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Searching for the Creed: Assassin's Creed Florence Landmarks Other Share 18 Feb 2024 Written By: Edited By: Yasmin Page Colum Blackett Back To Database Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal ( Moonchildgecko ) Florence. The 15th century. The cobbled streets are bustling with merchants selling their wares — wools and silks dyed in bright colours, cheeses and breads, carpentry and armour. Bankers and nobles dressed in the finest velvet pass shops displaying artworks painted in the studios of the masters. Doctors call out their cures, masked in white and smelling of herbs and spices. This world comes alive half a century later in Assassin’s Creed 2. As the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, Florence was a city of economic and cultural development, but hiding behind the mask of wealth and beauty was the political tension and violence of medieval Italy. Through Ezio, players get to interact with key figures (Leonardo da Vinci, Caterina Sforza, and Rodrigo Borgia, to name a few), experience historical events (such as the Pazzi Conspiracy, the Siege of Forlì, and the Bonfire of the Vanities), and explore Florence as it would have been in the 15th century. The Assassin’s Creed series has always done this well; weaving the war of the Assassins and Templars into the game’s chosen time period to create an exciting narrative. History is rich with stories — with intrigue and murder, betrayal and honour — and through the medium of gaming we are able to experience them. It is as close as you can get to time travel. Although some important locations in Assassin’s Creed II don’t exist, such as Leonardo’s Workshop, La Rosa Colta and Palazzo Auditore, many of the locations that players can visit exist in real life. Here are several of the real/modern day versions of those places! Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore/the Duomo The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, known as ‘The Duomo’, is the most famous landmark of Florence. It looms over the city, the gold tip of the dome peaking over rooftops and between buildings, a constant reminder of its presence. Construction on the cathedral was begun at the end of the 13th century. The next hundred years saw it pass between several architects, who enlarged it from the original design and began planning for the dome. There was a problem however: the technology hadn’t yet been invented to build and support a dome of that scale. The city’s leaders decided to hold a competition to find an architect willing to take on the challenge and it was won by Filippo Brunelleschi. Considered an unconventional choice, both in how he was primarily trained as a goldsmith and sculptor instead of an architect, and for his unique suggestions of how to go about the construction, Brunelleschi’s design was nevertheless successful and has since been considered one of the greatest feats of engineering. The dome was finally completed in 1436, 140 years after the cathedral was begun. In Assassin’s Creed II, just like in real life, the cathedral is a central part of Florence’s history and culture, and as such it’s fitting for there to be a story section set here. As Ezio, players have to try to stop the Templar plot to assassinate the Medici brothers. Lorenzo and Giuliano de’ Medici really were attacked during Mass by the Pazzi conspirators, Ezio’s Templar targets in game, who wanted to the Medici family out of power. The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore also holds one of the game’s six Assassin tombs. Ezio has to navigate the scaffolding inside the unfinished cathedral and climb high inside the dome to reach the tomb of Iltani. The Cathedral is free to enter, but visitors can also buy tickets to climb the bell tower, the dome, and visit the the museum and baptistry, starting at €15. Palazzo Vecchio/Piazza della Signoria For Ezio, this is where everything goes wrong. The tower prison cells that historically held people such as Cosimo de’ Medici and Girolamo Savonarola, now trap Giovanni, Federico and Petruccio. In the morning they are executed. It is here, standing in the Piazza della Signoria, that Ezio sees the darkness his city is capable of, and it is here, that he is set on his journey of revenge and justice. Originally called Palazzo della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio was where the governing body of renaissance Florence (the Signoria, or Priori) ruled from. The name was eventually changed to what it is today (“the Old Palace”) when the Medici family who were living there at the time moved their primary residence over the river to Palazzo Pitti. There are a several story points set here. The murder of Ezio’s father and brothers is the most poignant, but Palazzo Vecchio is also where Ezio assassinates Francesco de’ Pazzi, and where part of the ‘Bonfire of the Vanities’ DLC is set. In-game, Francesco de' Pazzi is the only one of the Pazzi conspirators Ezio assassinates in Florence, but historically several of the other conspirators were captured and executed at Palazzo Vecchio alongside him. The rest were hunted down and killed in the years that followed — some were hiding as far away as Constantinople. The old stone building has an imposing presence, towering high over the piazza in front of it. It’s easy to imagine it being a place of power all those centuries ago, a place that inspired fear in those who rose up against the city, and a place that gave hope for change to others. The Palazzo Vecchio museum is €17.50 to visit, plus an additional €12.50 to climb the tower and battlements. Ponte Vecchio Ponte Vecchio is easily another of Florence’s most famous landmarks. So much so that when the German army retreated from the city at the end of the Second World War, it was the only bridge that wasn’t destroyed. This is where players are first introduced to teenage Ezio, as he taunts, then fights, Vieri de’ Pazzi’s gang and gains his signature lip scar. During Ezio’s time Ponte Vecchio would have been lined with butchers and fishmongers, but nowadays the shops crossing the bridge sell jewellery. Another feature of the bridge is the Vasari Corridor, which the Medici family commissioned Giorgio Vasari to build in the mid 1500s. They wanted a way to travel safely between Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti without having to ride through the city streets. The resulting passageway stretches one kilometre, crossing Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi Gallery on the way to its destination. Ponte Vecchio is free to visit. Palazzo Medici Riccardi Palazzo Medici was the primary residence of the Medici family in the 15th century until it was bought by the Riccardi family in 1659. The Medici were one of the prominent banking families of renaissance Florence. Their power grew through the success of their bank and their involvement in the city’s politics (after the time period of Assassin’s Creed 2 some of the family members were even elected as Pope, as well as marrying into royalty), until they were the rulers of Florence in all but name. As a result, there were many attempts through the decades to remove them from power. As well as being key figures in Florence’s leadership, the Medici family were passionate patrons of the arts, commissioning works by artists such as Sandro Botticelli, Michelangelo Buonarotti and Leonardo da Vinci. Their support of artists was one of the reasons that Florence flourished as the cultural centre of the Renaissance. There is a Templar side quest set in Palazzo Medici where Ezio has to save Lorenzo from the soldiers who have invaded his home. The quest gives players a glimpse into the interior of the building, including the courtyard, gardens, and several rooms. Nowadays the palace is a museum, displaying some of the many artworks owned by the Medici. Palazzo Medici Riccardi costs €11.50 to visit Basilica of Santa Maria Novella Built in the mid 13th century, the church of Santa Maria Novella is home to sculptures and frescos by some of the most renowned Renaissance artists (such as Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Filippo Brunelleschi and Giorgio Vasari.) In Assassin’s Creed II it hides one of the Assassin tombs (the tomb of Darius), and is also where Ezio overhears the Templars’ plan to assassinate the Medici in Sequence 4. Tickets cost €7.50. Basilica of Santa Croce Another of Florence’s churches, Santa Croce is the burial place of some of the most famous figures of the renaissance. Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli are all buried here. In the game, this is where Ezio kills his first target: Uberto Alberti, the Gonfaloniere of Florence, Templar, and the man responsible for the murder of his father and brothers. Tickets cost €8. Church of Santa Trinita The church of Santa Trinita is a far smaller church than the others on this list, but no less important. This was the church that featured the opening credits sequence of Assassin’s Creed II, when Federico challenges Ezio to race him up the bell tower. Looking out at the city in front of them, the world at their fingertips, anything feels possible. And for us as players, it is. Santa Trinita is free to visit The Uffizi Gallery Another place that may be of interest is the Uffizi Gallery. Originally it housed artworks from the Medici family’s private collection, including a wide selection of Roman sculptures, and it has since expanded to become one of the most famous art galleries in the world. Nowadays the gallery is home to more than 300,000 artworks, including several by Leonardo da Vinci such as the Annunciation (1472-1476) and Adoration of the Magi (1481). Leonardo’s Annunciation is one of the paintings players can buy for the Auditore Villa in Monteriggioni. Also, the gallery’s courtyard is lined with statues of key figures from the city’s history, several of which Assassin’s Creed fans will recognise — Leonardo da Vinci, Lorenzo de’ Medici, and Niccolò Machiavelli. While the Uffizi Gallery doesn’t feature in the game — it was built almost a century after when Assassin’s Creed 2 is set — it is definitely worth a visit. Tickets are €12, or €18 for combined access to the Boboli Gardens and Palazzo Pitti. Conclusion This is by no means a definitive list of all the Florentine landmarks that are featured in Assassin’s Creed, but these are the most important to Ezio’s story. Fans can walk the streets Ezio walked, steal through the narrow alleyways, climb the towers he scaled (albeit not throw themselves into a conveniently positioned hay bale) and enjoy the stunning views of Florence and the surrounding Tuscan landscape that Ezio scanned from his vantage points. Ubisoft has done a wonderful job of re-creating renaissance Florence, leaving fan’s eager to trace Ezio’s steps. Rich with history, culture and beauty, Florence should be at the top of the list of places to visit for every Assassin’s Creed fan. Sources: Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore: Vasari, Giorgio, and George Anthony Bull. The Lives of the Artists . Penguin, 1971. “ The Duomo. ” Encyclop edia Britannica , https://www.britannica.com/topic/the-Duomo “The Brunelleschi Dome.” Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore, https://duomo.firenze.it/en/discover/dome Ponte Vecchio: “Ponte Vecchio.” Visit Florence, https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-monuments/ponte-vecchio.html “The Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) in Florence.” Flanigan, Theresa. Smart History, https://smarthistory.org/ponte-vecchio-florence/ Medici family and Palazzo Medici Riccardi: Hibbert, Christopher. The Rise and Fall of the House of Medici . Penguin, 1979. “ The Palace.” Palazzo Medici Riccardi, https://www.palazzomediciriccardi.it/en/the-palace/ Palazzo Vecchio: “The Palazzo Vecchio Museum and Tower.” Visit Florence, https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-monuments/palazzo-vecchio.html Santa Croce: “Tombs and Memorials.” Santa Croce Opera, https://www.santacroceopera.it/en/themed-tours/tombs-and-memorials/ “Santa Croce.” Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Santa-Croce Santa Maria Novella: “Santa Maria Novella & Museum.” Visit Florence, https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-churches/santa-maria-novella.html Other articles in the series: Searching for the Creed: Assassin's Creed London Landmarks Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal ( Moonchildgecko ) comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Yasmin is a Digital Artist based in Melbourne, Australia who discovered the Assassin's Creed series in 2019. Since then she has fallen in love with the franchise and created beautiful realistic digital artworks of several of the main characters. By joining TOWCB, we hope to introduce Yasmin to the AC Community by collaborating on a number of exciting projects such as art releases and podcasts. Yasmin Page

