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🔧 Restoration In Progress- Check Back Soon! (Origins) Guide Share 16 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)

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 21st to 27th August Community Share 29 Aug 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 Shadows Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ misthiosvp “I am fire, I’ll use that, a beacon to the order” Kassandra the Eagle-Bearer, a mercenary who’s fortunes changed dramatically over the course of her story. Kassandra’s combat mastery and charm built her a reputation across the Greek world, one that would put fear in the hearts of her enemies. She may not have been an Assassin, however she did carry out their work by removing the Order in Greece. This is black and white virtual photography at its finest. Fantastic use of shadows, and light to create a prestigious portrait of the Misthios turned Assassin, Kassandra. The Fire Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Shadmehrphoenix “Is it from here we launch our attack” The shieldmaiden responsible for the eradication of the Order in England must always be remembered. Eivor’s tale is long and less straightforward than some of her predecessors, but like Kassandra she has an important role within the Hidden Ones, even if she isn’t directly an Assassin. Just like the previous capture this shot exudes class, and once again the shadows play an important role dramatizing the shot. I love the torch though, the projection of light across Eivor’s face brilliantly showcases the Jormungandr tattoo. Fantastic virtual photography of the Norse raider lighting the way. Set Sail Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ RenanVP_Alt “An ocean lies before us, Eivor. And on its far side, a new kingdom awaits” Sigurd and Eivor’s relationship with Styrbjorn weakens after he seeks peace with his enemies. They grow tired of his lack of ambition and set sail for England to find wealth and glory. Eivor believes this to be a simple plan but little did she know Sigurd is being manipulated by Basim in the background. For me this capture epitomises Valhalla and the fact it is a Viking game at heart. The Longship looks beautiful here with the colours a delight on the eye. The scenery and the water is breath-taking, it takes me back to that moment in the game. Excellent timing to get Sýnin in the shot too. The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: Colum Blackett ( Col_96) : Community Admin for TOWCB For me, this shot takes me back to the Assassin's Creed Valhalla marketing campaign, and looks like an official promo shot for the game. I love how it shows Eivor during a peaceful moment in her life, before all the chaos that follows. Norway was particularly spectacular in Valhalla, and this dynamic capture brings it to life. There is so much momentum in this snapshot, all happening below the wings of Eivor's faithful companion Sýnin. The Raven Clan travelled far and wide, but home always calls them back in the end. Great shot all round. Valkyrie Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ m_nt_13 “You are unworthy” The Valkyrie were a selection of female combatants who took fallen warriors to Valhalla once they had fallen in the real world. When the warriors arrive in Valhalla they are turned into Einherjar for Odin to utilise. It is quite fitting that Eivor should wear this outfit as she herself is somewhat a servant to Odin through fate. This epic shot of Eivor in the Valkyrie mask is perfectly framed highlighting the faceless Viking walking through England with purpose. In some ways I am getting real Order of the Ancients vibes from this. I adore the detail and saturation on the mask, it just looks incredible. Sword of Destiny Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Sarokeye “Eivor. On our journey here, I had much time to think. On the ecstasies and agonies of our friendship” The brothers are a formidable partnership but Sigurd’s greed and Basim’s poison words are enough to leave this once solid relationship in tatters. Depending on your choices throughout the game you could reconnect but it would never be the same. This mind-blowing capture of Sigurd’s sword in the ground typifies the descent into madness. A once strong-willed leader of the Raven Clan, now broken by fate. The details here are stunning and the ambiance is so moody, really gives you the sense of doom. The details of the rust and dirt are so good, symbolizing that Sigurd has seen better days. A truly phenomenal capture. 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

The Memory Corridor #25 Released AC Games Versus History & Future Historical Settings Podcast Share 4 Jun 2023 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Colum Blackett Back To Database In Episode 25 of The Memory Corridor, host Gargudon is joined by AC community member and content creator AC_Landmarks for a comparison of historical time periods and characters portrayed in the games and real history, as well as a deep dive into potential future historical settings. Covering everything from the real life Templars, the Renaissance, the American Revolution and much more in between. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUQR9P2x2VM 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 - hosting the discussion based show “The Memory Corridor” - but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews and composing. He joined The Ones Who Came Before in 2019 for a merger, publishing new episodes - and reviving the show following nearly a year of inactivity - on our platforms, until phased out in 2023. Today, 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)

TMC Episode 23 Released Podcast Share 14 Jan 2023 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Back To Database Our latest episode of The Memory Corridor is now available for listening. Join Guest Host @ACLetsTalk (Declan) , and @Isu_network members @Gargudon (Gustav Poulsen) and @TheLordReylus (Michael Smith) on a retrospective of the original #AssassinsCreed game. On Episode 23 of The Memory Corridor, returning guest Michael Smith from TOWCB joins guest host Declan from the Let’s Talk AC podcast for the final retrospective look at older Assassin’s Creed titles, focusing on the game that started it all over 15 years ago, Assassin’s Creed. At the centre of focus is everything from the plusses and minuses of the game, its legacy, how it laid the groundwork for the franchise, to the other pieces of film and game media it helped inspire and much more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJmurgkppWA 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 - hosting the discussion based show “The Memory Corridor” - but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews and composing. He joined The Ones Who Came Before in 2019 for a merger, publishing new episodes - and reviving the show following nearly a year of inactivity - on our platforms, until phased out in 2023. Today, 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)

🔧 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)

