, the podcast will provide the opportunity to step out of the shadows for the first time, and introduce themselves to the community, whilst for others, it becomes a meeting place for long-time fans of the series to discuss all things Assassin's Creed. In episode #1 , Col and Michael from TOWCB Core Team discuss Assassin's Creed Mirage, the new podcast format and choices in Assassin's Creed. Highlights 1 - Explaining the new formula. We kicked off our new podcast by outlining the changes we have made since it's original launch to make it stand out in the community. We are committed to giving Assassin's Creed community members a platform from which they can share their thoughts and feelings, in order to spark meaningful discussions. Here we see Col from the admin team explaining host rotation and our hopes of creating a social hangout for fans of the franchise. 2 - Why Assassin's Creed Mirage needs to be a success Michael and Col discuss the damaging effects of neglecting a marketing campaign, and the importance for Ubisoft to end the silence regarding Assassin's Creed Mirage and provide clarity on the current status of the game. 3 - Assassin's Creed Infinity should look at adding content to older games. In this snippet, Col discusses the potential of the Assassins' Creed Infinity platform to one day become the home of all things Assassin's Creed, and add content to previously released titles to encourage fans to return and play. 4 - Assassin's Creed Mirage needs to return to the roots of Assassin's Creed Michael outlines the need for Assassin's Creed Mirage to return the series to its roots, in a way that feels authentic and deliberate. 5 - Michael pitches the idea of an Assassin's Creed with consequences. Talking about the future of the series, Michael pitches the idea of choices and their impact upon the world. Should Ubisoft focus on pushing the series forward, adding meaningful decisions that have real repercussions on the game could change the series for the better, making players weigh-up options and think before acting in-game. 6 - Swear Word Censoring We conclude by showcasing our new swear word censoring, which aims to assassinate all cursing in a very on-brand way, courtesy of our video-editor FrameHoldPhotography! See it in action during this hilarious rampage by Michael listing the many problems he found whilst watching the Halo TV series. Thanks for watching! We had a ton of fun creating the podcast and we are striving to make it as interesting as possible for fans of the franchise. If you have any feedback on how we can improve, or simply want to join us for an episode, get in touch via the comments section below! 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)

AC Movie Press Event London (First 20 minutes (From Memory & Notes) Events Share 12 May 2016 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database I recently attended The AC Movie Press Event in London, and saw the first 20 minutes of the upcoming Assassin's Creed Movie (Amongst many other things). This article is written from my memory and a few notes. (MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE ASSASSIN'S CREED MOVIE) So the movie begins with an Eagle soaring over New Mexico, showing us a high angle shot of the sand below. After flying over several isolated buildings, we zoom in on a small town. The music playing is Young Dead Men by The Black Angels , a song that I thought worked very well with the scene. The lyrics especially made it work. "Run for the hills, pick up your feet and let's go" The Eagle flies off, and we focus in on a hooded young boy riding his bike through a quiet, dusty town. After several cinematic shots showing the boy biking, he bikes towards his home and gets off the bike. The lively introduction music that was playing fades out, and we the boy slowly enters his home. A new song starts playing through a record player, creating a creepy atmosphere. The boy calls out for his mother as he comes in through the back door. The next shot we see is of a woman sitting in a chair, staring across the room. Blood can be seen on her chest, and it becomes apparent that she has been stabbed. The camera slowly pans across her body, and we see that she is holding a strange looking necklace with the Assassin insignia. The necklace is wrapped around her hand, and is covered in blood. The boy walks towards his mother slowly, looking at the injuries inflicted on her. The camera pans towards the right hand side of the room, and we see a hooded man facing the other way. Whispering to himself he says "Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine." (Nothing is True. Everything is Permitted). It was nice to hear the Maxim of The Creed again, but this was a super creepy scene! He turns around, and the camera zooms in on his face. He is a bearded man, and looks like he is possessed. The boy nervously says "Dad", and the man begins to walk towards the boy. The camera focusses in on his hidden blade, dripping with blood. His dad, looking menacing in a dark green hoodie, walks