Assassin's Creed Community Events and Plans for the coming year. Events Each year, we do our best to attend as many events as possible. Here you can find our future plans, and see all the events we attended in the past. 2025 Assassin's Creed Shadows Photo Mode Early Access Opportunity (14th March 2025) TOWCB'S Turið Torkilsdóttir, FrameHoldPhotos and Aaron Young were invited to take part in an early access opportunity for Assassin's Creed Shadows, using the photo mode tool. Assassin's Creed Copenhagen Quiz Night Event Photo Log (27th March 2025) Here are our photos from the Assassin's Creed themed quiz night at Kappa Bar Copenhagen, hosted by Ubisoft Nordic to celebrate the launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows! BAFTA Games in Concert event in London (February 2026) Aaron from our Virtual Photography Team attended the BAFTA Games in Concert event in London, and had the opportunity to meet legendary composers Jesper Kyd and Austin Wintory. 2026 Assassin's Creed Shadows UK Community Launch Event (7th March 2025) TOWCB'S Team Leader Colum Blackett was invited to attend the UK Community Launch event for Assassin's Creed Shadows in Guildford! Event Log Assassin's Creed Shadows Remote Play Session (20th January 2025) TOWCB'S Team Leader Colum Blackett was invited to attend a remote Assassin's Creed Shadows play session, and was able to capture gameplay footage and release initial impressions and feedback on the game! Read it here! 2024 EGX London (26th and 27th October 2024) We are thrilled to announce that Aaron Young (FalconSwift87) from TOWCB VP Team and Lisa Zaman from TOWCB Art Team represented The Ones Who Came Before at EGX London 2024! Look out for our coverage on social media! Assassin's Creed Cast Reunion Digital Event (22nd October 2024) On the 22nd October 2024, the Podcast141 show aired a special live episode featuring cast members from both Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Odyssey. The Ones Who Came Before were represented digitally by Team Leader Colum Blackett ( Col_96 ) and Laury_Runs ! Assassin's Creed Symphonic Adventure (London. May 29th) On the 29th and 30th May 2024, the Assassin's Creed Symphonic Adventure UK Premiere took place in London. The Ones Who Came Before were represented by Aaron Young (FalconSwift87: Isu_Network Virtual Photography Team), Lisa Zaman (Art Team) and Louise Chase (TheNerdyArcher: Isu_Network Writing Team) on the night of Wednesday 29th May! Here are our photos from the event! Wales Comic Con 2024 (April 7th 2024) Col and Michael from TOWCB Core team attended Wales Comic Con 2024 in Wrexham! Although no Assassin's Creed guests were present at the event, it was great to see a life-sized statue of Ratonhnhaké:ton (Connor) on display in the Main Hall! Check out our video log on Tiktok or Youtube ! 2023 Assassin's Creed Mirage Red Carpet Digital Event (September 28th 2023) Just before the launch of Assassin's Creed Mirage, we were invited to attend an online event exclusively for community members. The event was unlike any other we have ever attended, and featured a mini game where everyone controlled a 'chibi-style' Basim, then a one hour play session of Assassin's Creed Mirage. Event Log Assassin's Creed Roleplaying Game Digital Early Access Event (September 2023) Back in September, we were lucky enough to be invited to attend a digital event for the upcoming 'Assassin's Creed - Roleplaying Game' by CMON Games and Ubisoft, which is due for release October 2024. Event Log Insomnia Gaming Festival #i71: Ubisoft Community Cosplay Competition (September 2023) Col, Aaron and Michael from TOWCB attended the 2023 Ubisoft Community Cosplay Competition at Insomnia Gaming Festival #i71 in Birmingham. Photo Log Highlights Video Ubisoft Community Celebration Awards (January 28th 2023) Col and Lisa from TOWCB Team were invited to attend the Ubisoft Community Celebration Awards in London! Check out our photos and thoughts on the event here! 2022 We are thrilled to announce that C ol_96 & Ashlea_97 from TOWCB admin team have been invited to join Ubisoft_UK alongside members of the Assassin's Creed Community for a special Ubisoft Forward watch event taking place at the Guilford office! UPDATE: Due to the sudden death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the UK event was sadly cancelled as the UK entered a period of mourning. Assassin's Creed Showcase: Ubisoft Forward Early Access (September 6th) We can now reveal that today, 6/9/22, we were given an early preview of the upcoming AC Showcase event, outlining the future of the franchise. We are VERY excited for what's to come, and feel confident in Ubisoft regarding the future of the brand. Ubisoft Forward airs 10/9/22. Wales Comic Con Homecoming (August 21st 2022) Col and Ash from the admin team attended Wales Comic: Homecoming. We joined our good friends at Assassin's Creed United Kingdom for a meet-up, and caught up with voice actor Matt Ryan! Here are our photos from the event! Dawn of Ragnarok Online Press Event (2/2/22) We can now reveal that on the 2nd February 2022 we attended an online Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok Press event! Here is our information round-up from the event. 2021 Community Call (10/3/21 at 7pm GMT) The first event of 2021 was a 'Community Call', which took place on our Discord server. We took questions on everything Assassin's Creed, and discussed community management with our fans. If you missed the event, we will be holding more in future. We look forward to speaking with you . Facebook event 2020 HomeCon 2020: Assassin's Creed Panel (10/4/20 - 11/4/20) Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, we were unable to attend any physical events in 2020. We did however attend HomeCon, a virtual comic con event that featured an Assassin's Creed panel! Read our review of the event here 2019 Assassin's Creed Fan Meet-up/ Symphony Event (October 2019) Our admins Col and Ash attended the Assassin's Creed Symphony event in London. Before the event, they were invited on an open bus tour of London with UK Community Members, and a special meal with Michael Antonakos (Alexios), kindly arranged by Ubisoft. Event Diary E3 2019 - Ubisoft Conference Live Discussion Event (7/7/19) We held a live-discussion event with our fans, covering all of the Assassin's Creed news and announcements from E3 2019. Facebook Event 2018 Wales Comic Con - Part 2 (December 2018) Our admins Col and Ash joined AC UK, Paul Amos and Abubakar Salim at Wales Comic Con for a community meet-up! Photos Wales Comic Con - Part 1 (April 2018) Col_96, Dave Woodward and Ashlea_97 organised an Assassin's Creed Community Meet-up at Wales Comic Con 2018, featuring Matt Ryan! Photos 2017 EGX (September 2017) Our Admin Col_96 and Community Member Ash put together a Vlog from Day 1 and 2 at EGX 2017, featuring exclusive behind the scenes footage from the Ubisoft booth. Gamescom 2017 Our Admin Sofija attended Gamescom 2017 as a Ubisoft Star Player, and was featured on a video by Ubisoft titled "Meet the Ubisoft Star Players at Gamescom 2017" MCM Manchester 2017 Col and Ash attended Manchester Comic Con 2017. Here are our photos from the event. 2016 Assassin's Creed Movie: Fan Screening Event (Dec 2016) Col joined attended the Assassin's Creed Movie Fan Screening event in London with other UK community members. Event Diary Gamescom (August 2016) Col attended Gamescom 2016 in Germany as a Ubisoft Star Player. Event Diary Assassin's Creed Movie Press Event (May 2016) Ubisoft invited Col to attend an exclusive press event for the Assassin's Creed Movie in London, where the first 20 minutes were shown to journalists. Director Justin Kurzel was in attendance! Event Diary Vlog Edinburgh Comic Con (April 2016) Col attended Edinburgh Comic Con 2016, and met Cas Anvas, who provided the voice performance for Altair in Assassin's Creed Revelations. Photos MCM Liverpool Comic Con (March 2016) Col attended MCM Liverpool Comic Con 2016, and met Paul Amos and Victoria Atkin, who play Jacob and Evie Frye in Assassin's Creed Syndicate! Photos