Anthony Del Col Interview - Assassin's Creed Transmedia: Past and Present Interview Share 15 Feb 2020 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Our community admin Colum Blackett had the opportunity to interview Anthony Del Col, a writer and producer who has worked on Assassin's Creed (Titan Comics), Origins (Mini series) and the upcoming Assassin's Creed: Gold audio drama. He has brought to life characters in the worlds of comics, television, film, audio and stage, and is the co-creator and co-writer of the acclaimed IDW Publishing comic series KILL SHAKESPEARE. We would like to thank Audible for making this interview possible. Col: Hi Anthony, thank you for joining us today! Please could you tell us a little bit about yourself, and your work on the Assassin's Creed franchise. Anthony I’m a best-selling writer of comics, podcasts, theater and television and have worked on both original stories (like Audible’s Unheard: The Story of Anna Winslow and the graphic novel Son of Hitler) as well as licensed properties (like the upcoming comic series The Death of Nancy Drew and the graphic novel Luke Cage: Everyman). In the AC Universe, I was the co-writer of the Assassin’s Creed series (published by Titan Comics) that ran from 2015 – 2017 and introduced the character of Charlotte de la Cruz. It was a LOT of fun and I’m proud of the stories we created (diving back in the worlds of the Salem Witch Trials, the final days of the Inca Empire and Renaissance Italy). I then followed that up with a solo writing arc of the Assassin’s Creed: Origins comic series, illustrating what happened to Aya after the game. And this month finds the release of my latest AC adventure, Assassin’s Creed: Gold, an original eight-episode audio drama to be released by Audible, starring Emmy-winner Riz Ahmed. Col: How does an Assassin's Creed transmedia project generally take shape? Is there one core team or several working on different aspects of the project? Anthony: The team that I’ve worked with have been the people at Ubisoft Montreal, headed the smart and innovative Aymar Azaiza. They started out working with just the AC brand, overseeing publishing and other ventures, and now they oversee other video game franchises (Far Cry, etc.). They’re a great group of people there doing an incredible job shaping those universes. Col: One project that you worked on which really stood out was the Assassin's Creed comic book series by Titan Comics. How did you first hear about the project, and what was your reaction? Anthony: Myself and co-writer Conor McCreery were approached by Titan Comics. The editor at the time, Lizzie Kaye, was a fan of what we had done with our IDW comic series Kill Shakespeare and invited us to pitch for “video game franchise we’ve just secured the rights to”. We had to sign an NDA before they would tell us what the brand was, and as I was signing with one hand, with the other I was crossing my fingers hoping it would be Assassin’s Creed, one of my favorite video games of all-time. So, naturally, when they told us what the brand was, I was excited. Col: Do you have a favourite character from the comic book series? Well, the natural response would be Charlotte de la Cruz, the first-ever modern-day female lead in the franchise history. We had a blast creating the character. But I’d also like to give a shout-out to Tom Stoddard, the gruff, Wolverine-style Charlotte de la Cruz and Tom Stoddard from the Assassin's Creed comic book series by Titan Comics Col: Charlotte De la Cruz was a hugely popular character from the series. Did you ever see any of the fan art / cosplay projects created by the community? If so, do you have a favourite? Anthony: One of the greatest things I’ve experienced is when people create fan art or dress up in cosplay of characters I’ve created or co-created. I’ve been lucky that it’s happened with various characters, from Kill Shakespeare and now to Assassin’s Creed. I can’t say I have a favorite piece of fan art of Charlotte but I will say I was so incredibly excited when Ubisoft produced her hoodie and I was able to snag one for my wife. It looked so cool on her! Col: Each issue of Assassin's Creed had a variety of covers by different artists, all with their own interpretation of the characters. What was it like to work with talented artists such as Neil Edwards on the project? Anthony: Titan Comics did a great job putting together an incredible stable of artists to work on the series in all respects, from covers to interior art and more. In terms of Neil, he’s a prop and did some great work on the original series. His layouts are always tight and he really brought the Salem and Ancient Peru time periods to life. And on covers, we were able to some of my favorite artists to be involved, people to Sanya Anwar, Stephanie Hans and Stephen Mooney. I’m still pinching myself that we got them to create looks for the characters! Col: Looking back on the series, is there anything you would change, and what are you most proud of? Anthony: In terms of what I’m proudest of, I think it’s that we (myself, Conor, Neil, etc.) created a character in Charlotte that we were then able to pass on to the next team of creators. I’ve been able to tell four very distinct stories (the three with Charlotte and the one with Aya) that have interesting beginning, middle and ends, and yet play a role in the larger picture of things. In terms of things I’d change… I really wanted to tell a story of Charlotte and her grandmother in Argentina in the 1970s Dirty War there. It’s an era of history that not enough people know about, and I had come up with a way to tell a completely new and original Assassin’s Creed story. It’s too bad our run ended after three volumes and the fourth would have explored it! Col: Is it difficult for transmedia products set in an established video game universe to expand upon the story without breaking the canon lore of a series? How do you keep track of all that has come before? Anthony: We were very fortunate in that the team at Ubisoft (at that time Aymar as well as Anouk Bachman and Susan Patrick) would always let me know what fit and what wouldn’t fit into the larger AC universe. Many people think that it’s harder when you need to fit within an established continuity but I actually find it freeing. I like to approach all stories from a weird, mathematical perspective and if I know the constraints I can figure out how to work within them. Like a puzzle. Col: Another transmedia project that you worked on was the Assassin's Creed Origins comic-book mini-series. Had you completed the game before working on the spin-off series, and how do you think Aya/ Amunet differs from the game? Anthony: I was about halfway through the game when Ubisoft and Titan came calling to work on the comic series. They were obviously fans of the earlier series but had also read some of the solo stuff I created and needed someone to come in and write quickly. I jumped at the opportunity to do so and it was a blast working on it! Col: The series acts as a mini sequel for Aya after she leaves Egypt, and uses flashbacks to expand upon the events of Origins. How did you go about weaving Aya into historical events? Anthony: Well, the game already shows her involvement in the assassination of Julius Caesar, but they wanted to me to dive deeper into it and show how she became involved. And like many of these stories, what you think you see is only partially it. As a fan of Shakespeare I was pretty knowledgeable about Caesar’s death but this allowed me to play with a few “What if” questions and look at the story from all angles. Assassin's Creed: Gold (Spoiler-free) Assassin’s Creed: Gold is a stand-alone tale from the Assassin's Creed universe in which we meet Aliyah Kahn, a card shark and hustler who’s been dealt a rough hand in life. Surviving through her smarts and street scams, Aliyah struggles to get by until she loses big time to a mysterious older man, Gavin Banks. Her only option to repay Banks is to become an Assassin. During her training, Banks tells Aliyah of the centuries-old battle between the Assassins and Templars, imploring her to help him decode a secret message inscribed on an illegal form of currency during the Great Recoinage of 1696. Col: This month sees the release of Assassin's Creed: Gold, a stand-alone audio drama set in the Assassin's Creed Universe. How excited are you for the release? Anthony: On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d say I’m about a 9 (which means very excited). The only reason I’m not putting it at 10 is that I’m always my own worst critic and every time I listen to something I’ve written I cringe and think of all the ways I could have improved the dialogue, story points, etc. Having said that, Audible was able to wrangle together an amazing cast, and they did a great job bringing this story to life. I mean, Riz Ahmed is one of my favorite actors today, and to have him play one of the lead roles (the blind Assassin Omar Khaled)? I couldn’t have asked for a better team! Col: Riz Ahmed (Star Wars Rogue One/ Four Lions) and Anthony Head (Buffy, Doctor Who), who are new to the Assassin's Creed series. Were they at a familiar with Assassin's Creed prior to this project? Anthony: I know that Riz was a fan of the series, especially it’s historical fiction elements. And Anthony, who plays Isaac Newton, is a huge fan of historical tales and relished the opportunity to bring this historical figure to life. Col: Also listed on the cast list is Danny Wallace, a veteran of the series who has played Shaun Hastings in numerous games. What was it like to bring back such a popular character, and has he changed at all since Syndicate? Anthony: This was the other character suggested not only by Ubisoft but also Audible (the heads of the UK team there, Rebecca Fenton and Steve Carsey had worked with him on another project). Rebecca and I were in Montreal working with Ubisoft and when Shaun’s name came up, I immediately realized how I could fit him into this story. I got excited about the opportunity to bring back one of the fan favorites. Col: Gavin Banks (former leader of the Assassin Brotherhood) was first introduced on the Assassin's Creed Initiates platform, and has been mentioned in several of the games and books since. This is his first spoken role, so how did the team go about bringing such an important character to life? Anthony: It was actually the team at Ubisoft that had recommended inserting him into the story. I think in my original concept I had created a new “mentor” character for this tale and the team there suggested Gavin. I was obviously familiar with him and his place in the AC universe and I immediately said “yes!” to the idea. Because we’ve never heard him before, it was a lot of fun creating his character. He obviously is very charming but also very strategic. It’s always a fine balance to write for a character that’s leading the team but also intentionally not telling them everything (to protect them). Col: Did the team do a lot of historical research to create an authentic experience? Anthony: I’m not sure about the team but I know I did! I read a LOT of books on Isaac Newton, what London was like at the time, the Great Recoinage of 1696 and more. I also read up on the modern-day rise of cryptocurrency, as it plays a small role in the modern-day storyline. What I found most interesting was this period of time in which Isaac Newton, who is traditionally thought of as a scientist and thinker became a bad-ass Dirty Harry-type character, trying to rid England of counterfeiters. It’s a period of history that most people don’t know of and I’m sure listeners will find it all fascinating Col: The cover for the audio drama was released in November of 2019, and contains binary code behind the image. Are there any secrets to be discovered? Anthony: Secrets? I don’t know what you’re talking about… Col: Where did the name Assassin's Creed Gold come from, and what is the significance? Anthony: This series is about the importance of currency and the banking system. That sounds dry, I know, but both 1696 and today there are people trying to re-define what currency is (counterfeiting of silver coins back in 1696, and crypto-currencies today). Both eras have found their financial systems in strife and whenever that happens, criminals come out to play. In 1696, that’s a major counterfeiter by the name of William Chaloner (the Moriarty to Newton’s Sherlock) and today with criminals on the dark net. So when it came to titling this series, I figured that I’d lean in to what most people view as an ideal and valuable resource: gold. Col: Where and when can we listen to Assassin's Creed: Gold? Anthony: Assassin’s Creed: Gold will be available February 27th on Audible worldwide. If you’re a fan of AC, you’ll love this new take on the universe. And if you’ve never played a game or don’t know much about the AC world, you’ll enjoy this time-jumping story about Isaac Newton and his blind assistant tracking down a maniacal counterfeiter and a modern-day story about a woman trying to stop a large criminal organization from doing some shady stuff on the dark net. 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)

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 Côté, 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 Laferrière, 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)

Turið Torkilsdóttir is a member of the Isu_Network Virtual Photography team, and a moderator of our VP community. Back in 2020, she began sharing her Virtual Photography captures on Twitter, and interacting with the gaming community. In 2023, she joined TOWCB VP Team, and has been working behind the scenes on a number of social media and website strategies that spotlight community captures. She has also been contributing towards our VP projects, such as our bimonthly articles and showcase videos. You can normally find Turid interacting with community members in our Twitter VP community, spreading positivity and words of encouragement Previous Next Virtual Photography Team Turið Torkilsdóttir Turið Torkilsdóttir is a member of the Isu_Network Virtual Photography team, and a moderator of our VP community. Back in 2020, she began sharing her Virtual Photography captures on Twitter, and interacting with the gaming community. In 2023, she joined TOWCB VP Team, and has been working behind the scenes on a number of social media and website strategies that spotlight community captures. She has also been contributing towards our VP projects, such as our bimonthly articles and showcase videos. You can normally find Turid interacting with community members in our Twitter VP community, spreading positivity and words of encouragement Instagram | BlueSky Work

