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Pitching an Assassins' Creed Game: Building the Perfect Game Wishlist Share 9 Nov 2024 Written By: Edited By: Hayden Bird Colum Blackett Back To Database For any fan of the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ game series, there will always be a personal wishlist, whether it be hopes for new parkour elements, combat techniques, or a new story direction. I always found it fun to brainstorm ideas for a potential new game in the series with a list of additions I would love to see. I think fans can all agree that each and every ‘Assassin’s Creed’ game could have different features that could slightly impact the quality of the game. Ubisoft does an excellent job already in creating these games, and they do a fine job of taking fan feedback into consideration, so the realistic gap between anyone’s wishlist can be small due to the great response that Ubisoft offers its fans. As good as any game can be, no matter what it is, there is always room for improvement as it's how the gaming industry works. I am going to build an ‘Assassin’s Creed’ game that would satisfy my expectations as a long-time fan of the series. I hope other fans will do the same as Ubisoft may very well be listening to our feedback, and there's always a chance the suggestions you make may one day be implemented into one of their games. Image via Ubisoft. I will start off with the basics, which is the overall formula. ‘Assassin’s Creed’ , in recent years. Has undergone some very significant changes. This has divided some fans, as some prefer the way the old games used to be played. But now, there are plenty of fans who love and appreciate the new style the more recent games have taken. The newer ones have also done a great job at creating new fans to the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series. There are many fans who never played any of the older games, that are now fans of the series thanks to the major reboot that took place back in 2017. I am a fan of both formulas, but I won't deny I see the appeal for each argument. I think there should be a balance of some sorts. Basically a bridge between old and new. I think combining both could easily satisfy both the older fans and the new ones. Doing this, however, would prove challenging to the developers at Ubisoft because they would have to sacrifice content from each different formula to mix them together. Meaning one aspect of the game would lack something important, which would impact both formulas in its own way. I think to find this ideal balance, there should be a mixture of these elements, but also something new and fresh, so that this hypothetical game would not only honor both the past and the present, but would also make an impact as a new and innovative game rather than feeling repetitive or recycled. This would prove quite the challenge creatively, and would take extensive research and brainstorming from the team at Ubisoft, but in the end, this company employs some of the best creative minds in the entire industry. Offering a new challenge for the team might prove beneficial in the long run. Promotional banner used to tease the reveal of Assassin's Creed Origins. Source: Ubisoft Next on the list, would be the parkour. Free-running and parkour have been a staple of this series since the beginning of its inception. Each game has always brought a unique aspect of the parkour that is so well known in these games, and fans often look back at different eras of the mainline games and how far the parkour has developed. For the original games, parkour was monumental at the time, now it's seen as an iconic part of gaming history. Looking back at how far the free-running and climbing has come, it's easy to forget all the fun parkour we have now, would not exist without the main inspiration of the original games. During the early days of the series, parkour was seen as basic, but effective. It was a treat for fans to be able to run across rooftops or scale the tallest building in the city in the beautiful settings all the games took place in. Many fans see 2009’s ‘Assassin’s Creed II’ as one of the best, if not the best game in the series for many reasons, and one of those would be the gorgeous setting of Florence and Venice in Italy in the 14th century. It was incredible to climb real life buildings and monuments that still stand in Italy to this day, and be able to look out to the city in either Florence or Venice. Parkour, of course, has changed a lot over the following years. Which also depended on the setting of the game. ‘Assassin’s Creed III’ , for example, took place during the American Revolution, and had to change some features in the parkour to match that of the setting. For example, the playable characters in the game were able to scale and climb trees, which was new and exciting for fans to experience, but also a great creative change from Ubisoft to adapt to that timeline, and not stick to only what they were familiar with, but to branch out and stay authentic to the time period in history. As a fan of the series since its creation, I think the ideal parkour would be to once more adapt to the setting of the game. Not every aspect of the new games that will follow a different time period will be the same as the last, some will have different terrains or cultures to adapt to. I think to match this authenticity, the team at Ubisoft will have to do what they do best. Study the era inside and out to come up with a solution that not only satisfies fans, but also matches the setting of that particular game. Capture from Assassin's Creed III by Col_96 The next bullet point to follow would be combat. I think Ubisoft has adapted the combat in the series very effectively. The original games had specific combat loopholes that made the need for the traditional fighting less important, where instead some fans could easily manipulate that feature by using the loopholes left in the games. Ubisoft has done an excellent job in cleaning that up and making the combat realistic to the era, and also mechanically fluent in terms of game development. I think Ubisoft would be wise to stick to the current style of combat, if I had a say in this, I would mostly leave it as it is. Ubisoft has perfected the art of combat in modern video games. Changing this would not make sense as it wouldn’t match that of today's standards. However, one thing Ubisoft could continue in its combat mechanics are the extended use of special abilities while fighting enemies. These abilities allow the developers to get creative. There's a lot of potential in creating these special abilities to give the player an aid in combat by having these unique skills be authentic to the game's time period. Ubisoft has already accomplished this in the past, for example in ‘Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’ , one of the special abilities you could use and equip was the infamous Spartan kick. The game was set in Ancient Greece, and this technique is well known today by being shown in different types of movies and TV shows, as well as the actual inspirations of Greece during that time period. The game adopted this type of ability specifically for ‘Odyssey’ as it fit perfectly in the Ancient Greek lore. Lastly, one thing I would add to create my picture perfect ‘Assassin’s Creed’ game would be the continued use of the skill tree. The universal use of skills in ‘Assassin’s Creed’ games only became a part of the series in more recent years. Almost all games created in today's era have adopted the same use of a skill tree. It has become a staple of the gaming industry. Any new ‘Assassin’s Creed’ game could further take advantage of this option by being “different” in their use of a skill tree. It will be creatively challenging, but if Ubisoft were to create a skill tree that looks and acts differently that the usual of what we see today, it would bring publicity to the game by having a unique aspect of it that so many other game developers have typically recycled this part of their game, which is understandable as most skill trees are supposed to be basic, as developers would not want to confuse fans with an overly complicated skill tree feature that could end up worsening the experience and creative gamble they would take. I think a good example of this would be what we saw in ‘Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’ where the skill tree was turned into a system that changed skills into “power”. This was a healthy change in what we are so used to in games today. ‘Valhalla’ did a great job at their attempt to be unique in the skill tree aspect of their game. Assassin's Creed Valhalla Skill Tree from TOWCB 'How to' Guides I think overall that these specific aspects, along with the great foundation Ubisoft has already built for the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series, would create a game for everyone. I think blending the elements of both past and present could be a pleasant surprise for any fan of the games. These are, of course, hypothetical suggestions, as this is all a personal wishlist for me, but it is a wise thing to do as a fan of ‘Assassin’s Creed’ because one day, if enough fans were to create something similar, the creators at Ubisoft may very well take interest in our suggestions, and perhaps a new ‘Assassin’s Creed’ game could fit our personal wishes. Anything is possible in today's era of the gaming industry. Which is why the hobby of gaming so many fans enjoy, is the best form of entertainment in the entire world. Related Articles Aztec Empire: Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game Chinese Pirates: Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game 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

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 4th to 15th March Community Share 20 Mar 2024 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the biweekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every two weeks 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. This theme has been run by the TOWCB VP team. We have been monitoring the hashtag and the community hub to see all your wonderful shots. 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 Vikings Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ GwynVP The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ TuridTorkil Looking at this shot feels like coming home. Fornburg is such a beautiful settlement and I really like to return to it in the game. Gwyn did a great job capturing the Northern Lights, the majestic mountains and the warm fireplaces. Aaron “It is easy to lose one’s way on the road to glory”. The magic of Norway will never get old. Eivor’s epic saga begins in the frozen north, which gives way to some awe-inspiring backdrops. The virtual photography opportunities are endless, that is one of the reasons we still see many shots from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla on social media. This beautiful capture from Gwyn really caught my eye. I just love the colours and the strong Norse vibes. Eivor looks great walking in from her longship, torch in hand. The lights in the windows of the houses look so inviting and the sheer scale of that mountain in the distance is incredible. A truly wonderful piece of virtual photography. Corner Swing Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ PodToGo “Once, I lived on the streets and answered only to myself”. The parkour opportunities in Assassin’s Creed Mirage are so much fun. The swing in this shot has to be one of my favourites, I am so glad the developers brought it back. Little moments like this really help to keep the flow when navigating the rooftops of Baghdad. I really like how Pod has captured this as a portrait, it allows for a fantastic composition. The lighting and shadow work is perfect, and Basim looks awesome swinging around the building. Action shots are extremely hard to achieve, and Pod has done tremendously well to align all the aspects in this capture. The Eyes Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Murphys_Law_Vp “Do not let false victories blind you to what is true”. The Dawn of Ragnarok DLC is a long and sad tale, unfortunately after the length of the main game it can be a bit of a slog. However, it’s an expansion that is extremely picturesque to capture and there are plenty of Easter eggs to be found. Here we can see one of them, I never fully worked out who or what the creepy being is. I assume it is some Jotunn, but it sure makes for an impressive photo. I love the framing in this shot, the trees either side of the Jotunn and the autumnal red leaves on the floor add to the mystical atmosphere. Havi seems really badass just walking away from it without a care, very impressive photography. Reflective Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ RossHiroAsmara “I will walk behind you, every step of the way.” I have found Assassin’s Creed Mirage to be great for capturing silhouettes, and the whole atmosphere of the game lends itself perfectly to this. Basim is a character who has a lot of inner turmoil, he often finds himself reflecting on who he is and what role he plays in the world. Here we have Basim in a classic Assassin’s Creed pose. I love the cinematic style of this, with the noise of the shot mixing well with that beautiful sun set. The silhouette is perfect, I adore that the sword and totem are standing out with their respective colours. A magnificent Mirage moment. The Light Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ redmaiden_vp “And maybe someday you will find the light.” I am a sucker for a portrait with a black background. I think this style works so well in the Assassin’s Creed series, especially with the slogan ‘we work in the dark’. All the RGP games have exceptional lighting which makes taking shots like this a dream. We just had to feature this capture; it is so beautifully put together. I am a big fan of the framing, and how the saturation levels heighten the details on Basim’s face. You can see how deep in thought he is, almost poised for the assassination. The Red Maiden has only just started the Mirage journey and I already know I am going to enjoy seeing all the shots. 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