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 7th to 25th July Community Share 10 Sept 2025 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Back To Database Welcome to the monthly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every four weeks we will be picking our top five favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. This theme has been run alongside @Its__Gurly a valued member of our virtual photography community. Gurly’s a highly talented virtual photographer who often brings her unique style to the world of Assassin’s Creed VP. Gurly specialises in atmospheric photography, and she showcases this in all her shots. We would like to thank Gurly for taking the time to support us with this fantastic theme. 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 Butterfly Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @ValkyrieQ8 The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Theme Judge: @Its__Gurly Gurly I like this shot because it has the perfect amount of light and darkness. The brightness of the butterfly gives it a feel of hopefulness in the dark times we go through. Aaron Assassin’s Creed Shadows is probably one of the brutalist in the series when it comes to combat. The game really ups the gore for this entry and that’s saying something after Viking England. However, scratch the surface and you will uncover a world filled with beauty that can often be missed. I find this capture to be so peaceful and yet troubling. The leaves breaking out from the darkness look so realistic and the lighting really helps achieve this. I love how the white butterfly stands out proudly, catching the eye immediately. I like to think the butterfly is a symbol of the Assassin’s and those leaves are the templars reaching out to drag it into the abyss. Out in the Cold Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @ opticsshatter.bsky.social Wildlife has always been such an important part of the Assassin’s Creed universe, probably more so since the RPG series. Ubisoft has used these animals to build a living world that assists in player immersion. You could easily boot up the game and play wildlife photographer for an hour. I have always been fond of fox captures, and this one really is up there as one of my favourites. I can’t get over how close to life it looks. The photo is really showing the graphical prowess of Shadows. The fog and tracks in the snow are amplifying the image, making it seem like an Xmas postcard. I think the winner is the tint, I find it helps elevate the shot and give it an almost artistic feel. Reflection Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @ carlswagen.bsky.social Assassin’s Creed portraits are always impressive, and that is down to the protagonists always being great subjects to capture. Like with most video games people like to shoot the main characters it’s a natural urge. What’s made this even better is the time-of-day function in the photo mode. We can now get the perfect lighting for these wonderful portraits. This shot however breaks the mould a little and that is exactly what makes it standout. The heron looks so graceful wading through the water looking for food. I like how the details of the feathers have been captured thanks to that sharp sunlight. I adore the reflection in the water; it really make the shot for me. The symmetry is so satisfying to look at that you can’t take your eyes away. Archway Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @saskiaemmischVP I must say when I started playing Assassin’s Creed Shadows I did not Invision myself capturing the coastal areas as much as I have. I think Ubisoft did a great job at diversifying the landscapes that we get to uncover in Shadows. The seasonal changes also allow for varied shots with no location looking the same throughout a year in Japan. Here we have a solum but striking capture from Saskia. Its photos like this that make you realise the graphical leap in this game. The clouds and rock textures are exceptional, and Saskia has done a fantastic job at showcasing them. I love the balance of sky verses water and that archway with the trading boat floating pass is a nice touch. Through the Streets Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @Birgamerinalbu1 The murky streets are something of a staple in the Assassin’s Creed series. Most notably in Unity and Syndicate. However, the recent switch to the RPG formula has eradicated some of these more sinister street level missions. Mirage did such a good job at balancing the two styles and that is evident here through this wonderful capture. I am very impressed with the composition and the mood of the shot. The foggy street with the warm glow of the exit really adds a layer of mystic to the photo. At first glance I was convinced this was from Syndicate. I like how Basim is heading towards the light, which is ironic because his character ends up doing the opposite. And that sums it up for this Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out the photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next time keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

AC Community Questions: Louise (TheNerdyArcher) Interview Share 8 Jul 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Back To Database Col: Hi Louise, thank you for joining me for this introductory interview! In January 2024 you joined The Ones Who Came Before's Assassin's Creed Partnership Program, known as the Isu_Network. Are you looking forward to working with our content teams? Louise: I am! I’ve been a keen follower of TOWCB’s content for a long while, even getting some of my own friends into the franchise and following across various social media platforms. Thinking back to when I was new to the fanbase for Assassin’s Creed , TOWCB was one of those I kept coming back to - whether it was for news, reviews, or just the friendly interactions on socials. Pretty sure I still have the tweet where the team wished me Happy Birthday a few years back saved somewhere 😂 Everyone has been so lovely and the creativity shown is just amazing . Can’t wait to get started. I’ve already thought of so many ideas - so just wait and see :) Col: When did you first start writing, and what in your opinion would you say has been your most popular piece of writing? Louise: Creatively? It’s been something I’ve been doing since I was a kid - I was that person who would finish work early and then write for fun in lessons. So I guess nothing’s changed there! Reporting I got into a bit later on; when I started university I joined the university magazine and wrote articles on all sorts, joining the committee for a year or two. I even managed to win a few awards in the meantime. Now I’m heading back to university to study writing for a Master’s come September. :) Col: What are some of your most recent Assassin's Creed Community Projects, and what are you working on currently? Louise: I’ve eternally been trying to finish Evie’s coat since I finished the game for the first time in 2015 - as well as a few other outfits in the series I really love. These include Kass’ symposium gown, Claudia’s Brotherhood outfit, and an original design of something for Jenny 👀 But back in October with Mirage ’s release I tried my hand at trophy hunting and posted a video that was partially me speed-earning all of the trophies in the game as well as a partial (spoiler free!) review. Col: Have you visited any of the locations from the games? Louise: A fair few! It’s a privilege that by living in the UK I’ve been able to visit London a few times - and the town near where I grew up was featured in one of Valhalla ’s story arcs . I visited Paris and several places in Greece a few years before both Unity and Odyssey released. But there’s still dozens of places I’d love to go - Italy is on the top of my list, and I would love to visit parts of the US one day. Col: Which Assassin's Creed game is your favourite and why? Louise: What a question! I think everyone who knows me is well aware Syndicate is the one after my own heart. While Unity was the first title in the series I ever played, it was the Twins who got me invested with my entire being 😂 There’s a few others that hold a lot of sentimental value to me as well: Black Flag as it was the favourite of the person who got me into the series (Jenny is also one of my favourite characters in the franchise, and man do I love the sea shanties too). I still remember the awe when I booted up Origins for the first time and just sat at the menu listening to the theme for almost an hour. The key to my heart is to show me a video game with a great soundtrack. Col: Have you attended any events within the Assassin's Creed Community? Louise: A few! Sadly I was just just joining in with community events when the Pandemic happened, so I’ve only been to a couple - most recently the AC Symphonic Experience in London. But I did attend the event in 2019 too. Then towards the end of 2022 I was invited by Ubisoft to the opening of their 878AD exhibition in Winchester - which I would highly recommend visiting! Col: What would be your dream setting for the upcoming AC Netflix TV show or future game? Louise: When I’ve thought about my dream AC show, I’ve always wanted to see something more anthology based - so instead of being focused around a time period, why not have it follow a Piece of Eden. Like the original idea for Unity , we see it change hands between Assassins and Templars over the centuries. Building the world around what we already have would be the big thing I’d love to see, though. Instead of focusing on the main protagonists, what is everyone else doing - especially if an episode/plotline is set in a time period or location already seen once before. (Kind of like how The Resurrection Plot had a small Evie Frye cameo but the story wasn’t about the Twins and Henry). Col: Do you have any personal AC goals you would like to achieve? Louise: Trying new things! While I enjoy writing, there are a few other things I would love to try my hands at - cosplay is a big one of those! Video stuff is also something I am getting myself back into creating, on a few different topics. From reviews of titles, full historical deepdives, and even a little series of learning how to speedrun a game - they’re all in the works :) I just want to have fun with it all, first and foremost. Col: What would you say is your most significant community achievement to date? Louise: The sword designing workshop I was part of with the Mentor’s Guild was pretty fun! Always a fun icebreaker fun fact at parties too :) Being able to review a copy of Kate Heartfield’s The Magus Conspiracy and then seeing that review highlighted in the media section on various sites was also a lovely surprise for a book that is truly one of the best in AC transmedia. Col: What is is your favourite part of being a community member? Louise : The curiosity and the creativity just blows me away every time; from the cosplayers to the writers, the musicians - and just how positive people can be with the original creations. Col: Do you collect AC merchandise? If so, what is your favourite item? Louise: Only the ones which catch my eye, but I have a few pieces which are my pride and joy (and are we surprised to find that they’re all Syndicate themed?) My Rook’s flag is my favourite - and the one I spent the most time looking for. Col: What advice do you have for people looking to get into games journalism and creative writing? Louise : Find what’s unique about you and what you’re interested in. There’s a unique twist to anything that you can bring about! For me, that was combining my archaeology degree and LGBTQ reception of video games! Col: Where can our community members find you online? Louise: I’m on Twitter and Discord @ TheNerdyArcher , as well as Instagram and Twitch @ nerdyarcheruk ✌️ 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 Valhalla: Huntsman Gear Guide Guide Share 26 Mar 2021 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Buckley Back To Database After the relatively long intro in Norway, you will no doubt be eager to find a new armour set when you arrive in England. One of the easier sets to claim is the Huntsman, which can be found in the opening areas of England. All items can be found in-game without the need for DLC or micro-transactions. The Huntsman Set All gear sets in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will not only provide the player with an aesthetic look, but also stats and bonuses that increase Eivor’s strength. Further to this, your gear will also be aligned to one of the three branches of the skill tree. The Huntsman set follows the wolf skill line and therefore will benefit from any skill points you have placed here. It is also good to consider the set bonus perks that are different for each armour set. The Huntsman gear provides you with a nice Viking look and leans heavily into an archer playstyle. The two bonuses for equipping the Huntsman set are in the image below. It is good to remember that the more pieces of the set you wear, the bigger the bonus. It is not essential though, and you can mix gear for interesting perks. How to Get the Huntsman Gear Set Unfortunately you cannot obtain all of the set pieces in the same region. There are five gear items to collect, with three in Grantebridgescire and the other two in Ledecestrescire. The Power Levels of these regions should not pose too much of a problem, as when you arrive in England both Grantebridgescire and Ledecestrescire are early story destinations. That being said, all of the Huntsman armour is well guarded so you will need to either fight your way to it or use stealth. Grantebridgescire and Ledecestrescire are both Power Level 20, so following the story would be the best way of attaining this set. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has four tiers for gear pieces: Grey (Fine) Red (Superior) Blue (Flawless) Gold (Mythical) When you fine each piece of the Huntsman set it will already be Superior. It is wise to use what resources you have to bring the gear to its highest level, and save your nickel ingots to upgrade the armour to flawless when you return to Gunnar at the Settlement. It is important to note that Ubisoft recently patched Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, implementing the transmogrification feature. This means you can upgrade your gear to the highest level but not have to worry about not liking the look. You can pay fifty coins to Gunnar and he will amend the aesthetic to one of the previous iterations but with the highest stats. The Huntsman Cape This seems like it could be more difficult than it actually is. Your best route is to take your Longship up river to Templebrough Fort in Ledecestrescire. The cloak can be found in a tower situated in the middle of the river. Just climb the tower and shoot the wood hanging to break the floor below. From here jump down and open the chest. There are a few guards so be careful not to been seen, but it is possible to avoid them altogether. The Huntsman Helm This one can be a little trickier. The helm can be found at Tonnastadir fort in Ledecestrescire. It is a heavily guarded area, which can be difficult early in the game. You will come here as part of the Ledecestrescire story arc, and I would suggest waiting until then to collect the helm. The helm is locked behind a gate, so you will first need to head to the longhouse. The key can be found on a table, but be careful as sometimes there will be guards in the room. Once you have the key, head to the metal gate where three guards will be waiting. There is some debris you can drop on them. Either way you will need to dispatch the guards before entering. The helm can be found at the end of the hallway in a chest. The Huntsman Armour The chest piece is probably the most difficult to obtain. It can be found in Ravensburg outpost, Grantebridgescire. This outpost is part of the story arc so waiting until then is a good option. You will find the chest containing the armour in the main hut at the centre of the enemy camp. Despite the camp being well guarded it is possible to get all the way to the hut unnoticed. You may wish to tactically remove some of the guards just so if you are caught you will not be overwhelmed. The Huntsman Vambraces The vambraces are hidden behind a waterfall in Grantebridgescire. The location is not too far from your settlement. Just head south of Ravensthorpe and you will see an area with two sections of water. The vambraces can be found in the first section of water, behind a waterfall. Once you enter the cave you will find another section of water. You will need to dive in and swim underwater until you reach the end. Straight after exiting the water you will see the chest in front of you. The Huntsman Breeches Your final piece to collect will be the breeches. They are situated in Soham hideout, which is on a patch of land not too far from Isle of Ely Monastery, Grantebridgescire. You will want to sneak into the camp and head towards the large stone building in the centre. Inside you will find a chest containing the breeches. You may also need to dispatch some of the guards. There are two sat at a table in the main building, making it difficult to sneak up on them, so be careful. Once you have all the gear items, you can return to Gunnar to upgrade them. Don’t forget to take a look at the transmogrification feature. It is also worth mentioning that you can pay travellers for information regarding the location of gear items (represented on the map by a question mark) Hopefully these tips will help you get started on your Viking adventure. Valhalla is a wonderful game full of intrigue and mystery with a story that sucks you in slowly. Be patient and take your time, you will not regret it. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

