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  • Assassins Creed Mirage Character Reference Guide Released | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    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)

  • Building an Assassin's Creed Community: Getting Started | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    Building an Assassin's Creed Community: Getting Started Community Share 24 Oct 2020 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Buckley Back To Database Setting up an Assassin's Creed Community can be a daunting prospect, as so many exist across multiple different social media platforms. Don't let that deter you though. The community is always ready to embrace the next wave of innovative projects, and in this new series we will help you to establish your own. In this first article, I will be drawing on my own experiences to help fellow community members start up their own projects, and build something that stands out from the crowd. Back in 2014, the community looked very different. You would wait eagerly for the next epic video produced by Assassin's Creed Universe, and use the Initiates platform to gain intel from an online database full of lore and mysteries. The Ones Who Came Before was created as a place to share theories and aimed to create a platform that encouraged positive discussion surrounding the games. We have since shifted our aims, and now strive to make our channels the home of Assassin's Creed community content, and hope to inspire a new wave of fan content. So, how do you get started? At the drawing board of course! Grab your nearest notepad and pen and jot down some initial ideas that come to mind. Find a niche and set your goals Once you have your initial ideas, conduct some research into past and present Assassin's Creed communities. Look for a way to stand out from the crowd, and highlight your niche area. A perfect example of this is AC: Landmarks , a new community project led by Arshak that provides in-depth historical discussions. Although the project only started up this year, it's been very successful and is different to anything else going on in the community right now. Next, set your goals and list your intentions. What are you hoping to achieve? Do you want to create a new form of community or simply cover the news? Whatever it is, make it a goal and keep going until you achieve it. You don't always need to be the biggest, and sometimes people make huge social media numbers a priority. I personally value small-scale interactions with passionate community members over this. Yes, growth is a sign of progression, but it takes time to achieve. You probably won't gain huge numbers overnight, but that's okay. So, you have your niche area and goals. Now what? Next, your community needs a name! Look for something that sounds Assassin's Creed related, but doesn't clash with past initiatives or projects. A great example of this is Access the Animus , which is actually a song by Jesper Kyd on the original soundtrack! Trial and Error Now you have your goals, niche area and a name, it's time to set up your social media channels/ platform! Where do you want to start? Probably best to begin with a platform you're already familiar with. Create your channels and begin your first Assassin's Creed community projects! In the beginning, you'll probably get a low response rate. That's to be expected when you start. You'll also start to notice what does well and what doesn't. Youtube is a good place to see this progression, as you can track likes, views and dislikes. Whatever you do in the beginning, make it work for you. One of the first projects for TOWCB was a wall poster that listed all the Modern day characters from Initiates. This sparked discussion about the Altair II ship and later developed into the Norway theory, which became popular with community members at the time. It really is just a case of trial and error. Thrive in your niche field, and people will notice. As I said before, it's not always about the numbers. If you have positive interactions with community members, you're on the right track and your platform is beginning to establish itself. Don't give up, and if you're unhappy with your response rate, reach out for support. Create an inner circle The Assassin's Creed community has always been extremely supportive, and you can always find people to give you a helping hand. You don't have to do anything alone. Collaborative projects with community leaders are a great way of making a name for yourself, and will also help you make friends. Establish a network, and build a team around you in order to take the pressure off. We here at The Ones Who Came Before have a huge inner circle thanks to years of working on projects. Some of our branches include: The core admin team, The Discord moderators and The AC Partnership Program members. As you can see, we have loads of community members we can call on for help or support, and you too can create an inner circle by working with people. You might even find that working on projects with other people can be more fun! This can seen by looking at recent episodes of the Let's Talk Assassin's Creed Podcast hosted by Declan from The Mentors Guild. Collaborative projects will always be a great way to spark discussion and explore different avenues of thinking. The Ones Who Came Before always aims to promote community content, so reach out to us directly for support. We would be honoured to join your inner circle, and will share your projects with our audience. Stay Unique This one can sometimes be hard, as other communities are also working hard to create content, but try your best to stay unique, and stand out from the crowd. If you notice similarities in your projects, maybe collaborate or put a unique spin on it. You can always adapt your work to stay innovative. As former community developer Justin Kruger used to say: #DoAThing . Keep going and establish yourself. I hope that you found the first article in the series to be useful. Let us know in the comments if you plan on setting up your own AC community/ project over the coming weeks, and if we can be of any help. Next time: We invite another Community Builder from The Mentors Guild to bring you some guidance on establishing and maintaining an Assassin's Creed community. Thanks for reading! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

  • Assassin's Creed Shadows: Should We Be Worried by the Delay? | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    Assassin's Creed Shadows: Should We Be Worried by the Delay? Analysis Share 27 Sept 2024 Written By: Edited By: Finn Fletcher Colum Blackett Back To Database The news of Assassin's Creed Shadows’ delay has been coming for a while now, but the official announcement has got me worried. Over the past few weeks Ubisoft have been pulling out of planned press showings, causing fans to hypothesise that a delay was coming. Now, following an official announcement that it has been delayed until February 2025, the demo builds of the game have been pulled from other events like Pax Australia and I'm sure other planned previews will be cancelled in the coming weeks, such as EGX which is scheduled to take place in the UK at the end of October. This is only the second time an Assassin's Creed game has ever been delayed, though it's a lot more dramatic than Unity's two week push back. Now I want to say that I'm not opposed to delays. I'd rather see developers take their time to release the game they want, rather than be crunched or push out an unfinished product. But this isn't quite the same as Cyberpunk 2077, The Last Guardian or Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, nor can it really be compared to minor delays or release changes that many AAA games experience. While in those cases release schedules were being regularly pushed back months in advance, Ubisoft waited until the very last minute with Shadows. Refunds are being issued, DLC plans have been changed and retailers are scrambling as they try and figure out what's happening with larger collectors edition pre-orders. The fact the that the game's not even in a good enough condition to be previewed at what are usually highly tailored press events is worrying. If they can't get out a half an hour playable demo at this stage, what does it say about the final product? Assassin's Creed is Ubisoft's flagship franchise. It's maintained a winter release window since the first game came out 17 years ago and a delay isn't just going to affect finances now from refunds, but could lead to lower sales as people refuse to pre-order again and longer-term consequences from disruption to DLC release plans. This isn't to mention the new competition it will face with GTA 6 and Ghost of Yotei, a sequel to what was seen as Assassin's Creed’s spiritual successor set in the exact same location and period. Ubisoft wouldn't do this unless they were desperate, after all we've seen the state they've released games in before. From what I've seen I'm liking the look of Shadows, and it seems to be doing everything I want. But we've not seen a lot and I worry what this delay means for a game fans have been clamouring for. Official statement from Ubisoft, released 25th September 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoQKtUrMyIc Coverage by Gargudon 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 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! In February 2026, he left the team to focus on real-world opportunities as a journalist, writing for a newspaper! We're thrilled to see Finn using his skills to build a career! Finn Fletcher