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 15th to 26th April 2024 Community Share 14 May 2024 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Back To Database Welcome to the biweekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every two weeks 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. This theme has been run alongside @PodToGo, a long-time friend of mine in the VP community. Pod has been a pillar of support since I joined this wonderful community. His excellent virtual photography often catches the eye, whilst also being a very humble and supportive member of the VP community. 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. This theme week: Action Strike Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ visionevp The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ PodToGo This image is a great combination. The colouring and timing are fantastic. A worthy winner of the action theme for me. Aaron (@ FalconSwift87 ) “Underestimating your opponent is a fool’s folly”. Bringing justice to the order has always been a pivotal concept of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. It was fitting that Mirage returned to those core values in 2023. There now seems to be a real breath of fresh air into the much-loved series. Striking from the shadows Is what all Assassins do best, and here we have Basim doing just that. A difficult shot to take as timing is everything for these types of captures. I must applaud Visione for managing this without the red glow around the guard. I do really like the colours too as the vibrancy helps the picture stand out. A very Assassin’s Creed photo for shot of the week. Quick Reflexes Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ BasimIbnIshaq_ “Training Is nothing, will is everything”. I must admit when Assassin’s Creed Mirage was announced and we were informed there would be no bows in the game, my heart sank a little. That being said the throwing knives are so much fun, and the design is exquisite. I would have been disappointed if I hadn’t had seen a shot like this in an action themed week. I am really liking the composition with the knife flying through the air. The details of the knife are showcased excellently with that intricate design the hero of the shot. I do think Basim looks great performing the throwing action, his angered face shows that he means business. Taking Aim Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ astroghost001 “You have failed this city”. Despite feeling extremely out of place the Isu gear in the RPG games definitely looks awesome. The dark colours mixed with the bright lights stand out, allowing for excellent photo opportunities. I still remember the fun of trying to find the Isu bow in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla by the rock. This capture has everything you could want from an Isu warrior. I am a huge fan of the white boarder, with the blurred rock face in the middle. Bayek looks badass as he almost acts as a 3D image, bursting out of the photo. It’s amazing to see out of the box virtual photography that really catches the eye. Glory Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ _fallenmemory_ “If I was your punishment, you’d already be dead”. The conquest battles are arguably the best place to create action shots. These epic battles played out in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey once you had lowered the power of the region. It was such a brilliant idea and choosing a side made it even more enjoyable. I just wish they had more meaning to the overall story. Here we have Kassandra reaching to the sky with the spear of Leonidas. She looks incredibly powerful dressed in the full Spartan armour. I really like the light glowing from the spear and the depth of field allows us to see the other participants deep in combat. I am not sure any of them stand a chance against this Misthios. Dive of the Valkyries Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ G_Assassin90 “You couldn’t kill me if you tried for a hundred years”. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has such a monstrous number of abilities to obtain. The sheer amount can almost be overwhelming. Finding those books of knowledge is key and unlocking skills such as throwing axe fury and dive of the Valkyries, these can be real game changer in combat. This shot is perfectly timed as Eivor looks to descend upon her victim. I love the silhouette style, especially with the spear in full swing. Very topical too having the Northern Lights as the background, they are a treat every time you see them in game. The composition is really giving a god like feel to Eivor and that makes perfect sense given her harrowing story. 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

Assassin's Creed Community Showcase: April 2023 Community Share 5 May 2023 Written By: Edited By: TOWCB Team Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the first article in a new series dedicated to showcasing Assassin's Creed community artwork! Each month, we will be highlighting community creations and sharing them here on TOWCB website! Kicking off the series, we have an incredible piece of art work inspired by Assassin's Creed Origins, reminiscent of the wall art from the Prince of Egypt movie. Aya by Ru Solis (@ solisdaemon ) Written by Yasmin Page from TOWCB Art Team. ''This artwork was created for the April codexmonthly art prompt: shadows, and encapsulates the theme beautifully. All the details in the background — from the hieroglyphs painted on the wall, to the columns framing the image and the plants surrounding Aya — give the artwork a very strong grounding. A single glance places the scene in Ancient Egypt, and yet the softness of the firelight gives subtlety to what, in daylight, would be bright with colour. And then we have Aya herself, or rather, Amunet, as fierce and mysterious as her namesake. The composition and framing draws your eye to her, and her pose emphasises her power as a warrior. Looking at this artwork, we are reminded that this is the woman who founded the Hidden Ones. A force to be reckoned with.'' Next up, we have a digital painting of Odin, pondering his fate in a recreation that captures the mood of the Valhalla expansion brilliantly. Art by @ linaykaa Written by Aaron Young from TOWCB Writing Team ''I love this piece of art as it fits the themes of the Dawn of Ragnarok expansion. The firey red background with the sparks are so reminiscent of the Svartalfheim enviroment. The trinity knot on Havi's hood beautifully symbolisies that there is no begining or end just eternal life. Makes me think of Loki's quote "All your efforts to evade destiny will only fling you further along its course. If you're not careful, you may be the author of your own destruction" His face and demenour in this piece show the weight he is carrying, can he advert Ragnarok and change his fate?'' Another digital painting, this time imaging Bayek syncronising the Assassin's Creed Origins insignia. Art by s_snowyhooves_s Written by Aaron Young from TOWCB Writing Team ''Assassin's Creed Origins artwork always has a touch of class to it. This piece is no different, with the golden tones representing Egypt magnificently. I adore the Assassin symbol with the eye of horus in the middle and with Bayek sat atop the meaning of protection is amplified. I really like the use of the Isu armour as it's a great contrast to the time period, showing that connection to the ones who came before. With that sun shining so brightly behind Bayek all I can hear is Khemu calling "Papa jump". Assassin Beads by MoonMilk Beads. Written by Colum Blackett from TOWCB Core Team ''I love the colours in this project. To me, it almost resembles an American Eagle from above, with the beading below the insignia acting as tale feathers. I would say that this project has its roots in decorative Native American beading patterns, and it certainly is beautiful. Had Assassin's Creed III followed Connor's story further, I could totally have seen patterns like this appearing in-game.'' Basim by Redreyenotarget Written by Colum Blackett from TOWCB Core Team ''This digital painting shows Basim in his younger days. He appears to hold a rank higher than a novice, due to the throwing knives, but the blue head scarf suggests that he still has numerous stages to overcome before he reaches the rank of Master Assassin. The artist notes the Assassin's Creed Mirage Reveal trailer as the key inspiration for this piece. Perhaps his visible happiness is because Loki is yet to corrupt his perspective through twisted nightmare visions.'' Arno by Madam Estrella ( @ madamestrellascurio ) Written by Yasmin Page from TOWCB Art Team. “We work in the dark to serve the light. A quote at the very heart of the Assassin’s Creed games, and this artwork, to me, is a perfect example. While we as players know Arno and his story, to those inside his world, he moves through the shadows and is unseen. In this image, the shadows hide Arno’s eyes and shroud him in darkness, hiding his identity from the viewer and emphasising the stealth element that’s central to the Assassin’s Creed series. Additionally, the limited colour palette is really striking: the red, white and blue of the French Tricolour, the black of the harsh shadows, and the colour of the light on Arno’s face. A simple portrait composition beautifully executed (pun intended). This artwork was also created for April’s codexmonthly theme.'' Art Reveal We are pleased to reveal a brand new piece of Assassin's Creed Mirage fanart by TOWCB Art Team member Yasmin Page ! ''I painted this portrait of Basim in Photoshop using my Wacom drawing tablet. Surprisingly, I had quite a hard time with it, which I didn’t expect as I’ve drawn Basim a few times before. Nevertheless, I’m proud of how it came together in the end! I’m really looking forward to the release of Mirage and creating more artworks inspired by the game — the world and characters of Assassin’s Creed are an endless source of inspiration!'' Here is another brand new piece of Assassin's Creed artwork, this time by TOWCB Art Team Member, Thea M. Rivedal! “Let them fall” Feathers have been a representative element within the AC community since day one, and given the opportunity, I decided to create a more minimalistic image. As the feathers hold a heavy symbolism, letting them fall slowly from above gives a sense of serenity on the violence the Creed tends to find itself in. Blood on the feather at the bottom is in honor of Altaïr. The image was created in my most used medium the past months, Procreate. https://www.instagram.com/moonchildgecko/ Also produced this week were two pieces of artwork by ShayaFury from TOWCB Art Team. ''I had so much fun making both artworks (The digital one and the traditional one) . Both are made with love. Especially the Victoria and Jacob sketch since it was a small gift for a friend of mine drawing her OC based on Assassin`s Creed Syndicate. It did not take me much time to make it since I had so much fun and specially made it look like that. Used Photoshop and my Wacom Cintiq 27QHD touch and pen tablet. For the Basim sketch it took me a bit more since I did draw him for the very first time and was wondering if I will do him justice! Glad I managed to make it right. I will for sure draw him again. I did draw him in my illo sketchbook using pencil and for the yellow used Ecoline Watercolour brush pen from Royal Talens.'' We would like to say a big thank you to all the community members who contributed towards this article. We will be using our new Community Spotlight series to shine a light on various art projects, alongside sharing our own courtesy of TOWCB Art Team. Look out for the next entry in the series at the end of May. 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