The Perfect Protagonist: Edward Kenway Analysis Share 7 Nov 2025 Written By: Edited By: Hayden Bird Colum Blackett Back To Database When Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag released in October of 2013, the game was a huge success and many fans pointed to the cast as a key aspect in the game being a huge hit for Ubisoft. Many loved the main protagonist, Edward Kenway, partially due to his major difference to past main characters and also his connection to the same bloodline that Ubisoft had created for several games in a row. The connection to past installments and an overall satisfaction for Edward was a huge factor into why the game became such an instant classic. His charismatic personality and the great story that accompanied him is a strong reason why many fans see this game as the best in the entire series. Promo image for Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag (2013) Many loved the main protagonist, Edward Kenway, voiced by actor Matt Ryan, because of how different he was as a character compared to previous leads. Edward was simply a very different protagonist, and still remains an outlier for the standard of all the great main heroes we have gotten in the series over the years. Edward was different because he was not a typical Assassin. In fact, he wasn’t really an Assassin at all, he was first and foremost a pirate in the West Indies who cared about nothing more than himself and personal gain. The Assassin’s Creed games had yet to feature a true protagonist that had basically zero ties to the famous Assassin Brotherhood. It was certainly a gamble from the developers, as they couldn’t have been sure that a character so far off from their standards would translate well to the fans. Some could see his resentment towards the main faction in the entire game as an insult. Some may have seen this as disrespectful to the main story, but that was far from the case, as instead it turned out to be a massive success despite taking a risk. Edward’s story followed a path of a husband who lives an unpredictable and albeit selfish lifestyle and goes to chase riches in the Golden Age of Piracy. Edward goes through a serious transformation from being a person who only cares about himself to a man who could leave behind a life of notoriety to become a loving father and devoted master of the Assassin Brotherhood. Edward showed he could be so lost and self-centered but still turn his life around and make his impact on the world. Edward meets many characters along the way in Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag that both help or deter his life and choices. In the end of his story, Edward shows one is never too far gone. Edward Kenway in Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag Edward Kenway was proof that the Assassin’s Creed series could branch farther beyond the expected. Edward did not even join the Assassin Brotherhood until basically the final 45 minutes of the game. That means for almost the entire story he resented the brotherhood and even mocked them. It very easily could have gone sideways for Ubisoft, but their execution with storytelling made the difference. Many gamers like to see characters with development. Not just a protagonist that starts as a proven hero and ends as one. Instead, watching a character being so far from the expected that eventually turns into the hero, most gamers like to see. Unfortunately, writing a story for a game is much easier when you don’t have to add any character development, as it takes way more work to come up with a great character arc that eventually comes full circle. Ubisoft and the developers of Black Flag had an opportunity to turn a reckless and selfish pirate into a Master Assassin that we all know to expect. There was a challenge in creating that true character arc, and Ubisoft aced the chance at creating a memorable character with a memorable story. Many gamers loved the connection Edward Kenway had with past games and past characters. The Kenway family line went farther back than most would expect. Most of the family were the main focal points of the previous game, Assassin’s Creed III , and showed the main two playable characters as ancestors to Edward. His son, Haytham and grandson, Connor, were the two protagonists in the past game. Gamers enjoyed seeing a connection between games and bloodlines. Even the epilogue of Black Flag had a cameo of the young version of Haytham Kenway, who is the initial playable character in Assassin’s Creed III . Many enjoyed such a connected family line distributed among consecutive games in the series. Connor in Assassin's Creed III, Grandson of Edward Edward Kenway was loved for his differences and that was shown evident in Black Flag . The Assassin’s Brotherhood was mentioned and featured quite a lot in the game, but Edward the protagonist never joined or paid them any attention until the very end of the game. It was the first Assassin’s Creed game that was willing to take such a large risk and create a protagonist that had no initial resemblances to the main characters all the main games had seen over the years. The fan feedback could have gone either way, and potentially become an issue to the public opinion, but Ubisoft doubled-down on their storytelling ability and showed the players that they could create a protagonist so different and so unlike previous heroes the series has featured and still successfully pull it off. Much of the success Ubisoft found with their main protagonist owed credit to the story of the game, that showed anyone, no matter how different or how self centered, could come through in the end and make something of their life. Ubisoft showed that Edward, a man so occupied with personal greed and carelessness for those around him, could come home and turn his life around before it was too late. Giving him a true success and redemption arc all together. Ubisoft found true success by taking a risk to go out of their comfort zone and creating a character so unlike what the games in the past have featured, and for it to pay off shows how impressive the writing of the game, and the protagonist Edward truly was. Even today, many consider Edward Kenway to be the best main character of the entire series, and that says a lot given the fact the game is over a decade old and there have been many main protagonists before and after Edward’s story was told. Fans of the franchise consider Edward to be the main star of the franchise aside from the most popular and well known character, Ezio Auditore, who received three mainline games, which shows how good Edward truly was to only have had one game to tell his story and still be so fondly remembered even so many years later. It is safe to say Ubisoft knew what they were doing when taking a risk that they hadn’t attempted before and turning it into universal acclaim. The writing that Edward Kenway received was some of the best the entire gaming world has ever seen, and he remains such a fan-favorite main character to this day. Edward Kenway wearing the Mayan Outfit in Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Hayden is a passionate Freelance Writer based in South Carolina who joined TOWCB's Writing Team in 2020 during the Covid-19 Pandemic, writing articles on all things Assassin's Creed Valhalla. He left the group to focus on studies, joining our Alumni program, but triumphantly returned with fresh ideas in 2024 to pick up where he left off, only this time covering Assassin's Creed Shadows. In 2025, Hayden took on the position of Team Leader for TOWCB's Writing Team, overseeing article releases, assisting with recruitment and providing assistance with internal operations. Hayden Bird