towards his son. In the distance we hear sirens approaching, and Joseph says to his son "Your blood is not your own Cal." As the police cars slowly pull up, Callum runs out the door as his father is arrested. As the cars pull up, we see a Templar Cross Necklace (The Ubiworkshop one) danging from the inside car mirror. (It was the exact same one that I was wearing at the time, and Justin Kurzel had actually noticed we wearing it earlier that day) As the police enter the house, the camera pulls away and focusses on Cal, freerunning accross the rooftops. We see several slow motion shots, as he jumps from roof to roof. As the sirens fade away, we cut to present day, and Lynch is now sat in a prison cell drawing. We see his wall, and the entire segment is filled with dark sketches. several seconds of watching Cal sketch away in his cell, we see a guard talking to a priest. "All he does is draw. It's against the rules, but what can we do. Man likes to draw" says the guard, looking at Cal on the CCTV monitors. We are then told by the guard that Callum beat someone to death. The priest enters the cell to speak to Cal, and sits down beside him. Lynch looks at the priest and says, "Are you here to save me". The priest asks Cal if there is anything he can do to bring him comfort. Cal says that there is a poem that his mother used to say to him as a kid. (It's an extract from " After Apple Picking" by Robert Frost) . The priest and Cal recite the poem together, and then we see Cal being taken to the Execution room. In the room Cal is strapped to a machine that will give him a lethal injection. Lynch appears to show no remorse, as he looks at the family members of the person he killed through the glass. He is asked if he has any final words and he says "Tell my father I'll see him in hell". With this the clock hits 18.00, and we see the liquid being pumped into his arm. This is quite a horrible scene, as Lynch realises that he about to die. Bits of this execution scene can be seen in the first 30 seconds of the trailer . As Callum falls asleep, the camera goes blurry then dark. He then wakes up next to a woman, who tells him that her name is Dr Sophia Rikken. He's in a hospital bed, and is extremely weak. "Where am I" he asks. "At 6pm yesterday evening, you were executed, and pronounced dead. You no longer exist". She tells him that he needs to take some time to recover, as they have to use a liquid so strong that it makes the prison guards think that the convict is dead. "It's the only thing strong enough to get past the guards". She tells him that he is now her patient at an Abstergo facility, and she is going to help him get better. Cal gets out of the chair and tries to escape. As soon as he gets up, his legs give way and he falls into the corridor. Sophia says that it's okay to the guards, and Cal slowly limps around the facility. He sees many other patients wearing the same white outfits that he is wearing. The Abstergo Facility looks like a hospital, and is extremely white and clean. Cal slowly runs underneath the Abstergo logo, and stumbles onto the floor. Getting back up, a little girl says to him "Your blood is not your own". This is the same line that his father said to him earlier in the movie. Cal gets up and continues his slow run around the facility. He enters a room that is filled with trees and plants, being attended to by other patients in the facility. Cal slowly walks towards the edge, where he bumps into Michael K. Williams who says Nothing is True. Everything is Permitted. (In Arabic) Cal walks towards the ledge, and we are shown the building that he is being kept in. The Abstergo facility is in an old church in Madrid. Cal looks out at the city and he is told that there is only one way to escape this facility. Cal gets up and continues his slow run around the facility. He enters a room that is filled with trees and plants, being attended to by other patients in the facility. Cal slowly walks towards the edge, where he bumps into Michael K. Williams who says Nothing is True. Everything is Permitted. (In Arabic) Cal walks towards the ledge, and we are shown the building that he is being kept in. The Abstergo facility is in an old church in Madrid. Cal looks out at the city and he is told that there is only one way to escape this facility. Sophia enters the room with Abstergo guards and Michael K. Williams says "The walls have eyes". Cal looks at the guards, and at the height below, considering whether to jump or not. "You are not a prisoner here" Sophia says to Cal. "You can leave whenever you chose". We are then shown Alan Rikkin, watching the entire thing. Panning across his office, we see the Aguilar's crossbow on his desk. We also see a vast collection of weapons, including hidden blades. Cal looks around the room, and is hit with a tranquiliser dart. Sophia is furious that her patient has been subjected to violence already, but the guard replies tells her that her father ordered it. We are then shown Aguilar and Maria running away from a group of Templars. The fight through