Assassin's Creed Movie: Trailer 2 Breakdown Breakdowns Share 18 Oct 2016 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Minor Plot Spoilers below. (Our admin Col_96 has seen the first 20 minutes of the film, so has inside knowledge on the trailer) In this article, we look at the bits you may have missed in the new AC Movie Trailer. Joseph Arrested: At the start of the Trailer, we see Joseph Lynch being arrested for the murder of his wife. (Fun fact. The young Joseph Lynch is played by Brian Gleeson, whilst his father Brendan Gleeson plays the older version) Abstergo Pin: Alan Rikkin is wearing an Abstergo Pin. Abstergo Guards using Batons: The scene where Cal takes on the Abstergo Guards reminded me of AC2, where Desmond and Lucy are in a similar situation. The guards use Batons to immobilise. Familiar Weapons: The first weapon is the Star, used by Maria. This weapon was on display at Gamescom. The second weapons are Edward Kenway's Flintlock Pistols, from AC4. The third items on display are bombs, similar to those used by Ezio Auditore in Assassin's Creed Revelations. The fourth weapon on display is Jacob Frye's Cane Sword. The cane itself is missing, but the Eagle blade remains. Assassin initiation: This part of the trailer looks like an Assassin initiation ceremony. Could it be for Aguilar? Other subjects: When Cal is running around the Abstergo facility, you can see the other subjects watching him. Return of Lin: Lin is another subject being held by Abstergo. "Lin, a Chinese Assassin linked to an ancestor who "is well travelled and hardened by the struggles of life for a woman in 16th century China". Source Could Lin be a descendant of Shao Jun? Return of Moussa: Moussa is another subject being held by Abstergo. Games Radar previously revealed that he is the descendant of Baptiste, seen in Assassin's Creed Liberation. Abstergo Belts: All the Security Guards are wearing Abstergo Belts. Altair's Short Blade: If you watch the trailer in slow motion, and stop it at exactly 56 seconds, you can see a short blade that looks very similar to the one used by Altair in AC1. Could it be Altair's Short Blade? AC2 Animus: At 1 minute and 4 seconds into the trailer, you can clearly see the Animus from AC2 behind Sophia! Animus chord: We finally saw the Animus chord clip into Callum's neck. Looks painful! It also explains the marks on his neck we previously saw. Aguilar's Finger: We can clearly see that Aguilar is missing a finger on his right hand. Other images from the film show him with all 5 on his right hand. This means that a finger has been removed in an Assassin initiation ceremony at some point in the film. It also means that the poster showing Aguilar syncing a vantage point is wrong, as it shows him with four fingers on his left hand. Rope Launcher: Aguilar has a device hidden inside his gauntlet that looks very similar to the rope launcher used in Assassin's Creed Syndicate. What could it be? New Assassin: The Trailer introduced a new Assassin. Could he be a member of the Spanish Brotherhood? Throwing Knives: The Trailer showed us Maria using throwing knives several times. She's pretty accurate with them! Moussa uses smoke bombs: Blink and you'll miss it! Watch the trailer in slow motion at exactly 2 minutes in, and you'll see Moussa using smoke bombs on the guards. Likely the start of the prison break that occurs later. Assassin Insignia: At the very end of the trailer, Cal and Sophia are talking. Behind Sophia you can see the Assassin Insignia on the wall. Did you spot anything we missed? Let us know! 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: 20th to 26th March Community Share 28 Mar 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea 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 Thor Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Twisted95733554 What a way to start this week’s showcase, this capture of Havi dressed as the God of Thunder is truly magnificent. I love the edit on this shot, the blurred lines give a sense that he is flying through the air. The details are captured so well with every bit of that helmet shining through. For me this is a work of art, I would happily hang it on my wall. Red Hood Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ missroseplays Next up we have a wonderful portrait of Kassandra. This shot has an epic contrast between the black background and that dazzling red hood. Loving the shadow work across her face adding to the intrigue. The whole pose for me vibes vigilante, hiding in the shadows. The mix of Assassin hood and warrior armour works a treat. It’s just such a beautiful capture. The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week: Judge: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Taking the title of Photo of the Week this round is ''Red Hood'' by @missroseplays. A beautiful shot with a very cinematic vibe, that perfectectly captures the stealth and shadow of an Assassin's iconic hood. An interesting blend of colours, that perhaps also has a certain movie poster element to it. Wanderer Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ DawnX90 Up next this week we have Bayek wandering the desert. I remember doing this a fair bit in the early parts of the game. At the time the desert just looked so immense, and the scale of the map was larger than what we had previously seen. The contrast here between the sand and the sky just makes the shot. Nice touch to have Bayek walking, especially with the sand kicking up behind him. Gates to Valhalla Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Kaizen_VP Photo number four is so captivating. Without the tags this shot could easily be from God of War Ragnarok. I am really enjoying the perspective of this capture, everything about it peaks my interest. The door slightly ajar makes me wonder what is beyond, and I love the candles lighting the way. The tree overhanging is so ominous, almost giving me Yggdrasil vibes. Without question a perfect shot for our unofficial #Thorsday tag. A Quite Ride Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ UVioletra We end this week’s showcase with a beautiful shot of Kassandra riding through the woods. This capture is from a breath-taking set that tells the story of the Eagle Bearers travels across Greece. What drew me to this particular shot is the frame, once added it makes for a wonderful piece of artwork. Although I am loving the greenery, it’s that red on the helmet that really stands out. I can’t wait to return to this game now. 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

This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: 25th June - 1st July 2022: Origins Edition Community Share 2 Jul 2022 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the new weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week, we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for capture across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. 1) Adventure Begins Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins This week’s first capture comes from @ DawnX90 over on Twitter. Let’s start at the beginning, just like the first shot this week. I love the colours of this photo and the way it has been captured. It looks just like concept art to me, with its broad showcase of Siwa. I remember this scene very well and how I felt the first time I experienced it, truly breath-taking stuff. Siwa has to be one of the best looking locations in the game. 2) Vibrant Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins Photo number two comes from @ Salad_VP over on Twitter. This capture stood out to me the moment I saw it. In fact, both shots in this set were stunning and it was hard to pick between them. The positioning of Bayek, on what looks like a statue, is perfect against the backdrop of this incredible sky. It feels like Bayek has been teleported here through the spray of purple behind him. Full credit for playing with the colours to create this amazing shot. 3) Minimal Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins This week’s third shot comes from @ _Virtualtourism a member of our Assassin’s Creed VP Twitter Community. Photo number three comes from a must see set of shots. The minimalist nature of this capture is what makes it so exceptional. What baffles me is how Virtual Tourism even managed to see this moment in the first place. Wonderful timing with Senu flying just above the rocks below. I really like how the colours are toned down to give such a peaceful feel. Definitely checkout the other two shots as they showcase the simplistic brilliance of the Pyramids. 4) Bayek the Warrior Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP number four comes from @ missroseplays a member of our Assassin’s Creed VP Twitter Community. Photo number four comes from the Curse of the Pharaohs DLC. An overwhelming shot here of Bayek against a deadly foe. I like this shot as it captures Bayek in combat which is something I don’t see as often. The main man looks awesome in his armour with a stance that shows he is ready for anything, even something not of this world. This shot is all about timing and it has been perfectly achieved. 5) Goodbye Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins The final capture of the week comes from @ CosmosThief over on Twitter. I felt like this shot deserved to be the final selection of our 4 week Assassins Creed Origins celebration showcase. A fine capture of Bayek watching the sun set. I like to think that this is Bayek at the end of his adventure, finding solace after everything that’s happened. A beautiful final shot, thank you to everyone who has taken part. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Assassin's Creed Community Survey Results: Characters That Deserve a Game Community Share 31 Mar 2021 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Here are the results of our recent Assassin's Creed community survey, outlining the characters that you, our fans, believe deserve a game of their own! We would like to say a huge thank you to all of our fans who provided feedback! Keep an eye on our Twitter account for more surveys and opportunities. Results 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)

Quick-Fire Community Questions - Round 2: Damian (Damo_Kb8) Community Interview Share 4 Jun 2018 Written By: Edited By: Ashlea Blackett Colum Blackett Back To Database This week on Quick Fire Community Questions, we interviewed Ubisoft Star Player and Assassin's Creed Community Member Damian! (AKA: Damo_kb8) Ashlea: Hello Damian, thank you for taking part in round two of our Quick Fire Community Question series! Could you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Damian: Hi there im Damian, im 32, from the UK, and a massive obsessed fan of Ubisoft :-D Ashlea: Tell us a little bit about the role you play within the Ubisoft Community. Damian: I try my best to keep active in a few Ubisoft game communities, mainly Assassin's Creed and The Division communities but branching out to others, I like to try spread positivity within those communities, keeping those people smiling, as there can be a lot of negativity around and gaming should be a happy place of enjoyment. I like to offer help to those that need a hand, give out hints and tips, spread news about Ubisoft games, get involved with ideas and discussions about potential games, plus a bit of cosplaying :-D Ashlea: When did you first become involved in the Assassins Creed community? Damian: Well I used to be just one of those really shy people and just browse forums and websites but not interact, its not till I got to grips with social media and good internet a few years ago now (im showing my age) that I found somewhere where I can really express my longtime love and passion for the franchise and be able to show the world not just my dedication to Assassin's Creed and Tom Clancy series but to the whole of Ubisoft, meeting many players who share the same passion and love as I do, instead of hearing myself being called a geek and "im wasting my time/life" Ashlea: What is your favourite game series by Ubisoft? Damian: Hmm... can i say 3? My main loves have always been Assassins Creed, Tom Clancy's & Far Cry series. Ashlea: Do you have any Ubisoft related collectibles? What is your favourite item in your collection? Damian: Yes I have quite a lot which but since I've moved house a lot is in the loft but slowly filling up my desk with new collectables, one of my favourite items has to be my old Altair collectors edition Statue as right there that's where it started, I was hooked on AC. Another one I love is the Assassin's Creed Unity: Prima Official Initiate Edition that contains the chalice and a sealed scroll, and one of my favourites The Division collectables has to be the collectors edition art book from TITAN, its a thing of beauty! Ashlea: Do you have any rare or unique items? Damian: it's hard to tell what is rare as I've seen a lot of people post some great items, but I've got 3 Ubisoft items I've not seen many people with. One of them is a Promo hooded T-shirt for the original Assassins Creed, another one is a The Division Branded Roll of Hazard Tape, whilst the other is a beret from Tom Clancys END WAR. Ashlea: Have you attended many events through your Community activity for the Ubisoft brand? Damian: One of my favourite things is to meet community members at conventions whether that is at EGX or MCM comic con. I had the opportunity to get a special fan viewing of the assassins creed movie, that was special!, But E3 this year topped everything about meeting community members. Ashlea: How does it feel to be a Ubisoft Star Player, what does it mean to you? Damian: When I received the email telling me I was selected I was on my lunch break at work and literally my hands started to shake, started to well up, was totes emosh, was unbelievable feeling, and it all still didn't sink in till I landed in LA it felt like a dream. To be selected meant the world to me and for those that see me there you could tell from my face I was in the bliss, there would not be enough words for me to describe all the feelings I had and still have, my wish to those who selected me was not to let them down and show them there that they made a great choice in putting their faith in me, Ashlea: When were you asked to be a star player, and what was their reason behind selecting you? Damian: Still to this day im still unsure the real reasons, and for what game, i can only assume that as I try my best to support a number of Ubisoft franchises I literally got selected as a "UBISOFT" Star Player as a fan of all things Ubi, i do have a running joke with Oliwia that it was my AC Syndicate Socks that finalised that decision, for those that don't know I met her at EGX in September and I had 3 t-shirts on at the time (AC: Origins, The Division, Far cry: Primal) AC Socks and a Division backpack with multiple Ubi game badges on. Ashlea: What does being a Ubisoft Star Player entail? Damian: It involves being a representative of Ubisoft and or there particular game franchise, showing how passionate you are about the games and communities they create. Ashlea: What was it like at E3? Damian: Quite simply E3 was one of the best experiences of my life, not just the venue and the city, it was the people, the players, the developers and YVES!! I wish I could go back year after year and talk games with all