Searching For The Creed - London II Breakdown Share 20 Oct 2025 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Gargudon Back To Database Gustav / Gargudon from our team has called the great English capital a second home last three years’ time now, doing a lot of back and forth between there and native Denmark every now and then. This we saw as an occasion for our very first Searching For The Creed article a while ago, comparing landmarks found throughout the city, to their portrayal in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. That article contained but a fraction of them though, and now with Syndicate’s 10th anniversary right around the corner as well, we shift focus towards some of the rest! Temple Church Kicking off the list, we take a look at Temple Church, which served as the headquarters of the real Knights Templar in England during Medieval times. The main round part of the church is based on The Church Of The Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem - the burial site of Jesus Christ - to recreate the sanctity of the Holy Sepulchre and feeling of being there. The round church was used from 1163, the Templars moving there from their original English house located in Holborn, having been used since the 1140s. Not much to say about it other than Ubisoft Quebec did a great job doing so. While the church’s interior is inaccessible in-game and was not recreated, the visible exterior of it more or less looks identical to its real life counterpart. Temple Church is open and can be visited Monday-Friday from 10:00-16:00, with admission ranging from 3-5£, with children being admitted free of charge. Tower Bridge Located on the edge of the borough of Tower Hamlets bordering City Of London, Tower Bridge is undoubtedly one of the great city’s most famous and iconic landmarks, attracting thousands and thousands of visitors every year. Construction of the bridge began in 1886, and stood finished and opened 8 years later in 1894. The bridge is particularly famous for its two bascules that can be lifted, allowing for smaller ships to pass through. Found during the World War I segment of the game, the recreation of the bridge is more or less spot on, only major difference between then and now, being the construction of the glass floor walkway located at the top of the bridge, that only opened as recently as 2014. The bridge itself is open and free to walk across 24/7, and interior admittance is from 09:30-18:00 every day of the week, with tickets granting access to the engine rooms and glass walkways priced at 6,70£ for children and 13,40£ for adults. Tower of London Also located on the very edge of Tower Hamlets right next to Tower Bridge, is of course the Tower of London, another one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Construction first began in 1066, William The Conqueror erecting the first fortifications. The central “White Tower” was started a few years later around 1078, and fortifications were extended in the 12th and 13th centuries. The Tower has served as everything from Royal palace and residence, a public records office, an arsenal and more, but probably most notably a prison and execution ground, also housing the (in)famous Traitor’s Gate on the river. Also found during select memories and the World War I segment of the game, honestly not much to say, other than Ubisoft Quebec more or less perfectly recreated the iconic landmark, both the fortified exterior, the courtyard, as well as interior with armours, weaponry and more on display. Tower of London is open and can be visited from 9/10:00-16:30 from October to March, and until 17:30 from April to September, every day of the week year round, with the exception of January 1st, 6th and 7th, as well as December 24-26th. Tickets start at 17,90£ for children, and are up to 35,80£ for adults. King’s Cross St. Pancras Located in the southern end of the borough of Camden, King’s Cross St. Pancras is one of London’s biggest and most famous train stations. Originally opened in 1868, it shares a building with the former Midland Grand Hotel, and is considered one of the greatest marvels of Victorian Gothic architecture. Since its opening 157 years ago, it has been expanded more than once, and from 2007 and onwards, the station has been widely known for its Eurostar services to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and more of mainland Europe. There are a few notable differences between the real station and its in-game portrayal, parts of the facade looking slightly different in-game, as well as the lack of the building’s main tall tower, but ultimately the game’s portrayal still captures the look, colours and essence of it. Charing Cross Located right besides the iconic Trafalgar Square in the very heart of Central London, Charing Cross is another one of the great city’s biggest and busiest train stations. The station originally opened in 1864, South Eastern Railway looking to expand their line across The Thames from London Bridge into the West End and other parts of Central, given growing demand from commuters. Not much to say about it other than Ubisoft Quebec did a great job recreating the station building’s iconic facade, a few minor changes naturally having come with the years. The station’s interior has also changed, today having a sleeker, more modern look instead of classic Victorian architecture. Even today the station remains widely used for its South Eastern Railway services to a number of destinations across Kent and East Sussex in Southeast England, as well as its Underground services, with an approximate 37 million passengers passing through the station every year. Victoria Station Located in the heart of the borough of Westminster, Victoria Station is one of the city’s most popular and largest train stations. Competing for services going to the West End, two railway companies - London Brighton & South Coast and London Chatham & Dover - started building each their side of the station, with the former’s side opening in 1860, and the latter’s two years later in 1862. There are a few notable differences, but also similarities between the game’s portrayal and the real building. The station’s iconic facade has more or less always looked the same, but the interior is significantly smaller in-game and looks quite different. This ultimately makes sense, with how the station underwent big rebuilding, re-opening in 1909. Overall though, Ubisoft Quebec did a great job recreating the landmark, from the the iconic facade to the general feel of the station. The station has only evolved further with the years, seeing the removal of old walls dividing the two railway companies’ sides of it, and in the 1980’s, Victoria Plaza came to be, housing offices, as well as a minor shopping complex. Today the station is widely known for its services to a number of destinations in South England - from Brighton, Southampton, Portsmouth and more - and is also widely used for its fast and cheap services to London Gatwick Airport by thousands of visitors every year. Monument Located at the beginning of the City Of London to the East, The Monument to the Great Fire Of London stands tall just off of Fish St Hill and Monument St. Designed by architects Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke, construction of the spire began in 1671, and stood finished 6 years later in 1677, commemorating the great fire in September of 1666, destroying over 13.000 houses, 87 churches and many more buildings. The Monument also stands close to Pudding Lane where the fire started, in a small bakery owned by Thomas Farriner. There are a few notable differences between the game’s portrayal and its real life counterpart. The spire itself looks pretty accurate and spot on - although we are unaware of any secret ancient civilisation technology hidden inside it - and its more the surrounding area that has changed drastically, then being in a much wider and more open space, today being closely surrounded by modern buildings. The Monument is open and can be visited - walking to the top of it offering stunning views of Central London - from 9:30-18:00 every day of the week, closed for lunch from 13:00-14:00, and with the exception of 24th-26th December. Tickets are 3£ for 5+ children (under go free) and 6£ for adults, with special reduced prices for students and disabled. London Bridge And concluding this list is one of the city’s most legendary bridges, simply named after the city, as well as most iconic and enduring landmarks. Located on the River Thames between Southwark and the City Of London, it is one to have undergone the most changes since its inception almost 1000 years ago. Construction originally began in 1176 under Peter of Colechurch, replacing a timber bridge built in late Roman and early Medieval times. He passed away in 1205, but his vision was completed by fellow citizens 4 years later in 1209. The original Medieval London Bridge, remains one of the greatest marvels of Medieval architecture, housing numerous stores by the waysides, houses built above them, with up to 138 premises recorded by 1358. The bridge fascinatingly also remained the only connection point between the North and South side of The Thames, until the construction of Westminster Bridge in 1750. After years of frequent repairs, a major renovation project came underway, all houses were removed by 1762, and the ultimately simpler bridge, only housing walkways and traffic lanes as we know it today was slowly born. Honestly not much to say about the bridge, other than Quebec did a great job recreating it, and it more or less looked the same mid-19th century as it does today. The vicinity around has certainly changed and evolved though, today famously housing everything from Borough Market famous for its restaurants and street food, the iconic The Shard, and of course London Bridge station, widely used for its Underground, as well as services to South- & Southeast England, including Brighton, Gatwick Airport, a number of destinations across Kent & East Sussex and more. And that concludes this second list of landmarks found throughout London, compared to their portrayal in AC Syndicate, and now we have just about taken a look at every major noteworthy landmark in the city. Make sure to stay tuned for more Searching For The Creed articles in the future, as we shift focus towards other locations from throughout the games. Be sure to also check out our other existing comparison articles, taking a look at other places in London, Florence and Rome. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Gustav / Gargudon is an active community member, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016, but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews & composing. By joining The Ones Who Came Before in 2019, originally reviving 'The Memory Corridor' podcast, which had been offline for nearly a year, he has had the opportunity to expand his audience and further develop his skills.

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

New Assassin's Creed Shadows Fall Roadmap Full Breakdown Breakdown Share 25 Oct 2025 Written By: Edited By: Zephryss Colum Blackett Back To Database Ubisoft has finally revealed the new Fall Roadmap for Assassin's Creed Shadows. Here’s everything you need to know about what’s coming to Assassin's Creed Shadows in the next few months. Parkour Update 2 The new Parkour will be released on October 28. This update will feature a new toggle option named "Advanced Parkour". It will remove all parkour barriers, allowing players to do side ejects and back ejects from any height. There will be some tweaks with side eject on parkour down, giving players more freedom of expression. The vertical ledge grab in regular parkour will now work in more situations, including non-standing objects, whether or not the advanced parkour toggle is on. From those non-standing objects, developers are also introducing a new beam manual jump option and reintroducing a much-requested feature called the directional catch ledge mechanic. Corrupted Castles A new Animus themed activity called Corrupted Castles will also be released on October 28. Any previously completed castle may get corrupted and filled with Animus anomalies, including Samurai Daisho and their corresponding reward chests. Up to five Corrupted Castles will appear on the map each season, allowing players plenty of opportunities to reengage those castles and higher levels of play for even greater rewards. Free Story Drops The 3rd story drop called "A Puzzlement” will be released on November 25th. This quest has a much more humorous, silly tone, much more akin to something like AC Odyssey, in which players are digging up old foes from Naoe's past who are looking for a bit of redemption. As the name suggests, "A Puzzlement", also introduces a brand new and intricate environmental puzzle which will include some Isu content. Yes, Ubisoft has heard the AC community, and they are finally adding Isu content to Assassin's Creed Shadows. The two protagonists will also learn new skills from each other: Naoe will learn how to perform her own spectacular version of Yasuke's war kick ability. Yasuke will learn how to stealthily dispatch enemies in a non-lethal way. The next special collaboration will also be released on November 25th and It will be something big. Ubisoft has also announced that there will be more surprises including new finishers, special missions, animus-themed rewards, and store content until the end of this year. AC Shadows on Nintendo Switch 2 Assassin's Creed Shadows is coming on the Nintendo Switch 2 on December 2nd. It will have all the recent updates and free content drops, except for the Claws of Awaji Expansion that will come later in the new year. It will also work with cross-progression to Ubisoft Connect, so players will be able to pick up where you left off. Switch 2 also offers a new way to play with touch screen features in all menus including world map, store and hideout. What do you think about the new Fall Roadmap for Assassin's Creed Shadows? Share your thoughts in the comments below. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Zephryss is a passionate social media manager based in India who joined TOWCB's Social Media Team in Summer 2024 to help the team prepare for coverage of Assassin's Creed Shadows news and updates. Recently, he completed his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and is now preparing to take on a PhD. He loves video games very much, and since childhood has enjoyed playing various types of games in different genres He also has 3 gaming channels (Zephryss, Assassin Zephryss & Spider Zephryss) where he uploads gameplay videos regularly. Zephryss