Michael is a close personal friend of the admin team who has worked alongside TOWCB for many years, lending a hand behind the scenes who is best known for his time leading the Rally the Creed video-podcast. In 2022, Michael stepped out of the shadows and joined TOWCB's Writing Team, where he explored game journalism by expanding TOWCB database, filling it with guides, tips and tricks and more. After a series of article launches, he joined TOWCB's Core Team, where he now works as a Strategist, overseeing major campaigns, establishing internal systems and managing charity efforts for the group. Previous Next Writer Michael Doyle Previous Partner Michael is a close personal friend of the admin team who has worked alongside TOWCB for many years, lending a hand behind the scenes who is best known for his time leading the Rally the Creed video-podcast. In 2022, Michael stepped out of the shadows and joined TOWCB's Writing Team, where he explored game journalism by expanding TOWCB database, filling it with guides, tips and tricks and more. After a series of article launches, he joined TOWCB's Core Team, where he now works as a Strategist, overseeing major campaigns, establishing internal systems and managing charity efforts for the group. Twitter Work

Wales Comic Con 2024: Wrexham Log Events Share 9 Apr 2024 Written By: Edited By: TOWCB Team Colum Blackett Back To Database We had a ton of fun at Wales Comic Con in Wrexham! It was great to see a life-sized statue of Ratonhnhaké:ton (Connor) on display in the Main Hall! Colum Blackett (@ Col_96 ) & Michael Doyle ( Michael_Doyle03 ) from TOWCB core team were practicing hidden blade techniques. Check out our video log on Tiktok or Youtube ! Until next time Assassins.. Safety & Peace. 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

New Assassin's Creed Shadows 1.1.1 Update: Full Breakdown Breakdown Share 12 Sept 2025 Written By: Edited By: Zephryss Colum Blackett Back To Database Ubisoft has finally launched the new Assassin's Creed Shadows 1.1.1 update on September 11th. This update includes lots of features and was also released before the Claws of Awaji DLC. Here is everything you need to know. Claws of Awaji Expansion In this expansion to Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you will discover a new island region dominated by the Sanzoku Ippa, a nefarious faction intent on uncovering the final Regalia. You will need to avoid traps and ambushes as you track the legendary Fujibayashi Tsuyu. Naoe will get a new weapon Bo staff to eliminate enemies with tactical efficiency. There will be New legendary gear, skills and abilities also await across more than 10 hours of additional content. New Free Story Quest: Go With The Bo In this quest you will join Junjiro to meet a legendary Bo Master and learn more about the Bo staff, a dynamic new weapon type perfectly suited to Naoe’s acrobatic fighting style. Upon finishing the quest, you will receive a Bo to use across your adventures. Ubisoft confirmed that the Bo weapon will now be free for everyone, whether you own the DLC or not. It was originally developed exclusively for the Claws of Awaji expansion. Level Cap Increase Ubisoft has also increased the level cap to 100 for the Claws of Awaji DLC, giving players more room to grow and additional options to customize their builds. New Hideout Upgrades In the new Hideout update, each unique building now includes 2 additional upgrade levels, bringing the total to 20 new enhancements, alongside 3 new Hideout levels. These upgrades introduce: Valuable bonuses that accelerate Hideout growth Improved crafting capability by making Gold more accessible Direct enhancements to Naoe, Yasuke, and their allies, making them more effective in both combat and exploration Advance Time of Day You will gain the ability to meditate and skip time forward to the next 6 o’clock (AM or PM) by upgrading the Nando to level 2. To activate meditation, find a safe location and hold the Up button (L on keyboard). Enhanced Gear Quality By upgrading the Forge to level 6, Naoe and Yasuke gain the ability to enhance their gear to new quality tiers: Mythic and Artifact. Once an item reaches one of these tiers, it can be further upgraded through eight additional levels to unlock its full potential. Epic items can be transformed into Mythic items, which improve their stats with each level, add a Boosted Stat if one wasn’t present, and boost non-legendary perks, including the one in the engraving slot, by 50% at level 5 and 100% at level 9. (For perks related to damage reduction, refill ration, ammo, or tools, this bonus is halved, capped at a 50% increase at level 9) Legendary items can be transformed into Artifact items, which not only increase their stats with each level but also gain additional Boosted Stats at levels 3, 7, and twice at level 9. Engraved non-legendary perks are also boosted, just like with Mythic items. These powerful enhancements are designed as long-term goals, supporting players through the increasing difficulty of subsequent New Game+ cycles and other upcoming challenges. New Project: Sanctuary Ubisoft has added a new project called Sanctuary to the Animus Hub. It includes: Ezio Renaissance Robe & Hood Eagle Head Kusarigama Rooftop Cat Pet Charm of Firenze Trinket Improved Scouts Upgrading the Study to level 4 now allows Scouts to reveal both Viewpoints and Safehouses. Discovering Safehouses is especially valuable, as it lets Naoe and Yasuke join the action more quickly by reducing their travel time. With the Kakurega upgraded to level 4, uncovering all Viewpoints within a province will also reveal the entire province automatically, giving players full visibility of its terrain and strategic locations. There will be no more fog on the map. New Anomaly Missions in Awaji With the release of the Claws of Awaji expansion, new Anomaly Missions will be available in that region, with one appearing in every schedule. These Anomalies will only be accessible to players who have the DLC installed. Additionally the cutscenes are no longer limited to 30 FPS on PC. More Information on Claws of Awajii DLC Here’s the new official poster for the Claws of Awaji DLC in Assassin's Creed Shadows. The Claws of Awaji releases on September 16 at 05:00 AM PT / 08:00 AM ET / 12:00 PM UTC / 09:00 PM JST. If you did not pre-order the game, the DLC will be available for purchase on all platforms for $25/€25 on September 16. Here are some new official screenshots from the Claws of Awaji DLC in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Official global release timings for the Claws of Awaji DLC in Assassin's Creed Shadows. What do you think about this new update, and how excited are you for the upcoming Claws of Awaji DLC? Share your thoughts below! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Zephryss is a passionate social media manager based in India who joined TOWCB's Social Media Team in Summer 2024 to help the team prepare for coverage of Assassin's Creed Shadows news and updates. Recently, he completed his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and is now preparing to take on a PhD. He loves video games very much, and since childhood has enjoyed playing various types of games in different genres He also has 3 gaming channels (Zephryss, Assassin Zephryss & Spider Zephryss) where he uploads gameplay videos regularly. Zephryss

Rally the Creed Episode 1 TOWCB Highlights Podcasts Share 24 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Michael Doyle Back To Database We here at TOWCB admin team have been overwhelmed by the positive community reaction to the launch of our latest project: Rally the Creed video podcast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fm3zWTQznA Each episode of Rally the Creed (2023+) will be released in three versions: Video, Audio and Transcript, as to create a more personal experience, and allow for viewers to enjoy the podcast in multiple ways. The second and most important change is host rotation, as we plan on getting different members of TOWCB Team to host each episode. We hope that this new and exciting structure keeps the podcast fresh, and helps it to stand out from other fan projects. The new series will cover a huge range of topics relating to the Assassin's Creed series, and give a voice to community members. For some, the podcast will provide the opportunity to step out of the shadows for the first time, and introduce themselves to the community, whilst for others, it becomes a meeting place for long-time fans of the series to discuss all things Assassin's Creed. In episode #1 , Col and Michael from TOWCB Core Team discuss Assassin's Creed Mirage, the new podcast format and choices in Assassin's Creed. Highlights 1 - Explaining the new formula. We kicked off our new podcast by outlining the changes we have made since it's original launch to make it stand out in the community. We are committed to giving Assassin's Creed community members a platform from which they can share their thoughts and feelings, in order to spark meaningful discussions. Here we see Col from the admin team explaining host rotation and our hopes of creating a social hangout for fans of the franchise. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/06e6c8_5caa468f7fa344b9927222b3a4a9ffe0/720p/mp4/file.mp4 2 - Why Assassin's Creed Mirage needs to be a success Michael and Col discuss the damaging effects of neglecting a marketing campaign, and the importance for Ubisoft to end the silence regarding Assassin's Creed Mirage and provide clarity on the current status of the game. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/06e6c8_a1325881fbb348f9ba0558a39fadf6c8/720p/mp4/file.mp4 3 - Assassin's Creed Infinity should look at adding content to older games. In this snippet, Col discusses the potential of the Assassins' Creed Infinity platform to one day become the home of all things Assassin's Creed, and add content to previously released titles to encourage fans to return and play. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/06e6c8_68fde5bd65e64dc480ffa73ad0b3a78c/720p/mp4/file.mp4 4 - Assassin's Creed Mirage needs to return to the roots of Assassin's Creed Michael outlines the need for Assassin's Creed Mirage to return the series to its roots, in a way that feels authentic and deliberate. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/06e6c8_433579f97eac407e9f042b4863a30553/720p/mp4/file.mp4 5 - Michael pitches the idea of an Assassin's Creed with consequences. Talking about the future of the series, Michael pitches the idea of choices and their impact upon the world. Should Ubisoft focus on pushing the series forward, adding meaningful decisions that have real repercussions on the game could change the series for the better, making players weigh-up options and think before acting in-game. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/06e6c8_e06a5f795cc84cbdb7f3a5341c8db015/720p/mp4/file.mp4 6 - Swear Word Censoring We conclude by showcasing our new swear word censoring, which aims to assassinate all cursing in a very on-brand way, courtesy of our video-editor FrameHoldPhotography! See it in action during this hilarious rampage by Michael listing the many problems he found whilst watching the Halo TV series. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/06e6c8_d4eba87b01b1493c8558e02517ea7000/720p/mp4/file.mp4 Thanks for watching! We had a ton of fun creating the podcast and we are striving to make it as interesting as possible for fans of the franchise. If you have any feedback on how we can improve, or simply want to join us for an episode, get in touch via the comments section below! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