several buildings, using several weapons including throwing knives and bow and arrow. Maria is especially talented with hidden blades.The fight breaks into several houses, and after killing many enemies, the two Assassins take to the roof tops. We see several long jumps across buildings, as the Assassins are chased by their enemies. They both jump into a tunnel, and kill the remaining Templars with hidden blades. The fighting is quick and clean, something that can be seen in the trailer. We then cut back to modern day as Callum wakes up. Sophia says "Prepare the Animus" and Callum is strapped in. This scene needs to be edited digitally, as it currently just shows Cal climbing wooden planks. It's like an indoor freerunning course, but with editing, will probably look more like the structures that Aguilar is actually climbing. I really enjoyed the event, and the footage was amazing! Images from UbiBlog 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)

Assassin's Beans: An AC Fall Guys Crossover Event Breakdown Share 8 Jul 2022 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Article contains ads that support TOWCB Fall Guys is a platforming-based, battle-royale game show where players control a customizable “Bean '' character in a variety of obstacle course races, or survival matches against up to 60 other contestants in a Solo, Duo, or Squad mode. This is a fun fast-paced game that can be played in small sittings, or for long marathons as each “show” lasts 5 rounds at a few minutes a piece. For those that can make it to the end, a show can last up to 25 minutes, but the chaos of everyone grouped together, jumping and diving around obstacles, can eliminate a player within seconds of starting. For those that do reach the final match, the end goal is presented in a floating crown that goes to the first player to grab it. Initially a paid title on Playstation 4 and PC, the game was then rereleased for Nintendo Switch, Playstation 5 and Xbox Series S/X on June 21, 2022. Now the game has been released as a free-to-play title for the Epic Game Store on PC with a Season Pass allowing players to unlock new customization items for their 'Bean'. With the release of Season 1, Fall Guys began a cross promotional campaign with Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed franchise. The first character they released was a Special Costume for Ezio Auditore from the Assassin’s Creed: Ezio Collection, the most recognizable character from the franchise. Within the Season Pass purchasable with 950 Showbucks, the game’s premium currency (1000 Showbucks can be purchased for $7.99 USD), a handful of Assassin’s Creed customization items can be unlocked. When purchased, the Season Pass rewards the player with: Ezio Special Costume (instant unlock) “Enter the Animus” Special Nameplate (Level 3) “House of Auditore” Special Nickname (Level 8) Leap of Faith Celebration (Level 9) (which plays when the player wins a full show). On July 7, 2022 the second collaboration with Assassin’s Creed was released with a Special Costume Pack and Limited Time Event. Eivor’s Big Bundle was made available until July 12, 2022 for 2000 Showbucks ($16 USD) and includes: “Odin the All-Father” Special Costume “Eivor the Wolf-Kissed” Special Costume “Eivor’s Battle Cry” Rare Emote “Vitruvian Guy” Special Nameplate “Animus Training” Special Nickname. The Odin costume is based on the “Twilight Armor” from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök expansion. With his golden eye-patch and Hugr-Rip equipped on his arm, this little Bean will fight his way to Valhalla! This costume can be purchased separately for 1200 Showbucks. Eivor’s Bean costume (shown here with the Battle Cry Emote) draws inspiration from the Raven Clan Armor and shows Eivor with Varin’s Axe and the Raider’s Axe from the game. As leader of Ravensthorpe, Eivor can lead her Squad to victory! This costume can also be purchased separately for 1200 Showbucks. To draw players back into the game, Fall Guys has limited time events that are themed by a special reward or promotional property. Previously in Season 1 was a Limited Event for the Halo video game with the final prize of a cat-eared Spartan Helmet achievable through the multiplayer mode. For the period of July 7 - July 11, The Abstergo Challenge, which is free for everyone, has players completing 10 tasks around the limited ''SWEET THIEVES'' game mode. These tasks range from winning shows in teams based “capture the flag”, to performing actions across matches. As a reward, players will unlock the following items: “Abstergo Trainee” Special Nickname (100 Candies) 200 Kudos Game Currency (300 Candies) “Apple of Eden” Special Nameplate (500 Candies) “Animus Synchronizing Special Pattern (700 Candies) “Apple of Eden” Special Costume Top (1000 Candies) Guardians must defend the candy by capturing the Thieves with the grab action to send them immediately to Prison. They are unable to pick up the candies, but can move certain platforms around the map to limit access to the spawn areas for the candies. If the Guardians capture the opposition or if time runs out, they win the match. I spent a few hours playing the limited mode to gather all of the Assassin’s Creed customization items and had a lot of fun doing so. This is a great game to play in short bursts in breaks between longer sessions of Assassin’s Creed playthroughs or while waiting for the next announcement to come along. Fall Guys is available now on all major platforms and the limited event ends on July 11th. The Season Pass for the first season ends on August 29, 2022, so make sure to download the game and grab your Season Pass while you can to access all of the Assassin’s Creed items. 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

