Search

New Assassin's Creed Shadows Fall Roadmap Full Breakdown Breakdown Share 25 Oct 2025 Written By: Edited By: Zephryss Colum Blackett Back To Database Ubisoft has finally revealed the new Fall Roadmap for Assassin's Creed Shadows. Here’s everything you need to know about what’s coming to Assassin's Creed Shadows in the next few months. Parkour Update 2 The new Parkour will be released on October 28. This update will feature a new toggle option named "Advanced Parkour". It will remove all parkour barriers, allowing players to do side ejects and back ejects from any height. There will be some tweaks with side eject on parkour down, giving players more freedom of expression. The vertical ledge grab in regular parkour will now work in more situations, including non-standing objects, whether or not the advanced parkour toggle is on. From those non-standing objects, developers are also introducing a new beam manual jump option and reintroducing a much-requested feature called the directional catch ledge mechanic. Corrupted Castles A new Animus themed activity called Corrupted Castles will also be released on October 28. Any previously completed castle may get corrupted and filled with Animus anomalies, including Samurai Daisho and their corresponding reward chests. Up to five Corrupted Castles will appear on the map each season, allowing players plenty of opportunities to reengage those castles and higher levels of play for even greater rewards. Free Story Drops The 3rd story drop called "A Puzzlement” will be released on November 25th. This quest has a much more humorous, silly tone, much more akin to something like AC Odyssey, in which players are digging up old foes from Naoe's past who are looking for a bit of redemption. As the name suggests, "A Puzzlement", also introduces a brand new and intricate environmental puzzle which will include some Isu content. Yes, Ubisoft has heard the AC community, and they are finally adding Isu content to Assassin's Creed Shadows. The two protagonists will also learn new skills from each other: Naoe will learn how to perform her own spectacular version of Yasuke's war kick ability. Yasuke will learn how to stealthily dispatch enemies in a non-lethal way. The next special collaboration will also be released on November 25th and It will be something big. Ubisoft has also announced that there will be more surprises including new finishers, special missions, animus-themed rewards, and store content until the end of this year. AC Shadows on Nintendo Switch 2 Assassin's Creed Shadows is coming on the Nintendo Switch 2 on December 2nd. It will have all the recent updates and free content drops, except for the Claws of Awaji Expansion that will come later in the new year. It will also work with cross-progression to Ubisoft Connect, so players will be able to pick up where you left off. Switch 2 also offers a new way to play with touch screen features in all menus including world map, store and hideout. What do you think about the new Fall Roadmap for Assassin's Creed Shadows? Share your thoughts in the comments 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

Assassin's Creed Watercolour Art Dump by Shaya Fury Community Share 22 Mar 2024 Written By: Edited By: Shaya Fury Colum Blackett Back To Database We are pleased to present the works of TOWCB Artist Shaya Fury who has created a series of watercolour creations inspired by the world of Assassin's Creed. Enjoy! We particularly love this art journal, as each page brings the world of Assassin's Creed to life. The Isu architecture left behind by the First Civilisation is recognisable in all mediums, and Shaya has done a great job at representing the long forgotten mechanisms once used by humanity's ancient ancestors. Ways to support the artist Art Lessons Shaya is now giving art lessons online, teaching both traditional and digital styles, starting from the basics, colour theory, different materials and more! If you're interested, send her a message on Twitter. Etsy Shop You can purchase art by Shaya Fury on Etsy , or contact her for commissions. Patreon Shaya has six levels of subscription on Patreon, offering different levels of access. Shaya Fury LinkTree comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Shaya Fury is an Artist/Freelance Illustrator who blends a mix of traditional methods with digital designs to create art pieces that are bursting with colour. Shaya Fury

The Memory Corridor #25 Released AC Games Versus History & Future Historical Settings Podcast Share 4 Jun 2023 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Colum Blackett Back To Database In Episode 25 of The Memory Corridor, host Gargudon is joined by AC community member and content creator AC_Landmarks for a comparison of historical time periods and characters portrayed in the games and real history, as well as a deep dive into potential future historical settings. Covering everything from the real life Templars, the Renaissance, the American Revolution and much more in between. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Gustav / Gargudon is an active community member, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016, but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews & composing. By joining The Ones Who Came Before in 2019, originally reviving 'The Memory Corridor' podcast, which had been offline for nearly a year, he has had the opportunity to expand his audience and further develop his skills. 

His unique skill set made him the perfect candidate for our team. Among other things, he is known in the community for the Sounds Of History project - an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental music project, featuring five tracks inspired by as many different games - other original fan themes plus covers of iconic AC tracks, as well as video interviews with a number of high profile names in the world of AC, from Roger Craig Smith, Jesper Kyd and more. Fun fact, among his growing colourful tattoo collection, Gustav is the only member of our team to have the TOWCB logo inked. Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon)

HomeCon 2020: Bringing the Comic Con to your Home Events Share 12 Apr 2020 Written By: Edited By: Lisa Zaman Ashlea Blackett Back To Database What happens when the world goes into lockdown and comic cons around the world are postponed? The actor Paul Amos known as the voice of Jacob Frye from Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (also Lost Girl and The Murdoch Mysteries ) teamed up with his friend Rachel Skarsten (Lost Girl, Reign, Batwoman) to create their very own and unique, stay at home Comic-con, the aptly named HomeCon which debuted on April 10th-11th 2020. From the moment Paul Amos went live on Instagram on the 30th March and declared a new project he’d created alongside Rachel Skarsten, we knew he had something big up his sleeve and it would be a game changer. A few days later via Instagram Live HomeCon was announced and a comic con like no other had been born. With the world on lockdown and comic cons being postponed or cancelled left right and centre, Paul and Rachel had the genius idea to create HomeCon, as the name suggests a comic con at home. But how would it work? What would it entail? And who would be there? With everyone at home, HomeCon literally had a captive audience and with many of the voice actors in the same boat as the fans, they were available to participate. Like with any Comic-Con, there would be panels, Q&A’s and the chance to have 1to1’s with your favourite actor. So with less than two weeks Paul, Rachel and many other incredible people behind the scenes pulled an incredible feat and HomeCon was ready to go live. HomeCon would take part on April 10th and 11th. All panels would be live via Twitch and with a subscription of $4.99 (or free of you had an Amazon Prime account) you could view it all. HomeCon’s Social Media platforms ( Facebook ) informed us frequently with panel information and guests. As the HomeCon website went live, it provided fans with schedule’s and allowed them to book their 1to1 sessions. Of course, there were a few teething problems, as there always is with technology and the rapid interest in HomeCon meant that the website traffic sent it into a mini meltdown. With all new ventures, there were a few teething problems, but personally speaking I felt that the HomeCon support teams did a phenomenal job in handling issues prior and during the event. A few questioned the cost ($53 for 5 mins) for the 1to1, some feeling that they couldn’t justify the spend during these uncertain times, but as Paul explained very diplomatically that many actors had dedicated their time free of charge to be available and that 10% of proceeds were going to the charity First Responders First.What I felt was impressive it that they devised an almost perfect timetable, the different time zones taken into account, allowing those around the world to tune in.Day 1 started strong, with a live introduction and welcome by Rachel and Paul.Assassin’s Creed fans eagerly awaited the AC panel at 6pm BST. I noted as I tuned in to watch that over 26,000 people were watching. Suddenly all the familiar faces (or should that be voices) appeared on screen and the discussions began. I felt the moderator Ming Chen did a great job in keeping the pace and allowing each person to talk. However, as is the way with this incredible bunch of people, the conversation steered off course in the best possible way, usually led by Paul himself. It was great to see the interaction between them all, each one giving a little insight into their character and sharing anecdotes. As the hour long panel continued it was a joy to see fans sending questions and even communicating with one another as the message board scrolled furiously. Image source: Cas Anvar Before Day 1 came to an end, Paul popped back on to Instagram to send love and thanks to all involved and teased us with the hint that there could be a HomeCon 2.0. Victoria Atkin (Evie Frye) also hosted a quick Instagram live with Melissanthi Mahut (Kassandra), and then siblings Alexios and Kassandra did the same over on Michael Antonakos’s Instagram. It was evident at this point that everyone was having the best time and that HomeCon really was bringing everyone together. Day 2 and Assassin’s Creed was represented in the Motion Capture Panel which featured Elias Toufexis (Federico Auditore da Firenze - AC 2), Melissanthi Mahut (Kassandra - AC Odyssey) and Kris Holden-Ried (Crawford Starrick - AC Syndicate), alongside Greg Bryk (Joseph Seed - Far Cry 5) and Adam Croasdell (Ignis Scientia - Final Fantasy XV) The panel was insightful and again thoroughly amusing. Meanwhile remaining AC actors were busy meeting and greeting fans via the 1to1’s. I myself had the pleasure of talking with Victoria Atkin all whilst being photobombed constantly by my excited son! Image Source: Lisa Zaman As Day 2 drew to an end for the Assassins Creed fans, Michael Antonakos went live on Instagram with HomeCon’s co creator Paul, who we discovered, was sat in his shower with a beer and a box of kitty litter. Would we have expected anything less from the Welshman? As the conversation passed between the two it was obvious that there had been another lightbulb moment for Paul and that perhaps another HomeCon would focus solely on Assassin’s Creed.As HomeCon came to an end it became clear that it had been a great success. Not only in bringing excitement and entertainment to the fans at such a tumultuous time, but it allowed those who have been unable to participate in Comic cons previously (be it mentally, physically or simply geographically) to enjoy and embrace the atmosphere that so many of us cherish. Yes, it was a fabulously entertaining 2 days, but what I took away from this experience is, as Paul highlighted, it allowed us as humans, to connect with others, something that is so important in these current times. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Lisa is a talented portrait artist specialising in graphite work. Back in May 2018, she turned her attentions to the world of Assassin's Creed art, and began creating lifelike portraits of key characters. By joining the program, Lisa's work will be viewed by a larger number of community members, allowing her to build a captive audience. The partnership also means that we will be working closely with Lisa for upcoming art giveaways and competitions for the community. Lisa Zaman