Fall of the Berlin Wall: Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game Wishlists Share 28 Jun 2023 Written By: Edited By: Finn Fletcher Colum Blackett Back To Database Assassin's Creed as a series has been able to survive for so long as a franchise because it is so adaptable, and can be moulded into any time period the development team want. The ideological struggle between Assassins and Templar is histori cally malleable, refreshing the series time and time again as it jumps between the pages of documented events. Ever since I fell in love with it back in 2009, I've seen it one way: historical espionage. It's a spy thriller throughout the ages; what if James Bond was in Renaissance Italy. Instead of death rays and future technology, you're facing corrupt Popes and… well future technology. The people will never know your name or mission, but you fight for their safety. There's even an allegory for weapons of mass destruction in it with the Pieces of Eden, that if the Assassins allow to fall into the wrong hands will lead to world destruction! In that vein, and inspired by a tweet from AC: Landmarks , I wanted to return to an idea I've had for sometime, a true Assassin's Creed spy story. How would the series look if you cranked that idea of historical espionage up to 11? What would it look like in the Cold War? Now there are plenty of reasons I think this period could work: it can be charming and flashy as we've seen in the campier spy stories of the past half a century, is so morally complex there's plenty of narrative and philosophical conflicts to explore with the benefit of hindsight and unlike other ideas for titles focused on a contemporary period, the secrecy of the conflict will help avoid the gameplay problem of it simply becoming a shooter. Going guns out simply wasn't an option, can't risk making the Cold War hot after all, so stealth and blades will still be a main approach. The problem then is making a narrative and choosing the specific time and place. The Cold War was BIIIIG, like far too big to ever condense into a single story. Do you want a Cuban missile crisis or a Vietnam War? At first I felt like international 60s exploration would be good, moving from city to city, collecting information on targets, but its scope felt too unrealistic. It's when I settled on what I think to be the perfect setting for this type of game: the fall of the Berlin Wall. For those who don't know (which I assume won't be many people), I'll do a very quick overview of this period in history. After World War 2 Germany was split, with Western Germany going to the Allies and Eastern to the Soviets. This also included the capital city of Berlin, however because the city was located in the Eastern side of the country, Western Berlin was walled off, with the Soviets hoping to stop their citizens fleeing to the West. After two decades of this walled off city, in 1989, the communist leaders were ousted from power and the wall was torn down by citizens and soldiers alike. By many historians, this is seen as the last breath of the Cold War. This will be as modern as the series would have gone, and explore something that people still alive today experienced, maybe even players. This wouldn’t be the first time a game would do this (Call of Duty has used the Cold War as a setting plenty of times), but it is important to show respect to the reality of the suffering. Know that I did my research into the period, and believe if Ubisoft were ever to do this they should consult people who were their to best understand the era. Like Syndicate, the narrative will take place over a single year, as you take the final actions to ensure the wall is destroyed. The player, a German Assassin looking to reclaim her nation, will travel between West and East Berlin, gathering and manipulating information, taking down targets, and setting up the final nail in the coffin of the Cold War. Now I said that this was inspired by a tweet from AC: Landmarks and this is where I’ll tie it back in. Landmarks posted a question, would you like to see another Templar lead Assassin's Creed game, and honestly I think this game would be an excellent opportunity to return to that concept. The protagonist would be an Assassin, but rather than relying solely on the Brotherhood, I imagine this period being an excellent opportunity to return to the ideas of a Templar Assassin unity. Cold War inspired insignia by Reddit user ThatOneEnemy The Cold War was complicated, and the Assassins Creed lore matches that. Templars seemingly had power over Stalin while pushing corporate America through Abstergo. So I’m imagining it as such: Templars attempted to twist Russia into a totalitarian state but it was an experiment that they lost control over, by the 80's when Gorbachov was in power they had no footing in Russia. Meanwhile they were hedging their bets in Abstergo Industries which would become their main operation going forward. Now both Assassins and Templars have a reason to want to bring an end to the Cold War, and annihilate the threat of a nuclear war. You could even have Templar traitors be working with the Soviets, prepared to counteract any Assassin activity. It’s an interesting position to be placed in. The player, a German Assassin named Matilda, simply wants to free her home, while the Assassin Brotherhood is hoping to turn Germany into a new Assassin stronghold after nearly a century of defeats. Abstergo and the Templars offer help, arguing that this is an issue everyone wants to see resolved, but really are just hoping the Assassins will fight their battles for them. Matilda becomes a pawn in all this, pushed and pulled in every direction, her own struggles manipulated by others for their own gain. This can then affect gameplay. While I do love Rogue, it failed to fully capitalise on the “Templar fantasy”. If we’re going to be allied with Templars we should pick up some of their tricks, so missions will not only be focused on eliminating targets but manipulating information. Imagine sequences focused entirely on breaking into military compounds to alter records and data; the player could even be given a selection of choices, with opportunities to alter guard routes, or cause in-fighting. Your goal after all is to destabilise a decades old government, that doesn’t just happen by getting rid of a few people. In this game we'll be pulling the series into the "information age", with 24 hour news, television and mass broadcasting. The manipulation of information was becoming a warfare tactic, one the Soviets had mastered for decades with altered photography and repressed journalists. The gameplay mechanics will reflect this, you're no longer a blade in a crowd but also a pen, ready to tear up falsified "facts" with a single swipe. This could be exemplified by the removal of the real East Berlin ruler Erich Honecker, a man responsible for multiple atrocities who was in charge of the construction of the wall and was forced to resign less than a month before the walls destruction. He would make a perfect final target, wherein the player must maximise their use of Templar tactics, to establish a wide conspiracy and expose the truth in a way that would see Honecker's reign come to an end. It would be a perfect distillation of the idea of covert war, wherein an Assassination would only cause more chaos and fear but information could lead to a peaceful solution. Honeckers life is genuinely fascinating aswell; in his youth he rebelled against the Nazi party, being sentenced to hard labour by the Gestapo. Once freed by the Soviets he built a thriving political career in East Germany and enforced totalitarioan rulership, reportedly leading to the death of around 1,000 civillians. His role as a Templar defect seems to write itself, joining the order after the fall of Nazi Germany only to leave to follow his own beliefs, before being ousted and sent to trial in his old age. The city would also aid in this idea of mixing tactics, with the division forcing different kinds of approaches. East Berlin would have a heavy military presence, with a strict wanted system. Killing isn’t a particularly viable option, because if a body is found major sweeps of the area would be conducted by heavily armed soldiers. Espionage and Templar tricks will be your main tool here, you’ll have to distract not attack. It would also allow a return to the AC1 style of Assassination missions, where once a target has been taken down the city will go onto red alert and you’ll be detected in an instant. West Berlin will function more like a traditional AC game, where you’ll have a chance to use your tools and gadgets more freely. Your focus will be taking down targets who for different reasons are doing everything in their power to make sure the war carries on. These could be war profiteers, or bigoted generals who just want to see the “Commies” annihilated at all costs. Travelling between the sides will also take effort. The “wall” wasn’t just a wall, in fact there were two heavily armed walls with the Death Strip (a trench full of mines and other deadly traps) between. Traversing this will be a parkour and stealth challenge, where you’ll be forced to consider the risks and take effort when manoeuvring the territory. The difficulty will encourage players to finish all the tasks in either half of the city before travelling to the other, providing them with more obstacles. Other historical figures can aide in this, such as the Pastor Christoph Wonneberger who helped rally people to protest against the Soviets. While in real life he was positioned in Lepzig (a city south of Berlin), he couuld The narratives end then will be bittersweet; after taking down Honecker you will watch over the people as they tear down the wall. Yet as one by one the bricks removed, many of the secret powers who started all of this remain unharmed. The Templar allies you’ve made are now enemies again, and Matilda’s simple goal is twisted by the powers that be. She will even have to reflect on the actions she took, considering whether her alteration of information is moral, and if it will evevn be sustainable. Germany is a free nation again, but the fight never ends. Related Articles Aztec Empire: Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game Chinese Pirates: Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game 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

The Ultimate Photo Mode Guide released by FrameHoldPhotography Breakdowns Share 4 May 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Back To Database TOWCB Core Team member FrameHoldPhotography is pleased to release the Ultimate Photo Mode Guide! This video combines a love for virtual photography with experience working in TV and film to explain what all of the settings in Photo Mode do. Described by TOWCB Virtual Photography member Turið Torkilsdóttir as an ' AMAZING PhotoMode Guide for Assassin's Creed, explaining each setting in detail', this video is an essential tool for fans looking to enhance their skills. We guarantee that this comprehensive breakdown of the photo mode tool will make a huge difference within the community, as it provides both confidence and knowledge to take their skills to the next level. Be sure to subscribe to FrameHoldPhotography on Youtube for more in-depth videos. 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)