those people again, it was just magical. Ashlea: How did you get to the event and who did you meet there? Damian: We had these shuttle buses that took us from the hotel to E3 or Ubi Lounge. The sheer amount of people I met was overwhelming, and would be a crazy amount of names to list but meeting the game development teams on AC: Odyssey, The Division2, Skull & bones, Starlink, Trials rising, BG&E2, Rainbow6, also a few legends of Ubi like Alix Wilton Regan, Zack Cooper, Magnus Sanford, Gabe Graziani, and Yves Guillemot just to name a handful. Ashlea: Please tell us a little but about your experiences at E3 and the conferences you attended. Damian: So the Booth at E3 was massive it was probably one of the best set ups I've seen at a convention, but quite alot of the other Ubi star players will agree with me on this one is the Ubi lounge we had alot of fun in there doing workshops with the game developers. Some of the stuff that got said in there was under NDA so cant really say what went on but it was just amazing being able to talk with the individual team members, chat about there roles and discuss potential future ideas on updates or games, giving feedback direct face to face as you play the demos. It was just invigorating to be apart of, on top of that is being able to meet those other star players who you might not ever got to meet, speaking with many from other games and seeing that we all had a common passion, a passion for Ubisoft. I feel blessed being apart of our group of players that were there, and I couldn't ask for a better bunch of people to share this experience with. Our guides for the whole thing were simply amazing. The team at Ubisoft Club were just the best, and they helped me in more ways than they all know, also going out of my comfort zone and doing interviews on camera was so nerve racking but I'm so glad i overcame my fear to do them. One of the best moments was getting to meet Yves and to ask him questions. I tried to thank him for giving the dev's the time they need to bring the quality of game that's worthy of Ubisoft, but i was a bumbling mess of nerves, never in my life would I ever of thought id be speaking face to face with the CEO. Ashlea: What was the Ubisoft conference like? Damian: The UbiE3 conference is as every bit you dream it will be, after spending years staying up late watching streams of it, being there in person surrounded by other great people was just mind-blowing. Ashlea: Are you excited for release of AC Odyssey? Damian: YES YES YES... I am indeed, I've seen a lot of negativity around it after getting back for e3, but after playing a very deep demo with many aspects of gameplay involved all I can say is that if you loved Origins then you're gonna love Odyssey! Many other gameplay editions that make it fun and enjoyable, such as extra bits for combat, more sea combat! Sharks!! Pitched battles on beaches, new mercenary system, these are just a hand full of highlights. I think it will surprise a few people, as we still don't know a great deal on the story but I can see us all getting ourselves lost in Ancient Greece. Ashlea: What promotions are you hoping to see from Ubisoft before the release of the new game? Trailers, cosplay, gameplay demos etc? Damian: I would like to maybe see a bit more info on the story, more on both characters, and the mysterious cult. Ashlea: Do you have any plans for future Ubisoft community projects/ cosplay/ art etc? Damian: Well before I went to E3 I was working on a Crossover Cosplay "#AgentCreed" a mix of assassins creed and the division in the same universe. Now i'm back I hope to finish it up, plus I'm looking to get involved with all the different communities more, in many different ways, hoping to join many communities together from different games, WeAreUbisoft! But you never know what's around the corner, hopefully, people have seen what I'm like as a person and see what I am about and it will bring about opportunities, I'm always open to taking on and trying new things and challenges, we'll see what happens next, only the future will tell. It has been a pleasure talking with you guys as always. We would like to say a huge thank you to Damian for joining us for this edition of Quick Fire Community Questions. You can find Damian on: Twitter Instagram comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Ashlea is the Editor/ Charity Project Coordinator for The Ones Who Came Before on its wide variety of social media platforms. Her main responsibilities for TOWCB involve creating and editing articles, organisation of events and coordinating our charity fundraising, as well as hosting the Rally The Creed Podcast. Ashlea Blackett

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 1st to 30th April Community Share 3 Jun 2026 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young RS (WonDerNooB_VP) Back To Database Welcome to the monthly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every four weeks we will be picking our top five favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. This theme has been run by the @ACFirstCiv Virtual Photography team. Every month we will be searching social media to see how creative the community have been. We will also be monitoring the hashtag and the community hub to see all your wonderful shots. @MrTom0fCreed is your judge for this month. He recently joined us as a social media manager. He has a talent for interacting and being creative which made for the perfect fit as a judge of our virtual photography showcase. Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured. Theme: Assassin’s Creed Diving In Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ 2oongamer.bsky.social The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Theme Judge: @MrTom0fCreed Tom That perfect dolphin dive against a stunning backdrop. What really stands out to me isn’t just the beauty of the scene, but the timing and presence of mind to catch something so unpredictable. It makes me think about how sometimes the most memorable shots are the ones that choose you, not the ones you plan. Aaron As we approach the summertime, I always reminisce to the pandemic and how Assassin’s Creed Odyssey took me on holiday to Greece when the world stood still. That is the beauty of this wonderful franchise that it can transport us to places we may never have the chance to visit. This capture is all about the timing and Bryan has certainly aced it. The angle of the dolphin with the reflection on the water is stunning. Additionally, you have the striking shadow work that elevates this photo to new heights. The gorgeous backdrop of a sunset finishing off this superb piece of virtual photography. Eagle Claw Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @charapof.bsky.social The eagle is symbolic of Assassin’s Creed and has been present since its inception. In recent entries we have bonded more closely through the companion mechanic. Although the famous eagle vision has been part of the lore since Desmond entered the Animus in 2007. I feel this image resonates with the Creed, the black and white image reminding me of the colour palette of the first game. The striking pose of Ikaros mirrors the identity of an Assassin when they appear from the shadows. I think the claws work as representation of the hidden blade. On the surface this is a photo of nature but when connected to Assassin’s Creed I can only see a portrayal of the Brotherhood. Kassandra Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @AkillesDHero The eagle bearer is one of the most unique characters in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. The decision to establish her as a mortal but then reveal her Isu blood opened doors to an array of narratives. Most notably when Kassandra met Eivor in Scotland. It is now feasible that she could appear anywhere in the timeline. This capture of her really gives off the Isu/Deity vibes. The crown on her head shows status and the white eyes actually look quite menacing. I do enjoy how well the details have been captured, and the portrait is nicely presented with those sparks projecting from Kassandra’s head amidst the sky-blue background. Light the Way Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @DaveWoodwardAC One of the things that pleases me most is how incredibly beautiful Assassin’s Creed Origins looks 9 years after its launch. That is a huge compliment to the team that worked on this game. I still believe it is the best of the RPG era, especially given the powerful performances of Abubakar and Alix. I think Dave has produced one of his best photos with this capture. For me the ambience and lighting are perfection. I love how the colours are working to create an almost concept art feel. All the figures are shadowy except Bayek who is partially luminated by that mighty torch, depicting him as the saviour of Egypt. Dream World Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @UVioletra There is no questioning the beauty of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, it is probably one of the most vibrant settings in the series. I think that is one of the reasons it has such a huge fanbase. Ultra Violetra also has a enormous talent for breath taking photography, and this is yet another example of her skills. I adore how exquisitely this photo has been displayed. The colours have an almost calming nature, and the water appears so inviting. The position of Kassandra on the rocks is elegant. You can tell she is in awe at the magnificent location. I especially like the bridge and waterfall combination; it adds a fantasy element to the photo. And that sums it up for this Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out the photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next time keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments (1) Write a comment Write a comment Sort by: Newest Mr Tom Jun 02 Really had a hard time judging those beautiful pics , every pic has its own charm ❤️ Really enjoyed being the judge , thanks to turid for giving me such opportunity 💫 Great article Aron 👏🏻 Like Reply About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Rally The Creed Episode #3 Released Marketing for Assassin's Creed Mirage, Virtual Photography & AC Netflix Podcast Share 4 Jun 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database We are pleased to release episode #3 of Rally the Creed podcast, covering Marketing for Assassin's Creed Mirage, Virtual Photography and Assassin's Creed Netflix. Note this episode is recorded before the recent announcement of AC Mirage's release date. In episode #3 , guest host Jack from ThePhotoMode E-Magazine joins TOWCB Team members Lisa Zaman (Portrait Artist) and Aaron Young (Writer) to discuss all things in AC. Note: This episode was recorded before the recent announcement of AC Mirage's release date. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn1nl8PpnMA comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Assassin's Creed Mirage Officially Announced: TOWCB Analysis News Share 1 Sept 2022 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Today, 1st September, Ubisoft confirmed that Assassin's Creed Mirage (codenamed Rift) is the title of the next Assassin's Creed game, and that more information would follow at the Ubisoft Forward event taking place September 10 at 9PM CEST | 12PM PT. The news comes after a difficult week for Ubisoft, with various leaks revealing different aspects about the game, but today pressure mounted significantly when a promotional image showing potential DLC content circulated social media sites. Copyright strikes were issued, but ultimately, the game was revealed through a series of social media posts at 5pm UK Time. It's always a shame to see leaks spoiling surprises, but we can't wait to learn more about Mirage, which for many will be a relief as the series looks to issue a hard reset and focus on stealth, a once fundamental pillar of the franchise. Could this Assassin be Basim Ibn Ishaq from Assassin's Creed Valhalla in his younger days? Analysis It appears that Assassin's Creed Mirage will have a Middle Eastern setting, and if rumours are to be believed, the game will centre around the city of Baghdad in Iraq. Going off the architecture I would say that this is probably true, meaning Mirage could act as a bridge between Valhalla and the original Assassin's Creed game. In the background we can see what appears to be a bustling market place, with the intended target, potentially being a Abbasid Caliphate solider. Going off the Assassin robes, we can safely assume that this game is set pre-Altair, putting it somewhere in the time period between 878 & 1165 AD. Everything about this image screams Assassin's Creed, but not the recent entries. Straight away the colour scheme reminds me of Istanbul from Assassin's Creed Revelations mixed with an Assassin wearing robes very similar to the Levantine Brotherhood. It's possible that the building in the background could be the Palace of the Golden Gate, the official residence of the Caliphate in Baghdad during the early years of the Abbasid Caliphate, as suggested by community member Arshak from Assassin's Creed Landmarks. If it is indeed Basim Ibn Ishaq, as the rumours suggest, he was a frequent visitor of Baghdad's House of Wisdom according to the Assassin's Creed Wiki. This Assassin has a particularly pointed hood, resembling that of an Eagle. It almost looks like a more simplistic version of the hood worn by Altair, lacking the sharp and rigid details but keeping the smooth cloth-like effect. I like how the blue undertones stand out in this image, as we are so used to Assassins mixing white and red. It could be that this Assassin is a novice, and that in this version of the Brotherhood, only Master Assassins are allowed to wear the red sash. It's hard to age the man beneath the hood, but I would put him at somewhere between 20 and 30, suggesting that this is a new recruit to join the Brotherhood. I also notice that this Assassins has very limited weaponry, supporting the theory that he is new to the Brotherhood. He would surely have to earn additional melee weapons such as throwing knives. Although I like the outfit, I would say that it is very basic, suggesting a lack of experience and rank. perhaps we start the game as a low level Assassin and work our way up to a higher rank. From the image we can't quite tell if the Assassin is missing his ring finger, as was required for early hidden blades, and also acted as a symbolic action which showed commitment to the Brotherhood, usually taking place during an initiation ceremony. Going off the potentially time period though, it seems likely that this Assassin would indeed have had his finger removed, as was the case with Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. One thing that instantly distinguishes this character from Altair and the Levantine Brotherhood is the Eagle companion, which did not make it's way into the AC games until AC Origins. There has always been a strong bond between Assassins and birds in the series, and looking back at early AC1 concept art, we can see that a young Al Mualim also has a feathered friend to accompany him. Here's hoping that the developers find a way to make this feature more useful in the games, as currently it has limited use for many players. It would be cool if the main character could train his bird to peck out the eyes of enemies, or drop stones or knives from above. Finally, take a look at the intricate wood carvings and decorative designs that surround the huge archway, which are typical of Arabic doorways in larger structures. Going off the designs, I would say that this soon-to-be assassination takes place in a meeting place such as the House of Wisdom or even a mosque. We can't wait to learn more about Assassin's Creed Mirage at Ubisoft Forward, so turn on mobile notifications and bookmark the site for more information! 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)