In November 2025, Evil (AJ) joined TOWCB's Art Team in an effort to widen the variety of art styles on the team. He is known online for his versatile style, where he often uses graphic motifs and powerful color palletes. His mixed media art ranges from sketches, digital art, and illustrations. In late 2025 and beyond, Evil 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 his profile within the community and create a meaningful relationship with Ubisoft Previous Next Art Team Otamotts (Evil) In November 2025, Evil (AJ) joined TOWCB's Art Team in an effort to widen the variety of art styles on the team. He is known online for his versatile style, where he often uses graphic motifs and powerful color palletes. His mixed media art ranges from sketches, digital art, and illustrations. In late 2025 and beyond, Evil 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 his profile within the community and create a meaningful relationship with Ubisoft TikTok | Instagram Work

What we want to see from Assassins Creed Mirage Wishlist Share 15 May 2023 Written By: Edited By: TOWCB Team Colum Blackett Back To Database Here are the key things that members of TOWCB Team are hoping to see in Assassin's Creed Mirage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_Z1q9zpKNo Aaron Young (TOWCB Writing Team) Improved Parkour, Stealth and Photo Mode ''I would love to see Mirage replicate the Unity formula with its atmospheric City and excellent parkour. I would quite like the memory sequences to return so that we are able to replay moments without having to restart the game. If possible I would also adore the reintroduction of customisation that Unity did so well and Jedi Survivor has just replicated. I can’t wait to be a real Assassin again patrolling the rooftops. As an archer I really hope Ubisoft has reconsidered the use of bows. I understand that they can be a little over powering in a stealth focused game, however AC III pulled it off. It’s bizarre to think Basim would not use one. To balance the gameplay why not make arrows sparse like the last of us. An Assassin with limited tools is surely the best. Finally and most importantly for me would be the inclusion of Valhalla’s photo-mode. The love that is out here for Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography is phenomenal with many tags still trending long after the games have gone. It is clear that Virtual Photography sells games and keeps a title in people’s minds. There is a respect for the Assassin’s Creed photo-mode despite how basic it is compared to say Horizon. I am most at home with the Valhalla Photo-mode but would love to see: -More distance -Expressions -Poses -Outfit Changes -Day and night options -Custom Lighting -Save Camera Positions -Photo-Mode in cut scenes -Hide Characters -Close up shots Even just a few of these things would go a long way to pushing the Assassin’s Creed photo-more tools on.'' A mock-up of how Assassin's Creed Mirage could look by FrameHoldPhotography ActualSpider-Man (TOWCB Writing Team) Narrative Pay-offs, Isu Puzzles and Links to Valhalla ''The setups of Valhalla’s multiple cliffhangers deserve their payoffs. By that I mean we need to see William Miles and crew synchronize Basim’s DNA into memories for William to experience. We need to see the impact of a Reborn Isu teaming up with Assassins. We need to see the Modern Day fallout of Layla’s sacrifice. We need to learn whether Loki had forged that last recording Layla sent to “not come find her”, or if that was truly Layla’s final wish. And regardless of that wish, we need to see Loki chastise William for leaving his son to die, and explain to him that Desmond is alive in another plane of existence as The Reader. It worries me how de-emphasized the Modern Day has been in the advertising for upcoming titles, reminding me of the same happening to the parkour in the past, and I hold out hope for at least SOME Modern Day answers in Mirage. It also being centered around our new Isu ally, I crave more meaningfully intricate Isu Language puzzles, and not just using Isu transliterations to spell English words, but broadening the language with needed AC-centric words we don’t already have, like colors (red, blue, yellow, white), relationships (beyond “Mother/Father”, we need brother, sister, partner, enemy, ally), time (more than “day”), etc., that would bring a huge smile to my face! Of course, surrounding the historical portions, I’m wanting this “return to form” to be a balance of Brotherhood’s scope, Unity’s parkour system, and a mix of the RPG combats. Personally I found the thousand things to do on the newer trio’s maps to feel like meaningless busywork when they weren’t somehow connected to the overall narrative, where Brotherhood excelled. Unity should be the benchmark of AC fluid motion mechanics, and I’ve sorely missed depth to the traversal, so I’d like to see its return. And I did have fun engaging in different styles of combat with different weapon and armor loadouts in the recent games, so I would like to see that consistency stick around, but with preferably much less damage sponging. It is a power fantasy, after all! All in all, I just want to see how Ubisoft decides to run with having full-on Reborn Isu DNA being in Assassin possession, something the Templars have been attempting to do since Black Flag. Are we gonna see the internal struggle of the mind between Basim & Loki firsthand? Is Basim going to have his own regressive memories from the Isu Era to flesh out more of Loki’s backstory? Are they going to link Basim & Roshan’s history up to Valhalla in meaningful ways? Fingers crossed, I sure do hope so.'' Colum Blackett (TOWCB Admin) Improved Parkour, Alamut Castle and Smoke Bomb Crafting Pieced together using quotes from our new podcast, Rally the Creed #1 . ''I think Assassin's Creed Mirage is sort of meant to be like a stepping stone. It's like a smaller bite-sized chunk of a game and then a bigger game is to follow. Fans are waiting for a game that really is ticking all the boxes in terms of the pillars of the franchise. If you look at real parkour. They have to reinvent that whole pillar if you ask me. People who are free running. they do this for a living, they're performing moves never seen in an assassin’s creed game, and time after time it's sluggish in-game. They need to really look at the parkour in Valhalla, really. It's sort of set the framework for parkour opportunity. The opportunity to do parkour is excellent, but parkour itself isn't. You want to really move and feel like an eagle above the crowd.'' ''There's a lot of things that they could do that, even though it's meant to be a smaller game. They could really add some scope to it. I mean for example it's set in a region that we've not really seen before. It looks like it's going to bring in Alamut which is the original Assassin castle. So where you had Masyaf in Assassin's Creed I, this is like a precursor to that. So like a base for the Assassins, so is literally the birth of the Assassin Brotherhood after the Hidden Ones go into hiding. '' ''And the cool thing with that trailer is that when Basim uses the red smoke bomb, that's almost like a call-back to Revelations, where you could craft your own smoke bombs. And that's a mechanic they could bring into this game. You can put blood in it, you put gold in it. You could have people running in the street. You know, the the beggars will run after you. It's a distraction and that's great for an Assassin. If you hiding in plain sight, I mean, you literally have got something in your pocket that can bring the whole street to the other side and you can just sneak in.'' ''If you're playing like an Assassin, why not unlock Assassin robes and you'll know you're getting rewarded by the Brotherhood, and with this game Mirage, it looks like you start as a Novice. I mean in the trailer he's literally a street thief who comes from nothing who works his way up through the ranks, and every time he does a mission he could gain a different piece of equipment, or by doing more training'' Listen to the full episode below to hear our full discussion on Assassin's Creed Mirage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fm3zWTQznA Fr ameHoldPhotography (TOWCB Admin) Fluid Parkour, Replayability and Chain Kills ''I would love to see Mirage mix my favorite elements of the classic AC formula with subtle flairs of what we saw in the new RPG trilogy. A return to fluid parkour in tightly packed cities like we saw in Unity and Syndicate would be amazing, along with black box missions for key targets. The ability to replay missions and memories is also something I would really like to see come back in Mirage. There are so many key moments in Odyssey and Valhalla that I would love to replay, but I don’t feel like starting another game just to reach that one moment. I prefer the combat system and skill trees that were present in Origins, Odyssey, and especially Valhalla, and I would like Mirage to incorporate vastly different playstyles and builds for Basim. While I would like there to be more of a focus on stealth in Mirage, having the ability to spec out different builds for poison, traps, and range could be really fun. I would love to see Mirage bring back multi-kills as well—chaining kills in the older AC games was too much fun. Lastly, I want Mirage to include a more robust Photomode. Having the ability to change time of day, lighting, poses, and outfits would be amazing