No Isu, No Magus: A Review of Assassin’s Creed: The Resurrection Plot (Light Spoilers) Review Share 15 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Colum Blackett Back To Database Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal ( Moonchildgecko ) from TOWCB Art Team . Revisiting the Assassin’s Creed franchise is a ritual for many fans of the series. Taking journeys that they have made before to relive memories of their favorite characters, remembering the ghosts of lost friends, allies, and even enemies as the scenes of defiance and choice defeat the overseeing hands of order and control once more. Yet, every tale comes to a close as the final page in these tales is read and players are left wondering, what next? Some characters are extended the opportunity of sequels, side projects, or transmedia tales to continue the lives of the Assassin Brotherhood Masters such as Ezio Auditore, Shao Jun, or even Edward Kenway in the foreseeable future. Following these characters from their origins to their final days is a rare occurrence that many have wished to see continue with future stories. Thankfully, there has been a resurgence for continuous world building with the promotion of the transmedia lines from Ubisoft and the Assassin’s Creed team. From the various novels and art books released around AC Valhalla, to the alternative stories from AC China, the unseen periods of the history are being uncovered. It is from this that I was excited to see the second novel of the Engine of History trilogy from author, Kate Heartfield. Assassin's Creed: The Magus Conspiracy and Author Kate Heartfield Last year, The Engine of History kicked off its trilogy of books with The Magus Conspiracy. This entry novel introduced characters Pierrette Arnaud and Simeon Price, an acrobat and soldier respectively that through their intertwining lives both found their ways into the folds of the Assassins Brotherhood and their place through the European Revolutions of the 19th Century. Being witnesses to some of the most newsworthy assassinations of country leaders (or their failed attempts) scattered through the 11-year timeline of this first book, while also meeting and working with historical figures such as Ada Lovelace, Emperor Franz Joseph, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The two worked hand and hand as Mentor (Simeon) and Apprentice (Pierrette) while searching for The Magus, a mastermind that was pulling the strings between the Assassins and their Templar Order for the end goal of creating The Engine of History, a device so destructive that the world in whole was at stake. This story reached its finale with The Magus defeated, and the Engine seemingly prevented from being created. *SPOILER WARNING* Opening of the Suez Canal - Fine Arts America Seven years later, the story picks up again at the opening of the Suez Canal in Cairo, Egypt. Pierrette is now a seasoned Assassin, working with the Cairo Brotherhood. While tracking a Templar target that is rumored to be present at a celebratory opera by where the Empress Eugine of France is also attending. She learns that her target has convinced the khedive, ruler of Egypt, to allow him to build a railway from Alexandria to an uninhabited space in the desert. From this assignment which prevents the death of not only the two leaders, but the hundreds of attendees, Pierrette and her fellow Assassins travel to the end of the Templar railway where she is reconnected with her Mentor, Simeon Price. He joins her group to investigate a cave that the Templar Order were tracked to by Simeon and discover a returning Isu Artifact that I never believed I would see again… but you will have to read the book to learn which one. Empress Eugénie de Montijo of France The story is split between the two Assassins as they work different leads to recover the artifact in question and also stop the construction of the Engine of History which is “resurrected” as a focus for the Templar Order. The two will continue to cross paths over the historical backdrop of the story which includes the Franco-Prussian War, and question their pasts and their trust in each other. Each faces challenges that are haunted by their actions as Assassins and is reflected in their personas as time ages them and the industrious period of 19th Century France, England, and Egypt. My previous praise for the level of detail that author Kate Heartfield had provided in The Magus Conspiracy is strengthened within the first chapter of The Resurrection Plot. I have been working on compiling a list of referenced media including historical books, plays, and films from the Assassin’s Creed series as I work through the entirety of the property. In just the first chapter, I had collected five book titles that gave depth and authority to the detail that Kate made with this title. In addition, Kate provided me with a list of books that she read in part, or whole while researching the history around the fiction of the embedded Assassin’s Creed story. By the end of my reading, I had made note of nine unique titles and the collective works (prior to a certain period in the book) of six authors including Victor Hugo, George Sand, and Emile Zola. Fueled by this excitement to discover more worldbuilding content that would allow me at some point in the future to get into the mind of an Assassin during the 19th Century, I was reminded of the relationship that Simeon had with his mentor and how the art of reading and conversation helped him teach Pierrette the lessons he learned as an Assassin’s Apprentice. Simeon reflects on the teachings of his mentor in times of confusion as he experiences isolation, temptation, and betrayal from outside parties. His demeanor is reforged under the pressure of these situations hardening him and drawing in the breadth of his trust for others. While at the same time, Pierrette reflects on the teachings of her mentor as she is faced with taking on a parental role with the younger members of her past life, something that believed to not have as an orphan, but rediscovers as a member of her circus troupe; her previous brotherhood. French republican politician Léon Gambetta (in hat, centre) about to escape besieged Paris for Tours by balloon, October 1870, during the Franco-German War - www.britannica.com “History is our playground” is the tagline for the Assassin’s Creed series, but the history of this book is no playscape. The Franco-Prussian War is a blanket period for a good portion of the book, the threat of war causing the countries to stand on edge, the depictions of civilians suffering under a government that has abandoned its people, and the undying spirit of a nation’s people as the world moves forward. Political assassinations in multiple countries are also set pieces for the characters, but unlike previous instances it's the people that the Assassins attempt to support while hindering the Templar’s elaborate plan for controlling the world through order. Seeing the world become more connected with new technologies and more importantly modes of transportation, the opening of the Suez Canal was in a way not only a catalyst for this story, but an example of how the age of history was shifting to the modern age. However, there is a retreat from despair that is explored much like Simeon’s time in Switzerland from the previous book, a sidestory of love and understanding between oppositions who tire of the neverending fighting. Tensions that some may have seen right away, or like myself, could see the direction Kate’s writing was going before the flower bloomed. The writing of every scene felt perfect as my respect for the leads and growing favoritism of them was rewarded, even if for a short period of time. Much like the scenes of war, the hopes of peace held strong in the face of opposition. With any Assassin’s Creed property, looking for connections to the other titles is something that fans look forward to finding. In the last book we found connections to Assassin’s Creed Syndicate and AC Underworld with the father of the Frye twins, Ethan Frye, cameoing while characters visit London. This was expanded on with Evie taking a small supporting role in The Resurrection Plot and the combined actions of the siblings post-Syndicate being applauded. Getting to see the twin’s life post Syndicate is a treat for fans of the game. When I finished the book this morning, I was extremely satisfied with The Resurrection Plot and what it did to continue the story of The Magus Conspiracy. Questions I had with the last book were answered and getting to read more of Pierrette and Simeon was something I was looking forward to. Whereas the first book had the feeling of AC II and entry to the Brotherhood, the second is reflective of AC Brotherhood/Revelations. That leads me to hope that the final book in the series reads similar to the final story of Revelations/Ember and blends with the passing of the touch that Ezio gave to Shao Jun. I felt content with how the book wrapped up and have a good feeling about the future of this storyline. The Industrial Revolution time period that was nearly exclusive to AC Syndicate, as The Last Descendants has a crossover story with the characters, is now expanded to include the lives of Simeon Price and Pierrette Arnaud and their work with the European Brotherhoods. Assassin’s Creed: The Resurrection Plot is by far my favorite piece of transmedia for the series and possibly of all AC titles. It is a book that fans of the series should read after finishing the first as it is well supported as a follow-up, but it can stand on its own as enough backstory is provided to new readers. For those that are new to the series, The Engine of History trilogy is a great introduction to the property as it is a fantastic piece of historical fiction that would stand out in any gamer, historian, or reader’s library. The praise I have for Kate Heartfield’s work continues to grow as her acknowledgements to the community that she has found a home in, as a fan-favorite writer, is heartfelt and a nice thank you. I wish only the best for her as she brings The Engine of History to a close. 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 Mirage Early Access Demo Gameplay Round-up News Share 12 Sept 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Back To Database On the 12th September 2023, an embargo lifted for Assassin's Creed Mirage which saw a flood of content circulate the internet. The coverage included gameplay, screenshots and information captured and documented by media outlets, community members and Youtubers, taken from the first few hours of the game. We here at The Ones Who Came Before made a conscious decision not to share any of the footage on our social media channels as we are so close to launch. Instead, we have decided to round-up all of the gameplay videos we can find and share them here on our website! Please enjoy and support the content creators listed below, and always be considerate when sharing unreleased content. Footage by Jackfrags and first impressions Footage by IGN. Previewed on PC by Nick Maillet. Footage captured by theRadBrad Footage captured by Luke Stephens Footage captured by jayvee Footage captured by Zanar Aesthetics Footage captured by JorRaptor Footage captured by That Boy Aqua Footage captured by GameSpot Footage captured by GameRiot Footage captured by Hollow Highlights video by Playstation Access Footage by Nick930 Footage by Easy Allies Footage by Arekkz Gaming Footage by Rickster2344 Footage by Shirrako Footage and Impressions by Franky Boy and JorRaptor Footage by Mirror Gaming Footage by MadMorph Footage by GamersPrey Footage by Access the Animus Screenshots Image captured by @ LegacyKillaHD Screenshots by RockPaperShotgun Screenshots by TheLoadout Did we miss your early access coverage of Assassin's Creed Mirage? Message us privately to be featured on the site! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Assassin's Creed Mirage: Assassin Cat designs shared by Ubisoft 3D Character Artist News Share 2 Mar 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) TOWCB Team Back To Database Assassin's Creed Mirage: Patch 1:0:7 introduced a very special character to the game, in the form of an Assassin cat which seems to spawn at random throughout the game. It was recently sighted wandering the streets of Ukbara, a small town found on the North bank of the Tigris river, but I was unable to find it myself. In a special post on ArtStation by Valentin Yovchev , 3D Character Artist at Ubisoft, new details about the design and close-up images were shared which will benefit those looking to create costumes for their own Assassin cats at home. ''It was a great honor for me to work on Assassin's Creed Mirage, and I'm happy to share that I had the pleasure to design and create this outfit for the latest Easter egg in the game that was introduced in patch 1.0.7. Congrats on Lieven Ledegen , he was the first one to find this new purr assassin (the video is from him). Also since I saw in some posts on reddit that people will want to make a real outfit for their cat, I've decided to share the raw measurements of the outfit for people to use as guides if they ever want to build this outfit for their cat in real life And for everyone curious how to find this furry assassin in the game. Just walk around, and look for cats and eventually you'll run in to him, just be prepared to pet him Cheers! Valentin'' The first set of character models shared by Valentin Yovchev show a number of key details such as a snake-inspired knife belt and engraved Assassin collar. The next set of designs are for those looking to create the costume at home. Let us know if you plan on taking on this challenge! Have you found the new Assassin cat in Assassin's Creed Mirage yet? Share your captures @ ACFirstCiv for a chance to feature on the website! comments debug Comments (1) Write a comment Write a comment Sort by: Newest Guest Mar 22, 2024 🤑🤑🤑 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)

Christmas Giveaway: Lisa Zaman Art Community Share 24 Dec 2019 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database We're proud to announce that we have collaborated with graphite portrait artist Lisa Zaman to produce a special Christmas themed Assassin's Creed art piece for our festive giveaway. Although this is new territory for Lisa, she has exceeded our expectations in producing a unique and interesting design capturing the essence of Christmas in the world of Assassins Creed. As a member of the AC Partnership Program, Lisa will be producing a variety of content for TOWCB. Back in May, 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 more future art giveaways and competitions for the community. Stay tuned for more projects! 1x A5 art print for one lucky member of our community! To Enter: Follow @ACFirstCiv Follow @LisaZamanArt RT Ends 30/12/19. Open Worldwide. Good luck Assassins! Merry Christmas from TOWCB Admin Team and all our Partners! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