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 24th March to 18th April Community Share 8 May 2025 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Turið Torkilsdóttir Back To Database Welcome to the monthly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every four weeks we will be picking our top five 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. This special Assassin’s Creed Shadows launch theme has been run alongside @Assassins_UK , the official account for the United Kingdom. Ubisoft are one of the leading publishers and developers in the gaming industry, most famous for their compelling Assassin’s Creed series. We would like to thank the team for agreeing to collaborate with TOWCB on this unique opportunity. We are very grateful that you took the time to pick this wonderful selection of photos for us. Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured. Theme: Assassin’s Creed Shadows Launch Samurai Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @AlexK0nstantin The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Theme Judge: @Assassins_UK Assassins UK Team We chose this amazing virtual photo as our favourite due to its many layers of beauty. Having the fierce silhouette of Yasuke set in front of the iconic rising sun of Japan encapsulates the spirit of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Aaron Silhouettes and red backgrounds are synonymous with Japanese media. They are symbolic of Japanese culture especially this time period. Even the marketing for Assassin’s Creed Shadows is heavily influenced by this style. In addition, the photo mode has a red dragon filter so we can produce similar style shots. Here we have a phenomenal portrait of Yasuke looking foreboding with his katana by his side. The use of red and black here is perfection, allowing Yasuke's samurai armour to shine with its intricate design. The composition with the sun behind him and the rocky ground elevating Yasuke to a position of authority, takes this capture to new levels. Time for Reflection Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @domo_vp Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a story of vengeance, which obviously brings a lot of pain and suffering. So, it is nice that Ubisoft allowed the reflective nature of Japanese culture to thrive in the quieter moments of the story. Just as we can see here with this peaceful shot of Naoe that has been elegantly framed. This is truly exceptional work by Dominik as he shows the softer side of our beloved Naoe. Capturing her with head down and eyes closed fits the scene brilliantly. I really like the depth of field and how it adds that flame effect to the circle. Naoe really needs these moments, and it helps us to understand her a little more. Through the Trees Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @ goodlovecapture.bsky.social Something that Ubisoft has always excelled in is the ability to create bountiful environments. From the announcement of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, I knew we would be in for some really breath-taking strolls through deep luscious forests. So, what better way to showcase this than an exquisite capture by GoodLove. I have to say the fog in this photo is amazing and shrouds the image in mystery. The height and depth on show complement the feeling of how small a human is when exploring nature. I adore the silhouette of Naoe, especially with the hair blowing in the wind. It almost feels like there is an impending doom about to appear from that fog. Perched Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @BranCakesVP I have longed to go back to the street and rooftops of big cities in Assassin’s Creed for quite some time now. The RPG entries offer us glimpses of this but are more focused on the full world. That being said there are some genuinely impressive buildings to scale in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. With any structure the opportunity arises to pose menacingly, looking down on the people you protect. Bran fortunately has provided that hero moment here with Naoe doing her best Batman impression. It was so smart to go with the black and white approach, especially with those thick white clouds offering great contrast to the shot. Without a bird companion this time, full credit must be given for capturing