for virtual photography!' A mock-up of how Assassin's Creed Mirage could look by FrameHoldPhotography Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) (TOWCB Video Content Creation Team) Varied Gameplay, Levelling Up & Optional Objectives ''Really I’d just love to see a return to the old, pre-Origins formula gameplay and structure wise. This mainly means the return of memory sequences over quests, and more varied gameplay overall; everything from main story missions with optional objectives, side missions, collectibles, 100% total completion etc. Origins did everything too loosely, there was no real difference between main and side quests, everything felt quite repetitive, and more or less being forced to play side quests in between main ones to necessarily level up was quite a drag, and made me quite uninvested in the story. Speaking of leveling up, I honestly have nothing against that; earning XP and skill points, and buying skills to upgrade your character. It works really well in both Unity and Syndicate, and in other Ubisoft titles like Far Cry, but there it works much better as you level up and acquire more skills as you naturally progress through the story.'' Screenshot by Col_96 from Assassin's Creed Unity Joe (UbiCypher) (TOWCB Social Media Content Team) Return of William Miles, Hassan-i Sabbah cameo & a Notoriety System ''I'd like to see if William appears as the user of the Animus reliving Basim's memories, and an interaction between him and Basim out of the Animus, Mentor to Mentor discussing the future of the Brotherhood now that Basim is the first ever recorded human being from the past to actually have revived (except Juno) and the consequences over the rest of the cells scattered around the globe it could cause to learn about such information. Also, William learning of Desmond's consciousness being within the super computer and undertaking a mission to try and bring him back somehow would be beautiful. Of course, the birth of the Assassins as we know them to finally wrap up the whole Hidden Ones ordeal and perhaps a cameo in the very end or post credits of Hassan-i Sabbah (perfect occasion to make his physical appearance) in the first mandates of the Creed. I'm intrigued about the parkour since lately there have been statements about the whole Unity inspiration thing being dropped for a more similar movement set tweaked from Valhalla. Weaponry, gadgets, locations, architecture and sandbox traversal also appeals to me as I always loved to go to the objectives on the roofs feeling like a real Assassin rather than walking which we have had a lot of in the last three iterations. I hope the dye mechanic is also back as well as a notoriety system, along with an economy one too similar to the Auditore through renovations.'' Promo image for Assassin's Creed II Michael Doyle (TOWCB Admin) Impact upon the World, Economy options and Building a Spy network Pieced together using quotes from our new podcast, Rally the Creed #1 ''But I think yeah that that does touch on something as well which is what we don't see too much of in Assassin's Creed is how the missions are linear, so obviously traditionally you kind of stuck to a path whereas now you can kind of roam around and you can kind of leave the area to to reapproach from different vantage points. But we don't really see too much of missions, where your actions impact story. So, you know, if you go to spare someone's life versus if you don't. If you decide to assassinate someone, from behind, or if you try and take them from afar, we don't really see how that impacts the story. And I think that'd be quite an interesting one to see in the newer game. But perhaps you then hear the guards later on talking about the events: Did you hear, he was killed without even being seen? He was behind a painting, that would be cool because then it brings you into the world almost as if you're having this impact on the the NPCs around you. Be quite an interesting one to look at.'' ''That's why I loved Assassin's Creed II. Just the ability to build out this thing and then it makes you money that you can then use, and then reinvest it. I think you could, especially if we're looking back at you know, Mirage and the idea that perhaps, he's on the streets and he hasn't got a lot of to begin with, watching that transition as you play the character into actually owning things or being able to invest in things. Maybe you can buy your own market stores that make you money and then they could be lookouts. So then you can get letters saying, Oh, they've seen guards here or they've heard this and you know, building more of a massive experience in the city. I think that would be quite an interesting one as well. And I think, especially in a game like Assassin's creed, that's what they would have. They would have eyes on the ground. They would kind of have this network. They don't join the Brotherhood, butthey're out there sort of being the eyes and ears.'' ''That'd be a great throwback. If you kind of see, you know, that's coming in from each of these people. Not teaching them, perhaps, but, maybe giving them wisdom, giving them insight, the odd skill that you can teach. Then you build this whole experience as a player of the game, you feel like you're not just playing as one character. You're almost playing as a community. You're playing as if you're part of a movement. Against the enemy, not just you as a lone wolf, which some games do feel like, even though you do have people around you, it is just very much you versus everyone else. Be quite nice to have that sense of camaraderie.'' Listen to the full episode below to hear our full discussion on Assassin's Creed Mirage. Mike Smith (TOWCB Admin Team) Discovery Tour at Launch & Basim's ageing ''I would like to see a more in depth Codex for the history of the characters and locations. With the listing of a new Discovery Book Wonders of the Orient I am hoping that a new Discovery Tour will be available at launch, or released as a DLC. I would also like to see Basim age over the course of the story to see how he becomes the Basim we know at the beginning of Valhalla.'' Peter Strat (TOWCB Video Content Creation Team) Stealth Tools, Intricate Level Design & Improved Parkour. ''For me I'd love to see a renewed focus for the two of the three main pillars on the series when it comes to gameplay. Combat has received a number of changes over the years but the other two pillars, parkour and stealth, have for the most part, regressed in terms of depth and player expression. Parkour had many layers, allowed for player expression and gave you more control in the early games in the series. However in recent titles, this has slowly been stripped away. A lack of control, options and overall fluidity as you move through parkour sections in recent titles has really made me miss the prior games. Stealth is a strange one but the tools you had access too in titles like Unity and the readability and consistency of a game like Origins slowly fell away. Another aspect I'd love to see return is a renewed focus on locations and further more, more intricate level design. The first couple of games felt grounded in their cities and they felt like a "main character". Cities had depth and a level of connectivity that made running around the rooftops such a blast. Sadly that's been missing, especially in the RPG trilogy. From a story point of view, I'd love to see a return of target focused plot lines and sequences. Something about learning all about a target, how to deal with them potentially and getting to know all about their character has felt sorely missed in the last few games.'' Yasmin Page (TOWCB Art Team) Historical Events, Animus Database Entries & The World Feeling Alive ''What I’m looking forward to most in Mirage is seeing how they develop the world and tie Basim’s story in with the historical events of the 860s. That was something I really liked with Assassin’s Creed 2 (for example) — that Ezio’s story really felt really grounded within the Italian Renaissance and his actions impacted real people. It really builds into the idea that the Assassins and Templars have always been there in the background, pulling the strings and shaping the world as we know it. Following on from this idea, I would also like to see a return of the Animus database, providing information on the historical events, places and characters that Basim will encounter in game. It’s a small detail, but as I first got into the series through my love for history, it really enriched my playing experience. If not a database, then another Discovery Tour would also be wonderful. Also, like many others in the team have said, I would love to see a return to Unity style parkour and the stealth of the earlier games in the series. It provided a different kind of challenge to missions other than just combat (although that is fun in itself). Stealth and parkour are such intrinsic things to the Assassin’s Creed series, and while I have loved the more recent titles it was a shame to see them lose importance. Ultimately though, I am excited to explore the world they build. The environments of Assassin’s Creed have always been full of life and detail, from the NPCs to the buildings and the music, and I’m sure that Mirage will not disappoint. ' We would like to say a huge thank you to all TOWCB team members who contributed towards the creation of this article! 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