  • Assassin's Creed Origins: Starter Guide | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    Assassin's Creed Origins: Starter Guide Guides Share 15 Feb 2021 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Assassin’s Creed Origins is the first entry in the series to fully embrace RPG elements. Origins lays the foundations for both Odyssey and Valhalla, whilst acting as a prequel to Altair’s crusade. Origins alters the formula for the series as it ushers in a new player base, whilst trying to retain the magic of the original games. Origins is a visually magnificent game that will leave you in awe of both its beauty and size. Spanning across the whole of Egypt, you will embark on a journey of revenge to right the wrongs inflicted upon your family. You begin with one of my favourite cinematics in the series. The game will then throw you straight into the action. Origins is not a slow burner, and you will be fully involved from the start. This can lead to a steep learning curve, but one you will soon master. In this guide I will try to give you the best possible start to your Egyptian adventure. Bayek of Siwa Bayek is the protagonist of this story, an Egyptian Medjay, and the first location for you to explore is Siwa. This city is the home of Bayek and his wife Aya, and acts as the introduction to the game. There is much to do in this part of the map and I would recommend exploring it all. The main quests will act as the foundations of what is to come, however the side quests and extra locations will teach you the basics of what to expect throughout the game. Levelling System Origins introduces a levelling system that will define what you can do in the game. You will earn XP for completing activities within the world. By earning XP you will be able to level up and slowly become more powerful. Even in Siwa there will be areas that are initially too dangerous for you, which indicated by red skull icons above enemies. In some cases, it is possible to defeat them or just sneak past, but I highly recommend either matching their level or going just above. To do so you will want to find a balance between story, side quests and undiscovered locations. The main story will provide you with the most XP, however this will not be enough on its own. The game can restrict your progression if you do not deviate from the main story. This isn’t a bad thing as the map is full of interesting things to discover. If you open the map and check each area of Egypt, you will notice that it has been assigned a power level, and visiting there early can be a frustrating task. My advice would be to follow the organic path set out by the game. Ability Points and Playstyles Every time you level up you will be rewarded with an ability point. This can be added to your ability tree in order to gain new skills. It is a relatively common practice in games now, but at the time it took a bit of getting used to. Your ability tree is split into three playstyles. You can choose to master one, or split your abilities to allow for a more balanced experience. Either way, by the time you reach the conclusion of the game, the chances are that you will have all the skills. The three styles are: Hunter: Focuses on ranged abilities Warrior: The emphasis here is on melee Seer: This is for gadgets/perks that lend themselves to an Assassin’s playstyle Weapons and Combat AC Origins has a lot to offer in this department. There is a real magnitude of weapons available to choose from, and each weapon has a rarity ranking. Blue: Regular Purple: Rare Yellow: Legendary The rarer the item, the more you get from it. You can choose to sell these items for Drachma (money) or dismantle them for resources. I would recommend keeping your favourites from each category, and then dismantling any unwanted regular weapons and selling the rare ones. It is good to know that the rarity often links to stats such as critical hit bonuses. Always compare your gear to see which one offers you the best stats for your playstyle. Keep an eye out for attributes assigned to your weapons. Blacks are standard attributes, but gold will provide you with a nice little boost. The red ones (cursed) are the most interesting as they provide you with high damage but at the cost of reducing your health. Don’t worry if you find a weapon that you like but feel that it is too low a level. A trip to one of the many blacksmiths will provide you with the opportunity to boost it up to your current level in exchange for some Drachma. Combat is a lot more difficult in comparison to the blocking and countering of the old games. Now you can go all-out attack if you wish. Be warned though, that you cannot just button bash, and there is still the need to defend and this is where the shields comes in. Bayek’s shield will be your saviour when surrounded. Use it to parry incoming attacks, but also utilise it as cover from enemy archers. Senu and Loot Senu is your eagle and companion as you travel across Egypt. You will not start with Senu but if you follow the main quest you will soon be reunited with your companion. Senu is easily accessible by pressing up on the D-Pad (console). From here you will be able to fly Senu around the map, with the option to scout areas in advance. Use Senu to discover and tag enemies, loot, resources and objectives, however if you over use this function the game can become less challenging. Sync points will give you a stunning view of the surrounding area, but most importantly increase Senu’s perception. In turn, this links to the loot hidden around the map. You will find a lot of chests hidden underwater and the better Senu’s perception, the more likely you are to find them. Just be aware of crocodiles and hippos, as fighting them off in the water can be challenging. The loot in Origins is critical to so many aspects of the game. Just grab as much as you can, and sell or dismantle it to fill your pockets with Drachma or crafting materials. Crafting Crafting in Origins is all about 6 pieces of gear that you secure very early in the game. From this point on you will need to collect resources to upgrade them. When highlighting the gear you will be shown which resources you need to collect. Hidden Blade: Who does not like this, the staple for any assassin? You will get this once you arrive in Alexandria. You have 10 upgrade levels, each adding to the damage the blade can do. Essential for anyone wishing to play the way of the assassin. Quiver: You will only need to upgrade this 5 times, allowing you to carry additional arrows. A big favourite of mine as the introduction of the bow really mixes up the gameplay. Stabilizer Glove: This compliments the quiver, providing you with increased damage with the bow. Just like the Hidden Blade you will need to level the glove 10 times. Bracer: These can be upgraded 10 times for additional melee damage. Breastplate: Upgrade this to further increase your maximum health, there are 10 levels. Tool Pouch: Only 5 upgrades for this one, and one I did not bother with in the early game. If you follow the Seer abilities focus on this gear piece. Outfits and Mounts If you are playing Origins after Valhalla or Odyssey then you may slightly be disappointed with the customisation options. There are many outfits in the game but they do not have interchangeable parts. Bayek’s clothing does come with the same rarity as his weapons but unfortunately they are purely for cosmetic purposes. The same can be said for the mounts, although you can switch out your horse for a camel if you wish. Do not be put off by this though as there are some very nice outfits in the game. Thanks for reading our Assassin's Creed Origins Starter Guide. We hope that you found it useful! 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

  • 'Forgotten Youth' Project Launched | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    'Forgotten Youth' Project Launched Community Share 2 Feb 2021 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database We here at The Ones Who Came Before are once again teaming up with our good friend Gustav from the AC Partnership Program to make a difference. We are proud to announce that we will be fully supporting 'Forgotten Youth', a new initiative that aims to shine a light on the collective trauma young people face due to worldwide lockdowns. The project will be a gathering point for discussion, reflecting on the long-lasting consequences and damage caused by COVID-19. If you feel that the pandemic has affected you in any way, you are not alone. Share your stories in a community network as society begins to open up, and we begin to understand the full extent of the worldwide ramifications. Do you feel like the worldwide lockdowns have thrown you into a state of loneliness, sadness or depression? Do you feel uncertain towards the future because of them? Do you have something on your mind you want to talk about, or simply want off your chest? Do you want your voice to be heard? Our very own @ Gargudon , who is mostly known for hosting “The Memory Corridor” podcast and sharing AC virtual photography on The Ones Who Came Before, has recently launched the project Forgotten Youth . The project aims to spread awareness about young people, who have been mentally affected by the lockdowns, by gathering and sharing stories. The lockdowns have taken their toll on the mental health among the youth in different ways. Young people are currently living through the transition into adulthood with limited opportunities to shape themselves, during the formative shaping years of their youth. Links to the Forgotten Youth project, as well as to how you can share your own story can be found below. If anyone has any questions regarding the project, feel free to DM us or @ Gargudon directly." Links Facebook Instagram Twitter Youtube: How to Share your Story 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)