Remembering Russell Lees (1957 – 2022) In Memoriam Share 18 Jan 2022 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Today we remember the life of Russell Lees, who recently sadly passed away at the age of 64. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends during this difficult time. Russell worked on various AAA Ubisoft titles as a script writer, most recently as Lead Writer for Assassin's Creed Valhalla Wrath of the Druids and ACV's Sciropscire & Oxenefordscire arcs. He is credited as the author of The Tyranny of King Washington DLC for Assassin's Creed III, alongside contributions to the Assassin's Creed Unity Murder Mysteries/ Nostradamus Enigmas, Far Cry New Dawn and Assassin's Creed Origins. About: James Russell Lees was born in Salt Lake City on May 8, 1957. His father, Jay, was a theater director and college professor. He left Salt Lake City as a teenager to study computer engineering at Boston University, then got his master’s in computer engineering from Stanford University and, back at BU, his master’s in playwriting. Lees also co-founded the TheatreWorks/West production company in Salt Lake City, where he wrote and directed for the stage, and served as director of French-language plays at the University of Utah. Survivors include his his wife, Lisa; daughters Charlotte and Madeleine; siblings Mindy, Becky and Jay; brother-in-law Stan; and sister-in-law Julie. (Via The Hollywood Reporter) During his Ubisoft career spanning 13-years, Russell made many friends who remember him as a kind, passionate man who will be sorely missed. Below we have collected memories and tributes from those who knew him best. Rest in Peace Russell. " We lost a dear friend and brilliant colleague this week. Writer and Narrative Designer Russell Lees was a part of the Assassin's Creed and Far Cry families for over a decade. All who worked with him will attest to his patience, his generosity, his passion, & his bright spirit. He will be missed, and remembered always as the most ideal artist in this busy, hectic industry -- devoted, collaborative, patient, and kind beyond measure. from Montreal to wherever you are now, Russ. Rock on. " -Darby McDevitt (Valhalla Narrative Director) Today, I learned that I had lost a great friend. Russell was the Lead Writer on Wrath of the Druids. We walked hand in hand to make this story that I consider to be a turning point of my life. I can say that his presence, his passion and his kindness kept me going every day. When we parted ways, we were sure that our paths would cross again. Now, I can only look back at the time we spent working together. All my thoughts go to his family in these difficult times. Russell will be missed. - Hugo Sahuquet (Narrative Director for Assassin's Creed Valhalla's Wrath of the Druids DLC) I am just devastated about the news. I worked with him on AC3, AC Unity, and AC Syndicate. He was endlessly patient and kind, the level-headed writer who quietly got it done, even when the deadlines were short and we were all stressed and tired. He wrote the Dreadful Crimes on AC Syndicate, among other things. I still use those as reference today when I'm talking about writing for investigative gameplay. The past days I've had a flood of messages from Ubi and ex-Ubi writers who worked with him, everyone with fond memories. He worked with so many people, over so many years. We're all stricken and saddened by his loss. And a late addition - if you ever hear a character in a game say the words "dead as a mackerel", that was Russell. I found it amongst our guard patrol lines on Unity, and then Syndicate. He told me he tried to work it into every project. - Ceri Young (Former Senior Scriptwriter at Ubisoft Montreal) Still gutted by this. Russell was a great writer, friend and human. Contributed endlessly to AC and beyond as a playwright. Just a wonderful soul and will never be forgotten. - Alain Mercieca (Formerly lead on Assassins Creed Origins, Valhalla) Russell was a part of our dream team of writers on AC Syndicate. He helped make the impossible possible. He’s going to be missed. -Jeff Skalski (Assassin's Creed Syndicate Senior Producer) Photos of the AC Syndicate Writing Team Russell had a way of listening deeply, like he was seeing inside you, and a calm assuredness. He always knew what to do, on top of being an excellent writer and person. This is a tragedy and he will be dearly missed. - Jeffrey Yohalem (Former Lead Scriptwriter on AC Brotherhood & Syndicate) I didn't get to know Russell well, but as a newcomer, professionally, to Assassin's Creed, Ubisoft, its tools and processes, he was always patient, kind and happy to explain things to me. No question was too small, too unimportant. He was Good People. GNU Russell Lees. - Giles Armstrong (Senior Scriptwriter on ACV: Dawn of Ragnarok DLC) Russell was immensely kind. He was talented and humble. He was always there to support me, sometimes early in the morning when I needed to talk. He was one of the best person I ever met. I already miss him and his smile so much. - Sarah Beaulieu (Directing narration on an upcoming Assassin's Creed game) He was such an absolute pleasure to work with briefly on AC Unity. Even working between two cities, we had a great time working on the mysteries and he was always so kind, generous, and an incredibly sharp writer. Can’t believe he’s gone. - Navid Khavari (Additional Narrative design on AC Unity) Russ was the kind of guy who could teach you about life with just a silence. He had a wicked laugh, an open ear, and the best femme fatale table read voice in the biz. He was generous with his experience and a novel voice in the industry. Play his stories so he may live on. - Betty Robertson (Scriptwriter on AC Valhalla and Odyssey) My friend, you meant so much to so many people and I'm deeply grateful that I find myself among them. You were such a mentor to me. Such a shining light in this industry. You were the best of us. I'll miss you forever. - Christopher Grilli (Lead Writer at UbisoftMTL. Writer on Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Origins) Rest in Peace Russell (1957 – 2022) 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)