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

Assassins Creed Tribute game - TOWCB Interview with Fan Project Game Director Noah Stavish Community Interview Share 9 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: Finn Fletcher Colum Blackett Back To Database Back in December, a devoted and skilled group of fans who had spent the past year building their own Assassin Creed game released their first preview video, showcasing initial footage from the project. Now in its early stages, details on gameplay, story and the inspirations are ready to be revealed. Teaser trailer showing the environments of the city of Valletta, located on Quarry Wharf. It’s hard to deny that Assassin's Creed has gone through a bit of an identity crisis in its 15 year long existence, and endless stream of games. Originally lauded for featuring “one of the most unique gameworlds ever created” , the early titles included groundbreaking and innovative approaches to movement, story and the use of history in video games. As the series aged it grew past what once made it special. With the implementation of RPG elements, a stripped down movement system and mythological creatures patrolling the once purely historical settings, it’s hard to find the original ideas that drew audiences to these games so long ago. In lieu of official content to scratch that Assassin itch, a group of long term fans have decided to take on the challenge. “We really just started off with the desire to make a game,” explains game director Noah Stavish . “We didn’t have a single thing in mind for the setting or anything like that. “We just weren’t happy with the direction of the franchise, we’re big fans of the older style games.” “Tribute: An Assassin’s Creed Fan Game”, is a non-profit PC game, currently in development by Erudito Entertainment.'' Set during the French invasion of Malta in 1798, the team aims to bring the franchise back to its roots, with complex parkour and potentially even a few recurring characters. With his cat meowing behind him, I sat down with Noah to learn more about the development process and details of this upcoming game. It started quite earnestly, Noah recalls: “A group of us were talking about making a fan game over on the Assassin's Creed subreddit Discord. We then created our own separate Discord and started seriously discussing the potential locations.” “One of the big things we knew was that we had to have a setting where you play as an Assassin. We want to play as a capital A Assassin.” With this in mind the team created an 800 year period of time to choose a setting between, 1100 (the time of the first game) to 1900, where technology felt too advanced to tell a truly historical tale. Between that, and the gameplay intentions of bringing back complex parkour and detailed stealth mechanics, Malta seemed like the ideal setting; a unique location and period with enough political intrigue and highly populated cities to service a perfect Assassins tale. But, Noah made sure to point out that this setting will be more than just a pretty backdrop. “There’s a lot of really interesting conspiracy and intrigue and politics to play around with.'' “At the time the Knights Hospitaller, the Knights of Malta, started digging into the ancient temples of Malta.'' Concept work for customisable outfits. The team is taking inspiration from the disguise mechanics of Hitman and Assassin’s Creed Liberation, while keeping the visual codes of Assassin robes “We were looking at this, there were reports of this digging continuing throughout the late 18th Century. What were they digging for? “They’re in the middle of a siege and have a department of people going to dig up the site every day. That’s really weird.” It’s within the crevices of histories strangeness that Euridito Entertainment plan to build their story, playing into mysteries like what the Knights Hospitaller were truly upto, or Napoleon's secret motivations. The story itself will follow a young Assassin named Karmena, as she gains new skills to take out the threats that face this island. Harkening back to the Ezio trilogy, her family will be recurring characters, with their safety and own philosophies being constant pressures on Karmena’s actions. It’s all shaping up to be a true spiritual successor to the original titles, with an experienced developer leading the project. Noah told me: “I started off as an indie [developer] back in 2014. Game development has really been a passion, something I wanted to go into. “I ended up working at project contingency, project coral and a few other fan projects. That eventually led to me getting a job with Microsoft, I helped release Crackdown 3, Gears 5, and a couple Minecraft updates.” With this breadth of experience leading the team, and a dedication to the franchise, only one threat really stands in their way. Copyright law. “Shortly after we had the idea I reached out to Ubisoft support to see about whether or not this was allowed. “We didn’t hear from them till a week or two ago when we posted the teaser trailer. I was contacted directly by a Ubisoft representative who was just asking about the project, and I told them we were fully willing to comply with any of their demands.'' “I’m happy to do anything to make them feel secure in their IP.” So far Ubisoft seem to be happy, leaving the project to tick along without intrusion. With a few years of development left however, we will wait and see. Currently, the team are looking for artists and animators, especially those who can work with metahumans and Unreal Engine 5. To find out more about “Tribute” visit their Discord, or their ModDB page. Fact File Originally Assassins Creed was intended to be a spinoff of the Prince of Persia franchise, however as development progressed the team saw the potential of turning it into an original IP. The series' philosophies and historical influences are inspired by the Russian novel Alamut, which explores the real Islamic rebellions during the crusades. A TV adaptation of the series is currently in development by Netflix. At least four official Assassins Creed games are currently in development at Ubisoft, two of which will finally take the player to Asia. Ubisoft hire doctors of history to research the periods the game will be set in, as this allows them to build as accurate as possible depictions of the periods they explore. We would like to say a huge thank you to Noah for joining us for this interview. 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

Quick-Fire Community Questions - Round 6: Daniel Nagy (AC Hungaria Admin) Community Interview Share 30 Apr 2019 Written By: Edited By: Ashlea Blackett Colum Blackett Back To Database Ashlea: Please tell us a little bit about yourself? Daniel: Thanks for having me. My name’s Daniel Nagy, but in the virtual world a lot of people know me as AidanLynge. I’m one of the admin of the Assassin’s Creed Hungária community, which is a hungarian group with a lot of good people. I’m 25 years old. I’m still a student but still learning programming for my future job. Ashlea: When did you become a fan of Assassin's Creed? Daniel: A day after my elementary school we went to my friend’s house and decided to play something cool. We first played Need for Speed, but that doesn’t help us to relax, after that he showed a DVD box, the name’s Assassin’s Creed. I think we played it on XP, so it was really cool and enjoyable. That’s the time I still playing this awesome franchise. Ashlea: Which was the first game you played? Daniel: Just as I mentioned before, Assassin’s Creed was the first one I played, I really enjoyed, at first I didn’t care about the lore or the main characters, but then it really got me. Ashlea: How did the Assassin's Creed Hungary Fan Community arrise? How big is the community? Daniel: This is a hard job to keep the balance in the community. To be honest, I was once another "group" or "community” admin, but that was not working properly. After that I met this one, which is very attractive and developing, and the perfect place for me. The community is very big, if I count the facebook page and group, I can say we are definitely growing and we want to keep that going. We have great admins, who are the biggest fans in the community, and that’s why they’re the best, but the community as well. Ashlea: What projects have Assassin's Creed Hungary worked on? Daniel: My personal project is kinda like a lore base series which will be the Assassin’s Creed Hungary Lore in our mother language, so it takes a lot of time to work on this project. With the other admins we have a plan to participate in an IT event to represent us. Also we’re planning to go one of the AC Symphony concert in the future from Milano. Ashlea: What are the challenges you have found in managing a community? Daniel: Stay active! That’s our motto, but this is the truth. Beside of the work in AC Hungária, we’re managing this community as a hobby as well. We’re really like to work as main job in this community and everyday give content to our loyal members. Ashlea: Have you attended any Assassin's Creed events? Daniel: We had little events when Assassin’s Creed Revelations and Black Flag came out. The company who worked in as a publisher in our country organised these events. We could try the new games before the day it should be released and there were a lot of competition where you could win a lot of AC related gifts. Ashlea: Have you ever attended any events in cosplay? Daniel: Actually not, I didn’t do any cosplay at all, but it’s good to see that our community are trying to make awesome outfits and collectibles on their own creativity. Ashlea: What are the future plans of your community? Where do you See yourselves in one year? Daniel: We have high hope to work with Ubisoft on our common project as well. Ashlea: What are your prediction for Assassin's Creed in 2020? Daniel: I really want to go back to Rome, which was a rumour, that we could able to go back to the ancient Rome, but honestly, I really love playing in different eras, but I could see an AC, which could be play in Hungary. I don’t say that’s impossible, but our history is not so popular abroad. My fellow admins say they could really imagine a Far East or a Viking story as well…which could be possible because of the new rumours. I could really enjoy that as well. Ashlea: What is your favourite part of being a community member? Daniel: To belong somewhere. I’m not a popular guy, who really enjoys the late night’s or drinking parties. I really like helping people to understand this amazing world of Assassin’s Creed. This is my relief, this is my "job”, but also a hobby as well and I could see myself as a director of our community later. Ashlea: What are your highlights from being a part of the Assassin's Creed community? Daniel: I joined this community about half a year ago and we’re planning to celebrate the 2nd anniversary. This is a really big step for me as well, because we can meet each other, not just sitting behind our desk and chat with each other. We’re really proud of the community. They’re the best for us and we love this feeling. Ashlea: Which is your favourite Assassin's Creed game? Daniel: Hard to decide on that, because i really loved every part of it, but if I have to decide, then I should say Rogue. Strange, but it was a really big turn on the franchise where we were Assassins once, but then joined the Templars. I also love Revelations, it was an emotionally rich game of the franchise where we finished the Ezio’s line, I really like that as well. But in the new direction of the game, I really love Odyssey as well. I’ve never played an RPG before Origins, so it was a really good way to know this RPG world, also loves Greek history as well. Which game made you fall in love with the franchise? The first one. If I don’t know that I could barely imagine myself in here as well. It started me thinking that could be an awesome franchise and here we are after so many games of it, and still loving it. Ashlea: What is your favourite item in your assassin's creed collection? Daniel: I wish I could collect more of these thing, because I only buy the books/comics and the games, but I have the Freedom Cry edition of AC3 and Buccaneer Edition of Black Flag. When I set my own apartment, I’m going to start collecting every collectible I could have. We would like to thank Daniel for joining us for this round of Quick-Fire Community Questions. You can find the AC Hungaria Community on: Facebook (Group) Website 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