The Bold Assassin's Creed Syndicate Analysis Share 9 Aug 2024 Written By: Edited By: Hayden Bird Colum Blackett Back To Database ‘Assassin’s Creed Syndicate’ was released by Ubisoft in October 2015, and was immediately greeted with fan love and appreciation. This game was the next title in the long-running ‘Assassin’s Creed’ franchise, and it had fans excited because the historical setting of this game would be the most “modern” game yet in the series, meaning it is the closest time period yet to modern day, set during the year 1868 in London, England during the famous Industrial Revolution. This era in history was a great setting for the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series to visit, as ‘Syndicate’ had to change things up in order to accurately match the authenticity of London during this time. Previous games in the series were set further back in history, so certain elements of the era then were quite different from that of previous historical settings. Specifically the way people lived and acted during the Industrial Revolution. People did not walk around carrying swords on their hip anymore, so Ubisoft had a challenge to be different from the past games, while also making the game realistic to players. Ubisoft took a different path than what fans were used to in prior ‘Assassin’s Creed’ games, by still giving players the option to carry around and customize their weapons, but not sacrificing the authenticity of the era. Ubisoft introduced new weapons and elements to the game that made sense in this era. Instead of the protagonists carrying around swords and daggers strapped to their belt, they instead introduced weapons like cane swords, which were common during that era, having a large blade hidden inside a cane like one used for walking with. Ubisoft also brought in brass knuckles for the very first time, which also made sense in this era. Gang members and fight clubs used these weapons frequently, making Ubisoft’s attempt at historical accuracy a win for the company, and still giving fans the full experience of an ‘Assassin’s Creed’ game without worsening the experience for players and still being true to the Industrial Revolution in London. Aside from the weapons that were introduced in ‘Syndicate’ , Ubisoft also had to face the challenge of transportation. People in this era got places in different ways. Horse pulled carriages were very popular at the time, the majority of all major streets in the Industrial Revolution London were filled with carriages. So, Ubisoft brought the idea of being able to ride or hijack carriages seen throughout London, and being able to use them as destruction devices. You were able to ram other carriages to damage or destroy enemies pursuing you, or to catch the enemies running away you had to chase down. It was a breath of fresh air for the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series, as mechanics like this were brand new in the franchise. Ubisoft also had to introduce the important railroad system. Trains were all the rage in this time period in London, the railroads were used for everything back then, meaning Ubisoft had a challenge to implement this important factor in history into their game. Ubisoft took advantage of the opportunity and made the trains a big part of the game itself. A little bit into the story, gamers had access to their own train. It was a full on homebase almost, as everything you did in the game, a lot of it came down to your train. You could earn money through a safe on the train or upgrade your supplies needed within your group. It was a great deal of creativity from Ubisoft, as they had to face big challenges by being authentic to 1860’s London. Ubisoft also introduced the first dual-protagonist system, a first for the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series. Previous games had you mostly playing as one character throughout the majority of the game, so having the choice to switch characters freely at any time was a welcome addition to the series. Ubisoft also allowed gamers to play as a female protagonist for the very first time. This was significant as every prior playable main character in the games were all males. The two characters were twin Assassins Jacob and Evie Frye, who you could switch to either character at any time during the game. The game even had missions designated for both Jacob and Evie, meaning you got to use both of them equally in the story, and still have the freedom to play as whichever Assassin you wanted while exploring London and what the massive city had to offer. Many fans had been asking for years to finally play as a female protagonist, and Ubisoft delivered in ‘Syndicate’ . The template of a male and female lead-character in an ‘Assassin’s Creed’ game was in a way, a precursor to the future of the series. Each game following ‘Syndicate’ offered the choice to play as either a male or female protagonist, showing the importance that ‘Syndicate’ provided. Ubisoft also brought in a very unique addition to the series by introducing a new way to scale and zip across buildings and towers across London, a new rope launching grappling hook. This device was used to quickly climb buildings and structures without the need to take time to physically scale the walls. This was a very unique addition for fans as it was something unseen in the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series before. Gamers could use the rope launcher to escape combat against enemies and quickly disappear without taking too much damage or being outnumbered, and the players were also able to use this launcher as a zipline. If two buildings were far apart and separated, gamers could zipline across the two structures and get there fast without having to possibly encounter enemies and be spotted in your stealth mission. There were also unique things you could do while on the zipline, such as assassinating enemies from above. This addition to the game is still a fan-favorite feature in the series that made ‘Syndicate’ more unique than any other ‘Assassin’s Creed’ game. ‘ Syndicate ’ faced a hefty challenge for its release. The ‘Assassin’s Creed’ game released prior to this one, ‘Assassin’s Creed Unity’ in 2014 was met with criticism upon its launch. There were a significant amount of bugs and glitches that hurt the fan experience when the game was released. These issues put Ubisoft in a tough position. They now had to gain the trust back from the fanbase, and also had to deliver a relatively bug-free game after ‘Unity’ . Ubisoft had not been in this position before, so they knew they had to recover with ‘Syndicate’ as expectations were high and fans wanted to see a game that was well-polished and fun to play. ‘Syndicate’ , however, did in fact, deliver to fans who were anticipating its launch. The game ran and played particularly well when fans got their hands on the game in late 2015. ‘Syndicate’ also marks a significant timeline for the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series. It is considered the “final” game of the original formula that the series was created in. After the launch of ‘Syndicate’ , Ubisoft took a full year off from creating an ‘Assassin’s Creed’ game. This was a major decision from Ubisoft, as all games in the series were annual releases, meaning a new game was launched every calendar year. The tradition of annual releases in the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series began in the early days of the franchise. The last time an ‘Assassin’s Creed’ game before ‘Syndicate’ took a year break was 2009’s ‘Assassin’s Creed II’ . Which was released two years after the original game in the series which began in 2007. Ever since then, an ‘Assassin’s Creed’ game was released every single year until the break in 2016. Ubisoft decided to reevaluate the series after ‘Syndicate’ and instead of releasing a major game that year, they focused their time on the anticipated release of the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ movie, and also released a collection of remastered games in the series that were heavily popular among fans, which was always labeled ‘The Ezio Collection’ which was a tribute to the franchises most famous protagonist, Ezio Auditore, who had three main solo games to himself, a feat still no other game in the series has yet to touch, as Ezio is still the only main character to receive more than one game. So the launch of this collection of his three games were a requested bundle from fans and gamers alike. While 2016 was technically a year off for the franchise, it was still filled with great and exciting projects for fans to enjoy while they waited for the next installment in the series. ‘Syndicate’ still marks the close of the classic format the series had grown so accustomed to, because after the 2016 pause, Ubisoft rebooted the franchise with ‘Assassin’s Creed Origins’ in October 2017. This game was very unlike any previous games in the series. It introduced new gameplay mechanics the series had never seen, and created features like a new leveling system, RPG elements, an abilities tab where you can equip special abilities to give you an edge against enemies, and even the option to scan and examine your surroundings with your own pet eagle. These features were brand new to the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series, and for the majority of the fanbase, were a welcome sight. The significance of ‘Assassin’s Creed Syndicate’ still remains evident today. It was clearly the most creatively bold game in the series to date, and also the end of a long run of recurring mechanics and gameplay styles that the series had known for so long. Ubisoft had to be bold with ‘Syndicate’ as they knew the importance of the game, knowing they were under pressure to regain fan trust and to create a game that plays and feels authentic to the Industrial Revolution in London. It took a lot of creative gambles and choices to historically honor this era of history while also remaining true to the ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series and its fanbase. It's unclear if Ubisoft will touch on a similar time period again as we have seen with ‘Syndicate’ , or if the series will visit another era this relatively far up in history, but the importance and relevance of this game remains vital. Ubisoft faced a big challenge while creating ‘Syndicate’ , as they had many important factors to take into account while creating this game. To many gamers today, ‘Syndicate’ remains a fan favorite for the series, and clearly the boldest ‘Assassin’s Creed’ game to date. 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

2024 The Ones Who Came Before Logo Designs Revealed News Share 20 May 2024 Written By: Edited By: Thea M. Rivedal Colum Blackett Back To Database We are excited to reveal a new logo design for The Ones Who Came Before, created by Thea Marie Rivedal (@ MoonChildGecko) from @ Isu_Network , and is based on the winning logo design chosen by our community! A new look for a new era. Inspired by the Assassin's Creed Red reveal trailer, the new design prepare our audience for the future of the franchise, transporting players to Japan. We couldn't pick a favourite, so we let our Twitter community decide! Design 4 won and acts as inspiration for the more refined design. Look out for our interview with Thea Marie Rivedal (@ MoonChildGecko) over the coming weeks as we dive into the design process, and examine the inspirations behind the designs! Stay tuned here at The Ones Who Came Before for all things Assassin's Creed Red. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Thea Marie Rivedal is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan from rural Norway, who joined The Ones Who Came Before in 2019, jumping up to Art Team later in 2022. Thea is a skilled digital, watercolour, and acrylic artist, also having a knack for graphic design, having designed many of the variants of the TOWCB logo/insignia. In the real world, Thea also holds a Masters degree in Archaeology from the University of Bergen, and is one of the few members of our team to have a big Assassin's Creed themed tattoo. Thea M. Rivedal