JemmaJamArt is a traditional artist who joined the TOWCB Art Team in July 2026, 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 comic book panels (manhwa), manga and chibi! Throughout 2026 and beyond, Jemma will be working alongside TOWCB's Art Team on a variety of projects, which range from creating art for fundraising, art projects to celebrate game launches and landmark anniversaries, and art pieces in collaboration with the social media team. By joining the AC Partnership Program, we aim to boost her profile within the community and create a meaningful relationship with Ubisoft. Previous Next Art Team JemmaJamArt JemmaJamArt is a traditional artist who joined the TOWCB Art Team in July 2026, 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 comic book panels (manhwa), manga and chibi! Throughout 2026 and beyond, Jemma will be working alongside TOWCB's Art Team on a variety of projects, which range from creating art for fundraising, art projects to celebrate game launches and landmark anniversaries, and art pieces in collaboration with the social media team. By joining the AC Partnership Program, we aim to boost her profile within the community and create a meaningful relationship with Ubisoft. Instagram Work

Interview with Julien Koch: AC Black Flag Resynced Level Design Director Interview Share 21 May 2026 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) TOWCB Team Back To Database We are proud to release the first interview in our new series dedicated to the development of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, featuring Julien Koch from Ubisoft Singapore, who works on the project as Level Design Director ! Originally recorded as an episode of Rally the Creed Live on Location at the Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Preview event in Paris, we have decided to release the transcript instead due to the noise levels at the event. Wallpaper by MR TOM Col: Hi there Assassins & welcome to a very special episode of RTC, Live on location. I'm Col, Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, and I'm also one of the Assassin's Creed Community ambassadors for the United Kingdom. We are an Assassin's Creed Community Podcast, focussing on content creators within the community, news coverage & everything else relating to the franchise. We're here today in Paris at the Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced preview event, where we've had an exclusive first look at the game, and I'm here today with the Level Design Director, Julien Koch. Welcome to the show Julien, it's great to have you here today. Julien: Thank you. As the lead Design Director on this project, I do touch everything in the world, making sure that all of the new gameplay breaks we push for this game are well assembled. That’s why we remain faithful to the original game. Col: How did you approach rebuilding the Caribbean world—did you prioritize historical accuracy, player freedom, or environmental storytelling? Julien: We did a bit of everything actually: there was a first pillar and the most important pillar was the faithfulness. We are not going to rediscuss some decisions that were made thirteen years ago, like the castle of Havana. That is a bit early for its time. I think it’s iconic to the location and how we wanted to portray the Spanish Empire. So we allow this little inaccuracy. They are part of the game. The second pillar was seamlessness. We really wanted Havana to be in the Caribbean, not behind a loading wall. And that’s something we really wanted to push, and all of the environment or storytelling, it’s something we finally do because we are nearly, I’m not going to say unlimited budget because the technical artist would kill me, but we could add so many new props, and these props , add dynamism , like stuff that you can knock around , like all of the debris in Havana you probably saw How the wind impacts everything, so it’s really adding all of this life , like the stuff you knock out when you do parkour on the balconies , that was something I really wanted to push , because it adds life, it reinforces the fantasy of parkour, combat and stuff, so we pushed a bit on every front, but we remained faithful first, it’s original. Col: How dynamic is the world now? Are there systemic events or emergent gameplay moments that didn’t exist in the original? Julien: So most of the systemic moments are actually on the sea. Where we have like enough space to explore a lot of things. We decided to be a bit more craft heavy on the new events that we introduce in location, like for example Edward always has something to say about every island he visits. There are new, what we call micro-events, in every location. Some of them allow like way more. They allow us to push , like all of the story, like how we tell more about Havana without betraying what it was originally. And again, explore how Edward feels about all of these locations. And yeah, obviously some small secrets here and there. Yeah, can’t wait for you to discover all of them. Concept art for Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Col: In the showcase, we had our first glimpse at Parkour in Resynced. Are there more Parkour Opportunities in the new world and has Edwards speed changed?. Julien: You will find. You played Havana right? But, be reassured that Nassau and Kingston receive the same amount of love. To make sure, like all of the parkour lines that existed are still there, sometimes slightly modified. We use the opportunity to be a bit, like, cheeky, reintroduce the zipline , that we feel like match the setting, and all. The speed, I think you saw some video already. People comparing the speed. Edward is quite fast, he has all of these new opportunities to go all around. Yes, I would say so. Col: How have the Tailing missions evolved? Julien: You saw it as well in the preview, immediately, We don’t want the failing on stealth to be our failure. We want to treat it as an opportunity to do something else, so sometimes combat, like the guy can directly attack you and maybe even find a note about the next step of the quest on him. Sometimes it will be like, chasing, Like a bit of old AC feeling of chasing using parkour, sometimes it's something else. It’s just failing the stealth gives more opportunity. I don’t want to encourage you to fail the stealth, but don’t worry, you won’t get like a hard failure. Col: Did the team ever consider moving away from classic eagle vision to the RPG style eagle drone? Julien: Not really, again that’s not something we feel fits Edward, so what we took is actually the observe mechanic from Shadows that we feel is very nice, because it allows you to spend more time looking at the world, so like, for more long range. You would be encouraged to use observe . Eagle vision is still very useful, especially for stealth, but in shadows I think , did like this very good separation of why you use the one or use the other, and it really helped you to look at all the love we poured into this project. Edward's new look Col: Did the team ever consider adding horse mounts to the game? Julien: Again, no, such wouldn’t really not fit the game, so Jackdaw is your trusty companion, like the second character of the game, behind Edward so no, the Jackdaw is the second star of the show. Col: What improvements have been made to naval AI and enemy behaviour to make ship combat more engaging? Julien: This part we learn a lot from all our experience. We went through Skull and Bones as well. It’s kind of like, the circle is finally complete. We also added like a lot of new opportunity for combat, which is like a secondary, secondary abilities, the abilities brought by the officer, so we had to ramp up some, some setting, I won’t go too much into detail about how aggressive they might be, but we took advantage of everything we added to make sure AI can react as well. Col: Amazing, Thank you so much, congratulations on the reveal. Assassin's Creed Black Flag resynced launches July 9th. Julien: Thank you so much. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

No Isu, No Magus: A Review of Assassin’s Creed: The Resurrection Plot (Light Spoilers) Review Share 15 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Colum Blackett Back To Database Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal ( Moonchildgecko ) from TOWCB Art Team . Revisiting the Assassin’s Creed franchise is a ritual for many fans of the series. Taking journeys that they have made before to relive memories of their favorite characters, remembering the ghosts of lost friends, allies, and even enemies as the scenes of defiance and choice defeat the overseeing hands of order and control once more. Yet, every tale comes to a close as the final page in these tales is read and players are left wondering, what next? Some characters are extended the opportunity of sequels, side projects, or transmedia tales to continue the lives of the Assassin Brotherhood Masters such as Ezio Auditore, Shao Jun, or even Edward Kenway in the foreseeable future. Following these characters from their origins to their final days is a rare occurrence that many have wished to see continue with future stories. Thankfully, there has been a resurgence for continuous world building with the promotion of the transmedia lines from Ubisoft and the Assassin’s Creed team. From the various novels and art books released around AC Valhalla, to the alternative stories from AC China, the unseen periods of the history are being uncovered. It is from this that I was excited to see the second novel of the Engine of History trilogy from author, Kate Heartfield. Assassin's Creed: The Magus Conspiracy and Author Kate Heartfield Last year, The Engine of History kicked off its trilogy of books with The Magus Conspiracy. This entry novel introduced characters Pierrette Arnaud and Simeon Price, an acrobat and soldier respectively that through their intertwining lives both found their ways into the folds of the Assassins Brotherhood and their place through the European Revolutions of the 19th Century. Being witnesses to some of the most newsworthy assassinations of country leaders (or their failed attempts) scattered through the 11-year timeline of this first book, while also meeting and working with historical figures such as Ada Lovelace, Emperor Franz Joseph, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The two worked hand and hand as Mentor (Simeon) and Apprentice (Pierrette) while searching for The Magus, a mastermind that was pulling the strings between the Assassins and their Templar Order for the end goal of creating The Engine of History, a device so destructive that the world in whole was at stake. This story reached its finale with The Magus defeated, and the Engine seemingly prevented from being created. *SPOILER WARNING* Opening of the Suez Canal - Fine Arts America Seven years later, the story picks up again at the opening of the Suez Canal in Cairo, Egypt. Pierrette is now a seasoned Assassin, working with the Cairo Brotherhood. While tracking a Templar target that is rumored to be present at a celebratory opera by where the Empress Eugine of France is also attending. She learns that her target has convinced the khedive, ruler of Egypt, to allow him to build a railway from Alexandria to an uninhabited space in the desert. From this assignment which prevents the death of not only the two leaders, but the hundreds of attendees, Pierrette and her fellow Assassins travel to the end of the Templar railway where she is reconnected with her Mentor, Simeon Price. He joins her group to investigate a cave that the Templar Order were tracked to by Simeon and discover a returning Isu Artifact that I never believed I would see again… but you will have to read the book to learn which one. Empress Eugénie de Montijo of France The story is split between the two Assassins as they work different leads to recover the artifact in question and also stop the construction of the Engine of History which is “resurrected” as a focus for the Templar Order. The two will continue to cross paths over the historical backdrop of the story which includes the Franco-Prussian War, and question their pasts and their trust in each other. Each faces challenges that are haunted by their actions as Assassins and is reflected in their personas as time ages them and the industrious period of 19th Century France, England, and Egypt. My previous praise for the level of detail that author Kate Heartfield had provided in The Magus Conspiracy is strengthened within the first chapter of The Resurrection Plot. I have been working on compiling a list of referenced media including historical books, plays, and films from the Assassin’s Creed series as I work through the entirety of the property. In just the first chapter, I had collected five book titles that gave depth and authority to the detail that Kate made with this title. In addition, Kate provided me with a list of books that she read in part, or whole while researching the history around the fiction of the embedded Assassin’s Creed story. By the end of my reading, I had made note of nine unique titles and the collective works (prior to a certain period in the book) of six authors including Victor Hugo, George Sand, and Emile Zola. Fueled by this excitement to discover more worldbuilding content that would allow me at some point in the future to get into the mind of an Assassin during the 19th Century, I was reminded of the relationship that Simeon had with his mentor and how the art of reading and conversation helped him teach Pierrette the lessons he learned as an Assassin’s Apprentice. Simeon reflects on the teachings of his mentor in times of confusion as he experiences isolation, temptation, and betrayal from outside parties. His demeanor is reforged under the pressure of these situations hardening him and drawing in the breadth of his trust for others. While at the same time, Pierrette reflects on the teachings of her mentor as she is faced with taking on a parental role with the younger members of her past life, something that believed to not have as an orphan, but rediscovers as a member of her circus troupe; her previous brotherhood. French republican politician Léon Gambetta (in hat, centre) about to escape besieged Paris for Tours by balloon, October 1870, during the Franco-German War - www.britannica.com “History is our playground” is the tagline for the Assassin’s Creed series, but the history of this book is no playscape. The Franco-Prussian War is a blanket period for a good portion of the book, the threat of war causing the countries to stand on edge, the depictions of civilians suffering under a government that has abandoned its people, and the undying spirit of a nation’s people as the world moves forward. Political assassinations