Search

Introducing Sounds Of History - an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental project by Gargudon Other Share 25 Feb 2023 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database We are pleased to announce “Sounds Of History”, an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental project by our very own Gargudon ! A unique fan project, never really seen before in the Assassin’s Creed community, featuring five original tracks written, arranged and produced by Gargudon, each inspired by different AC games. A tribute to the soundtrack, to sneaking, fighting and free running throughout the years, and the composers behind them who have shaped the sound of the franchise. French Highlands - Inspired by the Parisian Medieval remnants of Assassin’s Creed Unity …Away From The Crowds… - Inspired by the mystery, abandoned undergrounds and ominous ambience of Assassin’s Creed II & Brotherhood 60’s - Inspired by British (Soft) Rock, the spirit of which partially originated during the era of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate Eagle’s Path - Inspired by the Native beliefs, Colonial settlements and history of a nation birthed during the era of Assassin’s Creed III Tales Of The Winds And Waters - Inspired by the colonies, cultures and waters of the Caribbean and West Indies explored, settled and sailed upon during the era of Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag Coming soon! Stay tuned here on The Ones Who Came Before for updates. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvFmigArf3o comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Gustav / Gargudon is an active community member, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016 - hosting the discussion based show “The Memory Corridor” - but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews and composing. He joined The Ones Who Came Before in 2019 for a merger, publishing new episodes - and reviving the show following nearly a year of inactivity - on our platforms, until phased out in 2023. Today, among other things he is known in the community for the Sounds Of History project - an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental music project, featuring five tracks inspired by as many different games - other original fan themes plus covers of iconic AC tracks, as well as video interviews with a number of high profile names in the world of AC, from Roger Craig Smith, Jesper Kyd and more. Fun fact, among his growing colourful tattoo collection, Gustav is the only member of our team to have the TOWCB logo inked. Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon)

Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Greek Glory Breakdown Share 24 Jun 2025 Written By: Edited By: Hayden Bird Colum Blackett Back To Database When Assassin’s Creed Odyssey launched worldwide in October of 2018, many fans and gamers alike were eager to see how the developers at Ubisoft would take the franchise next after a major series reboot began with the previous game, Origins. 2017’s Assassin’s Creed Origins was a major success for Ubisoft and served as a solid and necessary rethinking of the overall franchise. The series was in dire need of something new after the financial disappointment of 2015’s Assassin’s Creed Syndicate which was a direct fan response after many gamers starting feeling that the series itself had run its course after a near decade of its existence, and was badly needing fresh and new life into it. Ubisoft followed the path of a full reboot and after the positive reception from both critics and fans of Assassin’s Creed Origins , Ubisoft had serious momentum heading into 2018. Promo image for Assassin's Creed Odyssey showing Alexios Before the announcement of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey , fans were not even expecting a new game in the series that year as Ubisoft pointed out the need to pause their old strategy of annual installments, as they released a new Assassin’s Creed game every year since 2008 at the time. The series took a full year off before Origins released, and many fans expected much of the same, a quiet 2018 with a potential release the year after. Ubisoft surprised fans at E3 2018 by announcing Odyssey . Fans were very excited to finally be able to explore the heavily requested historical location of Ancient Greece. Odyssey was set to build upon everything that was great and loved with Origins . The fan feedback was positive of the reboot with new RPG style gameplay elements and more advanced character customization than previous games experienced. Ubisoft set themselves up in a good position to deliver with Odyssey and clearly understood they simply had to expand on what everyone enjoyed with its predecessor rather than changing up the format too much again. Ubisoft was in prime position to capitalize on their own success, and they did just that. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey was also a significant first in the series. The ability to choose a character to play as. Ubisoft tried this idea in 2015 with Assassin’s Creed Syndicate by allowing players to switch between a male and female character, but this was the first time you could play as your chosen protagonist for the entire game. Odyssey also allowed gamers to play as a female protagonist for the very first time. The character, named Kassandra, was the fan favorite amongst the pair, while the second playable character was a male named Alexios. The story of the game made it so you choose your own character, but the character you do not select still plays a significant part in the game itself, that way no character is being forgotten. Players also loved the option to choose your own dialogue responses in game. It took the RPG side of the game to a whole new level, as the game before, Origins , did not have an option to select a variety of dialogue choices and featured a single male protagonist, whereas Odyssey switched things up and gave players their own freedom to choose a character of their liking. So, Seeing these big changes for the first time really excited fans all around the world. Promo image for Assassin's Creed Odyssey (2018) showing the Cult of Cosmos Assassin’s Creed Odyssey also took different parts of their game and made them bigger and better than before. The game's map was larger than that of any prior game in the Assassin’s Creed series, by quite a lot as well. The map was measured to its full length at 250 square kilometers. A good example of how big this map really was is that if, in game, you made your way through the map from end to end, it would take you two full hours to make it across. The map was unique and was full of famous Greek islands and the many spots of ocean which is known as the Mediterranean Sea in Greece. In the game, the player could earn and acquire a ship to sail across the many plots of the ocean spread out across the map, making traversing the playable area a lot faster and smoother. The fan feedback of this large map was mostly positive, as some loved having such a massive area of land and sea to explore, while others argued the time spent travelling across the map to your different quest objectives got exhausting and they’d rather be able to quickly maneuver the map. But overall, the idea and reality of such a large playable area was appreciated by the fans. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey had many great parts to not only its story, but gameplay as well, but one area of the games fans enjoyed a lot was the DLC, short for downloadable content, that was released and added onto the games story ending. The DLC story arcs were split into chapters where one chapter would be released at a time and fans would have to wait to continue their adventure until the time the next chapter released. The story DLCs were very admired by fans who spent the extra money on the game's season pass in order to get access to these missions. The DLC features two main storylines that were each split up into three chapters. The DLCs were called ‘Legacy of the First Blade’ which told the story of how the famous and iconic signature weapon used by the Assassins in the series that was known as the hidden blade, came to be in the world. The second DLC was called ‘The Fate of Atlantis’ which focused around the fabled underwater kingdom of Atlantis. Both of these expansions were well received and offered the players additional hours of new gameplay after the completion of the main story. Promo image for 'Legacy of the First Blade' The season pass of the game also offered an incentive for fans to spend the extra money on it as it offered a remaster of the 2012 game Assassin’s Creed III along with the standalone expansion, Liberation . The remaster and expansion were later offered as a separate purchase outside the season pass, but it goes to show how much content Ubisoft packed into these DLCs. Two major story expansions along with a remaster of a fan-favorite game in the series. It was a serious payoff for fans who spent the extra money to get access to these great additions to the game. Ubisoft put all their effort into not only the game, but the future of it and player experience post-launch. It is safe to say that Assassin’s Creed Odyssey was a very strong follow-up to a massively successful series reboot. Ubisoft took the correct path by building off the momentum they created a year before, but to still add new things and different changes that were fresh to gamers and made it a worthy journey into Ancient Greece. Ubisoft played their cards right in trying to continue to satisfy longtime fans, but to also introduce new players who could’ve been unfamiliar with the series, and Odyssey was their first experience in the franchise. It catered to all fans both new and returning. Odyssey will certainly be remembered for a long time, as it set the bar high for similar games and the Assassin’s Creed series as a whole. It managed to please fans who were looking to enjoy more of what its predecessor offered, but also include unique elements that made it feel like a true and full mainline Assassin’s Creed game that it certainly was. Kassandra in Assassin's Cred Odyssey (2018) comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Hayden is a passionate Freelance Writer based in South Carolina who joined TOWCB's Writing Team in 2020 during the Covid-19 Pandemic, writing articles on all things Assassin's Creed Valhalla. He left the group to focus on studies, joining our Alumni program, but triumphantly returned with fresh ideas in 2024 to pick up where he left off, only this time covering Assassin's Creed Shadows. In 2025, Hayden took on the position of Team Leader for TOWCB's Writing Team, overseeing article releases, assisting with recruitment and providing assistance with internal operations. Hayden Bird