2025 Assassin's Creed Community Fundraiser Art by Jebs Community Share 13 Jun 2025 Written By: Edited By: Jebs Colum Blackett Back To Database Check out this promotional piece of artwork created by Jebs from TOWCB's Art Team for the 2025 Assassin's Creed Community Fundraiser, which is raising money and encouraging blood donation to aid in the battle against blood cancer! Raise the hood to those who give blood. We are Assassins. GoFundMe 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: Heresy Breakdown Breakdown Share 1 Mar 2017 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Buckley Back To Database Simon Hathaway, member of the Templar Inner Sanctum, brings a cool head and detached manner to his new role as Head of Abstergo Industry's Historical Research Division. But Simon also has an insatiable curiosity, and is fascinated by the thought of experiencing history first-hand through his ancestor—Gabriel Laxart, who fought alongside the legendary Joan of Arc. When he enters the newly-designed Animus for its initial project, Simon finds himself unprepared for what he discovers: How deep the conflict between the Templars and the Assassins goes. What Gabriel will do for the woman he both loves and reveres. And the most dangerous truth of all: Who is the heretic … and who is the true believer? I was lucky enough to get an early copy of Assassin's Creed: Heresy from Ubisoft. Special thanks to Holly Rawlinson. A n endless conflict. An old wrong. A new revelation. Simon Hathaway, member of the Templar Inner Sanctum, brings a cool head and detached manner to his new role as Head of Abstergo Industry s Historical Research Division. But Simon also has an insatiable curiosity, and is fascinated by the thought of experiencing history first-hand through his ancestor--Gabriel Laxart, who fought alongside the legendary Joan of Arc. When he enters the newly-designed Animus for its initial project, Simon finds himself unprepared for what he discovers: How deep the conflict between the Templars and the Assassins goes. What Gabriel will do for the woman he both loves and reveres. And the most dangerous truth of all: Who is the heretic and who is the true believer. Assassin's Creed: Heresy focusses on Simon Hathaway, the new Head of Abstergo's Historical Research Division. Replacing the late Isabelle Ardant, Simon takes the department in a new direction.Taking his place in the Inner Sanctum, Simon is given clearance by Alan Rikkin to use the new Animus, in a search for knowledge that will benefit the Templar Order. My Thoughts: Assassin's Creed: Heresy is extremely well written, uses an extreme amount of detail to set the scene. Although the book looks at the Historical aspects in great detail, it can sometimes become slightly confusing, as many names and characters hold similarities. I really enjoyed the idea that the Animus could be used to find knowledge that could help the present day characters fix broken Pieces of Eden. Simon's proposal to Rikkin at the start gives us a fresh perspective of the many ways in which the Animus can be used. Recently, we have seen the same formula in Assassin's Creed games. Use the Animus to find a Piece of Eden. It was interesting to see a search for knowledge, rather than a search for another artefact. I was especially impressed with the many links to the Assassin's Creed: Abstergo Employee's Handbook (also written by Christie Golden). To finally learn the truth about Robert Fraser, and the reasons for his termination was truly satisfying. Often I feel that Assassin's Creed leaves a lot of questions unanswered, so it was great to finally know the truth. I also really liked the way Heresy made it clear of the date and location of each and every memory entered by Simon. Sometimes the jump between past and present can be confusing, in transmedia material such as the Titan Comics. Heresy made it very clear, helping the audience to understand where exactly we are focussing on. The fresh concept of an Assassin Queen was also a fantastic move for the franchise. Many times have we seen Templars in positions of power, so it was great to see an Assassin Mentor in such a high ranking position. The references to the Isu Precursor Race were also very interesting. The return of Consus, and the Sword of Eden made this book almost feel like a sequel to the lore provided in Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy and Clay Kaczmarek's Animus Glypths. I really liked the way Heresy expanded on previous lore. It's very clear that everyone involved in the creation of this book put a lot of time and effort into avoiding lore inaccuracies and contradictions. The AC Team and Christie Golden did a great job with this book. I highly recommend Assassin's Creed: Heresy, and rate it 4/5. Lore/Information breakdown Heresy gives us an updated list of members of the Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order (as of 2016. Right) The Animus used by Abstergo in London is version 4.35. No Spinal Tap is required. (pg 29) The Animus used by Abstergo in Seville (AC Movie) is version 4.3, and requires a Spinal Tap. (pg 30) Simon moes into Isabelle Ardant's Office, as seen in Assassin's Creed Syndicate. (Image on slideshow below) The Bleeding Effect apparently had a devestating effect of Subject 14. This is the first known reference to Subject 14. (Pg 24) Simon is a Professor. "Simon hid his annoyance. Although he was technically a professor, he found teaching frustrating" (Pg 25) Simon is also a Master Templar. (Pg 27) Warren Vidic is the decendant of Geoffroy Thérage, the executioner of Joan of Arc Possible reference to the AC Movie: "It looks a bit like something the Inquisition might have used back in the day, doesn't it" (referring to the Animus 4.35) (Pg 28) Joan of Arc could "Glow". Possibly because she had a high concentration of Precursor DNA. "But she looked- like she was glowing." (pg 42)."It's not as if she's a Piece of Eden given human form (pg 45) Reference to the Titan Comics. "There was in fact, a Templar effort right this moment to track down one Charlotte de la Cruz, who is rumored to have merely a tiny bit of the precious DNA" (Pg 43) Robert Fraser's fate revealed (AC Employee Handbook Researcher). "His body was riddled with bullets, and he had died with his eyes and mouth open" (Pg 53) Simon's Ancestor, Gabriel Laxart was trained by the Assassins. "Simon felt physically ill. Gabriel Laxart - his own ancestor - was an Assassin? Impossible! Simon was a Master Templar, a member of the Inner Sanctum. (Pg 88) Simon comes from a Templar family. "More than that, he was what was called a "legacy." Both of his parents were Templars, and his Grandmother had been one as well, working quietly in the background of Winston Churchill's war office. There were several others sprinkled throughout his line" (Pg 88) The first Sword of Eden is hidden behind an altar in Saint Catherine's Church. (Pg 97) "We are to dig behind the altar," he said. "And there, we shall find a sword" Father Michel Gabriel can sense the presence of the Sword of Eden. This ability to sense POE's is rare, and is an ability shared by the Assassin, Giovanni Borgia. This is likely due to a high concentration of Precursor DNA. "He could..... there was no other word...... sense it" (Pg 98) Piece of Eden 25 (Sword of Eden) is the same one that belonged to Jacques de Molay, Thomas Francois Germain and Arno Dorian! It is also the sword that Alan Rikkin has in his office. (Pg 99) Simon believes that Joan of Arc possessed some of the highest percentages of Precursor DNA on record. He also believes that she was influenced by the Precursor Scientist known as Consus (Pg 118) The Templars are using Pins to recognise each other as members of the Templar Order. (Similar to the Badge of Office used in Unity) "There was no secret handshake, pr code word, or anything that Hollywood would salivate over between Templars. The only identifying item by which they would recognise one another was the pin, and was an utterly innocuous replica of it available in the local gift shop. The trained eye could spot a real pin from its counterfeit, but generally one could never tell who was a Templar and who wasn't at Abstergo unless one was specifically informed." (pg 123) The Assassin Mentor was Queen Yolande of Aragon! (Revealed on Page 127) Gabriel uses his Eagle Vision to discover that a camp follower (prostitute) also has traces of Precursor DNA in her blood. He also recognises that she too has the ability to use Eagle Vision. He brings her to Joan, who, after speaking to "the voices", accepts her. She is renamed as "Fleur" (Pg 150) Simon begins to see strange symbols and messages in his sleep. "The teardrop shaped-sun etched into the stone wall of Coudray dungeon" (Pg 163) The "Voices" that talk to Joan correctly predict that she will be injured." Tomorrow, blood will leave my body...... here, perhaps, above my breast........" Joan is shot with an Arrow. (Pg 173) Reference to Sofia Rikkin and the Animus project from the AC Movie. "Rikkin stretched out his legs in the back seat of the Rolls, absently watching London zip past as he spoke on the phone with his daughter, Sofia, who was preparing for his arrival in Madrid in a few days." (Pg 183) Victoria Bibeau's involvement in the Robert Fraser incident revealed: Page 185 explains that she gave Fraser information that was then leaked to the Assassins. She did not know the goals of the Assassins or Templars at the time. Rikkin tells her that she was very close to being terminated, like Aidan St. Claire. Joan had attempted to escape using a Leap of Faith from a tower, but was caught as she landed. This proves that the Assassins must have trained her. (pg 233) Ending (Spoilers) Simon steals Alan Rikkin's Sword of Eden and Abstergo intellectual property, then escapes Abstergo by doing a leap of faith! (249) (247) "You