Q&A with James Nadiger Interviews Share 22 Mar 2018 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database To celebrate the release of Assassin's Creed Rogue: Remastered, we contacted scriptwriter James Nadiger to discuss the game. Col: Hi James, thanks for joining us today. Before we start, could you tell us a bit about your role in the creation of Assassin's Creed Rogue. James: Thanks for having me! I wrote pretty much all of the present day stuff, the cinematics, the missions, the collectibles (video & audio files, emails), and the ambient dialogue. For Shay’s story, I wrote the War Letter collectibles - and it was a lot of fun connecting Rogue to Black Flag, AC3, Liberation, and Unity – a lot of the ADB entries, and then some ambient dialogue from various soldiers and civilians in the open world. Col: Have you worked on many other projects since AC Rogue? James: After Rogue I went directly to AC Syndicate, where I wrote the present day cinematics & collectible audio files, helped Ubi Montpellier with the London Stories sidequests, added the Juno subplot to the WWI section, and pitched in on some Animus Database entries and ambient crowd dialogue. I also wrote the Assassin emails for the Jack the Ripper DLC. From Syndicate I jumped ship to Far Cry 5. I'm very excited for that game to come out, and I hope all my friends in the AC community will check it out on March 27. Col: Are you excited to finally see AC Rogue on next gen consoles? James: Yes! I thought it was already pretty stunning on last-gen consoles, I can't wait to see the Northern Lights again. I also feel there was a part of the community who didn't get a chance to play Rogue because they went all-in on the current gen systems in order to play Unity. Col: Are there any Easter eggs left in Rogue that are yet to be discovered by fans? James: I don't think so. A lot of my "easter eggs" are pretty blatant connections to other elements of the franchise. I will say that one of my favourite bits of ambient dialogue I wrote between two random British guards involves the phrase "Where's Charles Lee?" But having said that, if you play FC5, you might find some Easter eggs in there. :) Col: Several of the characters in AC Rogue and Syndicate (Berg, Voronina) stem from Assassin's Creed Initiates, another project you worked on. How does it feel to see characters from the project come to life in games? James: It feels pretty good! I inherited a lot characters from previous projects. William, Shaun, and Rebecca, obviously, but Gavin Banks, Harlan Cunningham, and even Otso Berg all existed before I started working on AC. It was fun to develop their stories and push their characters further. My inner fanboy loved writing little bits for Warren Vidic and Daniel Cross in Rogue’s audio files. I really enjoyed bringing Gavin’s crew to life on Initiates and it's been a blessing to see characters I helped create outlive me after Syndicate. I was thrilled when I saw Galina show up in Charlotte’s first comic series, and even more so when Uprising brought back Arend and Kiyoshi. But then I get terrified reading every issue because I’m worried that my babies aren’t going to make it out of that story alive. It's also been fun to see characters pop up unexpectedly. I had forgotten that we'd created Deanna Geary for a little one-off story on Initiates and then she was in Origins with Layla. It’s a lot of fun just being a fan of AC again. Col: Assassin's Creed Initiates was a great way to expand AC lore outside of the games. Did you enjoy working on the project? James: It was a lot of fun for me, not just because the team was very good, but also because I feel that like Project Legacy before it, Initiates was an opportunity to tell different kinds of AC stories that kept the action game spirit, but could also be a little quieter and introspective. Stuff like Shaun & Rebecca taking a moment to mourn Desmond’s death, or the silly little emails of random Abstergo employees set during Black Flag’s modern day, or Gavin reflecting on his old Mentor in Japan, or a quick glimpse of Young William Miles in the Soviet Union, etc., I’m not sure these could have be done anywhere other than Initiates. In terms of expanding the lore, the challenge I set for myself was that every story or character that we introduced should be able to lead their own spinoff or project. I’m not sure if I succeeded every time, but we’ve already seen how a few of my beloved murder children have grown up and spread their wings into books, and comics, and games. Col: Are there any more characters from AC Initiates that you would like to see explorer further in future projects? James: From the modern day crew, I’m very fond of Eric Cooper, the steadfast Scottish navigator, and would LOVE to see him in a future game someday. I think Harlan Cunningham and Arend Schut-Cunningham could EASILY lead their own comic. I think Kiyoshi’s Yakuza Brotherhood is also a fun idea just sitting there. In the past, I wrote a little story about Eseosa, who was Adewale's grandson who had a hand in the Haitian Revolution. At the end of that story he made his way to the Davenport farm to train with Connor, and I think that would have been fun to explore. Col: Bayek's robes are available in AC Rogue Remastered. Do you think Shay will suit them, or will they look out of place in contrasting environments to Ancient Egypt. James: All those fan service costumes are just meant to be a bit of fun, so I don't worry about them looking out of place. You can turn your camel into a Chocobo in Origins, so, y'know, just go with it. Col: Are Ubisoft Montreal hosting a launch party/ celebrating the release of Rogue Remastered, and will you be there? James: Well, Ubisoft Sofia was the lead studio in charge of AC Rogue, so I imagine if there’s a party it will be in Bulgaria. But for me, there’s lots to celebrate this month: I’ve been at Ubisoft for 5 years, and with the release of AC Rogue Remastered and Far Cry 5 so I’m feeling very grateful across the board. Col: What can fans of Rogue look forward to with the release of the game? James: I think it’s going to look great on the current-gen systems. And while the Bayek outfit is exciting I just found out that there’s a Jacob Frye outfit available on the Ubisoft Club as well! I hope everyone enjoys playing Rogue as much as I enjoyed working on it. Thanks again! :) We would like to say a huge thank you to James for joining us for this interview, San San from the AC Community Team, and to everyone at Ubisoft who made it possible! Assassin's Creed Rogue Remastered is available now on Xbox One and Playstation 4 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)

Chester Comic Con Photo Album Events Share 25 Nov 2016 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database On the 25th September 2016, Col attended Chester Comic Con, and met Neil Edwards (AC Titan Comics Artist). Here are our photos from the event. 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 Creed Community Meet-up at Wales Comic Con 2018 - Part 2 Event Share 1 Dec 2018 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Our admins Col and Ash joined AC UK at Wales Comic Con for a community meet-up! 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)

TO BE COMPLETED The Story of The Underrated Assassin’s Creed Rogue Share Written By: Edited By: Reporter Name Back To Database comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author This is placeholder text. To connect this element to content from your collection, select the element and click Connect to Data. About the Author

News Community Reviews, Breakdowns, and Analysis Interviews Events Merchandise Merchandise Guides Theories, Predictions & Wishlists Pitching An Assassin's Creed Game Guides Community Interviews Rumor Hub In Memoriam Podcasts Other