in multiple countries are also set pieces for the characters, but unlike previous instances it's the people that the Assassins attempt to support while hindering the Templar’s elaborate plan for controlling the world through order. Seeing the world become more connected with new technologies and more importantly modes of transportation, the opening of the Suez Canal was in a way not only a catalyst for this story, but an example of how the age of history was shifting to the modern age. However, there is a retreat from despair that is explored much like Simeon’s time in Switzerland from the previous book, a sidestory of love and understanding between oppositions who tire of the neverending fighting. Tensions that some may have seen right away, or like myself, could see the direction Kate’s writing was going before the flower bloomed. The writing of every scene felt perfect as my respect for the leads and growing favoritism of them was rewarded, even if for a short period of time. Much like the scenes of war, the hopes of peace held strong in the face of opposition. With any Assassin’s Creed property, looking for connections to the other titles is something that fans look forward to finding. In the last book we found connections to Assassin’s Creed Syndicate and AC Underworld with the father of the Frye twins, Ethan Frye, cameoing while characters visit London. This was expanded on with Evie taking a small supporting role in The Resurrection Plot and the combined actions of the siblings post-Syndicate being applauded. Getting to see the twin’s life post Syndicate is a treat for fans of the game. When I finished the book this morning, I was extremely satisfied with The Resurrection Plot and what it did to continue the story of The Magus Conspiracy. Questions I had with the last book were answered and getting to read more of Pierrette and Simeon was something I was looking forward to. Whereas the first book had the feeling of AC II and entry to the Brotherhood, the second is reflective of AC Brotherhood/Revelations. That leads me to hope that the final book in the series reads similar to the final story of Revelations/Ember and blends with the passing of the touch that Ezio gave to Shao Jun. I felt content with how the book wrapped up and have a good feeling about the future of this storyline. The Industrial Revolution time period that was nearly exclusive to AC Syndicate, as The Last Descendants has a crossover story with the characters, is now expanded to include the lives of Simeon Price and Pierrette Arnaud and their work with the European Brotherhoods. Assassin’s Creed: The Resurrection Plot is by far my favorite piece of transmedia for the series and possibly of all AC titles. It is a book that fans of the series should read after finishing the first as it is well supported as a follow-up, but it can stand on its own as enough backstory is provided to new readers. For those that are new to the series, The Engine of History trilogy is a great introduction to the property as it is a fantastic piece of historical fiction that would stand out in any gamer, historian, or reader’s library. The praise I have for Kate Heartfield’s work continues to grow as her acknowledgements to the community that she has found a home in, as a fan-favorite writer, is heartfelt and a nice thank you. I wish only the best for her as she brings The Engine of History to a close. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Mike Smith is a collector of all things Assassin's Creed and a major supporter of transmedia who joined TOWCB as a writer from 2021 - 2024 With nearly a full library of Assassin's Creed media, his work explored the universe in order of Genetic Memory. Notably, his Assassin's Creed Timeline became an essential tool for fans of the franchise looking to complete their collection and consume AC media in a particular order. Michael Smith

Assassin’s Creed 15th Anniversary Celebration Livestream Highlights News Share 2 Aug 2022 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database On the 14th June 2022, Ubisoft held a special livestream celebrating the 15th anniversary of Assassin's Creed Some within the community unfortunately missed the stream, as only one day's notice was given, conflicting with already established work schedules. Here are the key points from our social media coverage, coordinated by Michael Smith . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fqkMF2Jp6s Social Media Coverage: The stream starts off with a opening of CG scenes from the full series, acting as a tribute, The 15th anniversary logo has been revealed! (see it below) Lots of content will be released in the coming months Assassin's Creed Valhalla New tombs will be added to conclude Tombs of the Fallen! Mastery Challenge Pack 2 to be added New FREE game mode The Forgotten Saga will be released in August. Havi will fight Loki's daughter in a rogue-lite experience. The mode will take place in Niflheim, the realm of the dead. Eivor's final chapter will be released by the year's end, and will also be free. Discovery Tour: Viking Age is now available as a stand alone title. The 60 FPS support update for Assassin's Creed Origins is now available for consoles, with a free weekend from June 16 - 20th. Assassin's Creed Origins tattoos along with a naval pack are to be added to the Valhalla, available this week (June 14th 2022) AC15 A new anniversary site is available for everyone. Link: Assassinscreed15.com Roadmap for AC15 celebrations released (below) Each week will be dedicated to an Assassin's Creed game. First up is a quiz for AC Valhalla. The better you do in this series of quizzes, the better chances to win Assassin's Creed prizes! Known as 'The Twelve Trials' Assassins Creed Origins can be downloaded now for the upcoming free weekend #AC15 website will host Fan Creations. Share your creations with the #AC15 hashtag. A 12-week Speedrun marathon known as 'Creedrunning' is also promoted on the site. Steps on how to participate can be found on http://AssassinsCreed15.com Additional links for the Echos of History podcast on Spotify, the new AC15 Fan Kit, Game Soundtrack for Dawn of Ragnarok, and a link for the Assassin's Creed Stories are also provided on the AC15 site. Lots of great content to catch up on while waiting for the new content! Origins Currently on stream are Youssef Maguid Jose Araiza, and Chastity Vicencio playing Assassin's Creed Origins' new 60FPS update and talking about what the game means to them. The Future of Assassin's Creed There will be a special event in September which will unveil the future of Assassin's Creed. Transmedia Community Developer Sebasteann Barradas hosts the Assassin’s Creed Stories Part II, 15th Anniversary Edition stream, featuring Conversations with creators of the Assassin's Creed Valhalla Forgotten Myths, Echos of History podcast and The Magus Conspiracy novel, as well as the webtoon sequel to Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag. Assassin's Creed Valhalla Forgotten Myths is the prequel comic for the Dawn of Ragnarok expansion. To speak about the comic are Alex Harakis, Narrative Director. For AC Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök & Script Writer for the comic Alexander Freed. Next up on stream is the Echoes of History Ragnarök podcast which is available on all streaming platforms. Clement Lesaffre, Producer and Co-Writer discusses this new series for #AC15 . Reveal: new podcasts for the Assassin's Creed Echoes of History are being developed! Assassin's Creed Black Flag Webtoon is up next, taking Edward Kenway to Eastern shores . Etienne Bouvier Senior Transmedia Content Manager with Ubisoft is here to discuss the content more. The webtoon format is being explained, having started in Korea. It is a format that is easy to read on your phone. On the subject of Edward Kenway, his adventurous spir it made him a perfect choice for this new story. This will be a seasoned and older Kenway than in AC4. The Webtoon is a serialized format, weekly release for 40-59 episodes for Season 1! That's a year's worth of Edward Kenway in just the first season! Kate Heartfield is next to discuss the Magus Conspiracy, the first novel in the Engine of History Trilogy from Aconyte Books. Summary of the novel given. Stream concludes. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Assassin's Creed Modern Day Discussion at BAFTA 2024 Breakdown Analysis Share 5 Nov 2024 Written By: Edited By: Zephryss Colum Blackett Back To Database During a recent conference held at the BAFTA 2024 event in London reported by Gamesradar , VP executive producer Marc-Alexis Côté discussed recent controversies and the balance between Modern Day and Historical story with regards to #AssassinsCreedShadows . Here are the key points that were made. Image source: BAFTA Games "While both Naoe and Yasuke's stories are works of fiction, they will reflect (...) the complexity and interconnectedness of our shared history" "Our team's commitment to inclusivity is grounded in historical authenticity and respect for diverse perspectives, not driven by modern agendas" "The current climate is tough on our creative teams - They face lies, half-truths, and personal attacks online." "Legitimate criticism" remains valuable but must be distinguished from "attacks driven by intolerance." "The modern day storyline will explore deeper themes of memory, identity and autonomy, how the past shapes who we are, and how controlling this past can impact our future" These themes will allow to reflect on contemporary issues such as freedom versus control, the power of knowledge and the tension between individuality and conformity "Ending Desmond's arc was a difficult decision, and afterward, the modern storyline struggled to find its footing" Image source: Ubisoft "The continued focus on characters hunting for Isu artifacts made the narrative more predictable" Series is entering “third period” in which the team's goal is to “put history back at the center of the player's experience” Thus, "the modern day narrative will serve to enhance, rather than overshadow, the historical journey by drawing meaningful contrast between past and present." "The groundwork for this new direction will take shape with Assassin's Creed Shadows, which will lay the foundation for this narrative evolution that will grow in the years to come.” In Côté's conclusion, "the answer to hate is to continue creating experiences that celebrate the richness of our world and capture the magic of our collective imagination because in the end, creativity is stronger than fear.” It's great to hear that Ubisoft are acknowledging that Modern Day has been inferior since the death of Desmond Miles, with multiple games stripping it back and others replacing it with cutscenes. We can't wait to see what's next! Image source: Ubisoft 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

This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: 11th - 17th June 2022: Origins Scenery Edition Community Share 24 Jun 2022 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the new weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week, we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for capture across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. 1) Scenic Shot Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins This week’s first capture comes from @ RobbyRose69 over on Twitter. First up this week is a stunning landscape shot. The scope of this capture is truly breath-taking, it feels as if you can see for miles. I like that this photo captures a lot of the varied environments of Assassin’s Creed Origins. The crops growing, the ships sailing and the random island in the middle of the water. Then you have the glamour of the pyramids and the desert in the distances. It really is an amazing photo. 2) The Colourful Desert Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins Photo number two comes from @ UVioletra over on Twitter. Following on from the first capture we have some more spectacular environments. I think what is so striking about these are the colours. The final shot in particular has such a great mix of dark and light, especially from that amazing sun bursting over the water. I think the mix of sand and vegetation is what makes Assassin’s Creed Origins so beautiful. 3) The Fire Burns Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins This week’s third shot comes from @ NovA1990 over on Twitter. Photo number three is so striking, I love the simplicity. These are the sort of shots I never really think of doing. The character of the capture is what draws me to it. I really like the tree line in the background with the dark sky. Obviously the fire is the hero of the shot. I can just imagine Bayek resting here on his travels across the desert in search of the Order. 4) Leaping Assassin Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP number four comes from @ TektoNickgames over on Twitter. This shot actually gave me Ghost of Tsushima vibes. What a fantastic action shot of Aya leaping from ship to ship. I am very impressed by the silhouette against the backdrop of fire rising from the ships below. The temperature and saturation here plays such a pivotal role. It makes me long for an Aya expansion to Assassin’s Creed Origins. 5) Coast of the Sinai Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins The final capture of the week comes from @ flyingfeather_g over on Twitter. Another magnificent bird’s eye portrait shot to end this week’s selection. I just love how realistic the water looks in this. It is amazing how you can see into the water and rocks below. I also adore the shadow of the sail in the sand. The birds and the ram on the beach have not gone unnoticed either. This shot reminds me of searching for papyrus rewards, although I usually end up beaching the boat on the sand. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Assassin's Creed Cast Reunion set to assemble voice talent from Valhalla and Odyssey News Share 19 Oct 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) TOWCB Team Back To Database The team at Podcast141 have announced that an upcoming livestream has assembled a huge collection of Assassin's Creed voice actors who provided performances Assassin's Creed Odyssey & Valhalla. Magnus Bruun (Eivor) @ magnusbruun Michael Antonakos (Alexios) @ michaelantonakos Melissanthi Mahut (Kassandra) @ melissanthimahut Gudmundur Thorvaldsson (Sigurd) @ gthorvaldsson David Menkin (Dag) @ davidmenkin Aron Már Ólafsson (King Harald) @ aronmola Boris Hiestand (Rued/Fenrir) @ borishiestand Craig Burnatowski (Glod) @ craigburnat Mike Kovac (Krauser from RE4 Remake / Expert Host) @ fightmikekovac Marwen Heni (Host) @ marwenheni The show, hosted by Marwen Heni ( VenomSnake141 ), is set to bring together a total of eight actors who contributed performances to Odyssey and Valhalla, including three main characters, Eivor (Havi), Kassandra and Alexios, voiced by Magbus Bruun, Michael Antonakos, Melissanthi Mahut. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/06e6c8_22b76abf5b7348ad8773ea52566996b6/720p/mp4/file.mp4 We can't wait to see the cast re-enact fan favourite scenes, tell behind-the-scenes stories and answer community questions! Check out the stream which airs October 22nd at 12 PM PT / 8 PM BST: VenomSnake141 on Twitch comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