  • Creedmas Artwork Released | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    Creedmas Artwork Released Art Share 7 Jan 2026 Written By: Edited By: Jebs Colum Blackett Back To Database To celebrate Creedmas 2025, and to mark the festive season, our very o wn Jebs fro m TOWCB Art Team released a new piece of artwork! We love how this piece parallels the concept of Angels and Devils on the shoulder, helping to make decisions. Naoe holds a gift, but what could it be? A Piece of Eden? A tsushibue? A list of ten more targets to kill on the objectives board? Let us know in the comments what you think Naoe received. We hope that you had a great Christmas, and were able to spend lots of time with family and friends, alongside playing Assassin's Creed and drinking hot chocolate. Safety and Peace Assassins! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author In June 2025, Jebs joined TOWCB's Art Team in an effort to widen the variety of art styles on the team. She is known online for her unusual art style, which can be described as a mix between doodling, sketching and anime, pieces which are often animated, bringing a ton of personality and fun to her work. Throughout 2025 and beyond, Jebs will be working alongside TOWCB's Art Team on a variety of projects which range from creating art for fundraising to live art creation watch-alongs! By joining the AC Partnership Program, we aim to boost her profile within the community and create a meaningful relationship with Ubisoft. Jebs

  • Assassin's Creed Mirage DLC Wallpaper Collection Released by Frame Hold Photography | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    Assassin's Creed Mirage DLC Wallpaper Collection Released by Frame Hold Photography Community Share 16 Nov 2025 Written By: Edited By: Frame Hold Photography Colum Blackett Back To Database The launch of Assassin's Creed Mirage Valley of Memory DLC is fast approaching and the recently released Launch Trailer has only increased excitement for the expansion. Our very own Frame Hold Photography today released the Assassin's Creed Mirage Valley of Memory wallpaper collection, compiled of edits and key moments from the trailer! Let us know your favourites in the comments down below and enjoy Assassins! Desktop Desktop Textless Mobile Feel free to use any of the wallpapers in the collection! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Frame Hold Photography is a passionate Virtual Photographer who joined our Video Content Creation Team in Summer 2022, as we began our efforts to break away from solely written content. During a period of uncertainty for TOWCB website, FHP stepped up and took on the role of Site Manager, overseeing our restoration efforts. Our website today now sits at the top of many Google searches📈 Outside of AC, she is also a full time editor and visual effects artist on TV commercials, and has been putting her skills to use in the community by creating epic Assassin's Creed tribute videos, miniature figure painting videos and editing episodes of our Rally the Creed podcast! Frame Hold Photography

  • Best Quotes in Assassin's Creed Mirage | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    Best Quotes in Assassin's Creed Mirage Share Written By: Edited By: TOWCB Team Back To Database kgkhg ''I can be an Instrument that sees us out of this life.'' (Basim) ''I won't let the past define me. This is why I now consider myself to be the daughter of no one.'' (Roshan) 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

  • Veteran Assassin's Creed Writer Darby McDevitt announces surprise return to Ubisoft | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    Veteran Assassin's Creed Writer Darby McDevitt announces surprise return to Ubisoft News Share 13 Nov 2021 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database In a surprise tweet that took Twitter by storm, fan favourite Assassin's Creed script writer Darby McDevitt has announced his return to Ubisoft after an eight month long hiatus. "Yes, I have returned to Ubisoft! As I pondered my career over the past year, I focused on my desire to explore new ideas and unknown frontiers. Much to my delight, this is reflected in my return to Ubisoft to work on AC. I’m excited to continue my journey. Stay tuned!” Back in March 202, McDevitt announced his departure from the company on Twitter, in search of new adventures and opportunities. In a final Tweet, he thanked all of the fans & content creators that have supported & expanded on his work over the years. The news was met with disbelief, as one of the longest serving and most loved developers working on the franchise would no longer be at the helm. Over a 12 year+ period, he has worked on many games and projects, including Revelations, Black Flag, Embers and Bloodlines. Most recently serving as the Narrative Director on Assassin's Creed Valhalla, McDevitt made it his mission to tie up loose narrative threads. His efforts were recognised, as the game featured many callbacks and clever links to previous games, alongside helping to restore the franchise's fading identity. The news was met with online applause, as fans of the franchise revelled in the knowledge that a true loremaster and mentor had returned. Going forward, it is hoped that McDevitt and the narrative teams at Ubisoft can shape new experiences to honour the legacy of the franchise, and restore the elements that feel so distant in recent games. Within the community, Darby is known for his intriguing and sometimes cryptic tweets, making fans dig beneath the surface to discover the truth. He represents the best that the Assassin's Creed series can be, and we here at TOWCB are thrilled by the news, especially as the upcoming 'Assassin's Creed Infinity' project brings with it such uncertainty, as the series moves towards a live service. Little is known about the upcoming project, but Ubisoft recently made it clear that the project is being led by a new cross-studio, collaborative structure, directed by Marc-Alexis CĂŽtĂ©, who will serve as executive producer of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Also joining the project is Étienne Allonier, brand director for Assassin’s Creed for the last 10 years, who together with senior producer Julien LaferriĂšre, Creative Directors Jonathan Dumont and Clint Hocking, will change the way the Assassin's Creed series evolves. In the past, studios have passed the baton on to the next, allowing a time window for them to begin work on the next. With the new structure, One group within Ubisoft, made up of multiple teams, will work on Assassin's Creed coherently. With Darby McDevitt back, it's a sigh of relief for many fans to see that the narrative is once again being cared for by safe hands. Stay tuned for further updates. 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 15th Anniversary Celebration Livestream Highlights | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    Assassin’s Creed 15th Anniversary Celebration Livestream Highlights News Share 2 Aug 2022 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database On the 14th June 2022, Ubisoft held a special livestream celebrating the 15th anniversary of Assassin's Creed Some within the community unfortunately missed the stream, as only one day's notice was given, conflicting with already established work schedules. Here are the key points from our social media coverage, coordinated by Michael Smith . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fqkMF2Jp6s Social Media Coverage: The stream starts off with a opening of CG scenes from the full series, acting as a tribute, The 15th anniversary logo has been revealed! (see it below) Lots of content will be released in the coming months Assassin's Creed Valhalla New tombs will be added to conclude Tombs of the Fallen! Mastery Challenge Pack 2 to be added New FREE game mode The Forgotten Saga will be released in August. Havi will fight Loki's daughter in a rogue-lite experience. The mode will take place in Niflheim, the realm of the dead. Eivor's final chapter will be released by the year's end, and will also be free. Discovery Tour: Viking Age is now available as a stand alone title. The 60 FPS support update for Assassin's Creed Origins is now available for consoles, with a free weekend from June 16 - 20th. Assassin's Creed Origins tattoos along with a naval pack are to be added to the Valhalla, available this week (June 14th 2022) AC15 A new anniversary site is available for everyone. Link: Assassinscreed15.com Roadmap for AC15 celebrations released (below) Each week will be dedicated to an Assassin's Creed game. First up is a quiz for AC Valhalla. The better you do in this series of quizzes, the better chances to win Assassin's Creed prizes! Known as 'The Twelve Trials' Assassins Creed Origins can be downloaded now for the upcoming free weekend #AC15 website will host Fan Creations. Share your creations with the #AC15 hashtag. A 12-week Speedrun marathon known as 'Creedrunning' is also promoted on the site. Steps on how to participate can be found on http://AssassinsCreed15.com Additional links for the Echos of History podcast on Spotify, the new AC15 Fan Kit, Game Soundtrack for Dawn of Ragnarok, and a link for the Assassin's Creed Stories are also provided on the AC15 site. Lots of great content to catch up on while waiting for the new content! Origins Currently on stream are Youssef Maguid Jose Araiza, and Chastity Vicencio playing Assassin's Creed Origins' new 60FPS update and talking about what the game means to them. The Future of Assassin's Creed There will be a special event in September which will unveil the future of Assassin's Creed. Transmedia Community Developer Sebasteann Barradas hosts the Assassin’s Creed Stories Part II, 15th Anniversary Edition stream, featuring Conversations with creators of the Assassin's Creed Valhalla Forgotten Myths, Echos of History podcast and The Magus Conspiracy novel, as well as the webtoon sequel to Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag. Assassin's Creed Valhalla Forgotten Myths is the prequel comic for the Dawn of Ragnarok expansion. To speak about the comic are Alex Harakis, Narrative Director. For AC Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök & Script Writer for the comic Alexander Freed. Next up on stream is the Echoes of History Ragnarök podcast which is available on all streaming platforms. Clement Lesaffre, Producer and Co-Writer discusses this new series for #AC15 . Reveal: new podcasts for the Assassin's Creed Echoes of History are being developed! Assassin's Creed Black Flag Webtoon is up next, taking Edward Kenway to Eastern shores . Etienne Bouvier Senior Transmedia Content Manager with Ubisoft is here to discuss the content more. The webtoon format is being explained, having started in Korea. It is a format that is easy to read on your phone. On the subject of Edward Kenway, his adventurous spir it made him a perfect choice for this new story. This will be a seasoned and older Kenway than in AC4. The Webtoon is a serialized format, weekly release for 40-59 episodes for Season 1! That's a year's worth of Edward Kenway in just the first season! Kate Heartfield is next to discuss the Magus Conspiracy, the first novel in the Engine of History Trilogy from Aconyte Books. Summary of the novel given. Stream concludes. 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)