The History of Baghdad during the 860's (Anarchy of Samarra) History Share 12 Sept 2022 Written By: Edited By: Michael Doyle Ashlea Blackett Back To Database In our new article, we explore the history of Baghdad during the 860's, and the conflicts which took place during that time. In Assassin's Creed Mirage, scheduled for launch in 2023, players 'follow the transformation of a defiant young man into a refined Master Assassin with a conflicted destiny.' Basim Ibn Ishaq will navigate the bustling streets of ninth–century Baghdad, exploring all four areas, from the industrial Karkh to the lush gardens of the Round City. Here are some of the key events which took place during a period of extreme internal instability within the Abbasid Caliphate. Old Baghdad image via WorldBulletin The Spiral Minaret of Great Mosque of Samarra Via Wiki Baghdad’s House of Wisdom via WembleyMatters 861AD: The anarchy began in 861 with the murder of the Caliph al-Mutawakkil by his Turkish guards, with the support of his own son, al-Muntasir. Upon his death, his son al-Muntasir claimed the title of Caliphate, but this was short-lived. No more than 6-months into his rule, al-Muntasir was dead, having been poisoned by the Turkish Military Chiefs. 862AD: Al-Muntasir was then succeeded by al-Musta’in, who was appointed Caliph by a council of Turkish military leaders. Al-Musta’in was the nephew of al-Mutawakkil and was appointed Caliph ahead of al-Muntasir’s brothers al-Mu’tazz and al-Mu’ayyad, the rightful inheritors of the Caliphate title. They were both quickly thrown in prison and forced to resign their titles to suppress their ability to rightly claim the title of Caliphate. With his competition silenced, Al-Musta’in was then able to persuade the city of Baghdad in 862 to submit to his succession, which was eventually acknowledged throughout the land. However, al-Mu’tazz and his brother continued to rally against Caliph al-Musta’in, and they were ultimately sentenced to death for their actions. Yet, this never came to pass. The Vizier (a senior minister of the Abbasid Caliphate) intervened, saving the brothers, and allowing them to flee. The Vizier was banished to the island of Crete for his actions. 863AD: In 863, al-Musta’in, who was still living in the then capital Samarra (80miles north of Baghdad), still had plenty of conflicts to navigate as the governor of Baghdad. Two Greek priests, St. Cyril and St. Methodius had become missionaries and were spreading the Greek Orthodox version of Christianity throughout the region. al-Musta’in’s was campaigning against Christianity, but this was going badly, even resulting in the death of 8,000 troops and numerous military leaders. These failures to protect the Muslim religion against the rise of Christianity saw riots across the city of Bagdad. Baghdadis cried for a Holy War, prisons were broken into, and bridges burnt, yet the Caliph didn’t listen or care. Saint Cyril 864AD: From 863 to 865 al-Musta’in continued to lose the trust of his people, with much of the region slipping into chaos and fighting men from surrounding provinces having flocked to Baghdad and Samarra to fight and plunder. 865AD: In 865, the rule of al-Musta’in was slowly falling apart. After disagreements with the Turkish leaders, al-Musta’in felt that his life was in danger. So, alongside the company of two other Turkish leaders, Bugha al-Sharabi and Wasif al-Turki, he left Samarra on a boat to East Baghdad. The Turkish leaders, upon hearing of al-Musta’in’s sent a party of captains to apprehend the Caliph and requested that he returned to the capital of Samarra. Al-Musta’in refused, and after a heated discussion with the Turkish speakers, one of them received a blow. This insulted the Turkish officers, and upon their return to Samarra, they brought al-Mu’tazz (the rightful Caliph) out from his confinement and appointed him as Caliph. Within a few weeks, the new Caliph al-Mu’tazz and his brother Abu Ahmad al-Muwaffaq, along with 50,000 Turks and 2,000 Berbers besieged Baghdad. The Abbasid civil war, which lasted for about a year, largely revolved around a prolonged siege of Baghdad and resulted in the continued scarcity of food and money in the city. As the conflict raged on, members of the Abbasid family with Baghdad, without the knowledge or permission of al-Musta’in, had opened negotiations with the new Caliph al-Mu’tazz regarding the surrender of al-Musta’in. The first round of negotiations deteriorated, and thesiege continued whilst the Baghdadi people protested in the streets at the news that leader al-Musta’in, whom they still saw as the Caliph, was to be disposed of. 866AD: Ultimately, in January of 866, al-Musta’in was convinced to abdicate by his fellow Turkish officers, Wasif and Bugha, and he stepped down as Caliph. Upon his abdication, an agreement was set that his life would be spared and that he would receive sufficient income and a home in Medina. On Friday 25th January 866, al-Mu’tazz was acknowledged as Caliph in the mosques throughout Baghdad. Despite the agreement set out upon his abdication, al-Musta’in was not granted a home in Medina and was instead kept within the city of Baghdad. Ultimately, he was executed on the 17th of October 866 by order of the Caliph Al-Mu’tazz, who was playing a game at the time, later awarding the assassin 500 pieces as a reward. AC Mirage Concept Art by FrameHoldPhotography , created using Valhalla/ Origins & Photoshop How will Basim fit into the history of Baghdad? With many high-profile assassinations during the 860s in Baghdad, will Basim and the guild be connected in some way to these assassinations? Will the Vizier play a role in Mirage, his intervention in the murder of the brothers could indicate a connection to the guild? Will the two Greek priests, who spread Christianity across the land be connected to the events of Mirage? We know their actions caused uprising and riots in Baghdad, but will they be portrayed in the game? Will Basim have some role to play in the success or failure of al-Musta’in and his fellow Turkish troops fleeing to Baghdad in 864? Will Basim fight in the siege of Baghdad during the Abbasid Civil War? Will Basim and the guild influence the negotiations between the members of the Abbasid family and al’Mu’tazz? Will any of the Caliph’s during this timeframe be part of the Order of Ancients? comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Michael is a close personal friend of the admin team who has worked alongside TOWCB for many years, lending a hand behind the scenes who is best known for his time leading the Rally the Creed video-podcast. In 2022, Michael stepped out of the shadows and joined TOWCB's Writing Team, where he explored game journalism by expanding TOWCB database, filling it with guides, tips and tricks and more. After a series of article launches, he joined TOWCB's Core Team, where he now works as a Strategist, overseeing major campaigns, establishing internal systems and managing charity efforts for the group. Michael Doyle

The Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 3 - Assassin's Creed Mirage Story Trailer Breakdown Share 17 Jun 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Colum Blackett Back To Database Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal (Moonchildgecko) from TOWCB Art Team. Welcome to the third part in a new series breaking down all of the Assassin's Creed content presented at Ubisoft Forward 2023. In part three, we take a look at Assassin's Creed Mirage Story Trailer reveal! Related articles The Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 1 - Pre-Show & Assassin's Creed Nexus The Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 2 - Assassin's Creed Codename Jade The Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 4 - Assassin's Creed Mirage Gameplay Trailer Mirage is the game that many fans tuned in to learn more about at UbiForward this year. It has been pitched as a return to roots when it releases on October 12th 2023. The story trailer opens on a skyline of 9th Century Baghdad where a young thief named Basim is cornered by two Caliphate guards. As one of the guards raises his sword, Mentor Assassin, Roshan attacks him from behind by stabbing through the soldier with her sword. She dispatches the second guard and helps Basim off the ground while directing him to “Move.” A look at Roshan and the signature Assassin’s hood. Roshan takes out a guard by the stairs, climbs and dodges two more before pivoting off the wall to stab one guard and kick the second off of the landing. Roshan and Basim climb a tower and when the young thief sees the Assassin on the edge of the building, he asks “What are you doing?!” to be met with a calm “Don’t think.” before Roshan performs a Leap of Faith. Basim attempts to follow suit but is chased onto the synchronization point beam where he dodges the guard’s blade, only to fall backwards into the water below. The trailer song “How Villains Are Made” by Madalen Duke plays its first line “Time to put my medal on” a nod to Basim putting on the robes of The Hidden Ones? It is here that we see what many have determined to be the djinn that haunts Basim’s mind. Could this be a reference to the Sage’s connection to Loki from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, or is this a horrific way of depicting the evil of the men Basim kills in a Confession Room? The trailer continues at a later point where Basim is seen sitting around a fire with four other people. From the matching markings on their clothing, they appear to be members of the Assassin’s Brotherhood. Prominent are Basim, Fuladh, and a female character on the right. The two in the foreground are not as visible. The female character speaks to Fuladh, “Tell Basim the story of the feather.” He turns to Basim, “Our tradition of the feather comes from Egypt. The feathers of the heron were dipped in the blood of the targets.” Basim kneels over a member of The Order of the Ancients, the man’s identifying golden mask (much like the Cult of Kosmos masks) can be seen in the lower right corner of the dark scene. For this character, their mask has a large golden crescent mustache. Could this be representative to the “Mask of Agamemnon” from Greek mythology, the original nation of the Order, or is it part of the history of Baghdad and the Middle East that we will learn more about in the game? Similar to this, Assassin’s Creed Origins had masks for some of the Order’s members, based on animals from the region. Basim looks at the feather as Fuladh continues the story about the feathers, seeming to contemplate what it means and symbolizes before marking it with the blood of the mustache mask Ancient. Based on the simple clothing of the man and the way that Basim took pause before finishing his time in this Confession Room, I would assume that this is his first assassination as a member of the Hidden Ones and said target is some form of street level authority, similar to Tamir from Assassin’s Creed (2007). A transitional fight scene with Basim and members of the city guard moves us to a landscape shot of Alamut and Basim’s Aquila Heliaca eagle, Enkidu (based on the myth of Gilgamesh). In this Epic, Enkidu was created by the goddess, Aruru to match the power of the tyrannical ruling Gilgamesh and after fighting him, the two found an equal in the other and became friends. It is later in the Epic that Enkidu dies and so causes Gilgamesh to mourn the loss of his friend, ceasing his rule over the city of Uruk and bringing an understanding to him that he is not immortal. Seeing that Basim no longer travels with Enkidu, is there a similar fate for the feathered companion that helps Basim come to terms with the loss of believing himself to be “a god”? Could Enkidu bring forth the connection to Loki? “The feathers forge our paths. Remind us of who we are. Who we can be.” Fuladh continues as Enkidu flys over a combat circle where Basim (now an Initiate, with no colored sash) fights Roshan with his dual blades. She parries his attack and kicks him away from her. The surrounding area has banners with the Assassin’s logo, showing that Alamut is the headquarters (or will be) for the brotherhood. Four Order of the Ancient masks are shown, including the recurring mask with the mustache, leading me to believe even more that they will be the first target in the game. With the length of the game stated to be around 30 hours playtime, I could easily see room for eight targets with a scattering of smaller targets that players may have to eliminate to get information, similar to the hierarchy trees from the RPG games. Roshan explains to Basim as she gives him a feather, “The Order has held dominion over men and their empires for centuries. Strike quickly and end this.” This is an assignment she has provided to what appears to be a higher ranked Basim as he now has his blue sash, and matches his outfit from when he assassinated the mustached Ancient earlier in the trailer. Could this be his first assignment? We can also see from his outfit that he has the brooch that is being replicated in physical form for the game’s collector’s edition. Could this be a gift from a friend in his past, or a trophy that he wears in defiance of the city’s government? Basim and Enkidu stand above the city looking out towards the sunset as Basim’s friend, Nehal asks, “Swallow your questions. Serve without complaint. Who is she to tell you when to strike?” From the rebellious nature of the character and being a street kid like Basim, it is assumed that she is questioning his joining The Hidden Ones and how he is taking orders from the outsider to their world, Roshan. “Everything you do serves The Hidden Ones.” Ali ibn Muhammad (an historical figure) says to Basim as a scene showing a sneak assassination is played. Ali is the leader of the Zanj Rebellion, the key historical point in the story of Assassin’s Creed Mirage. According to his character snippet on the site, he works alongside The Hidden Ones, but doesn’t respect their creed as he doesn’t believe that there should be restrictions to obtaining freedom. Basim performs a confident Leap of Faith as the outer environments of Baghdad are shown, with Basim traveling with two companions across the desert on camelback. The developers have stated in previous interviews that there would be a small map to explore outside of the city of Baghdad. A sandstorm is moving towards them which will most likely play into at least one Sequence of the game’s story. This could be a similar experience to when Bayek of Siwa fought The Hyena in Giza during the events of AC Origins. I would assume that this is a venture that Basim is taking to return to Alamut from Baghdad. The song “How Villains Are Made” continues playing as the desert scene closes. “ Whose neck to cut? | I don't know | Whose side I'm on?” This is a very heavy indication that Basim will face the struggle of supporting his people against the Caliphate and his new place within The Hidden Ones. “You are not the first to walk the shadows broken. Pour your pain into the Brotherhood.” Roshan attempts to motivate Basim, most likely after a failure or conflict with his previous life. Another scene of Basim parkouring through the layered streets of Baghdad before performing another air assassination. The scaffolding and posts throughout are a good indication of the freedom players will have moving through the map. “We are messengers of justice, and not the final judges” Fuladh finishes his story on the heron feathers as Basim extends his hidden blade, ready to kill a man speaking to an audience within what appears to be the House of Wisdom (the Grand Library of Baghdad). Basim rushes a heavy guard and knocks him to the ground, a sprint assassination. Basim and Nehal ride out of the city. Basim is shown here not in his Assassin’s garb, so this could be prior to his initiation, but from the look on her face, this could be during a turning point in the story where Basim must choose who to protect as the Zanj Rebellion begins. A wealthy man backhands street-clothed Basim. The dark lighting in the scene is either a memory or a nightmare as the djinn appears before the main character. Is it trying to scare him, or trying to get the young protagonist to give into his anger? “He knows not what he is. Have you not wondered, that’s your nature?” Will Basim be an anti-hero for this story? Basim releases his Hidden Blade for the first time in a scene with Roshan in the background. This is most likely after his ceremony as his left ring finger has been removed. The trailer song continues as Basim stands in the shadows: “When the lines are blurred and faded” But the final lines of the verse don't play. The next lyrics are “No one ever starts that way | This is how villains are made”. If this isn’t an indication of Basim giving into his anger, his demons, or Loki, I don’t know what is. The trailer ends with the game logo, title card, release date, and marketing to pre-order the Deluxe Edition with the Prince of Persia costume add-on. The game will release on October 12, 2023 and has all of us at The Ones Who Came Before very excited. 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