The Hidden Blade in the Stone: A Review of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Sword of the White Horse Review Share 24 Jun 2022 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Article contains ads that support TOWCB A Celtic warrior defending her people from Viking raiders infiltrates an ancient sect to save her homeland, in this gripping original saga set in the world of Assassin's Creed® Valhalla Mercia, 878. Witch-warrior Niamh discovers a new order called the Hidden Ones is seeking to establish a foothold in Lunden. Her land is already scarred by Viking raiders, bloody wars, and clashing cultures. Determined to protect what remains of her homeland, she infiltrates this new group to discover whether they stand with her… or against her. Yet when Niamh learns the Hidden Ones have stolen an artifact sacred to her people, her own loyalties are challenged. Casting aside newfound alliances and friendships, Niamh soon discovers that betrayal comes with a heavy price and it will take everything in her power – her gods willing – to survive. *Review copy provided by Aconyte Books | Minor character/story spoiler warning 2022 has been a major year for transmedia in the Assassin’s Creed Universe, with a major focus on Ubisoft’s latest entry, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. With multiple updates adding additional content, a third expansion and prequel comic which explores the Norse God storyline of Odin/Havi. The most recent of the additions being a new novel, in which the world of 9th century England reaches aspects that no other title in the series has met before. Characters continue to be developed and periods of time between content releases on the Valhalla roadmap are being filled in an effort to keep fans of the series engaged until the next flagship title. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Sword of the White Horse (SotWH) is the newest novel released by Ubisoft and publisher Aconyte Books, written by author, Elsa Sjunneson; a Hugo, Aurora & British Fantasy Award Winner who’s work has appeared in Serial Box’s: Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire, Uncanny Magazine, and Fireside. Set in 878 Mercia, SotWH follows a new character Niamh (pronounced Neeve), a witch-warrior tasked with retrieving a sacred artefact stolen from her people by the Hidden Ones. Her mission takes her across England with opposition from factions attempting to claim the artefact for themselves, in a story that takes place post-Valhalla, but before Wrath of the Druids. Initial impressions from the cover gives us an insight into what we can expect the book to be about, as it depicts who we can safely assume is our lead character holding Excalibur in front of Stonehenge, Beginning in Caledonia (modern day Scotland), Niamh of Avalon receives orders from The Lady, leader of The Women of the Mist, and protector of Excalibur (of Authurian legend), who has intercepted an invitation from the Hidden Ones to another woman named Nimue whom they are wanting to test to see if she would fit in with their Brotherhood. The Lady requests that Niamh takes her place and infiltrates this order that is trying to expand its foothold in Lunden. Her background as a witch-warrior, skilled with a sword and healing abilities from experiences of Viking raids and understanding the properties of nature will aid her in the task to locate and reclaim Excalibur from those that had taken it from its vault under Stonehenge. Sword of the White Horse builds upon the world of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla already established within the game's lore. With a focus on the story of Excalibur, a Sword of Eden, this book takes a single Isu Artifact and develops a story around that. The history of the blade and how it was used as a symbol of righteousness that would be provided to a chosen king provides backstory without the need of an origin story or flashback chapter. From this, the Women of the Mist were the expanded group that the Lady of the Lake represented in the legend of King Arthur. From this group the lead character Niamh was formed as a guide through the lore. During the opening chapters, Sjunneson does a fantastic job of not only introducing and describing this main character in a pre-existing setting of AC Valhalla’s England, but explores the spiritual beliefs of Niamh, a follower of the Morrigan (an Irish God of war and fate), and how she sees nature as a living being and something to respect, as its wrath can be worse than her enemies. Using the Women of the Mist as a way to tie in the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table to Valhalla, Niamh will learn the history of Avalon and what makes Excalibur so powerful. I found that Sjunneson’s writing was so well laid out that everything made sense without needing to know the full history of the real world lore of this story, and felt like a traditional Assassin’s Creed story as the writing is easy to visualise as a scene from the game. Having played Valhalla myself, it was easy to dive into the story as if I was loading a save file. While I believe the story can stand on its own as all characters are well described, it would be beneficial to play the game first so you have a more general understanding of the characters and settings from this universe and the knowledge of how Excaliber is taken, giving context to why this story was written. The supporting cast is composed of familiar characters from the game, Hytham and Valka, in addition to a few new characters on both sides of the main conflict in the story. This was one of my favourite aspects of SotWH as getting to learn more about the fan favourite Assassin and Seeress was something that Valhalla lacked. By using these returning characters, fans of the game are not left to struggle with determining how the story fits into the game and gave me personally a yearning to know what did happen to Hytham post game?. In the previous AC Valhalla novel, Geirmund’s Saga, the protagonist Geirmund was the son of two supporting characters that players would meet during their playthrough, Ljuvina and Hjörr, but as the book was a prequel to the events of the game, visualizing it could be considered difficult. Getting to read about Hytham as a mentor to Niamh, and learn what has happened to him post-game and how his training of this new recruit reflects the teachings he learned from Basim (though not mentioned). We also get to see how Hytham responds to an Assassin with a more aggressive nature, with the introduction of the Roman Assassin Marcella, who is the leader of the Lunden Bureau. Marcella’s “prove yourself” attitude vs Hytham’s “lets see what you can do” approach fuels the internal conflict that Niamh will use to her advantage to accomplish her end goal. However, Marcella’s distrust of Niamh creates a hindrance that adds her to the list of opponents. Valka’s storyline gave the mysterious character a more grounded persona and more natural dialogue than what she has in the game, where she acts as Eivor's connection to the gods and lore of the Norse religion. In SotWH, Valka wants to learn more about the beliefs of Niamh’s people and her history of healing with natural herbs and the earth. While initially kept at a distance, Valka and Niamh become closer as they work together against their enemies The Hidden Ones, the Order of the Ancients and the enemy of Avalon, the Descendants of the Round Table. Stealth, sword fights, and parkour playout in the traditional style of an Assassin’s Creed story and culminate in meeting the one who is in possession of Excalibur, Eivor Varinsdottir in a scene that is fuelled with a Viking Battle Cry. The amount of female characters from the lead to supporting characters is something that is a benefit for the AC universe as a whole. Since the release of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, players have wanted to see more female leads in the stories as the series in whole was male-dominated for the many years prior. Niamh, The Lady, Valka, Marcella, Eivor, and other smaller roles are all women that have key arcs in the story, but don’t overshadow or look down on the male figures such as Hytham and the Order of the Ancients antagonist. The story is powerful in its representation without being pandering. This comes from the experience of the writer, as Sjunnesson herself is a vocal ally for women-rights and those of the Queer community. She is someone who has made her voice heard in real life and in her writing. As I explore readings like this more and more, I find that this is a sign of the future of the Assassin’s Creed series and the core beliefs of the Ubisoft Team’s multicultural/gender/orientation equality stance. This book is an absolute must for not only fans of the Assassin’s Creed games, but for fans of stories of legend and readers of any age. As a work of historical fiction, the story is a solid concept of what could happen to the sword, but as an Assassin’s Creed title, it provides another serving of the Valhalla epic that has been growing larger and larger into its second year of connected content. I would love to see future stories on this unique and original character in the future, even after the focus on Valhalla ends and fans move onto the next title. A sequel could be written as the question, “What's next for the lead?” was on the tip of my tongue, seeing the book end with a new role given to Niamh. While the AC Valhalla story may be finished with the original characters from this story, a spin off series could be made to explore the history of the Women of the Mist and their foes The Descendants of the Round Table, much like the history of the Assassins v Templar. Once again, Aconyte has published a great read that ties-in perfectly with Ubisoft’s action-adventure series. Much like Geirmund’s Saga, and The Ming Storm, each release from this publishing house is a guaranteed hit in my eyes. In my time exploring the AC Universe, and having read seven of the novels published previously by Penguin, and Geirmund’s Saga, published by Aconyte, I have found that novels are a great way to retell the story of the games in an organized fashion that cuts out the filler of controlling the character through side quests and uncovering a full map. These mechanics are great for a game, but the books will tell the story as it is meant to be told and provide the additional insight of a character’s emotion or inner monologue. When the book stands alone as an Assassin’s Creed Stories Chronicles or Original, the freedom of not knowing what will happen and truly experiencing a work for the first time, for me at least, is much more intimate. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Sword of the White Horse is available worldwide via Aconyte’s site and wherever books are sold. 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