TOWCB Recap: Reddit AMA with the Assassin’s Creed Mirage Dev Team News Share 13 Jul 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Back To Database Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal (Moonchildgecko) from TOWCB Art Team. The official Assassin’s Creed Twitter account announced this last week that the devs of AC Mirage would be holding an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit’s r/Assassin’s Creed on the 13th of July, 2023. Present for the AMA were Creative Director Stephane Boudon, Narrative Director Sarah Beaulieu, and Art Director Jean-Luc Sala. The Q&A session lasted for about 3 hours with 23k reported views (via Moderator u/WhiteWolfWhispers) and we have gathered and trimmed all of the questions and responses from the devs below for you to read in an easy and organized fashion. You can read through the full subreddit thread here . Game Development and Design u/WhiteWolfWhispers: Just curious, at what point during Valhalla was it decided to make Mirage a full game instead of a dlc and why? Sarah Beaulieu: Hi! We decided to make Mirage a full game in the following weeks after starting working on it. The opportunity of working on the city of Baghdad, and on the character of Basim, was too good to be missed! u/SparkedSynapse: Is there a chance of Assassin Focus being visually retouched to add more digital-artifacting, Animus distortion, floating text, and the like? Stephane Boudon: The walkthrough trailer was still work in progress and we continue to improve the visual of the game. u/andyreloads-YouTube: How long will it take in hours to complete the game (100%) & how big is the map in KM? Sarah Beaulieu: In terms of playtime, we are closer to the first AC games. u/SparkedSynapse: Is there any chance of quest replay or mission replay being made available in a potential post-launch update? Stephane Boudon: For now, Mirage has no plan for DLC or extensive post-launch u/Ras_AlHim: Maybe a silly question, but will there be credits playing at the end (unlike the past few ACs)? Sarah Beaulieu: Not a silly question! Yes, you'll be able to read the names of everyone who worked on Mirage at the end of the game! u/ClaudioACSy: I would like to know what accomplishment you're the most proud of and what is the hardest challenge you've faced during the development of this game? Sarah Beaulieu: I'm especially proud of the cast of characters and actors we gathered for Mirage. The talents brought passion and authenticity to the story, and I'm so grateful for this. When working on a complex and huge lore such as Assassin's Creed, the hardest challenge is to stay consistent, while creating bridges with existing lore elements, and new ones... This is key! Story u/NeedleworkerPure5092: The game is set in the period called “Anarchy at Samarra”. Then, why doesn't it include Samarra, Basim’s birthplace and the Abbasid Caliphate’s capital at that time? It’s the city where all of the caliphs lived and most important historical events happened. Sarah Beaulieu: The city of Baghdad was the center of the world at that time, home to many scholars and artists, so we decided it was the perfect place for our story. And back then, caliphs came to Baghdad regularly. We tell the story of the origins of the rebellion, and tie it to the Hidden Ones'. u/PapaSmurph: Why give Basim an Eagle companion when he had no such companion in Valhalla and Eagle Vision makes the Eagle companion almost obsolete? Sarah Beaulieu: Hello! About the eagle, and on the story side, you'll get an answer in Mirage on why Basim doesn't have his eagle in Valhalla… u/Sir-Fluf: Could you explain your decision to not include modern day within this game? Will we still see some in the future? Sarah Beaulieu: Hi, thanks for the question! As the game is more condensed in terms of narrative, we decided to focus on Basim's story during his time in Baghdad, since it was already so dense. There is a scene at the beginning of the game where you will have the modern day context, then the experience will focus on Basim's evolution as a Hidden One. u/fabled765: What is the approach to weaving philosophy into the story of Mirage? Does Basim seek liberty for all or just himself? Sarah Beaulieu: Freedom is actually the core theme of the conflict. Basim is torn between his strong will to bring back justice in Baghdad, and his own struggles. This supports the whole story and character evolution. u/NoTax20: Will there be any ties/connections to Origins or the Babylonians? Jean-Luc Sala: The visual identity we chose for the masks of the Order of the Ancients has a connection to AC Origins, which also suggests a presence of the Order during the Babylonian era. We also have in-game items that will definitely remind you of Origins. u/OlgaBaikova: Why did you choose Basim to be the main character of this game? We've seen the end of his story in Valhalla, and if this game becomes an absolute success, there will be not much left to explore about Basim's life in case of a sequel; unlike the mysterious other assassin, Haytham, whose life we know almost nothing about, and who is the "real deal", if you know what I mean. Sarah Beaulieu: Basim's origin story was basically a blank page, so we saw this as a great opportunity to explore his complex personality. He is the kind of character I love working on. How did he become the character from Valhalla? What happened to him? And as the team really wanted to explore Baghdad's history, Basim made even more sense! u/lillchicken126: What books did the team read to get ready for this period? Jean-Luc Sala: A lot, but Guy Le Strange book "Baghdad During the Abbasid Caliphate From Contemporary Arabic and Persian Sources" was a solid start for us. Historians, specialists of the topic, inside and outside Ubisoft helped us a lot. Gameplay u/yautja-hunter: Will there be assassin headquarters like in the earlier games? Also, can we train our own assassins and use them in combat? Sarah Beaulieu: Each district in Baghdad has a Hidden Ones Bureau, where you will report to the rafiqs and collect assassination contracts. The experience is centered around Basim becoming a Master Assassin, therefore he does not train any other assassins yet! u/Assassiinuss: Also in the gameplay walkthrough the player picks up a contract from a board - are those contracts handcrafted and limited in number (as in you can do every contract only once) or are they randomly generated out of a set of locations, objectives and other modifiers like for example the quests from the message boards in the Wrath of the Druids DLC? Stephane Boudon: All the contracts are handcrafted and limited in number, no random generation. u/SparkedSynapse: How possible and available are Ejects during movement? Stephane Boudon: For Parkour we are focusing on fluidity and control and building our own thing, taking inspiration from several ACs. Back ejects and side ejects as in the pre-AC3 games are not part of our Parkour system, but we put a lot of effort working on small details to make sure players have the best control on Basim. We are still fine-tuning the Parkour to reinforce even more this control and the feeling of fluidity and agility when traversing Baghdad. Abilities u/SparkedSynapse: If they have the resource for it, can a player activate Assassin Focus during any state? (Walking, Jumping, On A Wall, etc) Stephane Boudon: You can only activate the Assassin Focus outside a conflict. u/SixKeys: How does the skill tree work? Can we obtain skills in any order and ignore ones we don't care for, or do we have to buy certain skills to unlock the rest? Can we unequip skills and armor for a no-upgrades run? Stephane Boudon: We’re still fine tuning the skill tree. Skills are dependent on each other so you will have to unlock a path to access the next skill. You can unequip most skills except the ones concerning an additional tool we newly added. Armor/Outfit can’t be unequipped, but you can override them visually with a Costume. u/Ti2738: What are your thoughts on the backlash towards the new “Focus Assassination”, specifically towards the comments on how it ruins the game by being too fantasy-like visually. Is it too late to change the look of this ability and, in your honest opinion, do you agree with what people are saying or do you stand by how the ability looks currently? Stephane Boudon: Basim is an incredibly agile and efficient Assassin, and when using the Assassin Focus he is so fast that the Animus has a hard time keeping up with his movements - that's what we convey with the visual effect. From a game design point of view the Assassin Focus is an incentive for players to use Stealth, as you need to do Stealth kills to fill in your gauge. It is also a way to reward the player with a possibility to eliminate in a blast the remaining targets of a specific location. But using it is completely optional and it will be your choice to invest or not skill points in the ability to upgrade it. When triggering it, you will also have to be very careful about where Basim will end after the last kill, or you could be easily detected. Stealth u/SixKeys: Can you tell us more about social stealth? Can we blend with anyone or just certain groups? Is blending automatic or do we need to press/hold a button like in Valhalla? Stephane Boudon: You can blend with any civilians in AC Mirage (except children) as soon as you have three people in Basim’s vicinity, however you can also trigger a patrol blending. Equipment u/BrunoHM: Outside of the 6 tools shown, are there more to be revealed? Could we get more examples of how we can change their properties? Stephane Boudon: Yes, Basim will be able to access 3 tiers for each of the five tools he will unlock (Torch is not upgradable). Each tier will allow you to choose a new modifier. For instance, a smoke bomb can be turned into a healing vapor refilling Basim’s health or throwing knife can be charged to deal more damage. u/Assassiinuss: In the gameplay walkthrough it is said that tools will get branching upgrades - are those choices permanent or can they be swapped/rolled back? Stephane Boudon: You can roll back or swap those upgrades at the bureau if you want. u/MedicinalM1Abrams: What differentiates costumes from outfits? Are they disguises that the player can wear to better blend in and sneak into enemy compounds(like a guard costume that lets Basim walk right through the front gates of a restricted area?) Jean-Luc Sala: Costumes are official costumes Basim would wear in "real life" (like the assassins costumes) and outfits are to player discretion. You can dye the outfits and not the costumes. In certain circumstances the game will require [you] to wear some specific costumes in order to infiltrate a location. Outfit[s] give you specific perks. u/Enviromental-Crew66: Will there be an option to toggle Basim's hood during gameplay? Either like Valhalla with a quick access wheel or in Origins with a menu button? Stephane Boudon: No, you can’t do it. For us, Basim is a predator that must remain hidden. It was for us natural that Basim keeps his hood on every time he’s on [a] mission in Baghdad like Altair will do later. Of course, you will be able to witness Basim without his hood in bureaus or when Basim is with his fellow Hidden Ones. u/MedicinalM1Abrams: What exactly are talismans meant to be? Do they have any tangible gameplay benefit or are they trophies/trinkets taken from any one of Basims targets that we can wear for further aesthetic customization? Sarah Beaulieu: The talismans are cosmetic only! But I can already tell you that some of them are well hidden in the world… u/andyreloads-YouTube: Is there an ISU armor set to obtain in Mirage? Sarah Beaulieu: About the Isu elements, we definitely have some surprises in store! Exploration u/BrunoHM: After the prologue, how much freedom do we have in regards to the main targets and map exploration? Will our Rank restrict us in the same way "Levels" or "Power" would? Stephane Boudon: The first target is mandatory in Baghdad after that you’ll be free to start your investigation in one of the 3 other bureaus of Baghdad. u/BrunoHM: Exploration-wise, are you using Valhalla's Artifacts, Mysteries and Wealth? What type of activities, and rewards, will we find around Baghdad and Alamut? Stephane Boudon: Like in AC Valhalla you will be able to discover unique world events, treasure maps and loot but we have also new specific activities, such as pickpocket contracts and roaming target to tackle inside the world. u/BusyBizBusyBiz: Even if the main story is shorter than previous installments, will we be able to keep playing with challenges and exploration? In the same vein, is there a new game plus planned for this release? Sarah Beaulieu: Apart from the main story, you will encounter world events as you explore Baghdad and its surroundings: you will meet characters and experience short narrative moments! You will also have assassination contracts that you will collect from the Hidden Ones Bureau, as well as world activities. All of them support either the world, the lore, or Basim's characterization. World & Environment u/Max-full: How did you reconstruct the city of Baghdad during this period ? Was it difficult? Jean-Luc Sala: Was it difficult ? Well bringing back to life a lost city is for sure always a challenge. Historians inside and outside Ubisoft were a great help. We will give details on this topic in our next Dev Diary. We based our work on Guy LeStrange['s] incredible book about Baghdad. The map of Baghdad in the game is very close to the Le Strange reconstruction. Le Strange book : Baghdad during the Abbasid Caliphate. u/neelabh2818: How dense is the city? Jean-Luc Sala: The city is very, very large. From an urbanistic point of view : it depends on the district, we have some intricate streets in the poor districts like in the city of Anbar and the workers district. Some other areas have large avenues. You will have the feelings of Mazes in the Round City. From a population point of view: you can expect more people in the commercial district of Karkh. u/Ras_AlHim: How different are the districts of Baghdad visually, what makes them unique? Jean-Luc Sala: The type of people and activities to be found in each city will affect their look and feel. Each District surrounding the Round City has a dedicated role. One is mostly industry and workers houses, the other is dedicated to trading and the last is about knowledge and science. You can expect very typical landmarks for each, [such] as factories, Great Mosque, Prison, Grand Bazaar, sellers streets and markets, Pharmacy, Hospital (Bimaristan), House of Wisdom, to name a few. The heart of the empire is the Round City and you can expect in this specific part of the city, the most exquisite display of Abbasid architecture and gardens, Administrations, Harem, a zoo and the Caliphal Palace at the very centre of the City. u/norranradd: What part of Baghdad did you enjoy building the most, or what part of the city is the most beautiful? Jean-Luc Sala: It's hard to choose :) I love the reconstruction of Dur-Kurigalzu (An ancient Ziggurat) and the southern marshes with flocks of Flamingos. The Western movie vibes of the Nestorian monastery is also one of my fav places. Of course the jewel of the empire is the round city, but the vibes in the bazaar district and the district of wisdom are really places I love to wander. As you see, it's