Remembering Mohamed Hamdy In Memoriam Share 22 Mar 2024 Written By: Edited By: TOWCB Team Colum Blackett Back To Database We are saddened to hear of the tragic death of Assassin's Creed Egypt co-founder Mohamed Hamdy. The news was announced today in a Twitter post released by the team. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends during this difficult time. ''It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of passing of our dear co-founder after a long fight with illness, Mohamed Hamdy. His loss has left us all in profound sorrow, and we struggle to find the words to express the depth of our grief. R.I.P Mentor.'' Assassin's Creed Egypt Mohamed Hamdy Community We would like to take a moment to reflect on Mohamed's life and remember his contributions to the Assassin's Creed community. Back in 2017, we were thrilled to work alongside Assassin's Creed Egypt on the opening episode of our documentary series titled 'Global Networks'. Founders Shady Nasr and Mohamed Hamdy travelled to the Egyptian pyramids to record the episode, and we loved their energy and passion for the community. Tributes ''It was an absolute please to work alongside Mohamed and Shady on the first episode of Global Networks back in 2017. I loved how the pair were so passionate about creating an Egyptian branch of the community, and the video inspired many Arabic-speaking Assassins to unite. Mohamed was an instantly likeable person with a warm demeaner that we in the Assassin's Creed community will miss terribly.'' Colum Blackett (The Ones Who Came Before Team Leader) If you have a tribute or memory of Mohamed you would like to add, please get in touch with the admin team. Requiescat in Pace Brother 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