FX Far Cry, Assassin’s Creed Netflix and Ubisoft Television’s Future Breakdown Share 10 Dec 2025 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Gargudon Back To Database Two weeks’ time ago, a surprise announcement was made. Out of the blue, it was announced FX will be producing an anthology series for Disney+ and Hulu, based on what might be Ubisoft’s second most popular flagship franchise, Far Cry . Not even a day later, another surprise announcement was made, the long awaited and highly anticipated Assassin’s Creed series for Netflix, at long last announcing its first cast member. Looking at it objectively, it would seem Ubisoft Television is starting to live up to its full potential, with planned and new projects taking shape, but are things that simple? Of these recent announcements, one came out of the blue but seems to already have taken as much as shape as possible, while the other despite having been in the air for half a decade now, seems to be going nowhere as fast compared to. Why is that, what will these two shows based on Ubisoft’s two most iconic flagship franchises consist of, and what impact will they have on Ubisoft Television? We will be exploring this and more in this article. Let’s dive into it! FX Far Cry As mentioned, on 24th November it was suddenly announced an anthology series based on the hit franchise was to be produced by FX. The show is to be created by Noah Hawley and Rob Mac (formerly McElhenney), latter who is also set to star in it. Hawley is known for creating the X-Men based show Legion that ran in the late 10’s, and more recently Alien Earth . Mac is known for creating and starring in hit comedy series It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia , and in recent years the hit documentary series Welcome To Wrexham , co-owning the Welsh football club alongside Ryan Reynolds. All these shows are under FX as well. Most of the show’s executive producers were announced too, one of them being Gérard Guillemot, Ubisoft Television CEO and brother of Yves, CEO of the main company. Additionally, Mac already has a working relationship with Ubisoft Television under his belt, them producing the Apple TV+ original comedy show Mythic Quest that concluded in the beginning of the year, which he co-created and starred in. Rob Mac Noah Hawley So far, almost nothing is known about the series, other than it will feature a new setting plus roster of characters, with every season telling a new story. Whether it will be set in the same universe as the games or not, it is probably safe to say the narrative possibilities are close to endless. There will be many ways to bring the games’ core theme of survival in a desolate location to the screen, all tied together by a psychotic, maniacal villain. Being in film format, it is likely safe to assume most of it will be seen from a third person perspective, but to stay true to the core of the games, sequences uniquely filmed in and seen from first person perspective are almost a must. If the series will be connected to the same universe as the games, references to iconic characters at the very least, or the direct feature of feels like another mandatory homage. This could even be a great way to explore unknown parts of certain characters’ lives, providing additional and essential backstory. Be it exploring the past of protagonists like Jason Brody and Ajay Ghale, the traumatic childhoods of Joseph Seed / The Father and his brothers, or Pagan Min’s tragic romance. This would also be the ideal opportunity for the actors who portrayed these iconic villains to return, reprising their characters in a live action format with their own face. The Father’s likeness was famously based on Greg Bryk who portrayed him, and Vaas Montenegro remains one of if not Michael Mando’s most iconic role. Both have also already played their iconic villain characters in a live action setting, with the franchise being no stranger to such a format either. In 2012 leading up to the release of Far Cry 3 , Mando famously portrayed Vaas in the The Far Cry Experience promotion short film. The same was done in 2018 leading up to the release of Far Cry 5 , with a number of cinematic trailers and the also short film Inside Eden’s Gate , Bryk portraying The Father. Michael Mando & Christopher Mintz-Plasse in The Far Cry Experience (2012) More news and information on this show based on the flagship franchise are bound to come sooner than later, and it is already taking shape nicely. Already being familiar with the live action landscape and with a great team behind it, it has lots of potential and is bound to be a success if executed correctly. The only real reason for concern would ultimately be, can Mac who is almost solely known for comedy, switch things up to what has to be a much more serious role? Well, if you count the few just somewhat serious parts of It’s Always Sunny… and Mythic Quest , he absolutely can. Assassin’s Creed Netflix Series Not even a day after the news of the Far Cry series, the Ubisoft Television news continued. At long last, the first cast member of the highly anticipated Assassin’s Creed series for Netflix was announced, in the form of Toby Wallace, known for the also Netflix show The Society , films like Babyteeth and The Bikeriders . He is also set to star in the third season of HBO’s hit show Euphoria, set to come out next year. Toby Wallace The AC Netflix series has been in the air for a good while now, originally being announced more than a half a decade ago, when Ubisoft signed a deal with Netflix in 2020. After that, it would be years before more news on the show came at all, leaving fans wondering if it would ever actually take shape and become an official thing. It was only earlier this year that the show’s writers, producers and showrunners were announced, and with the cast list slowly rolling out as well, it seems like the show is at last beginning to take shape. Set as showrunners are Roberto Patino and David Wiener, who are known for working on shows like Sons Of Anarchy , Westworld , Halo and more. But why is the highly anticipated series only beginning to properly take shape this long after initial announcement? Is it related to Ubisoft’s dwindling reputation in recent years, (longtime) fans losing faith in the franchise, other setbacks or something else? Was the series considered being scrapped? Maybe ultimately none of those things. While said things may or may not have an effect on it, it is also possible time and resources were merely dedicated to other projects, or putting together a production team and finding the show’s angle took longer than expected. Nonetheless, both of those things are at last slowly coming together now. In addition to the announcement of the first cast member, it seems we are also starting to get a picture of when production on the show will properly begin. According to Nexus Point News, sources have said the show is set to start filming in Italy in early 2026. A return to Italy, what could that possibly include? Italy is famously the setting of some of the most iconic instalments in the franchise, and the birthplace of its most legendary character. Albeit, nothing yet points to a return to the Renaissance, nor the return of Ezio Auditore. According to Nexus, the series will be exploring a different part of Italian history, that ultimately isn’t a complete stranger to the world of AC; Ancient Rome. It will reportedly centre around real historical figures such as the infamous Emperor Nero, and be set around the middle of the first century AD, exploring the Roman Empire and its absolute height. As said, even if there hasn’t been a game directly set in Ancient Rome, the franchise is no complete stranger to it. In Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood set in the city, there were callbacks to the antiquity, for example in the form of letters from and the Armour of Brutus. Some years later, the end of Assassin’s Creed Origins , took players to the time period directly, Aya / Amunet assisting Brutus and accomplices in the famous assassination of Julius Caesar. This event takes place roughly 100 years before the series’ reported setting, but that time period still has lots of potential, and not exploring it could become a missed opportunity, exploring everything from The Hidden Ones’ origins and Brutus’ (of course donning his iconic armour) role in, origins of the Italian brotherhood Ezio would lead 1500 years later and more, and of course in context of the series, backstory on things that eventually play out a century later under the rule of Nero. And of course, what will the primary first century setting include, and how can its historical characters be rewritten into AC lore? Emperor Nero and the larger history surrounding him, is probably one of the most known in Roman history for better or worse. While Nero in his early reign did pass things such as forbidding fights to the death for sport and entertainment, tax reduction and better treatment for slaves, one is not to be fooled by his supposed generosity. Eventually, his true self showed, using his position of power to satisfy own pleasures, rioting in the streets, ordering the death of his Mother and wife, supposedly being behind the burning of Rome to rebuild it in a Greek style and more. All this not even for the good of some alternate agenda, but because he simply enjoyed it for his own pleasure; did Nero as The Joker would say, simply want to watch the world burn? Maybe, maybe not. Another interesting aspect of his life, is his upbringing, family relations and way to power, ultimately set in motion by his Mother, Julia Agrippina, who after poisoning her husband and Nero’s Father, married her uncle Emperor Claudius, securing Nero as successor to the throne. Ultimately, his Mother hoped to control the Roman government through her son, but he decided to act independently. This could be rewritten to suit the show in different ways. For example, Nero’s Father - Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus - could secretly have been sympathetic to The Hidden Ones’ cause. Fearing him influencing their son, Nero’s mother, a secret member of the Order Of The Ancients, takes matters into her own hands, securing the Order’s grip on the Roman Empire once again, through her son as successor. Eventually, things don’t go to plan, Nero seemingly using his position of power for his own pleasure over the good of the Order, perhaps similarly to another iconic also Italian AC antagonist, Cesare Borgia. What leads to this supposed insanity though? Is it just his nature, or could that also find its AC twist? Maybe Nero was a Sage - another human reincarnation of Aita of the Isu - but he never found balance with the secondary mind living inside of him, eventually leaving him with no self control or picture of reality, hence his mischief. Other than this, much still isn’t known about the show, but more news are bound to come in a near future, hopefully also as it at last reportedly starts filming next year. Details on Wallace’s role is still kept under rugs, and whether his character will be sympathetic to the Hidden Ones or Order Of The Ancients, only time will tell. Overall, after half a decade of uncertainty, the show is at last nicely taking shape with a team behind it, the cast list slowly forming, and a shooting and production window within range. Impact on Ubisoft Television Ubisoft’s TV division has been around for a while now, but have yet to really leave their mark with numerous major landmark projects. Their first output, the Assassin’s Creed film from 2016, wasn’t necessarily a success, receiving mostly negative reviews from critics, and underperforming at the box office. In recent years, their most popular output has probably been mentioned Mythic Quest , which despite cancelation after its fourth season earlier in the year, had a successful run over 5 years. Shows based on two of the company’s most iconic flagship franchises, definitely have the potential to take the company to completely new heights though. After all, we live in a time where the video game adaptation curse has at last mostly been lifted, with shows like The Last Of Us for HBO, and Fallout for Amazon in recent years. If executed correctly, one studio having two successful adaptations, could put them at the front of adapting video games for the screen, setting the standard for it going forward. In addition to these two shows, Ubisoft Television also have a series of other projects lined up, including a project based on Rabbids , as well as a film based on Tom Clancy’s The Division , set to be directed by David Leitch ( Fast & Furious Hobbs & Shaw , Deadpool 2 , John Wick ), starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Chastain. Additionally, should Ubisoft rely more on their TV division to uphold the company and its reputation in the next years? As mentioned, the company has infamously been on a downward trajectory in recent years after internal scandals, losing fans’ trust, plummeting stock prices, financial struggles, potential private buyouts and more. While they are likely slowly coming back from said financial trouble, as well as the controversial marketing campaign for Assassin’s Creed Shadows , the company still has way to go. On the games front, they have for a while now struggled to put out hit after hit like in the early 10’s; both major titles in 2024 underperformed, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has so far failed to create an enduring legacy, and a good chunk of fans are skeptical of the future. So depending on what the company has in store for the future in terms of their games, a successfully growing TV division and its output, definitely has the potential to uphold the company where games might fail, keep old fans hooked, as well as likely bring in an array of new ones, especially in the non-gamer demographic. Conclusion Overall, big days are ahead for Ubisoft Television, with adaptations of two of the company’s most iconic franchises coming in the near future. Both have strong teams behind them and are taking shape nicely, and if executed correctly, they have the potential to change the game of video game adaptations, and to take the company to new heights. What are your thoughts on this, and what are your expectations for both shows, and what do you hope to seem them consist of? Let us know, and stay tuned for more articles covering everything Assassin’s Creed and Ubisoft! Sources • https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/far-cry-tv-series-fx-noah-hawley-rob-mac-1236591190/ • https://www.nexuspointnews.com/post/exclusive-netflix-s-assassin-s-creed-set-to-explore-ancient-rome • https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nero-Roman-emperor#ref5178 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)

Rally The Creed Podcast: Episode 2 - October Round-up Podcast Share 29 Oct 2020 Written By: Edited By: Ashlea Blackett 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 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