  • The Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 2 - Assassin's Creed Codename Jade | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    The Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 2 - Assassin's Creed Codename Jade Breakdown Share 16 Jun 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Colum Blackett Back To Database Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal (Moonchildgecko) from TOWCB Art Team. Welcome to the second part in a new series breaking down all of the Assassin's Creed content presented at Ubisoft Forward 2023. In part two, we take a look at Assassin's Creed Jade reveal! Related articles The Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 1 - Pre-Show & Assassin's Creed Nexus The Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 3 - Assassin's Creed Mirage Story Trailer The Future of Assassin’s Creed at UbiForward 2023 Part 4 - Assassin's Creed Mirage Gameplay Trailer This title from Ubisoft & Level Infinite will be the first open-world RPG on mobile, taking players to Ancient China in the year 215 of the 3rd Century BCE; the Qin Dynasty. This places the game between AC Odyssey and AC Origins. The trailer opens in a dark room containing the historical Terracotta Army as the narrator defines “Legacy” as learning from the triumphs and mistakes of those that came before us. An Assassin who represents the player walks through the army to the door, closing the cinematic with the image at the top of this section, and how players will make their own Legacy. We can see from this shot that the character wields a Chinese officer’s sword, a dagger, and a Qiang (spear) while looking out at the Great Wall of China, the set piece for this game (though it wasn’t opened until 220 BC, 400+ years later) A series of landscapes are shown from mountain ranges, nomadic camps, farmlands, and cities. This provides a vast array of areas that players will be able to explore and the various peoples that reside in each. Based on the size of the city shown, it appears to be a capital city, most likely the imperial city of Xianyang (from AC Jade’s website) due to the size of the fortress in the top right of the 4th image. These cities will most likely be where the Assassin’s Bureaus are housed and where players can purchase needed weapons and gear. This is followed by a shot of the character performing a Leap of Faith. You can notice the blue colored sash around the player waist which indicates that this is an Initiate or Apprentice (like Basim in AC Mirage). Could this be upgraded to the red color “Assassin” sash as players level up and progress in the story? The character is shown firing multiple arrows at once. This could be an ability that is unlocked, or a reference to different bow types such as the multi-shot Light Bows that we have seen in past RPG titles. The Assassin climbs the Great Wall of China, showing vertical leaps to traverse the larger gaps between hand holds. Combat is displayed in a one on one with a Heavy Guard wielding two maces while the character performs a series of attacks with their daggers. Another shot shows an air assassination in action as the player descends on an unaware enemy. The woolen hat and lack of armor makes me think this is either a local guard for a village, or a Xiongnu raider. The action continues with a series of combat abilities from an enhanced Qiang sweep that may or not be an Isu Artifact (most likely just a powered ability like AC Odyssey)... To a pole vault kick
 And an air attack (similar to the Dive of the Valkyries from AC Valhalla) using a giant axe, which also informs us that there are more weapon types that can be unlocked or used than just the ones from the cinematic trailer. The gameplay trailer ends on the Codename Jade Logo and the website to register for the closed beta ( here ). On the website, the navigation banner has three sections that change to a Chinese character when the cursor hovers over each button. Home: Featured The character has a similar appearance to the Chinese character “Qi” which translates to “strange” which may be a way to show that this “stands out” or in short “is featured”. News most likely a combination of the characters for “XĂŹnxī” which translates to the characters “remove + interest” or “information”. The “Home” page is where the trailer and link to register for the closed beta are located and when you scroll down, you are moved to the “Featured” page with notes on the game. Journey through 2000 years of history in ancient China (possibly an indication of how long the content may cover) Explore the path of “Xia” in the first unified empire of China. (Xia stories are one of the major heroic traditions in Chinese literature*) *from @xuetingni (Twitter) personal website ( here ) Protect your home from Xiongnu* raiders behind the Great Wall. *The website spells this as "Xionanu" which maybe a misspelling. Experience the blooming trade and cultural exchanges between East and West in the imperial city of Xianyang. Codename Jade is marketed as an “Iconic Assassin’s Creed Experience” with gameplay and features on mobile, for free. Lastly, the “News” section links to an article that provides more information on the game. Built on Unreal Engine Free-to-play on iOS and Android Players will follow the path of “Xia” as an adopted child of Master Assassin, Wei Yu (who is enshrined beneath Monteriggioni in AC II and Brotherhood. Master Wei Yu (Image from Assassin’s Creed Wiki) Codename Jade will allow players to fully customize an avatar for the first time. Weapons include Qiangs, double swords, and bows. Further information is to come from the newly established social media sites such as the @AC_CodenameJade on Twitter. I am personally excited to try the Closed Beta and hope I am able to get in. 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 Animus Hub Teaser Analysis | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    Assassin's Creed Animus Hub Teaser Analysis Theories Share 26 Jan 2025 Written By: Edited By: UbiCypher (Joe) Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome back! The embargo has been lifted and Assassin's Creed: Shadows is getting closer, the Story Trailer finally gave us some insights on what's to come. However I found something....Interesting. Buckle up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knzOQ2LQYWU The Animus Hub trailer may be hiding something big. It may be something or it may be NOTHING at all. One thing is certain. I don't believe in coincidences and this is a huge one at that, dating all the way back to the holographic map showing the locations of Temples in AC1 & AC II. 1) Not an IP. You'll see what I mean. At the 1:47 mark, the video is almost reaching its conclusion with a summary of what we have just seen with four slides, one of them concerning the Projects. Well, if you pay attention to that slide in particular you can observe sets of numbers: 252.270.168.021. I thought it was an IP at first glance since Ubisoft is no stranger to ARG's and social engagement through complex Cyphers and puzzles. However, it isn't as IP's are composed of 4 numbers (Octets) oscillating between o and 255 thus 255.255.255.255 and 0.0.0.0. So that's not it. 2 ) Not a coordinate -at first- . This gets intricate. Well, since Ubisoft has already teased us with coordinates regarding various locations in the past ie: The Great Temple, I thought I could see if by arranging the numbers in way that they can be identified as Latitude and Longitude and to my surprise. It worked! I split 252.270 into 25Âș 2' and 70'' and 168.021 into 16Âș 8' 21 " and let ChatGPT do the rest by converting the numbers into Coordinates applying the DMS conversion system (Degrees, Minutes, Seconds) by arranging the numbers, adding overflow to minutes. Gibberish aside, the results were rather exciting! After the DMS conversion, the values turned to this: 25Âș 2' 70''-> 25Âș3'10" Since the second number was within 0 to 59 for minutes and 0 to 59.999 for seconds, no conversion was required thus simply being 16Âș8'21". So the final set of coordinates should be: 25Âș 3' 10"N, 16Âș 8' 21"E (Assuming Hemispheres). 3) A shocking revelation. It was for me at least. Well, the coordinates send you right in the middle of nowhere, but that middle of nowhere is 2000KM away of an Isu Vault. Most specifically, the one marked in the Apple Of Eden's map in ACII that corresponds to modern Lagos. While the coordinates redirects us to Libya the marker is really close to the frontier of Niger and Chad, which, are in turn next to Nigeria where the Temple is. But there's more. 4) A pattern . Maybe. There is another number, barely visible, but visible. 021".168".270"252"-> 21Âș16'8"N - 0Âș27'52"E. Approximately 1,163.7KM from another site, although in South Eastern Asian territory this time, matching the description of the Vault marked between Cambodia and Vietnam. As I said. Coincidence? Twice? I honestly don't know. But one thing is sure. It's weird. 5) What could this mean? It is but speculation from here on; One thing is certain, two coordinates, although not on the same spot, incredibly close to Isu Temples nonetheless, this can make oneself wonder. If this is just a coincidence. Well, so be it. If it isn't however. Is Ubisoft attempting to tell us where the next games will be? Are those sites having some importance in the upcoming Modern Day Story? I have no idea. This I will leave here for the community to solve. 6) Modern Day Sneak Peek. Besides this fun puzzle solving reminiscent of the old days, There is already a few things that we can figure out in relation to Modern Day from the trailer. An operation taking place in Marrakech looking for a merchant named Chafiq Elharar. Joel Eastman , an investigator (possibly) is looking for this merchant in Jemaa El Fnaa a square home to a bustling market place in Marrakesh, Morocco. No date is given, no names besides these two and that of the operatives of Abstergo Industries (possibly) Hamza and Idrissi. Joel is actively looking for Chafiq Elharar and makes contact with him, giving him a piece of paper that he refuses, the paper in question seeming important. And important it may be, as Hamza and Idrissi are monitoring this merchant that suspects being under surveillance. It looks like this information is found via the Data Files unlocked in the Project 1: Legacy. More to come soon it seems. One last thing though, there is this new thing called Animus EGO and the way they talk of the Animus almost in a cult-esque way, even "Follow the Trail and we will be in touch". - "Paths to mindfulness". Whatever that means. Many questions and no answers. Exciting nonetheless! So far this is everything, nothing more to add. Could this possible Animus Hub Easter Egg link AC SHADOWS to AC II? I believe it is a good chunk of info that we can begin to digest as it clearly gives us a taste of the future of the franchise, so the rest is up to you folks. This is it for today! Stay on the lookout for more lore. Subject 16 Glyphs Thread Coming soon. Stay tuned Assassins! Reddit Thread Article adapted from the Isu_Network X thread comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author UbiCypher (Joe) is an Assassin's Creed Transmedia expert who worked as the Lead Admin for the Isu_Network social media team, providing consistent social media content in the form of Assassin's Creed lore trivia, puzzles and news coverage, spending countless hours researching the series and real history. In 2025, he stepped back from his social media duties to pursue other opportunities. UbiCypher (Joe)