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)

Guides Database Assassin's Creed Valhalla Guides Assassin's Creed Origins Guides

Laura M. Jung is a variety streamer based in Germany who joined TOWCB Video Content Creation Team in Summer 2024. She has a love for RPGs & Assassin's Creed, and will be helping TOWCB establish a clearer identity for Isu_Network and also with the growth of our Twitch channel. Outside of streaming, Laura is also a copywriter, and is excited to help the Writing Team with editing articles. She has two cats who often appear on stream Previous Next Laura M. Jung Video Content Laura M. Jung is a variety streamer based in Germany who joined TOWCB Video Content Creation Team in Summer 2024. She has a love for RPGs & Assassin's Creed, and will be helping TOWCB establish a clearer identity for Isu_Network and also with the growth of our Twitch channel. Outside of streaming, Laura is also a copywriter, and is excited to help the Writing Team with editing articles. She has two cats who often appear on stream Twitch │ Instagram │ Website (Copywriting) Work

Evolution of Modern Day storytelling and structure throughout the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Analysis Share 27 Sept 2021 Written By: Edited By: UbiCypher (Joe) Ashlea Buckley Back To Database The Assassin’s Creed series is highly praised for beautifully recreated landscapes that allows players to experience the most convoluted eras of history and its major events, as we know all of this is possible due to a high-tech device called “The Animus”. The Animus is what makes it possible for the player to experience not just the modern day, but moments from the past. By stepping into the machine you are able to delve into the genetic memories of the modern day character's ancestor's and relive their memories through their eyes. When the first iteration of this franchise came out in November 2007, it was revolutionary. The concept of having history as our playground whilst playing through a fictional plot based in historical fact was amazing, hence our love and passion for this franchise. However, it is important to note that not all of Assassin’s Creed is supposed to take place in the past. We have to remember and keep in mind that when the first entry came out, we were playing as a young man who was abducted by a multinational corporate conglomerate which serves as a front for the modern day activities of the Templars. Which means that they are still present in modern times. The first iterations of the franchise started somewhat bland on the character development of Desmond Miles, only using his persona as a tool for us to understand the modern day situation and what is to come and what to do then. But as the story progressed and hidden information starts to be discovered in the emails from Lucy Stillman’s personal computer, that’s when we could finally get a glimpse of how the modern day storyline was intended to be implemented in the game. It is no surprise that the most part of the modern day plot is revealed via E-mails, notes, messages left over by employees or within the database of the animus itself, due to the limited scope of exploration available to Desmond due to his imprisonment. This method of information discovery is reutilized in future games for the development of the characters knowledge surrounding the brotherhood and Abstergo. When we take a look back at the first games, Desmond was not very well explored until Assassin’s Creed II, where we could see his personality and skills develop in terms of response to danger, his coping with the bleeding effect and involvement after discovering his Assassin Heritage. The follow-up, Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, allowed us to finally get out of that attic in Italy, and for the first time explore a small modern day environment that made us connect even more with Desmond’s ancestry when exploring the crypt of his ancestor’s family villa. Not to mention that the DLC for Brotherhood “The Da Vinci Disappearance” first implemented the ARG concept of mixing reality with fiction by adding a special set of coordinates that, when googled, would lead us to a random wooded area in upstate New York, which had the fans baffled for many years until Assassin’s Creed III was released shedding light over the mystery behind said coordinates. Assassin’s Creed Revelations picks up where Brotherhood ended, with the stressful cliffhanger (Desmond kills Lucy) making us wonder what would happen next, but instead of making us play an actual modern day section like in the prior installment, we received optional missions in which you navigate through Desmond’s life through the use of flashbacks while he is in the animus in a comatose state. This was actually refreshing as it was a good insight into how Desmond had to recover his past life’s memories, in order to separate them from those of his ancestors which were overlapping with his and invading his mind, accompanied by those weird and cold yet attractive geometrical shapes and blocks emulating the core systems of the animus. Assassin's Creed III was the end of a cycle. Sadly the end of Desmond Miles’ story on behalf of what everyone expected. In this particular entry of the franchise, Desmond was now a capable Assassin having inherited all of the abilities his ancestors possessed through the Bleeding Effect. The modern day sections of this game are, to this day, considered by many fans as perfect, and what the balance between past & present sections ought to be in any Assassin’s Creed game. Unfortunately for them at the time, little did they know that it was just going to happen for one time only. Moving on to the next entry, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, that came out in 2013, was the turning point of it all, officially aligning the timeline of the modern day with the real word allowing players to better follow the chronology of the games, which was actually a smart move, as some years in the expanded universe are pretty tough to correctly organize in terms of dates and months. As Desmond’s cycle was now over, it was time for Ubisoft to start thinking outside the box and figure out a way to properly set future instalments without the need of Desmond himself. They had it all at their disposal to write whatever they wanted. That’s where Abstergo Entertainment joins the game. They shifted from the perspective of one character to be the center of a story to multiple points of view, characters and ways of exploring genetic memories. The creation of Abstergo Entertainment was really an incredible idea, the stories could now be “Infinite” because of the introduction of technology which allows you to relieve genetic memories without the direct descendant was genius. It opened up a door to what we would later know as “Helix”. However, Black Flag also started the lore-telling structure that we know today, which did not please everyone, as we went straight from the perspective of one single character experiencing everything continuously, to a lot of different stories and events happening simultaneously in the same game, poorly explained through Emails, files you’d have to find and recover and lots of notes scattered around the offices of Abstergo, thus, thwarting the quality of the Modern Day storytelling altogether. From there on, this procedure would last for every installment to come until 2015, switching between voiceless and non-playable characters, with the exception of Assassin’s Creed Unity and Syndicate which incorporated cinematic cutscenes as substitutes for playable sections. The Impact of Transmedia. (Comics, Novels & Info-Books) In November 2010, Karl Kerschl & Cameron Stewart in collaboration with Ubisoft, published through Ubiworkshop the graphic novel that would utilize a well known trend in the marketing sector when it came to promote storytelling through different platforms: The Transmedia. From 2010 to 2014 a total of 5 comic books plus reprints were made, besides the already existing novels based on the games written by Oliver Bowden. In which he added more background and lore to characters such as Altaïr and Ezio enriching the universe, but forcing others to buy books and comics in order to obtain knowledge that was supposed to be in the games in the first place. Of course this is not an uncommon tactic, there’s nothing wrong in expanding a universe of fiction which is meant to entertain. But the real problem begins when the very company responsible for annual releases of a franchise (which is supposed to continue expanding the stories set by previous entries, or at least finish what others started in the next one) starts wrapping up important story arcs and plot lines such as Juno’s revenge over the world (Charlotte de La Cruz Saga) - (2015-2018) in a specifically-made line of comics for their conclusion, introducing new characters which makes the Modern Day story even more difficult to get a hold on, as you don’t just have to discover new faces, but you also have to remember all that happened in the previous entries to understand the connections that tie the main games to all these new chapters within the expanded universe. Therefore, totally bypassing these interesting story arcs in the games to come, just as an excuse to apply new settings and expand the IP without any “Artistic freedom restriction tied to the already established lore”, which as we have been witnesses for the past five years, happened with the releases of the new RPG trilogy that according to a now divided fanbase, caused some lore retcon. See Assassin’s Creed Unity for instance. It’s one of the clearest examples of an Assassin’s Creed game being directly affected by the Transmedia in terms of Modern Day storytelling. The game is supposed to take place in November 2014, right when an Abstergo analyst finishes exploring a set of pre-loaded genetic memories belonging to a bodyguard of the Templar Grand Master Jacques de Molay, said to be a sage and thus, person of interest to Abstergo. That’s when the Assassin Technician Bishop comes in and convinces our voiceless, genderless character to work for her and explore a specific genetic memory set that she provides to them, which are those of Arno Dorian, protagonist of Unity. Right, let’s backtrack 7 months prior. According to the Abstergo Entertainment Employee Handbook, way more interesting things happened in the time frame of Assassin’s Creed Unity’s modern day. Starting from May, all the way to November, there was another person relieving Arno’s memories, a character named Robert Fraser, who the real-life book is supposed to have belonged to, who has his own story which is worthy of a thriller story on its own. Detailing aspects of the bleeding effect, never seen before in any other games, seeing an interesting character development as he goes mad by falling in love with Élise while he was relieving the memories of Arno, to the point that he was having hallucinations in which he believed himself to be Arno, struggling to maintain his identity separated from his. Why not just wait a little longer and make all of that playable as well? Or why not just make cutscenes in first person for that matter, during modern day, in which you see that character progression and the bleeding effect slowly affecting the character. I’m sure that would give a more in-depth look at how users are really affected by the secondary effects of the animus. So, for now, I’d say that the only way to improve modern day and make it more engaging for the public, would be to stop making comics and books with modern day sections in them. And maybe focus on making a full on game instead. Time changes, civilizations evolve, wars evolve, technology… Yes of course! Assassin’s Creed has always been a game of blades and steel. But let’s be honest, Ubisoft has the potential, gameplay references and tools in order to make a capable and polished modern day only game, with maybe a couple of interactions with the past to complete something in the present if need be. But that would more likely be a secondary thing as I’m talking about a modern day game and not a game focused only in the past. Splinter Cell Conviction and Blacklist have the perfect playability for that hypothetical game as does the recent Watch Dogs Legion (Which recently had an Assassin’s Creed Crossover) But that is something for another day. What about weapons? Well, according to the lore, Galina Voronina, Gavin Bank’s Cell, Jasdip Dhami and so on, use firearms in combat. And it’s not that awful, it’s actually realistic as we have seen in many films and shows where the character would ensue a fight with guns but when out of ammo use his/her fists to neutralize threats. We are too focused on the old fashioned Assassin weaponry which hinders the possibility of having a modern day game as we cannot ask fans make a united decision. I really think that is what we need in order to heal the storytelling or at least make it more appealing to people. Maybe implementing old plots that are yet unfinished or old characters that have disappeared for a while now, such as Harlan and Arend, Gavin, Galina, Kiyoshi, etc. This is all an idea of mine that comes from the analysis of the Modern Day’s lore of course. But I think we should consider pressing Ubisoft for this kind of game in the future. Though, I’ve noticed that all recent transmedia books are only focusing on the past.. Could that mean something? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author UbiCypher (Joe) is an Assassin's Creed Transmedia expert who worked as the Lead Admin for the Isu_Network social media team, providing consistent social media content in the form of Assassin's Creed lore trivia, puzzles and news coverage, spending countless hours researching the series and real history. In 2025, he stepped back from his social media duties to pursue other opportunities. UbiCypher (Joe)