Assassin's Creed Cast Reunion set to assemble voice talent from Valhalla and Odyssey News Share 19 Oct 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) TOWCB Team Back To Database The team at Podcast141 have announced that an upcoming livestream has assembled a huge collection of Assassin's Creed voice actors who provided performances Assassin's Creed Odyssey & Valhalla. Magnus Bruun (Eivor) @ magnusbruun Michael Antonakos (Alexios) @ michaelantonakos Melissanthi Mahut (Kassandra) @ melissanthimahut Gudmundur Thorvaldsson (Sigurd) @ gthorvaldsson David Menkin (Dag) @ davidmenkin Aron Már Ólafsson (King Harald) @ aronmola Boris Hiestand (Rued/Fenrir) @ borishiestand Craig Burnatowski (Glod) @ craigburnat Mike Kovac (Krauser from RE4 Remake / Expert Host) @ fightmikekovac Marwen Heni (Host) @ marwenheni The show, hosted by Marwen Heni ( VenomSnake141 ), is set to bring together a total of eight actors who contributed performances to Odyssey and Valhalla, including three main characters, Eivor (Havi), Kassandra and Alexios, voiced by Magbus Bruun, Michael Antonakos, Melissanthi Mahut. We can't wait to see the cast re-enact fan favourite scenes, tell behind-the-scenes stories and answer community questions! Check out the stream which airs October 22nd at 12 PM PT / 8 PM BST: VenomSnake141 on Twitch comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Journey to the East: A Review of Assassin’s Creed: The Silk Road Review Share 14 Nov 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Colum Blackett Back To Database Ban ner by Thea Marie Rivedal (Moonchildgecko) from TOWCB Art Team. Article contains Amazon affiliate links which support TOWCB. Major spoilers for Assassin’s Creed: The Silk Road. Adventure stories have been a staple in my personal life since I was a child. From the early years of school where I explored the pages of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series, to the modern releases from TellTale Games’ The Walking Dead, Batman, and Tales of the Borderlands . I can remember hitting the Dead End or ' You Died' in the middle of a book and rushing back to try and fix my mistake, or starting over to take another path. It’s something that becomes a skill with thinking before a decision that as a gamer, I’ve learned to utilize better in my hobbies and day to day. Being able to choose a path and experience something in a way that only a percentage of other people may have done previously is one of the reasons I still play games to this day. In 2021, Hatchette Heroes announced a new entry in the Assassin’s Creed transmedia line, Le Livre Dont Vous Êtes L’assassin: La Route De La Soie , or in English, The Book Where You are the Assassin: The Silk Road (in short, Assassin’s Creed: The Silk Road). This new interactive novel, written by Mathieu Rivero, puts you in control of the French Assassin, Oisel. His story starts in Chinon, France where Oisel is tasked by his Mentor to travel to Antioch at the start of the historical Silk Road to locate and assist Master Assassin, Basim Ibn Ishaq (protagonist of Assassin’s Creed Mirage ) in investigating a new enemy. It is here that he learns of a branch within the Order of the Ancients called 'The Snake Eaters' and of their plans to take control of the Silk Road to control the trade and wealth that travels across the Eastern World. With the assistance of your close friend Matthias, and additional allies through the story, readers must choose the direction the Assassin follows to defeat this enemy and save The Silk Road from The Order of the Ancients. I waited for a while before I purchased the book as I had hoped that one day, AC: The Silk Road would be released in English. Yet, after a few years I decided to order and take the time to translate the book myself into my native language. Much like Oisel had to adapt to the Arabic and Sogdian languages of the Silk Road, I had to adapt to the French language using the only tool at my disposal, Google Translate. So with my phone and a word document, I spent two months scanning, formatting, and eventually reading AC: The Silk Road . During this time I would “read” the contents of the book and even have to spoil some aspects of the story so that I could better my future self’s experience reading the book. However, with all of the content that I scanned while editing punctuation for English and dividing each paragraph into individual sections for my outline, I didn’t feel that I ruined the overall experience. The day before I started writing this review, I spent an afternoon reading through my first take of the book and ended with one of five endings in the story, reaching what I believe to be the most positive ending, Future Mentor. What that means, I won’t spoil for you but the overall experience was enjoyable and made me feel like I was playing a solo campaign of Dungeons & Dragons . Navigation, Combat, and Tests made decisions for my overall outcome. Choosing which path to navigate through the various points along The Silk Road, planning my attacks in combat against drunkards and members of The Snake Eaters, and performing Tests using the books built in randomizer of icons printed in the corner of each page made this reading of the book and all future readings, unique. Assassin’s Creed: The Silk Road provides plenty of direction on how to read through and interact with the book. During the first two chapters, small sections of red text with the image of a Hidden Blade will explain the mechanics of the book from the mechanics that I shared above; Navigation, Combat, Tests, Obtaining skills and items, and the Appendices. These are embedded in the Paragraph that you are currently reading, or will direct you to a different paragraph to read the text if it was the currently read paragraph is printed after the initial notice. With 198 Paragraphs divided over 5 Chapters and 95 Appendices, there is plenty of content and replayability with the combination of five endings and various choices. On my first playthrough, I interacted with an estimated 100 individual sections and appendices, leaving a lot of text untouched. You are able to track your progress using the included bookmark (which can be reprinted from the publisher’s website). This bookmark provides a “save file” with the front Synchronization section, as well as the boxes for your Stamina, Max Stamina, and Stealth Damage. The back provides space to list the skills and items you have found and a space to lock them in once you have synchronized your progress. Unfortunately for me, I purchased the book second hand and did not receive a bookmark, but the one provided from the website was great, and to be honest I would have printed regardless as I don’t like marking items with my books. Later on in the book readers will find a pair of puzzles that present a challenge which provides not only a change in content, but makes the reader think like a member of the Brotherhood. In my playthrough, I put myself in the shoes of Oisel and thought hard about my options, keeping the tenets of the Brotherhood in mind and how my decisions could change the relationships with those that surround the lead character. The immersive storytelling from Mathieu Rivero made this experience meaningful as I felt joy, sadness, and fear as my tale brought me to the brink of desynchronization multiple times and excitement when I overcame an obstacle. It's a story that I loved so much that I began playing it again with my wife, allowing her to make all the decisions. After reading the first chapter, she was just as excited and wanted to see what would happen next. While she hasn’t finished it yet, I was super excited to see all aspects of Assassin’s Creed (even those outside of the Genetic Memory…) present in this story. Now, as often seen with mass printed media, I hit a few errors in my reading of the book. Two sections from my playthrough directed me to a paragraph that was either an alternative option to a scene I already completed (ie. choosing to train with one person over the other), or to a scene that was not relevant to the text at all. I was able to identify the errors’ correct paragraph (or what I believed it to be) and continue my reading without additional issue. While not game breaking, it was a disruption in my immersion. Yet, I don’t hold this in a negative light as the complex process of publishing such a book can be handled by multiple parties or departments in a company. I also found myself confused at a few points where I was unsure if I was supposed to recover stamina at the start of a new section, or only if a paragraph informed me that I was healed. Luckily for me, at the end of the story with only 2 HP remaining, I was able to finish the story with no further damage. There were also times where I felt the Test mechanic felt one-sided, or easy to manipulate. Each page has symbols of varying success or failure in the lower left or right corner and are used for the Tests by flipping through the book and stopping at a random page to get your symbol and gather the outcome from the text based on that. My wife said that she felt she could remember by feel, where an Eagle was (the highest success) and could potentially aim for this each time. Yet, I would watch her try, and end up “rolling” a Snake instead (the highest failure). However, this mechanic works for the book and can make the action scenes have an intensity to them when you are trying to roll a combat move multiple times and watch your health, or the opponents fall quickly. One of the unique aspects of the experience I had with this book was that I learned of the author, Mathieu Rivero’s work as a translator. Reaching out to him on the fact that I was translating his book opened a conversation which gave me the opportunity to ask a few questions about the book and his process. In a short back and forth over a few days, I asked the following and have provided his answers to highlight his experience with AC: The Silk Road . What were some of the challenges you had with writing an Assassin’s Creed adventure novel? When you talk about challenges for writing an AC novel, I’m reading “IP complications”. While writing for an IP is undeniably difficult, it also brings its own niceties. What’s difficult, and daunting, is the sheer amount of pre-existing material. I’ve scoured the AC fan wikis in search of many things and, whenever you’re talking about such things as an IP, there are legacies to consider. I wanted to incorporate the social element of AC, and that translates to the Antioch market, whereas the stronghold is all about infiltration. Each sequence is centered about one specific part of the AC experience that I wanted to put in the game. Sadly there’s no crafting and no min-maxing and some of the goofy AC humor isn’t there (while there are a few places where it gets lighthearted). Of course Ubisoft had its own agenda, and told me a few select details that should or should not be there. Overall I would say that while it gives you a humongous set of constraints, it has the benefits of bringing its own universe, its tropes, and constraint breeds creativity, that’s for sure! Did you use any reference materials for the story, such as books about the Silk Road? If so, would you share what you used for those that want to read more about the time period? Weirdly, I did not buy any books for this. I’ve always been a history buff, and the first novel I finished writing was about the Arabian Nights (not available in English, sorry, though the title would translate as 'Of Night and Gold'). So let’s say I already had a headstart when I started designing the story. However, I vividly recall spending evenings reading websites about the Silk Road, about power struggles in the area, about the dialects that were used at the time or trying to figure out how to describe Antioch the way it was, geographically. For Antioch, for instance, I had to look at the maps of the ruins, figure out where it would sit on Google Maps, and then make a mental picture of how the arrival would look like – all that for a puny sentence or two that probably no one cares about or would notice. I like research, but I’m in the camp of calling a spade a spade, and fiction can and should stray from reality at times. There are a few gaps in the book, and some historians might pursue me with a pitchfork… one day, when they read the book. Also I did not want historical accuracy [to] make things feel foreign and pull readers out of the experience. Were there any mechanics or content that you wanted to write about that didn’t get published? The way we worked with Ubisoft (and Hachette, the publisher of the book) was very helpful in not having cut content. First I did a test – which became the Chinon prologue, with some editing, and a grand plan, a structure and a game design document for the entire novel, so that Ubisoft would approve me writing stuff. Then I proceeded to work on the book and then submitted everything back to Ubisoft. They had a few nitpicks with some scenes, thought one of the endings needed some more love, so I touched up whatever needed to be touched up. With my publisher at Hachette, we had defined a certain scope that we did not want to go past, and I did go a little bit overboard. Not too much, though. I had not foreseen the endings would take as much work as they did! So no, no cut content per se. I scrapped a bunch of things to streamline a few moments, but rarely did our plan fail! Was the Silk Road story your decision, or was it pitched to you by Ubisoft? Ubisoft approached one of their former employees, who knew a publisher with whom I had spoken about adventure books, a few years back. My name was submitted unbeknownst to me, and I was contacted by Hachette. As mentioned above, Ubisoft had their own agenda and they wanted the story to happen around the Silk Road, they wanted a Basim cameo (why, of COURSE!) and they also wanted to have a male Hidden One named Oisel (old French for Bird). They wanted him to be of a mixed ethnicity, and the year 850 mark is perfect for that – the Moors had invaded, so a deserter could have had a child. That also helped come up with the excuse for Oisel speaking – kinda – French, Arabic, the dialects of Central Asia, and Chinese. They had an idea about an open world but clearly that was not possible (unless we did a choose your own adventure encyclopedia) in book form so we settled for a few select vignettes. I brought them the entire arc, what I wanted to do with Oisel (and Matthias), and they were on board with that. Having a somewhat canon ending meant the end could not go too far. We had to have a specific direction and a fixed end point. If you were to write another adventure book, would you write a sequel to this story, or would you visit another period and location? I’m not opposed to writing another adventure book. I’m handling a few different projects and writing books as your day job is a tough one, so I’ve dialed this back a bit. I’ve pitched something else to Hachette but they weren’t too much into it (it was a rogue like dating sim adventure book. Do what you want of this weird piece of information). I have other ideas, like an adventure book on a diviner with abilities to foresee pieces of the future. What I like most about this type of game is the involvement a player can have in the story, how emotionally invested you can be. I want to try experimental stuff. I have other things cooking but I can’t talk about them at the moment as they haven’t been announced, but it’s more on the side of board games than books. Writer's Commentary My time reviewing books for Assassin’s Creed has provided me with great insight to the authors that are building the future of the series. While we wait through the development process of each video game, the transmedia for the series is where I believe we will find the most world building and viewpoints of the global Assassins that lived in the timeline of Assassin’s Creed . Mathieu has opened a door for a new format that I would love to see continue with the transmedia, more adventure books with different characters and time periods that while the outcome could not be considered canon, the overall story could be. When I explain the lore of AC: The Silk Road , I would inform of the challenges the Assassin’s Brotherhood had with the Snake Eaters along the Silk Road in the 9th Century, but that the character lore should be considered “unverified” (when speaking in a historical sense) as everyone would be able to tell their own story, or what they believe happened. It's an opening for fun conversation and similar “this is what I did” moments that I love seeing from the games. If I was to suggest a new story for this, I would love to see either a sequel to this book with references to The Silk Road , or maybe a story that is based in a time of war such as WWII due to the amount of history and stories that have come from those periods that could be adapted for an adventure story. Assassin’s Creed: The Silk Road is available in physical format online for anyone to purchase. I made my purchase via Amazon, and we will share an affiliate link at the bottom of this article if you would like to purchase a copy for yourself. While the book is in French only, I would still suggest this book to anyone that wants a new avenue for the AC series and maybe one day we will see an English option from Hatchette Heroes. We would like to say a big thank you to Mathieu for joining us for this interview! Amazon Affiliate Link comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Mike Smith is a collector of all things Assassin's Creed and a major supporter of transmedia who joined TOWCB as a writer from 2021 - 2024 With nearly a full library of Assassin's Creed media, his work explored the universe in order of Genetic Memory. Notably, his Assassin's Creed Timeline became an essential tool for fans of the franchise looking to complete their collection and consume AC media in a particular order. Michael Smith