  • This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 13th to 19th March | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 13th to 19th March Community Share 21 Mar 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the weekly virtual photography roundup, hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week I will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. This week’s theme: Assassin’s Creed Mirage Vibe Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ _ItDoesMatter We start this week’s showcase with a ni ce Assassin's Creed Mirage style shot. The position of Kassandra looking down on the pile of flowers really resembles some of the key art we have seen for the new game. Likewise the colours are very on point. I am a fan of these type of shots, as they have such a classic Assassin’s Creed feel. Hopefully it won’t be too long now before we see some more from Mirage. Link: https://twitter.com/_itdoesmatter/status/1635313665183485953?s=46&t=rIujpeSq9644fgpRWA_xMA The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week: Judge - Mike Smith (TOWCB Core Team) When I first saw this photo, I thought I was looking at Aya and not her ancestor, Kassandra. The recognition of a signature assassin (pre-assassins brotherhood) is strong in this shot and the similarities to what we have seen from Assassin's Creed Mirage show the strength of this series' lasting style in gaming. Kudo's to @ _ItDoesMatter for this image. The Blacksmith Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ frips Next up we have an elegant black and white portrait of Gunnar the blacksmith. I love the thoughtful look on his face. I also like how this photo captures his awesome Viking beard and face tat too. He could n ot look anymore Viking if he tried. I wish we had seen more of Gunnar in Valhalla, he and Eivor shared a close bond and it would have been nice to see him get more screen time. Raids in Paris Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ ZombieVision A nice simple but elegant shot for photo number three this week. I really like the warm tones of this capture, as it reminds me of a pleasant summers day. If you look closely the details are just perfect. The water and the greenery are particularly beautiful. I am loving the washed up longship, and the rowing boat that I assume Eivor arrived in. I did love the after battle look of Frankia, as it really gave me Viking vibes. Constellations Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ soulsurrender I actually do not have any words for this capture. A few years ago I saw a piece of artwork similar to this and loved it. It represents Origins so beautifully. The stars were always a connection between Bayek and Khemu, which brought so much emotion to the game. I adore the silhouettes of Bayek and Senu but also have to applaud the colours. The sky and the sand, especially with that shadow are impeccable. Eivor Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ dede_wijayanto3 We end this week’s showcase with a superb portrait of Eivor. I admire the style of this shot . There is something so eye-catching about it. It is almost like a piece of art rather than a video game capture. I really like that you can only see Eivor’s head and hand. It adds so much mystery to the photo. For me though the facial expression coupled with the colours of the face tattoo are just faultless. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments (1) Write a comment Write a comment Sort by: Newest Guest Mar 22, 2023 Soulsurrenders shot is insane! Wow, such a beautiful shot Like Reply 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