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 2nd to 13th December Community Share 9 Jan 2025 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Renzo Back To Database Welcome to the biweekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every two weeks we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. This theme has been run by the TOWCB VP team. We have been monitoring the hashtag and the community hub to see all your wonderful shots. Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured. Theme: Holiday Sub-Zero Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ FrameHoldPhotos The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ Falconswift87 There has never been a better time to fire up Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and take a trip to the North. The winter season is upon us and Eivor is well equipped to deal with the icy winds. This capture from Frame Hold is quite exquisite. The composition elevates the photo, drawing your eye to the snowy tundra. Furthermore, I love how Eivor is framed by the branches as she strolls through the forest. There is definitely a wow factor to the snow and how it looks and feels in the game, you can see this in the trail Eivor leaves in the snow. I adore the choice of outfit too and it fits with the chilly feel of this perfect winter capture. Winter Wonderland Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ UVioletra The world of Assassin’s Creed is rife with opportunity for breath-taking landscape virtual photography. When it comes to winter shots Valhalla is your game. Bianca excels in this department too, with her wonderful talent for capturing stunning vistas. There is so much beauty in this photo, thanks to the excellent composition. The rays from the sun add a touch of warmth to an otherwise wintery feel. The river snaking through the land is captivating, as is the beautiful snow-covered hills. Overall, it’s the colours that draw me in, with that purply/blue hue adding a magical feel to the photo. Snow Capped Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ vgshutter For me Norway is a visual masterpiece in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. The sheer scale of the mountains and the crisp white of the snow really transports you back to the Viking days. This photo pays homage to the wonderful game design and reinforces why we love to explore regions in Assassin’s Creed. When I look at this shot it reminds me of the art cards you often get with collector’s editions. I think the white boarder helps to elevate that feel. The sun creeping out behind the tip of the mountain is clever and the Raven gliding towards it is a nice touch. What I love is the fortress/settlement below, those log buildings are giving off real wintery vibes. Daybreak Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ TheAncientGame4 I am not surprised to see Norway featured predominantly for this theme. Once again, I find myself reminiscing back to the launch in 2020 and the absolute joy of entering the world of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. What we have here is a panorama of great scale, showcased through the excellent composition and the smart use of light. The line of golden sun piercing the cold water is magnificent and the way its glow reflects off the snow adds a sense of warmth to a very chilly shot. I really like how the body of water sits encased by the mountain ranges. So much effort was put into creating these vast areas that are essentially empty in terms of gameplay but full of opportunity for photography. Frozen Lands Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @JadedVortex Assassin’s Creed Valhalla leans into the mythology both in the main story and the Dawn of Ragnarok DLC. With Gods like Odin and Thor who are so well known in pop culture it would have been a shame not to feature them. In Norse mythology the cold of Niflheim is often depicted in the manner of this shot. The cold barren lands are well represented here with some nice blue tones really adding to that freezing atmosphere. The dragon skin is the nice touch too as it has importance to Norse culture thanks to Níðhögg who was said to reside at the roots of Yggdrasil. This capture is exactly what I think of when recalling my time in the snowy mountains of Norway. And that sums it up for this Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out the photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next time keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 12th to 18th June Community Share 21 Jun 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week I will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. This week’s theme: Mirage Hidden Ones Bureau Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ HiddenOnesN “The Hidden Ones have no place in battles. But we can help the rebellion by eliminating leaders”. The Hidden Ones DLC will always capture the hearts of fans for it’s the first time in Bayek story that you become part of a Creed. This wonderful shot captures the spirit of the bureaus of old, returning to these places after completing a mission in AC1 was such a highlight. I really like that the building is nothing special, and that a few members are going about their business. What I like the most though is the insignia on the wooden door. We already know that Mirage will bring us back to these magical places. Link to set: Assassin Logo Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ tn_taurus “Humans are not meant to last forever. But this Creed will. The Creed is the only immortal thing in the world”. What a superb Mirage inspired shot this is. Those sand coloured rooftops will once again become our playground in October. Seeing the Assassin logo on the rooftop here is really giving me Mirage vibes. In fact the whole set of shots from Julio perfectly encapsulates the Mirage promotional pictures. I love the way Bayek is crossing over the symbol on his way to the bureau entrance. I am sure a contract will be waiting for him and subsequently justice will be served. Link to set: Time in the Desert Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ NIKOOO_WOLF “You cannot kill me, for I walk among the dead. Come forth by day, and I will guide you home” A marvellous set of three shots depicting a lonely Medjay wandering the deserts of Egypt. In my mind Bayek is travelling across the desert in search of his next target. We know that there will be small areas outside of Baghdad in Mirage so these sort of shots will be possible once more. For me these three are all about minimalism and small details. I adore the drops in the water for the first shot, and the light reflecting off the ground in the second. The final photo has a great colour tone and showcases the environment beautifully. In the Shadows Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Cll3ar “Strike quickly and end this” For me this shot signifies Assassin’s Creed. The hooded Assassin, stalking in the shadows, waiting for their target to appear. Mirage promises us a return to the roots and that means waiting on rooftops for the right moment. I absolutely love this capture for the shadow work, the pillar and the assassin. The shot is so cleverly put together that it sparks our imaginations into thinking what will come next. A credit to Raven for producing such a classic shot that I think meets the Mirage brief, despite being taken in Valhalla. Link to set: Hidden Blade Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Majdulf47 “Our tradition of the feather comes from Egypt, the feathers of the heron were dipped in the blood of the targets” This capture is what it’s all about, being a Hidden One/Assassin with a deadly hidden blade. Right from that first moment of using one in the original game it has become iconic. In Mirage we will get to wield the classic blade in the traditional manner once more. This impressive shot captures the moment of execution with Basim’s wrist up and the blade appearing from under his arm. Fantastic timing here, but it is the details that draw me in. The light shining off the blade and the stitching on the finger sling, incredible photography. The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ _Virtualtourism Hidden Blade ''What better way to represent Mirage, with its promise of a return to the series roots, than an image of the iconic hidden blade. Not only that but you can see it’s bearers sacrifice on full display, excellent work.'' 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

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. Previous Next Ashlea Blackett Editor Previous Partner 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. Twitter Work

Gustav / Gargudon is an active community member, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016, but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews & composing. By joining The Ones Who Came Before in 2019, originally reviving 'The Memory Corridor' podcast, which had been offline for nearly a year, he has had the opportunity to expand his audience and further develop his skills.

 His unique skill set made him the perfect candidate for our team. Among other things, he is known in the community for the Sounds Of History project - an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental music project, featuring five tracks inspired by as many different games - other original fan themes plus covers of iconic AC tracks, as well as video interviews with a number of high profile names in the world of AC, from Roger Craig Smith, Jesper Kyd and more. Fun fact, among his growing colourful tattoo collection, Gustav is the only member of our team to have the TOWCB logo inked. Previous Next Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Video Content Gustav / Gargudon is an active community member, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016, but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews & composing. By joining The Ones Who Came Before in 2019, originally reviving 'The Memory Corridor' podcast, which had been offline for nearly a year, he has had the opportunity to expand his audience and further develop his skills.