What Netflix can learn from Fallout's Success for Upcoming Assassin's Creed Projects Analysis Share 25 Apr 2024 Written By: Edited By: Finn Fletcher Colum Blackett Back To Database Amazon Prime’s new Fallout show is excellent, and like many people I got a bit addicted and binged the whole thing over the weekend. It's an intriguing, dramatic, action-packed narrative with some really compelling characters and performances. As a fan of the franchise, I felt it perfectly captured the tone that made me love the games, but importantly it was still welcoming to newcomers. This is likely why it's had such critical success, and why all of the games are seeing a massive rise in active players. It's an almost perfect live action video game adaptation, and as we wait for Netflix’s new Assassin’s Creed show, I think there are plenty of lessons that the Netflix production team could take from this success; a few of which I actually think we already got in the Assassin's Creed Movie (2016). While it has its fans, I think the film overall was a failure. It didn't resonate with audiences, and the narrative felt jumbled. But, choosing to create an original story within the world of Assassin's Creed that actively affected canon was the right move. I care about the stories of these games, and while it would be great to see characters show up (you could pull off a pretty cool Kassandra appearance with Melissanthi Mahut), I have no interest in seeing their stories again in live action. If you want to get people interested, show them something new and add to the games. An original story would be a great opportunity to introduce new people to the franchise, while giving hardcore fans something to chew on. With that, I also think that you need to ruffle a few feathers. Some Fallout fans have taken issue with the show’s additions to canon. There's nothing that breaks what came before, but theories and questions were put to bed, while the fate of a major city was decided. It's brave and shows a creative team who weren't willing to do a simple paint by numbers story. There are much easier, less controversial plots that could have been written, but by being bold the show stands out and doesn't feel like a watered down add-on. Even though some fans are annoyed, the decisions were handled well to fit within the narrative of the show (rather than be purely for shock value), by a team of creatives who are clearly fans of the games themselves. If Netflix wants the Assassin's Creed show to work, they need to make some bold decisions. The show could be a perfect opportunity to finally conclude some of the dangling threads left by previous games that Ubisoft no longer cares about answering. We could find out what happened to someone like Bishop and Erudito, get details on the Roman Hidden Ones who Aya led, or even expand on the Juno and Phoenix Project sub-plot which, as far as I know, was quickly resolved in a comic. These are just suggestions, but if you get in a talented team who are also fans, you could pull off something really exciting here. That, I think, was the core problem with the film. The filmmakers were incredibly talented, Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard and director Justin Kurzel had just come off making Macbeth (2015), a genuinely brilliant film. There's talent there, but for whatever reason it didn't manifest into a good adaptation of Assassin's Creed. There could be plenty of reasons for that, Kurzel himself admits the film was a mess and struggled with his first jump into Hollywood Cinema, but I would say that a big challenge may have come from his unfamiliarity with the source material. Recounting his involvement in the film, Kurzel explains that it was Fassbender who first informed and drew him into the project He was introduced to the idea as a director, not a fan. There's nothing necessarily wrong with that, but if Netflix wants to course correct now I think getting an actual fan who's played the games to show run would be an important first step. Jonathan Nolan, Fallout showrunner and brother of Oscar-winning Christopher Nolan, isn't just a talented individual (with work on Westworld, Person of Interest and many of his brother’s films), he's also a huge Fallout fan. He describes Fallout 3 as ‘consuming a year of his life’. He cared for the source material and made a show he would want to watch. That's the kind of person we need helming Assassin's Creed, someone who can't only prove their talent, but bring in the tiny details that made us all fall in love with the games to begin with. Fallout has given me hope, and I think if done right Assassin's Creed could end up as an amazing show. Sources: Deadline Independent Collider Images via Amazon Prime video 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

Best Quotes in Assassin's Creed Rogue Share Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Back To Database ''Even the devil can quote scripture, to suit his own purposes''. Shay Cormac (Assassin's Creed Rogue) Promotional image used for Assassin's Creed Rogue. Edit by Colum Blackett ''A war and a revolution have ended, and another is about to begin. May the Father of Understanding guide us all''. Shay Cormac (Assassin's Creed Rogue) VP and Edit by Turið Torkilsdóttir 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 Creed Shadows: One Week Later News Share 30 Mar 2025 Written By: Edited By: Hayden Bird Colum Blackett Back To Database Assassin’s Creed Shadows has now been released worldwide for a week, and gamers across the globe finally have had their chances to experience this long awaited and heavily anticipated journey into Feudal Japan, a location that has been long requested for years, and now the gaming world finally gets the opportunity to experience Japan in the style of what any new Assassin’s Creed game offers. After two significant delays, first from its original release date in November of 2024, then to February this year, and delayed once more about a month later to March 20th, fans were more than ready to get to play Shadows and divulge themselves into a lengthy gaming experience, with countless hours of content put together in one game. Yasuke and Naoe in the Assassin's Creed Shadows TV Launch Trailer Shadows does a great job of showing the past life of Feudal Japan in its own unique way, the format gamers have known and loved for the last years, as Shadows has faced competition from a PlayStation made game from 2020 called Ghost of Tsushima , which focuses on a very similar time period, but it was created quite differently in terms of gameplay and similar in ways that were part of real Japan hundreds of years ago. The Samurai, Shinobi, and all the things that were common back then like wielding longswords known as Katana’s, which was the famed weapon of any Samurai. Shadows brought these historical elements into the game but added their own special touch that makes it a great Assassin’s Creed game overall. Shadows will also continue to face some steep competition after launch as PlayStation has recently announced that in some ways, Shadows ’ sole competitor, Ghost of Tsushima , will be getting a sequel called Ghost of Yotei , another journey to past Japan, which is due to release later this year in 2025, so Shadows eventual post-launch content needs to be a worthy rival of soon to be smash hit Ghost of Yotei if they are to both coexist while performing strong in their own respective categories. The new dual protagonist feature Ubisoft has implemented into Assassin’s Creed Shadows has proven to be a successful and smart move by the developers, as the ability to switch between characters at anytime during the game was a fan-favorite approach that was only briefly featured in 2015’s Assassin’s Creed Syndicate and was short lived, appearing in just the one game, but it remained a beloved feature, so bringing this option back to play between two characters instead of choosing a male or female protagonist at the beginning of the game was a good strategy from the developers at Ubisoft Quebec that has clearly worked out thus far. It is creatively unique that the main characters, Naoe and Yasuke, both have immensely different strengths, as Naoe is a great option for stealth and speed, where as Yasuke is a brute force combat expert, but Ubisoft has made it possible that given how different each character is, the mission can still be completed regardless of who you choose to play as for the designated objective. It seems like a tough task to have both protagonists with different skill sets, can both do missions equally as well, regardless of the choice you pick, but Ubisoft aced their approach in creating this new and improved dual-protagonist system. Promotional image for Assassin's Creed Shadows via Ubisoft Assassin’s Creed Shadows has also succeeded on the technical side of things. Through graphics comparisons, looking at each platform side by side, it is evident to see how each game was crafted for the different platforms, sometimes all with different levels of overall power. For example, on the base high end consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, the game runs excellent and was perfectly optimized for both consoles that are likewise equal in internal power levels. You can notice a difference in the less powerful devices too, as for the Xbox Series S and lower end gaming PC’s, the game has had to make graphical sacrifices to perform well on these platforms that lack the pure horsepower that the higher end devices have. But Ubisoft has still managed to optimize and make Shadows run well even with lesser power platforms. Another difference is the very high end systems, such as the PS5 Pro, which is Sony’s high end PlayStation 5 console and also compares well to high end gaming PC’s, where there is a clear visible difference even standing beside the base new-gen gaming consoles, the PS5 Pro has easily visible graphical improvements to the base PS5, even considering the original PS5 is a very powerful console. Ubisoft took their time perfectly optimizing the game so that you get a great experience no matter where you play. The hype of Assassin’s Creed Shadows remains high, as the game is just entering its first full week after release. There is lots still to be explored in this game, both with upcoming post-launch content and future updates that the game may receive. It is evident the gaming community and all Assassin’s Creed fans can be glad with the so far very successful launch last week, and excitement further of what's to come. The new life of Assassin’s Creed Shadows has only just begun, and the fans clearly cannot wait to see how the next months into the games life cycle continues. Assassin's Creed Shadows is available now 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