hard to choose. :) Game Options & Modes u/SparkedSynapse: Was the Quick-Save feature visible in recent screenshots of the Inventory screen made available due to the consideration that Mirage leans harder on Stealth, and thus more punishing combat than Assassin's Creed previously has in many years? Stephane Boudon: In a way, we noticed stealth players love quick saving and we decided to make it more accessible. The game difficulty is a factor of course. u/SparkedSynapse: How does the Quick-Save feature work, and how "reliable" is loading your Quick-Save? In Origins, Odyssey and Valhalla for example, loading a save sometimes caused guards to be mispositioned or for guards "killed in a previous timeline" (IE, killed before you loaded the save) to still be dead. How "bulletproof" do you feel Quick-Save is? Are there important limitations for us to be aware of, with this feature? Stephane Boudon: This is part of our debug process, and we are committed to give you the best level of quality for AC Mirage. u/virtualtourism: Will there be a photomode to capture Basim and Baghdad? Will it be improved from the previous titles to have a photo mode? Jean-Luc Sala: Yes we still use the photo mode and you will have a lot of opportunities as Baghdad and surroundings are really visually stunning. You can also try to photo safari the now extinct Arabian Ostriches. We'll have the same feature set as for ACV, but you will also be able to play in-game (and capture shots through Photomode) with our AC1 nostalgic filter. u/Moon_Logic: Will there be a Discovery Tour or at least a no enemies free roam mode? How hard was it to recreate a city that was destroyed so long ago? Is accuracy even possible? Jean-Luc Sala: The recently announced feature "History of Baghdad" is our way to bring the historical content forward in your game experience. It felt important to us to share all the historical research and knowledge that went into the making of the game. Even if the city was destroyed in the 13th century, a lot of information can be found about [the] city . The reconstruction started with us learning the architectural Abbasid style in order to find back "the spirit of Baghdad". Bringing back the codex is also part of our "back to the roots" overall take on the game :) So what are your thoughts on what we learned today? Share your thoughts here or on our @ ACFirstCiv Twitter and on Facebook. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Mike Smith is a collector of all things Assassin's Creed and a major supporter of transmedia who joined TOWCB as a writer from 2021 - 2024 With nearly a full library of Assassin's Creed media, his work explored the universe in order of Genetic Memory. Notably, his Assassin's Creed Timeline became an essential tool for fans of the franchise looking to complete their collection and consume AC media in a particular order. Michael Smith

Assassin's Creed Codename Hexe Theories Theory Share 27 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: ActualSpider-Man Colum Blackett Back To Database Let’s Revisit & Reanalyze What We Know on Codename Hexe Some of you may remember u/bool0011’s original Reddit post about some of this a few months ago, but if not, I wanna get deep into the weeds of what Access The Animus assumed early on, and what else has come to light. Things we the always questioning should take into account when looking at the decoding of the Official Logo, and what it might mean for the game on the way, albeit far from now! AtA did somewhat reveal most of the secrets hidden within, with their early access to the trailer allowing them to get out in front of the pack the day of the Ubisoft Forward. While they were correct in much of their findings, we can thank @ AC_Mac for their infographic translation and u/bool0011 for their more astute directions towards where and when we might be visiting in game, along with a commenter on their video sharing some interesting inputs regarding German history! As you might know, the AC Hexe logo contained several secret messages hidden around what’s called a Pentacle. The star inside that circle in the Hexe logo is the *Seventh Pentacle of Mars* from the book called The Key of Solomon, or Clavicus Salomonis in Latin. The symbols chalked inside each leaf of the pentacle and around the outside used a form of The Alphabet of the Magi, and we really should look into the front page for said alphabet on Wikipedia: “The Alphabet of the Magi is the modern name of a variant of the Hebrew alphabet used for inscriptions in talismans in 17th-century occultism. ... It is based on a variant of the Semitic alphabet given by Theseus Ambrosius (1469–1540) in his introduction in chaldaicam linguam (1539, pp. 202f.) ...Ambrosius here simply gives variant glyphs of the Hebrew alphabet, labelled Aleph, Beth, Gimel, Daleth, He, Vau, Zain, Hhet, Teth, Iod, Caph, Lamed, Mem, Nun, Samech, Ain, Phe, Zadai, Coph, Res, Sin, Thau. The alphabet is different from the other variants of the Semitic abjad given by Ambrosius in that he mentions that these letters are said to have been invented by Gamaliel and transmitted in the a book called Liber ignis associated with the angel Raphiel. Claude Duret (1570?–1611) included it in his Thresor (1613, p. 117) under the name "the characters of the angel Raphael", citing Ambrosius.” “Edmund Fry included it in his Pantographia (pp. 28–29), stating: "Theseus Ambrosius asserts that this character was brought from Heaven by the Angel Raphael by who it was communicated to Adam who used it in composing Psalms after his expulsion from the terrestrial paradise. Some authors pretend that Moses and the prophets used this letter and that they were forbidden to divulge it to mortal man." ... That alphabet is described in the pseudo-Paracelsian Archidoxis magica, translated into English by R. Turner (1656). S.L. MacGregor Mathers included it in his 1888 edition of the Key of Solomon (plate XV) under the name "Alphabet of the Magi."” ‘Hexe’ itself was also a clue, as its origins come from Old Germanic and means “Witch”, so if the Blair Witch sticks and occult spiral of symbols wasn’t enough, there’s easy confirmation for witchy rituals happening. Now back to AtA’s findings. We now know the message around the outside of the circle to read: WIR ARBAITEN IM DEM TUNKEL UM DEM LICHT ZUDIENEN. “We work in the dark to serve the light.” An easy pull given the context of an AC game, despite “Tunkel” being an even older form of German for ‘dark’, as one commenter on their post has since said: “Love the analysis, some additions from a German native speaker: "Arbaiten" and "Tunckel" both are words written in "altdeutsch" (old german) used in the 15th to 16th century germany. U V W are the same letter because Latin only had the U. V and W evolved in the Romance languages as did J. So V and W are categorized with U and J with I and Y.” The words spirally etched into the pentacle itself read: MEPHISTO / RACHE / HAUS, and the native speaker in the comments shared more insights: “"Rache" is a noun translating to "revenge", singular imperativ would be "räche" In Goethes "Faust I." Faust uses the pentagram to keep MEPHISTO trapped in his home (HAUS), some would say to get the opportunity for revenge (RACHE). Act I. Study, line 1393 and on if you want to look it up. It could be an analogy to Faust I. but pentagrams were often used as a sign to protect your house from all Evil including the Devil (=Mephisto). Historic evidences of the Pentagram, e.g. the "Drudenfuß" found at a gate in "Ahrweiler", correlate to the era of witchhunts in Germany (16th century).” [Top right of the image, source: https://www.sacred-texts.com/ grim/kos/kos30.htm ] But first, about the Key of Solomon book (full book here). “The Key of Solomon (Latin: Clavicula Salomonis; Hebrew: שלמה מפתח]\ Mafteah Shelomoh\]) is a pseudepigraphical grimoire (also known as a book of spells) attributed to King Solomon. It probably dates back to the 14th or 15th century Italian Renaissance. It presents a typical example of Renaissance magic.” “The Key of Solomon is divided into two books. It describes the necessary drawings to prepare each "experiment" or, in more modern language, magical operations.” “Unlike later grimoires such as the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (16th century) or the Lemegeton (17th century), the Key of Solomon does not mention the signature of the 72 spirits constrained by King Solomon in a bronze vessel. As in most medieval grimoires, all magical operations are ostensibly performed through the power of God, to whom all the invocations are addressed. Before any of these operations (termed "experiments") are performed, the operator must confess his sins and purge himself of evil, invoking the protection of God.” “Elaborate preparations are necessary, and each of the numerous items used in the operator's "experiments" must be constructed of the appropriate materials obtained in the prescribed manner, at the appropriate astrological time, marked with a specific set of magical symbols, and blessed with its own specific words. All substances needed for the magic drawings and amulets are detailed, as well as the means to purify and prepare them. Many of the symbols incorporate the Transitus Fluvii occult alphabet.” Interestingly enough, Key of Solomon was referenced in Goethe's Faust, and where? With Mephistopholes! “For such as your half-hellish crew – The Key of Solomon will do.” Now getting back to our Seventh Pentacle of Mars. “Write thou this upon virgin parchment or paper with the blood of a bat, in the day and hour of Mars; and uncover it within the Circle, invoking the Demons whose Names are therein written; and thou shalt immediately see hail and tempest. “ Editor's Note.--In the centre of the Pentacle are the Divine Names, El and Yiai, which have the same numerical value when written in Hebrew. The Letters in Hebrew, and in the Secret Alphabet called the Celestial, compose the Names of Spirits. Round the Pentacle is: --'He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land. He smote their vines also, and their fig-trees.'--Psalm cv. 32, 33. What about other pentacles? The First Pentacle of Mars, Figure 25. --It is proper for invoking Spirits of the Nature of Mars, especially those which are written in the Pentacle. Editor's Note.--Mystical Characters of Mars, and the Names of the four Angels:--Madimiel, Bartzachiah, Eschiel, and Ithuriel written in Hebrew around the Pentacle. The Second Pentacle of Mars, Figure 26. --This Pentacle serveth with great success against all kinds of diseases, if it be applied unto the afflicted part. Editor's Note.--The letter Hé, in the angles of the Hexagram. Within the same the Names IHVH, IHSHVH Yeheshuah (the mystic Hebrew Name for Joshua or Jesus, formed of the ordinary IHVH with the letter SH placed therein as emblematical of the Spirit), and Elohim. Around it is the sentence, John i. 4:--'In Him was life, and the life was the light of man.' This may be adduced as an argument of the greater antiquity of the first few mystical verses of the Gospel of St. John. The Third Pentacle of Mars, Figure 27. -It is of great value for exciting war, wrath, discord, and hostility; also for resisting enemies, and striking terror into rebellious Spirits; the Names of God the All Powerful are therein expressly marked.Editor's Note.--The Letters of the Names Eloah and Shaddai. In the Centre is the great letter Vau, the signature of the Qabalistic Microprosopus. Around is the versicle from Psalm lxxvii. 13:--'Who is so great a God as our Elohim?'* The Fourth Pentacle of Mars, Figure 28. --It is of great virtue and power in war, wherefore without doubt it will give thee victory. Editor's Note.--In the Centre is the great Name Agla; right and left, the letters of the Name IHVH; above and below, El. Round it is the versicle from Psalm cx. 5:--'The Lord at thy right hand shall wound even Kings in the day of His Wrath.'* The Fifth Pentacle of Mars, Figure 29. --Write thou this Pentacle upon virgin parchment or paper, because it is terrible unto the Demons, and at its sight and aspect they will obey thee, for they cannot resist its presence. Editor's Note.--Around the figure of the Scorpion is the word HVL. The versicle is from Psalm xci. 13:--'Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder, the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet.' The Sixth Pentacle of Mars, Figure 30. --It hath so great virtue that being armed therewith, if thou art attacked by any one, thou shalt neither be injured nor wounded when thou fightest with him, and his own weapons shall turn against him. Editor's Note.--Around the eight points of the radii of the Pentacle are the words 'Elohim qeber, Elohim hath covered (or protected),' written in the Secret Alphabet of Malachim, or the writing of the Angels. The versicle is from Psalm xxxvii. 15:--'Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bow shall be broken.' Also, we should collect as much info as possible from the book itself, not just pictures. THE ORDER OF THE PENTACLES: Seven Pentacles consecrated to Saturn = Black Seven Pentacles consecrated to Jupiter = Blue Seven Pentacles consecrated to Mars = Red Seven Pentacles consecrated to the Sun = Yellow Six Pentacles consecrated to the Moon = Silver Five Pentacles consecrated to Venus = Green Five Pentacles consecrated to Mercury = Mixed CHAPTER XVIII CONCERNING THE HOLY PENTACLES OR METALS These Pentacles are usually made of the metal the most suitable to the nature of the Planet; and then there is no occasion to observe the rule of particular colours. They should be engraved with the instrument of Art in the days and hours proper to the Planet. Saturn ruleth over Lead; Jupiter over Tin; Mars over Iron; the Sun over Gold; Venus over Copper; Mercury over the mixture of Metals; and the Moon over Silver. They may also be made with exorcised virgin paper, writing thereon with the colours adopted for each Planet, referring to the rules already laid down in the proper Chapters, and according to the Planet with which the Pentacle is in sympathy. Wherefore unto Saturn the colour of Black is appropriated; Jupiter ruleth over Celestial Blue; Mars over Red; the Sun over Gold, or the colour of Yellow or Citron; Venus over Green; Mercury over Mixed Colours; the Moon over Silver, or the colour of Argentine Earth. CHAPTER II OF THE DAYS, AND HOURS, AND OF THE VIRTUES OF THE PLANETS It must, therefore, be understood that the Planets have their dominion over the day which approacheth nearest unto the name which is given and attributed unto them-viz., over Saturday, Saturn; Thursday, Jupiter; Tuesday, Mars; Sunday, the Sun; Friday, Venus; Wednesday, Mercury; and Monday, the Moon. The rule of the Planets over each hour begins from the dawn at the rising of the Sun on the day which takes its name from such Planet, and the Planet which follows it in order, succeeds to the rule over the next hour. Thus (on Saturday) Saturn rules the first hour, Jupiter the second, Mars the third, the Sun the fourth, Venus the fifth, Mercury the sixth, the Moon the seventh, and Saturn returns in the rule over the eighth, and the others in their turn, the Planets always keeping the same relative order. Note that each experiment or magical operation should be performed under the Planet, and usually in the hour, which refers to the same. For example:-- In the