  • COMING SOON: Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game: Futuristic Modern Day | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

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

  • Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 15th to 30th January | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 15th to 30th January Community Share 4 Mar 2026 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Back To Database Welcome to the monthly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every four weeks we will be picking our top five favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. This theme has been run by the @ACFirstCiv Virtual Photography team. Every month we will be searching social media to see how creative the community have been. We will also be 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 Curse of the Pharaohs Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: charapof.bsky.social The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Theme Judge: @ wondernoob.bsky.social Rui This triptych is yelling, “Play Origins again, play the DLC!” and it’s really hard to ignore this message, because
just look at it. The setting of Aaru in the Origins DLC is amazingly beautiful – the multitude of Queen Nefertiti statues, and the eclipses captured together bring an otherworldly feel. Charlie did an excellent job highlighting the eclipse and the setting of the Egyptian underworld, and I am especially enamoured by the symmetry on display in this collage. Aaron For all the love I hold for Assassin’s Creed Origins I have never played the Curse of the Pharaohs DLC. I was so hooked on the main game and then the Hidden Ones that I completely skipped it. As Rui mentions above this set of photos really sells the 2 nd expansion. Its hazy feel and giant statues represent a world filled with Gods. The eclipse is absolutely stealing the show with its impact spread across all three photos. Quite remarkable placement each time. The Middle capture is the hero shot with the silhouette of Queen Nefertiti facing that powerful solar eclipse. Artwork Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ yourotherfamilydr.bsky.social I am always a fan of the darker toned entries in the Assassin’s Creed franchise but even I admit it’s been a ling time since we soaked up the vibrant atmosphere of Greece. Although I found Odyssey a tad bloated there are many picturesque locations throughout the world that are truly memorable. Here we have a beautifully captured vista that is framed exquisitely. It truly has that postcard feel, with the colourful foliage and the white buildings. Once again hats off to the timing, that lightning bolt looks incredible, splitting the scene in two. Golden Sky Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @cop_filipvp The eagle has always played an important role to the Assassins. Not only have they been companions in the most recent entries, but their presence can be felt through the insignia and the special vision in which an Assassin can call upon. Therefore, captures such as this are often seen majestically showcasing the eyes of the Creed. The orange and yellow in this capture is very calming and the cloud sneaking in from the right reminds me of milk being poured into a coffee. The silhouette of Ikaros is so satisfyingly executed, standing out amongst the cloud. Contemplation Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @coffeelovingdragon_vp It’s not been long since the beautiful Valley of Memory DLC dropped for Assassin’s Creed Mirage. The story had such a profound impact on the fanbase and Basim himself. I found it so refreshing to experience strong story aspects over combat and exploration. I think this photo fits Basim’s story from his time in AlUla. The composition is very intriguing, and the depth of field takes the focus from Basim, somewhat mirroring his experience in the DLC. I would like to think he is sat there thinking about his childhood, maybe the butterfly is representative of his father’s new life. Tales from Greece Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @Birgamerinalbu1 The immersive experience of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is so captivating through it’s breath-taking vistas to its sun-drenched lands. One thing that always catches my eye is the level of detail applied to the buildings and their decorations. This shot is so striking and elegantly framed. The use of grain makes it feel straight from the movies. The colour balance is on point, with the subtle red of the robe standing out. The essence of the Greek world has been captured here in a single photo. 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

  • TOWCB Channel Trailer Released | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    TOWCB Channel Trailer Released Other Share 29 Mar 2024 Written By: Edited By: TOWCB Team Colum Blackett Back To Database We are pleased to present the new and updated channel trailer for The Ones Who Came Before. edited by Team Leader Colum Blackett (@ Col_96 ), featuring music by Gustav Poulsen (@ Gargudon ). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARTZOV4OpCQ We hope that this trailer represents the relationship between the Core team and our Isu_Network, a global network of content creators around the world During the editing process, Col included two references that he hoped fans would pick up on. The first was the timing of the footage showing UbiCypher (Joe), Twitter lead admin for @ Isu_Network , which airs as the narration says that our content includes 'lore analysis and facts'. This is a nod towards Joe's daily posting schedule which includes Assassin's Creed lore and trivia. The second is right at the end, as Gargudon's narration says 'make sure to subscribe and follow us on socials', Col added footage of Ezio following a target on a rooftop. We hope that you enjoyed our new channel trailer! Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. You can find links to all our our social media platforms below. 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