Possible Ubisoft Employees spotted photographing Italian architecture Rumor Hub Share 30 Jul 2018 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Colum Blackett Back To Database Freelance journalist Jordan Oloman recently visited the area surrounding Lake Como in Italy, which is situated roughly 2 hours away from Milan. On his travels to the beautiful location, Jordan and his travelling companion Helena had the opportunity to visit Villa del Balbianello, which was used for the filming of Naboo in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Image by Jordan Oloman Image by TREMEZZINA It was on this visit to Villa del Balbianello that Jordan and Helena noticed two possible employees from Ubisoft taking very particular photos of the architecture. He notes that the two people carried a Ubi30/ UbiProud bag, which were campaigns run by the company. After describing the two individuals, Jordan jokingly wondered if the sighting could be connected to an unannounced Assassin's Creed project. Could the two employees be location scouts? Although the Assassin's Creed franchise has already visited Italy in two major installments (AC2& AC Brotherhood), rumours circulating in 2017 suggested that the franchise would be soon be introducing an Ancient Trillogy, visiting Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The reveal of Assassin's Creed Origins confirmed these rumours for many fans, and the introduction of Assassin's Creed Odyssey made the claims even more believable. We contacted Jordan, who informed us that he has no concrete proof that the two individuals worked for Ubisoft, and may have just be tourists interested in Italian architecture. Do you think that the two individuals were Ubisoft Employees scouting out locations for an unannounced AC Project or just tourists? Could the Assassin's Creed Franchise be heading to Italy? Would you like to see the franchise return to the country? Does this sighting confirm the Ancient Trilogy rumors for you? Photos by Jordan Oloman You can find Jordan on Twitter Information source 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 Creed Day - The 21st of December Analysis Share 20 Dec 2019 Written By: Edited By: Thea (Moonchildgecko) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Why do we celebrate Assassin’s Creed (AC) Day, and why exactly the 21 st of December? Like every other person, firm, land, event etc. each have their day of celebration, why should our beloved franchise be any different? To have a specific day to celebrate something thousand of people have in common is a great way to reminisce the games, the characters and the stories they tell. Why then the 21st of December? Image by The Mentor's Guild The Winter Solstice – Early Human Tradition and Celebration The 21 st of December is commonly known as the Winter Solstice when the Earth’s North pole reach its furthest point away from the Sun, and for the people in the North the days grow longer again, and the darkest time of the year is finally coming to an end. The same thing happens in the South in June. The Winter Solstice have been celebrated by humans for thousands of years, both as a way of remarking the Sun’s lowest point on the horizon, as well as it’s rebirth and new rising. As far as 10,000 years ago, humans witnessed the Sun’s fall and rise on the sky, and celebrated it thereafter with religious and burial grounds being built to mark the turning Sun. Throughout the World, humans have made monuments according to the Sun and its movements. Both advanced civilisations, like Ancient Egypt and Greece, as well as more primitive ones like the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age civilisations in the North of Europe built their tombs based on the placement and the importance of the Sun. Some even studied the Sun and used it in their calculations. In 240 BCE. the scholar Eratosthenes used the Summer Solstice and the measurement of the angle of a shadow cast by a stick to calculate approximately just how big the Earth is. The Sun have also been used as one of the first symbols created by humans. The Spiral is considered one of the earliest symbols made by man, and although the meaning of it varies from place to place, the worship of the Sun has left its mark on many civilisations through time. As a symbol of growth, strength, rebirth and new life, we have discovered in modern times just how ferocious and dangerous the Sun really is. In Assassin’s Creed, solar flares followed by a massive coronal mass ejection was the doom of the First Civilisation in 75 000 BCE. It wouldhave been our doom again was it not for the Assassin Desmond Miles and his team in 2012. Desmond Miles – the Little-Known Ultimate Sacrifice As we know from the Assassin’s Creed franchise, the 21 st of December isn’t all about the fall and rise of the Sun. The first modern world protagonist we meet in the franchise, Desmond Miles, sacrificed his life on December 21st in 2012 to save the Earth from the disaster that would occur, saving billions of people. The Number 72 – Both a Password and a Puzzle 72 isn’t a number that is strikingly astonishing alone, and unless you’ve kept your eyes and ears open, it’s even illusive in the franchise. The number first appears in 45 BCE when the Vault in Rome was opened by Marcus Junius Brutus, then again later by Ezio Auditore in 1506 and his descendant Desmond Miles in 2012. The number’s importance becomes evident when it reveals to be the very password for the Vault. As explained by Shaun in AC: Brotherhood: The Tetragrammaton. The 72 names of God. You see? They're all contained within three verses: Exodus 19 through 21. And, get this, you'll like this. If you arrange the four Hebrew letters in God's name within an equilateral triangle, their numerical values add up to the same number: 72. Although Assassin’s Creed may be quite fond of the number 72, it can also be found outside the franchise. If you dig into the amount of occasions 72 have been mentioned through time, the list grows longer and longer the further you dig. From the 72 sicknesses, the 72 steps from Earth to Heaven in the Bible, the 72 old men of the Synagogue, the 72 Immortals in Taoism, the 72 evil disciples who enclosed the god Osiris in a coffin, the list, to say it short, goes on forever. If it’s God’s little joke, a human made coincidence or just Nature having fun with the number, it’s not a number to be throw under the carpet. It is an important number, both in history and in Assassin’s Creed. Before the release of AC: Origins and Odyssey, every main game from Ubisoft have been released within the time frame October 10th to December 21st. Whether it be intentional or not by the developers, it’s a funny coincidence nonetheless. From October to December, the franchise celebrates the growing amount of beloved games. Everyone has their own favourite, their first game or the one that touched a special place in our hearts. For the community, to have a day of celebration simply adds to the joy (and make an excuse for giving gifts). Image by Assassin's Creed Wiki The Community – a Day of Celebration, Charity and Reminiscing AC Day may have multiple meanings and significant facts behind the date, but first and foremost it’s a day for the fans, for the community and the hardworking people behind the games we all love. Sources: Britannica: Winter Solstice Images: AC Day Wallpaper Pack by The Mentor's Guild AC Wiki comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Thea is a full time student studying archaeology at the University of Bergen in Norway. She is a huge fan of the franchise and enjoys writing both fictional and academic texts. In her spare time, Thea is a passionate artist, creating detailed pencil sketches and watercolour/acrylic paintings. She has even created tattoos and replica historical props/ clothing before! In Summer 2022, Thea joined TOWCB's art team, where she will have the chance to work on a variety of projects and expand her art portfolio. Thea (Moonchildgecko)