Assassin's Creed Mirage Concepts by FrameHoldPhotography Art Share 9 Sept 2022 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Our very own FrameHoldPhotography from the AC Partnership Program's Video Content Creation Team has created x3 concept images for the next title in the series, Assassin's Creed Mirage! The game, which will seemingly transport players back to the Middle East before the events of Valhalla, is hoped to be a turning point for the series, reinventing pillars of the franchise in need of a reboot such as stealth and parkour. The concepts below created by FrameHoldPhotography imagine a game featuring beloved member of the Hidden Ones, Basim Ibn Ishaq in his younger years. The images merge together photomode captures from Valhalla and Origins, and are edited using Photoshop to create some ideas of what AC Mirage might look like! We can't wait to learn more about Assassin's Creed Mirage at Ubisoft Forward! 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)

AC Movie Press Event London (First 20 minutes (From Memory & Notes) Events Share 12 May 2016 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database I recently attended The AC Movie Press Event in London, and saw the first 20 minutes of the upcoming Assassin's Creed Movie (Amongst many other things). This article is written from my memory and a few notes. (MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE ASSASSIN'S CREED MOVIE) So the movie begins with an Eagle soaring over New Mexico, showing us a high angle shot of the sand below. After flying over several isolated buildings, we zoom in on a small town. The music playing is Young Dead Men by The Black Angels , a song that I thought worked very well with the scene. The lyrics especially made it work. "Run for the hills, pick up your feet and let's go" The Eagle flies off, and we focus in on a hooded young boy riding his bike through a quiet, dusty town. After several cinematic shots showing the boy biking, he bikes towards his home and gets off the bike. The lively introduction music that was playing fades out, and we the boy slowly enters his home. A new song starts playing through a record player, creating a creepy atmosphere. The boy calls out for his mother as he comes in through the back door. The next shot we see is of a woman sitting in a chair, staring across the room. Blood can be seen on her chest, and it becomes apparent that she has been stabbed. The camera slowly pans across her body, and we see that she is holding a strange looking necklace with the Assassin insignia. The necklace is wrapped around her hand, and is covered in blood. The boy walks towards his mother slowly, looking at the injuries inflicted on her. The camera pans towards the right hand side of the room, and we see a hooded man facing the other way. Whispering to himself he says "Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine." (Nothing is True. Everything is Permitted). It was nice to hear the Maxim of The Creed again, but this was a super creepy scene! He turns around, and the camera zooms in on his face. He is a bearded man, and looks like he is possessed. The boy nervously says "Dad", and the man begins to walk towards the boy. The camera focusses in on his hidden blade, dripping with blood. His dad, looking menacing in a dark green hoodie, walks towards his son. In the distance we hear sirens approaching, and Joseph says to his son "Your blood is not your own Cal." As the police cars slowly pull up, Callum runs out the door as his father is arrested. As the cars pull up, we see a Templar Cross Necklace (The Ubiworkshop one) danging from the inside car mirror. (It was the exact same one that I was wearing at the time, and Justin Kurzel had actually noticed we wearing it earlier that day) As the police enter the house, the camera pulls away and focusses on Cal, freerunning accross the rooftops. We see several slow motion shots, as he jumps from roof to roof. As the sirens fade away, we cut to present day, and Lynch is now sat in a prison cell drawing. We see his wall, and the entire segment is filled with dark sketches. several seconds of watching Cal sketch away in his cell, we see a guard talking to a priest. "All he does is draw. It's against the rules, but what can we do. Man likes to draw" says the guard, looking at Cal on the CCTV monitors. We are then told by the guard that Callum beat someone to death. The priest enters the cell to speak to Cal, and sits down beside him. Lynch looks at the priest and says, "Are you here to save me". The priest asks Cal if there is anything he can do to bring him comfort. Cal says that there is a poem that his mother used to say to him as a kid. (It's an extract from " After Apple Picking" by Robert Frost) . The priest and Cal recite the poem together, and then we see Cal being taken to the Execution room. In the room Cal is strapped to a machine that will give him a lethal injection. Lynch appears to show no remorse, as he looks at the family members of the person he killed through the glass. He is asked if he has any final words and he says "Tell my father I'll see him in hell". With this the clock hits 18.00, and we see the liquid being pumped into his arm. This is quite a horrible scene, as Lynch realises that he about to die. Bits of this execution scene can be seen in the first 30 seconds of the trailer . As Callum falls asleep, the camera goes blurry then dark. He then wakes up next to a woman, who tells him that her name is Dr Sophia Rikken. He's in a hospital bed, and is extremely weak. "Where am I" he asks. "At 6pm yesterday evening, you were executed, and pronounced dead. You no longer exist". She tells him that he needs to take some time to recover, as they have to use a liquid so strong that it makes the prison guards think that the convict is dead. "It's the only thing strong enough to get past the guards". She tells him that he is now her patient at an Abstergo facility, and she is going to help him get better. Cal gets out of the chair and tries to escape. As soon as he