  • This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: 27th August - 2nd September 2022 | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: 27th August - 2nd September 2022 Community Share 3 Sept 2022 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the weekly virtual photography round up hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week I will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for capture across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. 1) Ravensthorpe Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Console: PS4 This week’s first capture comes from @ tn_taurus a member of our Assassin’s Creed VP Twitter Community . First up this week we have a wonderful set of shots from Eivor’s Settlement in England. I really enjoyed having a home base in Valhalla, it gave me a real sense of achievement each time I returned. The edit on this set really gives off the sense of a Viking home. Taken during the Sigrblot festival, we are treated to some great shots of a decorated settlement. I particularly like the capture inside the longhouse. Fantastic Scandinavian vibes, reminds me of the Vikings TV series. 2) Lighthouse Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins Photo number two comes from @ warriorqueenvp a member of our Assassin’s Creed VP Twitter Community. Next up we have a fabulous capture of the lighthouse in Alexandria. The saturation of this shot is perfectly executed. I love the orange reflection of the sun on the water and the shadows of the boats as they navigate the waters around the great city. The stand out though has to be the lighthouse, always a great place to take a photo in Origins. The beautiful architecture and the burning light on the top make for such beautiful photo opportunities. Link to set 3) Ready for Battle Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla This week’s third shot comes from @ Ao_sly over on Twitter. I have such respect for this shot as the pose is one I often try to achieve myself. Timing is always critical with these captures as they can look odd if not done correctly. This one, however, is flawless, every little detail has been captured brilliantly. I am impressed with Eivor’s hand reaching for her weapon, but at the same time the hood is raised giving a slight assassin feel. I think the outfit combo works brilliantly, with the stomach tattoo giving the shot that Norse feel. A fantastic capture worthy of the Ragnarok setting. 4) Eivor Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Console: Xbox One X VP number four comes from @ xo_Sweet_Pea over on Twitter. Photo number four continues on from the previous shot with a hauntingly beautiful portrait of Eivor. The decision to go with a black and white photo here is what makes it a winner. It highlights the face tattoo so well, which gives huntress vibes. The look isn’t too dissimilar to Kassandra’s huntress set either. Once again I love the use of the hood which adds to the shadows in this shot. It is also great to see Eivor’s braided hair poking out without any clipping. A truly wonderful capture of our favourite Viking raider. 5) Lion King Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins Console: PS4 The final capture of the week comes from @ SoldjahOfLighta over on Twitter. The final shot of the week is in keeping with my attempts to find great animal shots. This particular photo is from a set that showcases this Lioness exquisitely. I am actually is awe of how good this is, the level of detail on the lion is excellent. Sometimes when taking shots of NPC’s/wildlife the fine points are not as crisp as the main character. When I saw this capture, though, it just reminded me of a wildlife documentary. Link to set And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

  • Q&A with with Thibaud de la Touanne (Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of Venice) | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    Q&A with with Thibaud de la Touanne (Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of Venice) Interview Share 10 Aug 2019 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Assassin’s Creed¼: Brotherhood of Venice is a tabletop board game with miniatures aiming to capture the essence of Assassin's Creed¼ and turn it into a fun, fully cooperative game for 1 to 4 players. It is played in a campaign spanning several months in 1509 in which you play a small team of Assassins in charge of developing the Headquarters of the Brotherhood of Assassins in Venice, after Ezio Auditore has defeated Cesare Borgia and his allies, between the events of Assassin’s Creed¼: Brotherhood and Assassin’s Creed¼: Revelations. Players will use their Assassin's skills, equipment and their own sense of tactics to complete various objectives while evading detection from the Guards. The campaign will pit you against Templars, let you explore unknown events of the Brotherhood in Venice, and determine the fate of the Brotherhood in the famous City of Masks. Our Community Admin Col_96 sat down with Thibaud de la Touanne, Founder of Triton Noir, the Montreal based studio behind Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood of Venice. Col: Welcome Thibaud, thank you for taking the time to talk with me today. How are you? Thibaud: Working on the game’s development, so very good, thank you! Col: Fantastic. I understand you’ve been very busy recently. How would you describe the project, and how did it all start? Thibaud: Our first tabletop game V-Commandos was inspired by the fun gameplay of some famous stealth-based video games such as Metal Gear Solid, the Commandos series, and obviously Assassin’s Creed. As we thought about our next game, it struck us that the gameplay of V-Commandos could be a good inspiration for an Assassin’s Creed game. What’s more, our Story Designer Fabrice Lamidey was Creative Director of Assassin’s Creed Initiates. His knowledge was crucial to start developing the board game because he gave us a great insight on both the passion and diversity of the fans as well as on the way the universe and franchise work. Actually, a big part of the whole team has been into those video games for quite a long time, which makes it very easy and natural for us to develop an Assassin’s Creed board game. Having kept great relations with Ubisoft, it felt natural to talk to them about the idea of making Assassin’s Creed¼: Brotherhood of Venice. Col: This is one of the first ever crowd funded Assassin’s Creed projects. How does it feel to know that it has been a huge success, and to see that over 7100 people have backed the project? Thibaud: We are very proud of such a success. With a license deal signed with Ubisoft Montreal, Triton Noir has been developing Assassin’s Creed¼: Brotherhood of Venice for months. The first public demos and the campaign indeed received a warm welcome from both the press and the players. Like we said already, behind the new game, there is a whole team of veterans from the board and video game industries. To ensure a top-quality Assassin’s Creed tabletop game, we made the call to go on Kickstarter. Having financed the first development steps, we needed the support from the backers to make sure the project was to be fulfilled with all the cool stuff we wanted to implement – fans of the famous Assassin’s Creed¼ franchise, but also players who were convinced by our first game V-Commandos, and those who are into cooperative and/or infiltration games in general. Anyway, with thousands of people backing the projects on Kickstarter, we are the happiest board game developers! Thank you all for making it possible! Col: How has the development process changed since the financial backing? Has the project become more ambitious at all? Thibaud: We had very high expectations in terms of quality and quantity. We wanted to create a collector game. The campaign just allowed to do it as we planned. Well, that said, we could not resist adding some new features or improve some assets for the game
 We also decided to rework some of the assets shown during the campaign, such as the tiles which were entirely redesigned, or Dariñ’s miniature. Col: How much freedom do the team in Montreal have over the creative direction of the project, and are Ubisoft overseeing its development? Thibaud: Ubisoft is working closely with us on every aspect of the game. We are checking every single asset, character, miniature use in the game, getting sure that everything is up to the Assassin’s Creed¼ standards. That said, the trust between our team and Ubisoft allows us to be creative too, which is, to us, very rare in a license deal. It’s a blast to work with those guys that have been friends for years, and former colleague as well! Col: Are there anyone individuals at Ubisoft who have really helped to make this project a reality? Thibaud: Yes, let’s give a warm thank you to Transmedia & Business Development Director at Ubisoft, Aymar Azaïzia! Col: The game has been available to play at several events. Have you had any feedback from fans, and has anything been changed/adapted at all? Thibaud: We definitely run tons of playtests during conventions since the game was ready to test, about 2 years ago. Quality Assurance playtests have been part of the video games development, and we work the same way. We get lots of positive feedback and the fans of the licence tell us that they find the spirit of the Assassin’s Creed¼ video games. This is great for us, but what we are looking for most of all are all the feedback allowing us to improve the game by any way (cards, icons, rules, etc.). Col: Does the game add new characters to the franchise, and if so, can we consider them canon in the AC Universe? Thibaud: Yes! The narrative set in the past, is canon with what happened during the Italian Renaissance and deals with the Brotherhood established by Ezio Auditore da Firenze. The narrative set in the present will also be canon and we are working on it now! Col As the miniatures all come unpainted, are the team encouraging players to paint them? If so, will guides become available on how to do this successfully? Thibaud: Definitely! Check out the awesome work of Angel Giraldez on Facebook and YouTube. He had our minis painted and the results are amazing! Col: You can see the intricate detailing of each miniature, and it’s clear that lots of time and effort has gone into making this project a reality. What’s the next stage of the project, and how are the team preparing for launch? Thibaud: All the minis sculpt are done now; it was a huge amount of work that required up to 7 artists. What they did exceeded our expectations! We are currently working the illustrations and tiles, designing the remaining Memories (missions) and cards, the Assassins hideouts, the rules and balancing these Memories difficulty. Launch is planned for June 2020, so we still have time to think about it :). You can now pre-order Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of Venice! Links: Brotherhood of Venice: Facebook Page Twitter Triton Noir website Pre-order Kick Starter Giveaway Finally, to conclude our 5 year anniversary celebrations, we are giving you the chance to win an exclusive Follower of Romulus miniature figure from the Brotherhood of Venice tabletop board game! Ends 30/8/19 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)