Days and Hours of Saturn thou canst perform experiments to summon the Souls from Hades, but only of those who have died a natural death. Similarly on these days and hours thou canst operate to bring either good or bad fortune to buildings; to have familiar Spirits attend thee in sleep; to cause good or ill success to business, possessions, goods, seeds, fruits, and similar things, in order to acquire learning; to bring destruction and to give death, and to sow hatred and discord. The Days and Hours of Jupiter are proper for obtaining honours, acquiring riches; contracting friendships, preserving health; and arriving at all that thou canst desire. In the Days and Hours of Mars thou canst make experiments regarding War; to arrive at military honour; to acquire courage; to overthrow enemies; and further to cause ruin, slaughter, cruelty, discord; to wound and to give death. The Days and Hours of the Sun are very good for perfecting experiments regarding temporal wealth, hope, gain, fortune, divination, the favour of princes, to dissolve hostile feeling, and to make friends. The Days and Hours of Venus are good for forming friendships; for kindness and love; for joyous and pleasant undertakings, and for travelling. The Days and Hours of Mercury are good to operate for eloquence and intelligence; promptitude in business; science and divination; wonders; apparitions; and answers regarding the future. Thou canst also operate under this Planet for thefts; writings; deceit; and merchandise. The Days and Hours of the Moon are good for embassies; voyages envoys; messages; navigation; reconciliation; love; and the acquisition of merchandise by water. Thou shouldest take care punctually to observe all the instructions contained in this chapter, if thou desirest to succeed, seeing that the truth of Magical Science dependeth thereon. The Hours of Saturn, of Mars, and of the Moon are alike good for communicating and speaking with Spirits; as those of Mercury are for recovering thefts by the means of Spirits. The Hours of Mars serve for summoning Souls from Hades, especially of those slain in battle. The Hours of the Sun, of Jupiter, and of Venus, are adapted for preparing any operations whatsoever of love, of kindness, and of invisibility, as is hereafter more fully shown, to which must be added other things of a similar nature which are contained in our work. The Hours of Saturn and Mars and also the days on which the Moon is conjunct with them, or when she receives their opposition or quartile aspect, are excellent for making experiments of hatred, enmity, quarrel, and discord; and other operations of the same kind which are given later on in this work. The Hours of Mercury are good for undertaking experiments relating to games, raillery, jests, sports, and the like. The Hours of the Sun, of Jupiter, and of Venus, particularly on the days which they rule, are good for all extraordinary, uncommon, and unknown operations. The Hours of the Moon are proper for making trial of experiments relating to recovery of stolen property, for obtaining nocturnal visions, for summoning Spirits in sleep, and for preparing anything relating to Water. The Hours of Venus are furthermore useful for lots, poisons, all things of the nature of Venus, for preparing powders provocative of madness and the like things. But in order to thoroughly effect the operations of this Art, thou shouldest perform them not only on the Hours but on the Days of the Planets as well, because then the experiment will always succeed better, provided thou observest the rules laid down later on, for if thou omittest one single condition thou wilt never arrive at the accomplishment of the Art. For those matters then which appertain unto the Moon, such as the Invocation of Spirits, the Works of Necromancy, and the recovery of stolen property, it is necessary that the Moon should be in a Terrestrial Sign, viz.:--Taurus, Virgo, or Capricorn. For love, grace, and invisibility, the Moon should be in a Fiery Sign, viz.:--Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius. For hatred, discord, and destruction, the Moon should be in a Watery Sign, viz.:--Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces. For experiments of a peculiar nature, which cannot be classed under any certain head, the Moon should be in an Airy Sign, viz.:--Gemini, Libra, or Aquarius. So here are the associations regarding Mars pentacles: • Its pentacle is made over Iron metal • Its adopted color is Red • Its dominion is on Tuesday • Mars comes third in the planet rule from the dawn; • Experiments under Days and Hours of Mars are cast for war, courage, giving death, military honour • Mars is also used in its hours to summon the souls from Hades, specifically if killed in battles, and to speak with the spirits But how does all this tie back into what we’ve already been told in Assassin’s Creed history? Where else have we heard of such True Magic and Divine Science before? It’s time we got deeper in the weeds on Project Legacy’s potential connections, beginning with the other alchemists we’ve met that had handled a very similar tome - or tomes - as the one we’ve been exploring, and may yet help us in theorizing when, who, and what we’ll be looking forward to in Hexe! Nicholas Flamel, Edward Kelley, John Dee, Paracelsus Bombastus, Giovanni Borgia, William Robert Woodman, Mina Bergson/Moina Mathers, Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, William Wynn Westcott, Aleister Crowley. All these names either handled, experimented with, or otherwise knew of the secrets contained within a sacred alchemical text that had been split in two, in the hopes that its secrets would remain lost to whomever held only one or the other, though as it turned out, plenty of miracles and magick could be performed if the right reader researched its indecipherable pages. Heavily connected - though not explicitly confirmed - to the Voynich Manuscript we’ve seen pop up several times in various sources, Divine Science and True Magic have only been known to be combined in one man’s hands: Abraham of Würzburg. His name is mentioned by a lot of the above alchemists, and for good reason - they all attribute their findings to this man’s work before them, written and published into a grimoire titled The Book of Abramelin, or alternatively, The Book of Abraham. However, this book is somewhat confusing, as is the man it’s about, but we can diffuse as much confusion as possible by looking into things further. One such “Book of Abraham” was a collection of scrolls discovered in an early 19th century archeological expedition to Egypt by a man named Antonio Lebolo, which were then sold on July 3rd, 1835 to none other than Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism - and known Templar in AC - who then went on to translate and claim it to be the story of Abraham from the Bible, his early life in Canaan and Egypt, and his vision of the cosmos and creation. Smith then published this translated Book of Abraham into part of The Pearl of Great Price in the Book of Mormon. I can’t say definitively that Assassin’s Creed lore conflates this story with what I’m about to explain, but I think it holds much significance with the arguably more important Abraham at play in the lore. There’s another book that has manuscripts dating back to 1608, attributed to a man named Abraham von Worms, about a different Egyptian mage named Abraham from the 14th century (henceforth referred to as Abra-Melin). Abra-Melin made a grimoire that he then taught to another German man from the 14th century named Abraham of Würzburg, and this German Abraham’s journals of his trip to Egypt and his studies under Abra-Melin were catalogued into 4 major parts - “an autobiographical account of the travels of Abraham of Worms to Egypt, a book of assorted materials from the corpus of the practical Kabbalah (including some which is duplicated in the German-Jewish grimoire called "The Sixth and 7th Books of Moses") and the two books of magic given by Abramelin to Abraham.” Two books of magic, they said? Interesting... Now, the pages of this grimoire that Abra-Melin gave to Abraham of Würzburg are never claimed in our history to relate to the later-discovered Book of Abraham that would wind up in the Book of Mormon, but I think the culturally congruent Egyptian Abrahams both having books of particular importance revolving around nature and how things came to be, should put both of these stories in the same vein when talking about how this could be and has been used in AC. For an irrefutable example, we can look to the most famous grimoire to spawn from Samuel Mathers’ macabre magicks in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, whom took the writings of this supposed Abra-Melin as possibly more fervent gospel than Smith took his scrolls! Mathers would go on to publish his studies and findings into his own translated grimoire, titled The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage, in 1897, sparking new interest in the occult in the early 20th century. But where does all this bring us in answers about Hexe? To sum up my theory on the story, it’s been posited for a while that we’ll be seeing 17th century German witch trials, but what I think is that we’ll be witnessing the fallout of whoever found these 1608 manuscripts regarding Abra-Melin, perhaps practicing what it contained, communing with “spirits of Hades”, and eventually being outed or going into hiding during the 1625-1631 Würzburg Witch Trials, a harrowing time in 17th century Germany for anyone showing any occult interests, and a hotbed for hidden Assassin and Templar - and Hermetic Order - secrets to discover! What did they know of Isu writings? Could the language connect to the ritualistic Hebrew and Alphabet of the Magi we see in the pentacles? I could add that Abramelin Oil is used in consecration rituals, but that’s a whole other rabbit hole of possible connections I’ll leave for you to explore further if you wish! But what are your thoughts? Am I stretching too many threads to make sense of what little we’ve been given so far? Or do you think my Spidey-senses are spot-on? What are you most excited for that might be coming in Codename Hexe? Let’s discuss! • Your Friendly Neighborhood Mentor ṇoænos wahæáid oænosr zàrhṇdichṛ comments debug Comments (1) Write a comment Write a comment Sort by: Newest Guest May 01, 2023 Wow, that sounds extremely convincing Like Reply About the Author Author of the all-encompassing timeline, Codex Temporis, and the Isu-to-English dictionary, Codex Transferendum, Your Friendly Neighborhood Mentor is here to help unweave the confusing web of AC! ActualSpider-Man

Guiding Shadows: A Review of Assassin’s Creed The Golden City (LIGHT SPOILERS) Review Share 16 Jan 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Ashlea Blackett Back To Database “They worked in the dark to serve the light, but were they never allowed to exist in it as well?” (AC The Golden City - Chapter 21) LIGHT SPOILER WARNING for story themes and subjects Overview The tenets of the Assassin's br otherhood have been the guidelines for each holder of a hidden blade since before the series began, alongside the maxim and "working in the dark to serve the light". Yet, many Assassins have questioned what they are taught, as have the ones they have protected. Who are the Assassins to decide who lives and who dies? Who are they besides birds of prey that hide where the light is afraid to go? Constantinople (as depicted in Assassin's Creed Revelations) The Golden City is the newest novel from Aconyte Books and is written by Jaleigh Johnson, a New York Times bestseller and chosen author for the ABA Spring Indie Next list. Within this tale is an isolated story following fan-favorite Assassins Hytham and Basim Ibn Ishaq in 867, Constantinople. The young Acolyte Hytham joins Basim to investigate the conspiracy plot of Emperor Basil I to kill his son Leo VI with the assistance of the Order of the Ancients, as well as spy on his mentor for the Brotherhood as they began questioning Basim’s priorities over the Creed. Hytham (as seen in Assassin's Creed Valhalla) Hytham has been a guide to the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla story for some time now. Previously, he was seen in Sword of the White Horse by Elsa Sjunneson, and soon he will return in The World of Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Journey to the North–Logs and Files of a Hidden One by Rick Barba. His character has been expanded upon and revisited multiple times in the Valhalla series, as an anchor to the Brotherhood for multiple mainline characters, but his persona has never been explored before this title; The Golden City . This is a Hytham, post Assassin’s Creed Mirage but pre-AC Valhalla . A Hytham that is unsure if he can trust his mentor and at times, himself. A man who doesn't question his skills, but strives to become more like his experienced mentor. The story opens with a look at the relationship between Hytham and Basim, sparing as the Acolyte admires his mentor's skill and demeanor as he tries to figure out who Basim is as a person and Assassin. Within the first chapter, Hytham sees something in Basim that resembles a man who has “trod the same stretch of earth for decades or longer”. My thoughts immediately turn to the trailer for AC Mirage and the djinn that we as fans have speculated to be the Isu Loki invading the mind of Basim; something that Basim references (the djinn) when discussing the nightmares of the prince later in the story. The story continues with the explanation of the plot, a mission for the “young eagle” to protect Prince Leo in an environment where anyone could be an enemy or pawn of the Order of the Ancients. It is in the palace of the Emperor where he meets Prince Leo and learns of the dangers surrounding the future leader of the city. A child that has experienced multiple accidents that in truth were poor attem pts on his life , hidden by a paranoid father who believes the child to be an illegitimate heir to the throne. Fatherhood is an underlying subject throughout the story with both positive and negative connotations. It is where I find Jaleigh shines the most as she weaves together a bond between a frightened child and the guardian assigned to protect him. A man who never had the chance to have his own family, but knows the sacrifice he must make to be a member of the Assassin Brotherhood. It's a relationship that he sees and questions between himself and Basim as a student and mentor. A journey of the Protector and Ward that echoes other media like Logan and The Last of Us . It is this theme that drives my opening quote as Hytham allows his personal feelings to fuel the mission he was tasked with by the boy’s mother, Empress Eudokia Ingerina. Basim ibn Ishaq The first signs of a tie-in to Assassin's Creed Valhalla can be seen via Basim’s interest in the Viking people as he yearns to learn more about the Eagle Clan, led by the warrior Thyra, head of the Varangian Guard, servants of the Emperor and his family. While it is not explained in detail, the players involved know that Basim is looking for someone specifically within the Vikings. This of course is what leads to the two Assassins seeking out Sigurd Styrbjornsson and his step-sister, Eivor Varinsdottir in AC Valhalla. Review The Golden City has plenty of combat depicted in