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 19th to 29th February Community Share 7 Mar 2024 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the biweekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every two weeks 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. This theme has been run alongside @ JChoukroun aka Jean who is new to the virtual photography community. Jean is a game developer for Ubisoft and has worked on several titles. Jean has a passion for virtual photography, and we are honoured to have him with 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. This theme week: Assassin’s Creed Protagonists and their Companions. Partnership Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ cop_filip The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ JChoukroun ''I really love this shot, because it reminds me of so many things, I adore about 2017’s Assassin’s Creed Origins. From the onset of the game, it is clear Bayek is a broken man, and I feel a deep melancholy emanating from his obscured face. The super strong depth of field calls back to Bayek’s sole focus being revenge. It blinds him to the rest of the world, which merely becomes a blurry backdrop upon which he will exact his vengeance. Amidst all this though, there is still love to be found as represented by Senu who will lead Bayek from seeking revenge to seeking redemption and reconnection, both to Aya and to the outside world.'' Aaron “You are the Medjay from Siwa.” Assassin’s Creed Origins is the first time we get to share our journey with a companion. For me Senu has the best personality of all the birds. Her friendship with Bayek is pivotal in the revenge quest he sets out on. She acts as emotional support for a wounded Bayek whose mission would be very lonely without her. This majestic capture embodies the relationship between the two. I believe the black and white of this photo make it appear classy, while the depth of field allows the viewer to focus on the friendship. Filip has nailed the timing too, Senu’s wings look magnificent. A truly beautiful capture from one of the best games in the series. Companion Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ Milz_VP “Yes Enkidu, food is coming.” Basim’s relationship with Enkidu is far more complex than previous games. He is gifted to Basim during his time at Alamut, before the young assassin sets out for Baghdad. As the story progresses the two become good friends, however the darkness inside Basim soon causes a rift between them. Here we have the two companions scouting out their next target. I really like the composition of this capture. The lighting is very good, as a result you can see such detail in Basim’s robes and Enkidu’s feathers. I think Eric has done a great job of showing the connection these two have, its just a shame it doesn’t end well. Aya and Senu Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ NovA1990 “Bayek, it has been too long.” This for me is a glimpse of what might have been or what could still be for Aya in this series. She is a character that deserves more story content. These two powerful females have such a dominating presence in Assassin’s Creed Origins, and Bayek relies on their support as he seeks vengeance for the death of his son. In this capture it is the head turns that makes it so special for me, they are almost mirroring one another. Both characters look very elegant, and the colours are in harmony. The depth of field is assisting to draw the eye to both assassin and eagle. Across the Desert Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ thefrostysm “It has been an honour to watch you walk your path”. When wandering the deserts of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, you cannot help but think back to 2017 and those highly impressive landscapes of Egypt. Origins has without doubt left a huge mark on this franchise and will do for some time to come. This shot is all about the shadows and how the capture has been split into two magnificent sections. I love the contrasting colours that represent the beauty but also the harshness of the desert. The silhouette of Basim on his camel is such a delight, I have seen quite a few photos in this style, and I am always blown away by their simple elegance. Leap of Faith Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ BasimIbnIshaq_ “Ready to make the leap”. It isn’t a surprise that Assassin’s Creed Mirage has done so well. A return to the roots with a deeply interesting main character was always going to treat the fanbase. The setting is also a delight on the eyes and as a virtual photographer I couldn’t wait to jump into the photo mode. I love this capture; it is very cinematic and could easily be from a trailer. Timing is often everything and this shot proves it, with Basim flying just below Enkidu. I adore how both have their respective limbs outstretched. The camera angle is excellent allowing us a view of the streets these two are protecting. An impressive action shot that fits beautifully with the Assassin’s ethos. Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography Showcase: February 2024 by Turið Torkilsdóttir. Music: East Again by Gargudon (TOWCB Video Content Creation Team) 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

The Importance of Assassin's Creed Rogue Analysis Share 3 Aug 2024 Written By: Edited By: Hayden Bird Colum Blackett Back To Database When Ubisoft released ‘ Assassin’s Creed Rogue ’ on November 11 2014, it was overlooked for several reasons, mainly because it was a simultaneous release with the more anticipated game, ‘ Assassin’s Creed Unity ’, which was also released on November 11 of that year. ‘ Unity ’ gathered more hype from fans since it was the first new ‘ Assassin’s Creed ’ game to be released exclusively on the next-generation PlayStation 4 and Xbox One gaming consoles, while ‘ Rogue ’ was seen as more of a filler for the final ‘ Assassin’s Creed ’ game released on the older consoles and perhaps a farewell to the console generation where the series was born back in 2007, on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. ‘ Assassin’s Creed Rogue ’ was released exclusively to the last-gen consoles, and was good for those who were still unable to upgrade their gaming consoles. ‘ Rogue ’ was fun and a great alternative to the fans waiting to upgrade and be able to play ‘ Unity ’. Due to its release timeline, ‘ Rogue ’ is very often possibly the most forgotten ‘ Assassin’s Creed ’ game still to this day, nearly ten years since its release. However, gamers who may not be familiar with most ‘ Assassin’s Creed ’ games, would likely not believe that ‘ Assassin’s Creed Rogue ’ was the most creative and influential game in the entire series. Somehow a game that is somewhat forgotten at times, and it happens to be Ubisoft’s most daring story. For one, ‘ Rogue ’ is often overlooked due to its more familiar gameplay seen in the game a year prior to this one, ‘ Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag ’. It followed a very identical formula that was actually very well received by fans, so repeating a very similar style was only just adding onto an already great gameplay style that fans grew to love so much. ‘Rogue’ was another naval combat based game in the series. The combat on your ship in the game is nearly identical to that of ‘ Black Flag ’, and the hand to hand fighting formula was very similar to its predecessor as well. Specifically wielding a variety of weapons like cutlass swords, the famous hidden blade, pistols, and a ranged device to knock out or confuse enemies. The two games had a lot in common, but in the eyes of gamers and ‘ Assassin’s Creed ’ fans alike, it continued to work. In ‘ Rogue ’ the device to disorient enemies was a rifle, while in ‘ Black Flag ’ it was a blowpipe with darts, so a lot of familiar gameplay aspects returned, but still unique in its own way. In a way, Ubisoft was really just giving players more of what they loved. The gameplay, however, isn't the main important difference in ‘ Rogue ’, it was instead its storyline. Since 'Rogue' released alongside the much more anticipated 'Assassin's Creed Unity' , it was already at a major disadvantage, and it got even worse when 'Unity' launched in a broken, bug-filled state. The game quickly turned into a internet meme. With pictures of ridiculous glitches of both the characters and the environment. The poor initial reception to 'Unity' only made things worse for 'Rogue' , even though the game launched in a graphically stable state, the damage had been done already from the failures of 'Unity' . Fans already labelled ' Rogue' as a glorified DLC, and discouraged its full game price tag. 'Rogue' however, did have some unique connections to 'Unity' . Both games had similar timelines, so once 'Rogue' ended, it led directly into 'Unity' . The prologue of 'Unity' showed Arno, the protagonist of the game, arriving in Versailles with his father, Charles Dorian, who had to leave his son temporarily and told him to wait for him. Arno then meets Elise, who was also a main character throughout the game. Both Arno and Elise are children at this time and around the same age. The story takes off after that when Arno's father, Charles, is mysteriously murdered while Arno was exploring with Elise. That point in the game was a mystery, until the very end of 'Rogue' , when we play as Shay Cormac, who's mission was to enter Versailles and assassinate Arno's father, which connected the two games together. We even see Arno and Elise talking together in the hallway while Shay walks past them and finishes his job to kill Charles. The crossover between the two games was a pleasant surprise, and some gamers did not even know about this connection for some time because of how badly 'Rogue' was overshadowed. ‘ Assassin’s Creed Rogue ’ did the unthinkable, playing the game as a character who sides with the infamous Templar Order, the main antagonist group throughout the entire series. Ubisoft decided to show gamers the perspective of a Templar for once, and not that of a member of the Assassins Brotherhood. The story showed how there are always two sides to a story. For the longest time ‘ Assassin’s Creed ’ fans were only accustomed to, of course, being on the Assassin’s side, and never the idea of following and understanding the viewpoint of the enemy, as all Templars were considered evil and power-greedy. ‘ Rogue ’ however showed us the story of a man named Shay Patrick Cormac, who initially was a member of the Assassins Brotherhood, but was turned to the Templar Order after a major disagreement with his mentors. The story explained how the Assassins were looking to capture and obtain certain artifacts in history, but they were unaware that the artifacts were not supposed to be meddled with. Shay finds this out the hard way, and so he leaves the Assassins and becomes a member of the Templar Order, with Shay knowing he’s made the right decision for himself. This viewpoint change showed us that the Assassin’s can very well be wrong for once, and that the so-called evil Templars could be on the right side of history. This idea would’ve never made sense to fans of the games before ‘ Rogue ’ released, because realistically we have been shown from the beginning that Assassins were the heroes and Templars were the enemies. Fans couldn’t believe the Templars could actually be right, which is very understandable. Ubisoft clearly took another major risk with this game. Having the main character betray and hunt down members of the Assassins Brotherhood. This choice could clearly upset some fans, but the importance of showing that not one side is always right and winning every single time was vital to the narrative of the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series, and to other game franchises as well, showing major depth to the story. ‘ Rogue’ may very well be a less heard of and underrated game, but in a way it may have the most important narrative angle in the entire franchise. It shows Ubisoft’s job at creating stories for games isn’t predictable or repetitive, and instead shows risky, but very wise storytelling and creative depth. A lot of game developers and gaming franchises are unable to create and show the importance of dual sided storytelling, but Ubisoft took this path and proved their brilliance in the narrative arts. It is ironic that a game like ‘ Rogue’ could be this important and be so less talked about compared to the other major games in the series. This game did an excellent job being a bridge to the next generation of ‘ Assassin’s Creed ’ games, as it marks the end of a historic generation of gaming consoles for the franchise, but also ends on a strong note and successfully set the stage for the then-hyped PS4 and Xbox One consoles. Maybe Ubisoft was onto something here. Storytelling isn’t supposed to be one sided, and often is in need of narrative depth. There might always be fans who disagree with the direction ‘ Rogue ’ took, and may not like the turncoat side of the story, but there is no denying its evident importance. Ubisoft took an angle to this story that we may not see again in another ‘ Assassin’s Creed ’ game, but for now we can be thankful we were able to experience the important idea of having two sides to a story. Ubisoft knew exactly what they were doing when creating this game, and still to this day it remains a creative masterpiece for the ‘ Assassin’s Creed ’ series. 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

Assassin's Creed Shadows Eve of Launch Statement Community Share 19 Mar 2025 Written By: Edited By: TOWCB Team Gargudon 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 A collection of articles from The Ones Who Came Before team. TOWCB Team

Assassins Creed Mirage Character Reference Guide Released Community Share 26 May 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Aaron Young Back To Database Ubisoft has today released a character reference guide for Assassin's Creed Mirage, featuring close-up turnaround images for Basim Ibn Ishaq and his Mentor Roshan. The guide reveals a number of hidden details that will no doubt make it an essential resource for cosplayers looking to replicate the outfits, weaponary and tools. For non-cosplayers, it is a sneak preview at what is to come in Assassin's Creed Mirage. Check out the guide below, and keep an eye on our social media channels (below) to stay up to date on everything Assassin's Creed! PDF File 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)