  • Celebrating 17 Years of Assassin’s Creed: Reflecting on the Origins and Legacy of an Iconic Franchise | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    Celebrating 17 Years of Assassin’s Creed: Reflecting on the Origins and Legacy of an Iconic Franchise Other Share 18 Nov 2024 Written By: Edited By: Zephryss Colum Blackett Back To Database Image: Official Poster by Ubisoft. On November 13, 2007, Ubisoft released Assassin’s Creed, a game that not only redefined the action-adventure genre but also sparked a cultural phenomenon. Set during the Third Crusade, the first Assassin's Creed title introduced players to a world of historical intrigue, philosophical conflict, and stealth-action gameplay that would go on to influence the gaming industry for years to come. Seventeen years later, we look back at the impact of Assassin’s Creed and the journey it began with Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, the mysterious Assassin who first captured players' imaginations. In 2014, we established The Ones Who Came Before Assassin's Creed Community, as a place for fans to share their thoughts and theories on the future of the franchise. Today, TOWCB is a global team of passionate Assassin's Creed content creators producing content for over 60,000 fans around the world. After ten strategic years building a strong and healthy relationship with both Ubisoft and fans, we are today a leading source of information within the community, and a recognisable brand. The Origin of an Assassin Assassin's Creed was originally planned as a spin-off of Prince of Persia and was an ambitious project led by Ubisoft Montreal. However, as the concept evolved, it became evident that the story of Assassins vs. Templars, linked with concepts of freedom and control, was far more expansive. As Altaïr, players explored Jerusalem, Acre, and Damascus, completing undercover missions, combat encounters, and parkour-inspired exploration that was innovative at the time. Image: The Animus in Assassin's Creed. The game featured the Animus, a virtual reality device that allowed protagonist Desmond Miles to relive his ancestors' memories, combining the past with a modern-day storyline that added layers of mystery and lore to the franchise. This distinct blend of historical and sci-fi themes distinguished Assassin's Creed from its contemporaries, creating a complex narrative canvas that would be developed upon in subsequent games. Elements That Defined a Genre One of Assassin's Creed's most significant advances to gaming was its open-world design and emphasis on "social stealth," which allowed players to blend into crowds, eavesdrop on targets, and meticulously plan executions. The "Leap of Faith," a hallmark move in which Assassins dive from enormous heights into haystacks, has become one of the game's most recognizable components. These mechanics not only gave players more control over how they conducted missions, but they also helped to create a vivid historical environment. Image: Altaïr doing parkour on rooftop. At the time, this movement system felt groundbreaking, allowing players to interact with the environment in previously unseen ways. Altaïr excelled at parkour, which enabled him to easily scale buildings and navigate towns. While these mechanics have changed over time, the primary gameplay experience of the original Assassin's Creed established one of gaming's most recognizable styles. The Impact of Historical Narrative The first Assassin's Creed was more than simply a game; it was an interactive history lesson. Ubisoft's meticulous attention to detail in recreating historical settings provided gamers with an immersive experience that few other games could equal. The cities were precisely designed, based on historical research and architectural correctness. This dedication to realism became a trademark of the franchise, which went on to explore a variety of time periods, including the Renaissance in Assassin's Creed II, Ancient Egypt in Assassin's Creed Origins, and Viking Age England in Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Image: Assassin's Creed II, Origins, Odyssey and Valhalla. This approach to storytelling established a pattern for subsequent games. History was an important part of the Assassin's Creed experience, rather than just a backdrop. The series encouraged players to investigate, debate, and appreciate history, frequently blurring the distinction between reality and fiction while teaching and entertaining. The Influence of Assassin's Creed in Gaming Culture Since its first release, Assassin's Creed has expanded into a massive multimedia series that includes more than a dozen mainline games, spin-offs, novels, comics, and even a feature film. It has introduced fans to a broad cast of characters, including Ezio Auditore, Bayek of Siwa, Eivor Varinsdottir, and Basim Ibn Ishaq. Each protagonist contributed a unique story and personality to the series, letting players to explore various parts of the Assassin Order and its principles. Image: Other protagonists in the franchise The popularity of the Assassin's Creed series encouraged other developers to explore historically inspired settings, leading in a larger trend of narrative-driven, open-world games. Assassin's Creed has influenced the design and approach to world-building of titles such as Ghost of Tsushima, Horizon Zero Dawn, and The Witcher series. Image: Games that were inspired by Assassin's Creed. In addition, the Assassin's Creed franchise's adaptability and evolution have kept it relevant for the past 17 years. Ubisoft has continuously redesigned the game, from its stealth and parkour beginnings to the RPG aspects included in subsequent releases such as Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla, to keep it fresh and exciting for both new and existing players. Seventeen Years Down the Line: The Path Ahead As we honor the 17th anniversary of Assassin's Creed, it's incredible to see how far the franchise has gone. Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Mirage, which will be launched in 2023 as a return to the series' stealth-focused beginnings, honors the original game's tradition while pushing limits. The future is bright, with planned expansions, spin-offs, and potentially other historical periods to discover. Assassin's Creed's legacy is not only defined by its revolutionary gameplay and engaging narrative, but also by its influence on how players see history and culture. The series has encouraged people all around the world to immerse themselves in other times, to investigate issues of power and freedom, and to envision a world where history and myth coexist. Image: Upcoming Assassin's Creed games. For both long-time fans and novices, Assassin's Creed continues to demonstrate the power of storytelling in gaming. The Altaïr series is a symbol of ambition, inventiveness, and a never-ending adventure, even after 17 years of glory. Basim and the Brotherhood by Turið Torkilsdóttir 17 Years of Assassin's Creed by Turið Torkilsdóttir comments debug Comments (1) Write a comment Write a comment Sort by: Newest InPassing Oct 26, 2025 Great read! Like Reply About the Author Zephryss is a passionate social media manager based in India who joined TOWCB's Social Media Team in Summer 2024 to help the team prepare for coverage of Assassin's Creed Shadows news and updates. Recently, he completed his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and is now preparing to take on a PhD. He loves video games very much, and since childhood has enjoyed playing various types of games in different genres He also has 3 gaming channels (Zephryss, Assassin Zephryss & Spider Zephryss) where he uploads gameplay videos regularly. Zephryss

  • 🔧 Restoration In Progress- Check Back Soon! | TheOnesWhoCameBefore

    🔧 Restoration In Progress- Check Back Soon! Review Share 20 Nov 2010 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) WIP Back To Database Restoration In Progress- Check Back Soon! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

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