great detail and can be visualized with ease. This is something I have always enjoyed and looked for in the transmedia of the series. From the sparring between partnering Assassins to close combat melees in the streets, the action is plentiful but not overwhelming. Between the clash of scimitars and precision of knife throws, a balanced conspiracy plot is picked apart with each page turn alongside the caring scenes of Hytham and Leo. Reflecting back on the story a few days after finishing, I found that the conspiracy was a good way to craft this standalone novel as it kept the elements of Hytham's mission contained and easy to keep track of. Looking at games like Valhalla where you have multiple storylines to remember, this book's focus on protecting the prince and investigating Hytham made a relaxing read. Even when the opposition was revealed, I found myself thinking about the surprise reveal, but not needing to double back and try to find missing clues. The same can be said about Basim. I learned multiple personality traits about the Master Assassin, but nothing that felt like an easter egg, or direct reference to another piece of media. Knowing that Hytham and Basim are alive in Valhalla made the potential worry of loosing a character to the Order of the Ancients non-existent. However, I didn't see that as a negative as I still had the full story to explore and fully admire the characters' individual world building and growth. The story is similar to a DLC expansion to the story. I think a lot about Bonfire of the Vanities and Assassin's Creed II, where the story was isolated to a new district with supporting characters that we met previously as Ezio. You have a good story that is tied into the main campaign, or in this case Basim and Hytham's backstories, but if you didn't get a chance to play that DLC (or read this book) you wouldn't be missing out of any key elements. Does the book go into the depth of the two Assassin's relationship? It does, and that may give players of Valhalla a better idea of the thoughts the Assassin's have in the game. Yet on the other side, I could not tell you anything that gives a peak into Mirage outside the mention of Roshan and Basim's mention of the djinn which I noted earlier. It feels like Batman: Year One in many ways where Hytham has been an Assassin for a while, but is still an Acolyte in the story. This leaves a lot of room for more stories and the journal releasing this year with Journey to the North could fill in more of the time between Mirage and Valhalla. Comparing The Golden City to other Aconyte Books titles, I would say this is a good title to be added to their expanding transmedia line of books, and while I would rank it towards the lower half of the releases (6 books including Golden City ) it isn't bad; I still enjoyed it. However where Geirmund's Saga read like the novelization of one of the games, Sword of the White Horse focused on a story based on Arthurian legend, and The Magus Conspiracy was a multi-decade conspiracy thriller, The Golden City feels like a character arc for Hytham, developing him further, but it doesn't hinder the enjoyment of Valhalla or the series in whole. Assassin’s Creed The Golden City is a great book for readers that enjoy drama, action, and stories of relationships without any prior knowledge of the Assassin’s Creed universe. Fans of the series will find a great introspective into the mind of an Assassin and a perfect read to excite for Assassin’s Creed Mirage. The book releases on April 4, 2023, in the United States and Globally as an Ebook. It will be available in paperback on June 22, 2023, in the UK. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Mike Smith is a collector of all things Assassin's Creed and a major supporter of transmedia who joined TOWCB as a writer from 2021 - 2024 With nearly a full library of Assassin's Creed media, his work explored the universe in order of Genetic Memory. Notably, his Assassin's Creed Timeline became an essential tool for fans of the franchise looking to complete their collection and consume AC media in a particular order. Michael Smith

Art Reveal: Basim and Loki by SophiaEA16 Art Share 28 Apr 2021 Written By: Edited By: Sophia Ashlea Blackett Back To Database We're pleased to reveal a new piece of art created by our very own SophiaEA16 from the AC Partnership Program! To celebrate the launch of our new interview with Carlo Rota, who provides the voice and mo-cap performances for Basim and Loki in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, we reached out to Sophia with an idea. What if Basim looked in the mirror one day and saw his past staring back at him. Sophia took this starting point and made it her own, creating this beautiful piece to accompany our interview, and we couldn't be happier with the final result. Loki's menacing eyes create an atmosphere of uncertainty, something that we really wanted to capture in this piece. What are his intentions? What will he do next in the Modern Day? Find out Carlo's thoughts in our new interview, which releases Friday 30th April 2021! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Sophia is a talented artist and Twitch streamer from Venice who joined the program in early 2021. During her time on the program, Sophia worked closely with our community members on a number of art different projects, such as competitions and fundraising campaigns. Sophia

AC Community Questions: Hayden Bird (TombAssassin) Interview Share 10 Jul 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Colum Blackett Back To Database Col: Hi Hayden, thank you for joining me for this introductory interview. Please could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your role within the Assassin's Creed Community. Hayden: Thanks, Col, very glad to be a part of the team once again. I think some stuff about me is I love to write, first and foremost, and love my favorite franchises such as Assassin's Creed and Harry Potter. I have always loved to write since as long as I can remember. Its always been my passion as I recall writing short stories for my elementary school book fair or writing fan fictions of cartoons I love! My role with TOWCB is really enjoyable and allows me to stretch my creative knowledge as far as I can! With the team I write articles based on all things Assassin's Creed. Whether it be news, guides, or theory articles, I just love contributing as much as I can! Col: In June 2024, you rejoined The Ones Who Came Before's Assassin's Creed Partnership Program, known as the @ Isu_Network . How have you enjoyed your time working with our content teams? Hayden: Since joining in June of this year, it personally feels great being back. Some of those are still here whom I worked with, Including Col, which started in early 2020, the beginning and peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, while some are new people I got to meet, and will continue to meet others and strengthen relationships with the ones I currently know. Col: When did you first start writing articles, and what in your opinion would you say has been your most popular / recognisable piece? Hayden: I first started writing when I was in grade school, like I mentioned above, but those were more short stories about cartoons or Nintendo games. But as for writing articles I first officially started with sports writing. I wrote for a small online San Diego sports website, i managed ton publish two articles which was good considering I was 14 at the time and had a lot of distractions in my life at that time. I wrote about the football and baseball teams in that area. As for my most recognizable piece I'd say it would be my one great article I wrote as a member of MuggleNet , which is a long-running Harry Potter news website. I wrote a great professional article there late last year about the broadway show Harry Potter and the Cursed Child becoming available for schools to perform on their own. The article took over a week to write and get published, and when it did, it got viewed a lot from both the twitter post they made and on their website! I parted ways with them towards the end of 2023, which eventually led into my position with TOWCB again! Col: What are some of your most recent Assassin's Creed Community Projects, and what are you working on currently? Hayden: Some of the more recent Assassin's Creed projects I have been working on are a mix of genres! I have done a news article and a opinion based article as well, and what I can say is much more is on the way! I have lots of ideas going through my head almost all the time, so the flow of creativeness stays the same, but the work is always, in my opinion, top class. I only want to publish articles that are well done and make a difference, it's key to a successful career! Col: Have you visited any of the locations from the games? Which Assassin's Creed game is your favourite and why? Hayden: Unfortunately I have not had the pleasure to visit and explore any of the great historical settings shown in the Assassin's Creed games. I have been planning trips to, for example, Greece, where I'd love to see the real world setting of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, but Europe trips are quite expensive, sadly! My main goal as of right now, and has been for the past three or so years, is the visit the Bahamas! But ironically not for the beaches and resorts, but the pirate history! Which we all saw in Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag! I am hoping to make this trip in the next few years! My favorite game in the Assassin's Creed series is Black Flag! Surprisingly I wasn't a huge fan of the game at first, but after playing it for hundreds of hours during Covid lockdown, it became my favorite! I originally played this game on release day for PS3 in 2013, but really did not get super attached to it until quarantine! Col: Have you attended any events within the Assassin's Creed Community? Do you have a favourite Assassin's Creed community moment/ story you would like to share? Hayden: Unfortunately I have yet to attend an Assassin's Creed community event. I really wanted to see the Assassin's Creed Symphony when it released, but sadly was unable to go! I am hoping that being apart of TOWCB team again, that it might lead to opportunities to meet with the community at a potential Ubisoft or Assassin's Creed event, that I could experience it with friends here in TOWCB family! If I had to choose a favorite Assassin's Creed community moment it would definitely be the release of the Assassin's Creed movie back in late 2016. I was talking about it with all my Assassin's Creed friends on Twitter and Facebook, and went to see it opening day! I was so excited to see this movie that I had to get a ride to a theater an hour away from my home because my local theater was only playing the movie in the evening when I had plans scheduled! Safe to say me and my twitter friends had a laugh about that one! Col: What would be your dream setting for the upcoming AC Netflix TV show or future game? Hayden: My dream setting for the exciting new Assassin's Creed Netflix projects would be Ancient China! It is actually a setting I'd like to see FULLY covered in a mainline Assassin's Creed game. Of Course, Ubisoft released Chronicles China several years ago, but I would like to see it adapted into a full on game or in the TV series! I hope the Netflix series may touch on this era of history, or potentially explore multiple setting is multiple seasons! Col: Do you have any personal AC goals you would like to achieve? Hayden: If I had an Assassin's Creed I'd love to experience one day, it would be a position writing for a narrative role in game development at Ubisoft! My dream has always been to be a game story writer, and working at Ubisoft has been a dream of mine since I was young! I am hoping to continue to grow as a writer and maybe one day take on a major position in the games industry! Col: What would you say is your most significant community achievement to date? What is your favourite part of being a community member? Hayden: My most significant community moment would have to be the hype train for the release of Assassin's Creed Syndicate! I talked about this game with all of my gaming buddies on both PlayStation and social media. I had just gotten a PS4 months prior, and I was late to playing Unity, but made it a point to be ready for Syndicate on release day. I remember wearing all my Assassin's Creed gear and walking into GameStop to pick up my pre-order of the game. The staff there at the store loved my outfit and dedication so much that they took my picture in the store to post on their website! When I got home, all I remember is running upstairs to download the game! I was glad to share this memory with my friends in the Assassin's Creed community, which is why Syndicate is still a special game to me! So being a community member then, and now, has been an honor! Col: Do you collect AC merchandise? If so, what is your favourite item? Hayden: I USED to collect Assassin's Creed merchandise, but overtime the merch has been increasingly hard to come by on the internet, especially on Amazon. I do basically all my shopping online, as I don't drive for various reasons so getting to a store is challenging on the regular. In my opinion, it used to be WAY easier to buy and collect Assassin's Creed gear. Now I can't find much available on Amazon, which is a shame because as I remember the selection used to be huge! Col: What advice do you have for people looking to get in to games journalism and creative writing? Hayden: My advice to those who love to write, and those who want to get into game journalism is to write, as much as you can, whenever you can! The beauty of writing is even if you are having trouble finding a position with a blog or website, a place to submit articles, then write your own personal projects and ideas and just keep them to you for now. I have countless for fun articles in my Google Docs account, from times where I was not currently apart of any writing team. Doing these practice articles will help improve your writing skills and can also potentially be used as a writing sample one day, should you nail down a interview with a website. Col: Where can our community members find you online? Hayden: Any community members who would like find my page or connect with me on social media, I am most active on Twitter/X on @ TombAssassin and I have been using this app since early 2012, and have been on different account throughout the years until I found a good home in late 2016, which ironically I created this account because of the Assassin's Creed movie. I have been active on this account every single day since then! I also am relatively active on Instagram mostly in the past year @ H_Bird25 and tend to post on my story a lot. I prefer twitter, as most my following is on there, but I do love every now and then hopping on Instagram and updating my story with cool pictures I take, including some self promotion on my writing progress! As for other platforms such as Facebook or Snapchat, I am not on there! Two platforms are personally enough for me, as it gets overwhelming for me to manage so many different accounts! Regardless, I hope to connect with more friends in the gaming community on my two socials anytime I can! 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)