are in possession of Abstergo property. Hand it over and submit to judgement!" Simon escapes Abstergo and sneaks into the Inner Sanctum Meeting! Otso Berg defends Simon right to a fair hearing. Simon discovers that the Sword of Eden needs another piece to work properly. He calls this "The Heart (260) Jacque de Molay had hidden the Heart in Coudray dungeon behind the symbols on the wall. Joan had kept the "Heart" in a pouch around her neck, and it acted as a power source! When Joan was burned, her executioner had thrown the "heart" into the river Seine. Simon managed to find "The Heart" by sensing it's presence at the bottom of the river Seine! By reuniting the Sword of Eden and "The Heart", the Sword once again works properly. Simon completely restores the Sword of Eden, and returns it to Alan Rikkin infront of the Inner Sanctum. (261) Otso Berg calls for all charges against Simon Hathaway to be dropped! (261) The Templars have a secret group called "Omega Team" standing by. Favourite Quotes "I'm a Templar, we don't have Hobbies," but she revealed that she herself enjoyed pottery and running marathons. (Victoria. pg 24) This Animus would not seat it's occupants. It would embrace them. (pg 29)The Animus was not a time travel machine. He was a pasenger, not a pilot, and he, like Gabriel, was here to bear witness (63) "That's because we're descended from beings that came before man ever walked this world. Powerful beings, with great abilities and skills." De Metz (96) "These.... beings, the Ones Who Came Before - They left behind artifacts of great power. We call them Pieces of Eden, and both Assassins and Templars have been trying to find them since the dawn of time" De Metz (97) "Our Brotherhood is not like the Templars. We value individuality, and do our own thinking" De Metz. (110) Thin ice, Rikkin thought. One way or another, we're all skating on it. But the difference was, if Simon Hathaway fell through it, he wouldn't just drown. He'd be eaten alive by what lurked below. (119) Well, well. An Assassin Mentor Queen, came Victoria's voice in Simon's ear. I believe that may be a first. (127) And for pity's sake Simon, be honest with me about how much you can handle. I can't have another Robert Fraser. I won't" (Victoria. Pg 165) Hathaway had been spared the necessity of the more unsavory aspects of Templar business, happily ensconced in his ivory tower while others, such as Berg's Sigma team or even deeper, darker branches of the Templar Order, went about clearing the garden of the world from weeds like Assassins, and turncoats, and heretics who wanted to upend the Order. (pg 186) A solid hand was needed to guide humanity. The hand of the Templar Order. (Rikkin's thoughts. 187) Pieces of Eden were about power. The Precursors weren't exactly the nicest of beings, and most of what they had left behind were definitely weapons. (206) "This is what the Templar Order should be!" Simon cried, joy and certainty surging through his blood. "A weapon when needed, and an inspiration at all times. A light for humanity when it needs it the most." Simon Hathaway (pg 261) comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Q&A with Nadia Verrucci Interview Share 10 Jun 2017 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Our Admin Col_96 and several Assassin's Creed Community Members had the opportunity to ask Nadia Verrucci questions on her Assassin's Creed experience. (Voice of Juno, Teodora Cobntano and Dilara in Assassin's Creed) Col: Hey Nadia, thanks for joining us today! Before we get started with the Q&A, could you tell us a bit about your work for Assassin’s Creed? Nadia: My work with Assassin's Creed has been very fun! I went in to audition for Sister Teodora, and then I didn't hear back for quite awhile so it was a really nice surprise when I landed the role. I thought an Assassin/Nun/Brothel Owner was a pretty kick-ass part! Somehow, that role segued into voicing Juno...I can't remember an actual audition for that, so I'm not sure if I went in or if it was just offered. I have a terrible memory! And of course, playing Juno has been so fun, I love that people have such different opinions and responses to her character. Col: Juno was first introduced in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, when she spoke with Desmond Miles. Since then, she has appeared in nearly every Assassin’s Creed Game. What do you like about playing Juno? What attracted you to her? Nadia: I love that Juno is a complicated character. I know that she's a main villain in the series but she's not a cardboard cutout baddie. She's definitely a manipulator - she has a goal and she'll do what she needs to do to achieve it. But what she went through with Aita allowed us to see a different side of her, which I think makes her so much more interesting to watch and portray. Col: How much editing is required to make Juno’s voice sound the way it does? Nadia: To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what they do in the studio once I'm done voicing. As far as I can tell, there's an echo added to varying degrees and (in later games) whatever effects they need to make her voice sound like it's coming through the wires/equipment. But it definitely sounds like my own voice underneath all that! Col: How many of the Assassin’s Creed Games have you played? Nadia: I've watched a lot of the cutscenes, and I've even watched some videos of other people making their way through various games, but I've never actually played one the games myself! Col: Did you see the Assassin’s Creed Movie. If so, what did you think of it? Nadia: Oh boy, everyone asks me that question and honestly, I felt a bit lukewarm about it. I thought it started off quite interestingly, but there was a "glossing over" of characters and storyline that I didn't enjoy. The look of the movie was great, though; the action and parkour was pretty amazing. Col: Juno was recently revealed on the Cover of Assassin’s Creed: Uprising #6 . Have you read any of the Titan Comics? Nadia: Someone else mentioned that to me recently so of course I went online to check it out! It's a pretty nice cover, I quite liked it. I've never been into comic books in general, but I think I'm actually going to pick a few up and give them a try; I love to read and having recently met many artists at the Utica Comicon, I have a new appreciation for the work that goes into creating them. So get back to me in a few months and I'll tell you what I thought of them! Community Questions Claudio Canfora: What is your opinion of the evolution of Juno through the differents games and other media platforms? Nadia: I'm not sure where Juno has appeared on other media platforms, other than perhaps the comics. As far as I know she doesn't appear in any of the short films, but never having seen them I'm not 100% sure. As for her evolution throughout the games, I feel like she was given a really great back story that not only helped make the FC storyline clear, but allowed her to be a nicely fleshed out character. She has been relegated to The Grey to try to regain strength, so now I'm just hoping she can break out and take over the world!! ;) Pan Demonium: How do you prepare for your voice acting role? Do you play the games or just watch gameplay, footage etc? Nadia: When I go into the studio there's only the text to work off of. I can't remember every game situation, but I think there have been times when I received the script in advance and instances when I didn't, but in the latter case it would've been just to record a few lines. Oftentimes while I'm recording they'll do what's called "performance capture", which is like motion capture but just for your face, so they'll use that later to help create Juno’s scenes. From one game to the next it can quite awhile, so I just go back to review where we left off in terms of her storyline, so that I can get back into the swing of it. Sorrosyss : Did anything directly inspire your voice for Juno? Nadia: I didn't really have any kind of reference point for Juno before I started voicing her, so I really went off of her text at the beginning. And of course, the writers and voice directors have input, too! I felt like the spirit of her character came pretty easily, I just played around with the best way to place my voice. I ended up pitching a bit lower, since I felt that sounded more grounded and commanding, and smoothed it out a bit for a more mysterious and hypnotic feel. I hope that comes across! Special Thanks to Nadia for taking part in the Q+A, and to everyone who sent in a question. You can find Nadia on: Instagram 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)

Madrinas Reveals Assassin's Creed Shadows Inspired Boba Tea Collection Merchandise Share 17 Oct 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Frame Hold Photography Back To Database Madrinas, an online specialty coffee and tea brand, has officially revealed its new line of Assassin’s Creed Shadows-inspired products. This drop includes Cherry Blossom Fruit Tea, Strawberry Matcha Milk Tea, and an AC Shadows-themed shaker cup! These three items are available in their limited edition Collector’s Box. Madrinas has teamed up with many other video game franchises in the past, including Rainbow Six Siege, Halo, Sea of Thieves, and Cyberpunk 2077. We are also excited to announce that we are furthering our collaboration with Madrinas over the next few weeks, as TOWCB team member Frame Hold Photography will soon be receiving an Assassin’s Creed Shadows Collector’s Box to try these two new boba tea flavors. Her review will be posted to the site and our socials very soon, so stay tuned! To pick up your own Assassin’s Creed Shadows boba teas, check out Madrinas’ website at: www.madrinas.com Madrinas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Txz12PSFNA 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)