gets up, his legs give way and he falls into the corridor. Sophia says that it's okay to the guards, and Cal slowly limps around the facility. He sees many other patients wearing the same white outfits that he is wearing. The Abstergo Facility looks like a hospital, and is extremely white and clean. Cal slowly runs underneath the Abstergo logo, and stumbles onto the floor. Getting back up, a little girl says to him "Your blood is not your own". This is the same line that his father said to him earlier in the movie. Cal gets up and continues his slow run around the facility. He enters a room that is filled with trees and plants, being attended to by other patients in the facility. Cal slowly walks towards the edge, where he bumps into Michael K. Williams who says Nothing is True. Everything is Permitted. (In Arabic) Cal walks towards the ledge, and we are shown the building that he is being kept in. The Abstergo facility is in an old church in Madrid. Cal looks out at the city and he is told that there is only one way to escape this facility. Cal gets up and continues his slow run around the facility. He enters a room that is filled with trees and plants, being attended to by other patients in the facility. Cal slowly walks towards the edge, where he bumps into Michael K. Williams who says Nothing is True. Everything is Permitted. (In Arabic) Cal walks towards the ledge, and we are shown the building that he is being kept in. The Abstergo facility is in an old church in Madrid. Cal looks out at the city and he is told that there is only one way to escape this facility. Sophia enters the room with Abstergo guards and Michael K. Williams says "The walls have eyes". Cal looks at the guards, and at the height below, considering whether to jump or not. "You are not a prisoner here" Sophia says to Cal. "You can leave whenever you chose". We are then shown Alan Rikkin, watching the entire thing. Panning across his office, we see the Aguilar's crossbow on his desk. We also see a vast collection of weapons, including hidden blades. Cal looks around the room, and is hit with a tranquiliser dart. Sophia is furious that her patient has been subjected to violence already, but the guard replies tells her that her father ordered it. We are then shown Aguilar and Maria running away from a group of Templars. The fight through several buildings, using several weapons including throwing knives and bow and arrow. Maria is especially talented with hidden blades.The fight breaks into several houses, and after killing many enemies, the two Assassins take to the roof tops. We see several long jumps across buildings, as the Assassins are chased by their enemies. They both jump into a tunnel, and kill the remaining Templars with hidden blades. The fighting is quick and clean, something that can be seen in the trailer. We then cut back to modern day as Callum wakes up. Sophia says "Prepare the Animus" and Callum is strapped in. This scene needs to be edited digitally, as it currently just shows Cal climbing wooden planks. It's like an indoor freerunning course, but with editing, will probably look more like the structures that Aguilar is actually climbing. I really enjoyed the event, and the footage was amazing! Images from UbiBlog comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

The History of Baghdad during the 860's (Anarchy of Samarra) History Share 12 Sept 2022 Written By: Edited By: Michael Doyle Ashlea Blackett Back To Database In our new article, we explore the history of Baghdad during the 860's, and the conflicts which took place during that time. In Assassin's Creed Mirage, scheduled for launch in 2023, players 'follow the transformation of a defiant young man into a refined Master Assassin with a conflicted destiny.' Basim Ibn Ishaq will navigate the bustling streets of ninth–century Baghdad, exploring all four areas, from the industrial Karkh to the lush gardens of the Round City. Here are some of the key events which took place during a period of extreme internal instability within the Abbasid Caliphate. Old Baghdad image via WorldBulletin The Spiral Minaret of Great Mosque of Samarra Via Wiki Baghdad’s House of Wisdom via WembleyMatters 861AD: The anarchy began in 861 with the murder of the Caliph al-Mutawakkil by his Turkish guards, with the support of his own son, al-Muntasir. Upon his death, his son al-Muntasir claimed the title of Caliphate, but this was short-lived. No more than 6-months into his rule, al-Muntasir was dead, having been poisoned by the Turkish Military Chiefs. 862AD: Al-Muntasir was then succeeded by al-Musta’in, who was appointed Caliph by a council of Turkish military leaders. Al-Musta’in was the nephew of al-Mutawakkil and was appointed Caliph ahead of al-Muntasir’s brothers al-Mu’tazz and al-Mu’ayyad, the rightful inheritors of the Caliphate title. They were both quickly thrown in prison and forced to resign their titles to suppress their ability to rightly claim the title of Caliphate. With his competition silenced, Al-Musta’in was then able to persuade the city of Baghdad in 862 to submit to his succession, which was eventually acknowledged throughout the land. However, al-Mu’tazz and his brother continued to rally against Caliph al-Musta’in, and they were ultimately sentenced to death for their actions. Yet, this never came to pass. The Vizier (a senior minister of the Abbasid Caliphate) intervened, saving the brothers, and allowing them to flee. The Vizier was banished to the island of Crete for his actions. 