the eagle flying by in the distance. This is an Assassin’s Creed photo. Hide in Plain Sight Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @TakaSanGames Being able to blend in with the crowd has been a staple of the series since its inception. Assassins are trained to merge with their environments, disappearing from sight, allowing them to both assassinate and escape unseen. Finding moments such as the one in this photo are so satisfying. Taka has a knack for eye catching virtual photography and that is evident again here. How can you not admire the focus on Naoe with her unexpectedly colourful attire seamlessly fitting in with the crowd. I am a big fan of the hat covering the eyes and the framing with the crowd and blossom trees is immense. It’s incredible how everything just works here and is coordinated into such a beautiful shot. Natures Duellists Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @LegacyofAdam Once again Ubisoft have provided us with a living and breathing natural world that can sometimes make you feel like you’re walking into a David Attenborough documentary. It’s the small details such as these stags rutting that help with immersion, something that has evolved since Origins. Adam has definitely caught a great moment here, such perfect timing. The angle of the shot is excellent allowing us to see the moment of impact, and the level of detail captured in the grass and the stags is beautiful. I also like how the light is beaming in through the gap in the tress, acting as a spotlight on the big fight. Assassin’s Creed Shadows features many duels between skilled fighters, I just didn’t expect it to be talking about the wildlife. A World in Flames Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @Ayghan I have been very impressed with the tone of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, especially after the slightly light-hearted approach to Odyssey. So far, we have seen quite a few moody captures, featuring the brutality of feudal Japan. This one from Ayghan is both majestic and tragic. I am really impressed with the colours, the orange/yellow burning Pagoda stands out magnificently against the dark blue sky. Those embers flickering off in the wind make you feel the sheer power of the blaze, and the composition allows us to realise the scale of this building. The framing of the Pagoda between the trees is a nice touch and Naoe is so brilliantly placed, looking up at the destruction of her homeland. Shadow of Japan Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @PurplePampano The shinobi was always going to be the sensible approach to weaving the story of Assassin’s Creed through Japan. These infiltrators have operated in very similar ways although there is little historical evidence that suggest they actually assassinated targets. In this capture the drama has really been elevated thanks to some excellent composition work. The lighting is delicious, with Naoe’s hair flowing in the wind. I really like how there is a minimal approach to the photo. She really looks menacing perched on the structure, ready to pounce on an unexpected foe. I am getting Spider-Man 3 movie poster vibes. I think Purple Pampano has aced the Assassin’s Creed mood with this frightful good portrait. Many Faces Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @RalstonVP The masks that you find in Assassin’s Creed Shadows are impressive and fit effortlessly with the themes of the game. Allowing Naoe and Yasuke to adopt similar styles to the people they are hunting ties the two parties together in a shaded battle that blurs the lines of right and wrong. I think this is a fantastic portrait that gives an almost two face vibe. It’s such a great idea to have such an intimidating mask show the softness of Naoe through her eye. The shadows have been applied excellently and the colours softly, which assists in highlighting the superb details of the mask. I would not want to see this face hunting me in the night. Perfectly Poised Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @summers458 If there was ever a photo that could close this wonderful showcase, then it is this one. Assassin’s Creed has always allowed us to witness stand out, reflective moments either through cutscenes or more recently photo mode. I love the layers to this capture with the sun being the focal point, and Naoe beautifully suspended just below. The colour tones are warm and inviting with the different shades of oranges complimenting the darken silhouettes. Naoe starts this journey of vengeance alone but along the way finds friendship to aide her cause. Their struggle to free Japan of its oppressors is long and hard but they do not give up. I feel this capture epitomise this and would definitely have looked good as an end game cutscene. A worthy winner of the #ACFirstCivUK tag - Congratulations. And that sums it up for this Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out the photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next time 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