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

Assassin's Creed: Dawn of Ragnarok Promo Event: Life-Sized Ice Sculptures Events Share 18 Jun 2022 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database During the promotional campaign for Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok in March 2022, Ubisoft hosted a unique one-day pop-up event outside of the Hoog Catharijne shopping mall in Utrecht, Netherlands. The mall, which is also connected to Utrecht Station Central, hosted two life-sized ice sculptures of Odin and Surtr, and acted as an excellent photo opportunity for both shoppers and travellers alike. Ubisoft also invited a number of social media influencers to promote the event, such as Instagram star Rudi Wijnen and Streamer Joost Bouhof. This event no doubt took a lot of effort to maintain due to the cold temperatures needed to prevent the ice from melting, making it easily one of the most unusual and memorable Assassin's Creed promotional stunts in recent memory, largely due to the difficulties caused by the pandemic. We here at TOWCB noticed that this event slid under the radar for many fans, so we wanted to recognise and highlight the creative efforts of those involved. We hope to see more Assassin's Creed ice sculptures at future events! Here are some images from the event from a variety of sources. Image by Rick Broers https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca6-GCcAYxv/ Photo by officialyarasky https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca7BZsigTjF/ Images by uberquin Photo by officialyarasky https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca7BZsigTjF/ Image via Ubisoft Belgium https://twitter.com/ubisoftbe/status/1501931592570204165 Image via Rudi Wijnen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roediementair/ Image via Joost Bouhof https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca60eRxNTw7/ Image via Joost Bouhof https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca60eRxNTw7/ Photo by kayip_c_gaming Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca7B4EMopIH/ Promo event by kayip_c_gaming Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca7B4EMopIH/ Photo by uberquin Sutr the Frost Giant by uberquin https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca6-oMAo4pc/ Photo by uberquin https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca6-oMAo4pc/ Image by gamemeneer Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca61L6pMwR6/ Image by gamemeneer Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca61L6pMwR6/ Image by meesdix Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca69dWGKh4f/ Ice Ice Image by itzseda https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbss6h1In9h/ Ice tease Image via PopUpBrandStores https://www.instagram.com/popupbrandstores/ Here is a promotional video produced by Ubisoft showcasing the event. Source comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

5 Reasons to Love Assassin’s Creed Shadows And 5 That Might Let You Down Breakdown Share 21 May 2025 Written By: Edited By: Zephryss Colum Blackett Back To Database After years of anticipation, Assassin’s Creed Shadows finally launched on March 20, delivering a stunning take on feudal Japan. While the game introduced refreshing ideas and rich historical storytelling, it also came with its share of flaws. Here's a look at five things Shadows did right, and five where it missed the mark. Promo image for Assassin's Creed Shadows via Ubisoft What Assassin’s Creed Shadows Did Right 1. Dual Protagonists That Actually Work Unlike Syndicate, where dual protagonists felt uneven, Shadows balances Yasuke and Naoe incredibly well. Their gameplay styles are also very different. Yasuke is all about strength and direct combat, while Naoe focuses on stealth and agility. This contrast keeps the gameplay fresh and interesting. Switching between them feels fun and meaningful, not forced or gimmick like in past games. Promotional image for Assassin's Creed Shadows via Ubisoft 2. The Beautiful Japanese Setting & Stunning Next-Gen Graphics A game set in Japan was one of the most requested settings by Assassin’s Creed fans after Egypt and Greece. From the buildings and castles to the dynamic weather system, Assassin’s Creed Shadows brings feudal Japan to life in amazing detail. With the help of the upgraded Anvil engine, the world feels real and alive, with small touches that show how much effort went into getting things right. Each region has its unique culture and history, and it shows in everything from the clothes to the traditions. Compared to older games that focused mostly on Europe, this is a big and welcome step forward in how the series represents other parts of the world. Image: Feudal Japan in AC Shadows 3. Stealth Is Truly Back Stealth gameplay in Shadows has been improved in a few key areas. Both Naoe and Yasuke have access to the new Observe mechanic, which delivers a fast and easy way to toggle additional information on screen. Observe allows you to identify targets, tag and monitor enemies, and highlight lootable stashes, collectables, and quest objectives. While on a Synchronization Point, it also allows for close examination of nearby locations. Naoe has access to the classic Assassin's Creed Eagle Vision, which allows her to highlight the position of enemies hidden behind walls and other objects. For the first time in the Assassin's Creed series, hiding in the shadows will make you invisible to enemies. During night-time , any pocket of shadows becomes a dynamic hiding spot in which you can progress without being seen. Naoe and Yasuke are the first protagonists able to go prone in the series. Going prone reduces your "visibility" to enemies even further, whether on the ground, on rooftops, or underwater. Not only that, Naoe has four primary tools at her disposal to help ensure a quick kill or getaway: Smoke bomb, Shinobi Bells, Kunai and Shuriken. Image: Naoe attacking enemies with a Kunai 4. A Decent Story The story of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is solid and engaging, set during a rich and dramatic period in feudal Japan. It follows two main characters, Naoe and Yasuke, whose different backgrounds bring interesting perspectives to the conflict. The game mixes personal struggles with bigger political events, staying true to the themes fans expect from the series. While the plot doesn't break new ground, it’s well told and keeps you invested. The setting adds a fresh feel, and the characters help make the story feel more human and grounded throughout the game. Image: Main characters in AC Shadows 5. Beautiful Soundtrack and Voice Acting The soundtrack of Assassin's Creed Shadows mixes traditional Japanese instruments with modern cinematic music, creating a powerful and emotional atmosphere in every scene. It really adds depth to the world and helps bring the story to life. The voice acting stands out, especially when you play in Japanese with subtitles. It feels natural and respectful to the culture, making everything more believable. The combination of music and voice work pulls you into the game like never before. Image: Naoe (@MASUMI_Cherrie) and Yasuke (@_tongayichirisa) from Assassin’s Creed Shadows. What Assassin’s Creed Shadows Did Wrong 1. Yasuke’s Limited Stealth Options Since this is an Assassin’s Creed game, both main characters should have the skills of an Assassin. But Ubisoft made Yasuke very different. He’s a powerhouse in combat, but his stealth abilities feel too limited. Yasuke is a samurai, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be able to sneak and take out enemies quietly. For a game built on the Assassin’s Creed identity, it’s disappointing that half the gameplay focuses more on fighting than on stealth. Image: Yasuke attacking enemies with Kanabo 2. Unpolished AI Behavior The detection system is better than in previous games, but the enemy AI in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is still inconsistent. Sometimes guards see you from far away in unrealistic ways, and other times they walk right past you even when you’re clearly visible. In combat, some enemies just stand to the side and don’t even attack. The difficulty settings also feel unbalanced—“Expert” doesn’t feel much harder than normal. Ubisoft has said a tougher mode is coming in the future, so we’ll have to wait and see how that turns out. Right now, these issues break immersion and reduce the overall tension. Image: Naoe is fighting with one enemy, but the others are just standing there, not attacking 3. Open World Fatigue Returns One of the biggest issues in Ubisoft games is the lack of variety in open-world features, and that problem continues in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The map is smaller than Valhalla’s, but there’s still too much filler content. Many side missions feel repetitive, enemy camps are basic, and fetch quests slow down what could have been a more focused, story-driven game. Open-world activities like finding pages, praying at temples, or archery challenges all feel the same, with no unique twists. Some features like Sumi-E, Hidden Trails, Kata, and Kuji-kiri feel fresh at first, but after a few times, even those start to feel repetitive. Image: Side activities Sumi-E and Horse Archery in Assassin's Creed Shadows 4. Gear and Loot Systems Still Feel Bloated The gear and loot system in Assassin’s Creed Shadows still feels too bloated. There are too many weapons, armor sets, and upgrades that don’t feel very different from one another. This makes managing your inventory feel like a chore instead of something fun. Players often collect gear they never use, and the inventory can be confusing or slow to navigate. While the game tries to offer variety, it ends up feeling more like quantity over quality. A simpler, more meaningful gear system would help players focus more on gameplay and story, instead of sorting through piles of loot that barely change how you play. Image: Inventory menu in Assassin's Creed Shadows 5. Limited Modern-Day Story Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the first RPG-style AC game without a specific modern-day story or main character like in past titles. Instead, it introduces a new feature called the Animus Hub, where you can find data fragments, short stories, and videos, but that’s all. The modern-day storyline used to be a key part of the series, but now it’s almost completely removed. What was once a major part of the franchise now feels like an afterthought. This change may disappoint longtime fans who care about the bigger story and want more connection between the past and present. Image: Modern-Day gameplay in Assassin's Creed Shadows Conclusion Assassin’s Creed Shadows is bold, looks amazing, and brings fresh ideas, especially with how it uses two main characters and brings back stealth. But it’s not perfect. The enemy AI still has problems, the gear system feels too packed, and the modern-day story is weak. These show that Ubisoft hasn’t fully solved the series’ issues yet. Even so, it’s a strong game that shows the franchise is moving in a better direction. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Zephryss is a passionate social media manager based in India who joined TOWCB's Social Media Team in Summer 2024 to help the team prepare for coverage of Assassin's Creed Shadows news and updates. Recently, he completed his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and is now preparing to take on a PhD. He loves video games very much, and since childhood has enjoyed playing various types of games in different genres He also has 3 gaming channels (Zephryss, Assassin Zephryss & Spider Zephryss) where he uploads gameplay videos regularly. Zephryss

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

The Memory Corridor Episode #21 Retrospective Look at AC Syndicate w/ ActualSpiderMan Podcast Share 16 Jul 2022 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Back To Database comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Gustav / Gargudon is an active community member, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016, but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews & composing. By joining The Ones Who Came Before in 2019, originally reviving 'The Memory Corridor' podcast, which had been offline for nearly a year, he has had the opportunity to expand his audience and further develop his skills.

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