863AD: In 863, al-Musta’in, who was still living in the then capital Samarra (80miles north of Baghdad), still had plenty of conflicts to navigate as the governor of Baghdad. Two Greek priests, St. Cyril and St. Methodius had become missionaries and were spreading the Greek Orthodox version of Christianity throughout the region. al-Musta’in’s was campaigning against Christianity, but this was going badly, even resulting in the death of 8,000 troops and numerous military leaders. These failures to protect the Muslim religion against the rise of Christianity saw riots across the city of Bagdad. Baghdadis cried for a Holy War, prisons were broken into, and bridges burnt, yet the Caliph didn’t listen or care. Saint Cyril 864AD: From 863 to 865 al-Musta’in continued to lose the trust of his people, with much of the region slipping into chaos and fighting men from surrounding provinces having flocked to Baghdad and Samarra to fight and plunder. 865AD: In 865, the rule of al-Musta’in was slowly falling apart. After disagreements with the Turkish leaders, al-Musta’in felt that his life was in danger. So, alongside the company of two other Turkish leaders, Bugha al-Sharabi and Wasif al-Turki, he left Samarra on a boat to East Baghdad. The Turkish leaders, upon hearing of al-Musta’in’s sent a party of captains to apprehend the Caliph and requested that he returned to the capital of Samarra. Al-Musta’in refused, and after a heated discussion with the Turkish speakers, one of them received a blow. This insulted the Turkish officers, and upon their return to Samarra, they brought al-Mu’tazz (the rightful Caliph) out from his confinement and appointed him as Caliph. Within a few weeks, the new Caliph al-Mu’tazz and his brother Abu Ahmad al-Muwaffaq, along with 50,000 Turks and 2,000 Berbers besieged Baghdad. The Abbasid civil war, which lasted for about a year, largely revolved around a prolonged siege of Baghdad and resulted in the continued scarcity of food and money in the city. As the conflict raged on, members of the Abbasid family with Baghdad, without the knowledge or permission of al-Musta’in, had opened negotiations with the new Caliph al-Mu’tazz regarding the surrender of al-Musta’in. The first round of negotiations deteriorated, and thesiege continued whilst the Baghdadi people protested in the streets at the news that leader al-Musta’in, whom they still saw as the Caliph, was to be disposed of. 866AD: Ultimately, in January of 866, al-Musta’in was convinced to abdicate by his fellow Turkish officers, Wasif and Bugha, and he stepped down as Caliph. Upon his abdication, an agreement was set that his life would be spared and that he would receive sufficient income and a home in Medina. On Friday 25th January 866, al-Mu’tazz was acknowledged as Caliph in the mosques throughout Baghdad. Despite the agreement set out upon his abdication, al-Musta’in was not granted a home in Medina and was instead kept within the city of Baghdad. Ultimately, he was executed on the 17th of October 866 by order of the Caliph Al-Mu’tazz, who was playing a game at the time, later awarding the assassin 500 pieces as a reward. AC Mirage Concept Art by FrameHoldPhotography , created using Valhalla/ Origins & Photoshop How will Basim fit into the history of Baghdad? With many high-profile assassinations during the 860s in Baghdad, will Basim and the guild be connected in some way to these assassinations? Will the Vizier play a role in Mirage, his intervention in the murder of the brothers could indicate a connection to the guild? Will the two Greek priests, who spread Christianity across the land be connected to the events of Mirage? We know their actions caused uprising and riots in Baghdad, but will they be portrayed in the game? Will Basim have some role to play in the success or failure of al-Musta’in and his fellow Turkish troops fleeing to Baghdad in 864? Will Basim fight in the siege of Baghdad during the Abbasid Civil War? Will Basim and the guild influence the negotiations between the members of the Abbasid family and al’Mu’tazz? Will any of the Caliph’s during this timeframe be part of the Order of Ancients? comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Michael is a close personal friend of the admin team who has worked alongside TOWCB for many years, lending a hand behind the scenes who is best known for his time leading the Rally the Creed video-podcast. In 2022, Michael stepped out of the shadows and joined TOWCB's Writing Team, where he explored game journalism by expanding TOWCB database, filling it with guides, tips and tricks and more. After a series of article launches, he joined TOWCB's Core Team, where he now works as a Strategist, overseeing major campaigns, establishing internal systems and managing charity efforts for the group. Michael Doyle

The Gaming Library: How Assassin’s Creed Influenced My Interest in History Books Other Share 12 Feb 2024 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Colum Blackett Back To Database Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal (Moonchildgecko) from TOWCB Art Team. Collecting has been my favorite hobby since I was a child. Whether it be games, comics, trading cards, or random items with a shared theme, I was always driven to collecting. As I grew, my focus would change and my collections would be the funding to help me start my next pivot at reaching an undetermined and unmet goal of having an interest to talk about. This would continue with only one collection ever growing, my gaming library. Each year (or sooner) I would find myself bored with my current system and with no way of getting money to purchase something new, I would gather what I owned, go to a game store and trade it all in towards a different console, usually something older as they were cheaper at the time. In 2020 I made a decision to pivot my collecting of games for the Nintendo Switch, to the Xbox family of systems. Selling most of my games, I was able to fund a secondhand system (and later a Series X) and start a new collection of game series that I had interest in or had played before and wanted to revisit. It was a quick way to build my library up again and play games that I actually wanted to and not ones that I felt like I had to because I purchased them for my shelves. One of these series was Assassin’s Creed. A few months after starting this new gaming journey, I began expanding my collection for the Assassin’s Creed series. Purchasing all of the games, their respective strategy guides, novels, art books, and anything I could get my hands on that were considered content for the full world of this franchise; in addition to collectables like statues and figures. My plan was to layout all of the content and transmedia into one large timeline and play/read everything from the oldest historical time periods to the most recent. This is something I have openly shared in other articles written for The Ones Who Came Before and one of the biggest accomplishments in my years of gaming. Starting with Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, I explored and absorbed the history of Ancient Greece. I wanted to search every inch of the map to complete the game in its fullest form and try to catch up on the series as I was very behind, with Valhalla being the current game at the time. After finishing the game and reading the extra content in the strategy guide and art book, I moved to the novelization of the game and then onto AC Origins. This trend will continue as I work through the series, where I am currently in the 18th Century during the Golden Age of Piracy. As I continue, I keep revisiting older centuries while new content is released, waiting for more from Assassin’s Creed Mirage at the time of this writing. In June of 2022, I was walking around a local bookstore and saw a series of museum photo books for Ancient Greece, Egypt, Rome, and the Viking era. I gathered them and flipped through a few pages to see what they were and sparked the idea of building a library to help me learn more about the real world history that is laid out in the Assassin’s Creed games so that I could have a better understanding and experience when I replay the games in the future. Prior to this visit, I had finished reading Kate Heartfield’s first entry in the Assassin’s Creed Engine of History trilogy; The Magus Conspiracy . In this story, Assassin in training, Simeon Price studies under the mentorship of Oscar Kane and is tasked not just in the art of stealth and combat, but also studies to better his education. Listed in various parts of the book, Simeon reads tomes of great historical value to mankind. This was the first time that an Assassin’s Creed story has provided insight to the materials an Assassin would study. Opening the digital copy I kept on my phone, I went to my highlighted notes and looked at the books Simeon read. Two of them I knew to be easily available so I searched for them with the assistance of an employee and left with the four previously mentioned museum books and a copy of the 1818 text edition of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Anne Bronte’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall . The former was a book that Simeon was tasked in reading and the former was used in comparison of the creation and rebellion of Frankenstein’s monster to that of the humans to the Isu race; the ancient civilization behind the lore of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. I purchased these two books and when I returned home, I started my comment thread on Twitter to catalogue and share my progress on this new project. Over the course of the next few months, I started scrubbing through the Assassin’s Creed transmedia items in my collection, looking for references to any book in their pages. When I started a new game, such as Black Flag, I would document the books that were used for the codex, mentioned in conversation, or referenced in the Modern Day content or the supplementary strategy guide and art book. I would continue to do this for each new media I consumed and at some point, I will go through the games I have already finished when I work through my timeline the second time. While doing so I will also make note of figures and events in the games so that I can expand my library past the referenced materials. One of the more entertaining ways of finding books that were used to design the games was through old production videos from Ubisoft and pausing to look at the covers and spines and write down what I found. I luckily had picked up one of these books for Assassin’s Creed Origins titled, Sunken Cities: Egypt’s Lost Worlds without realizing it until I saw the BTS video for it. This just excited me more so when I ran out of videos to review, I reached out to a few people around the internet to gather additional book titles and would ask authors for their lists of research books for the novels I would read going forward. Since I started I have collected 81 books covering nearly all of the time periods that have been depicted in the Assassin’s Creed series. Each section is noticeable, especially next to the games that were based around them, and Ancient Greece seems to be the largest group of books. What is funny about collecting is that I don’t read everything right away, so of the 81 books I own, I have only read 10 of them. I’m reading these sporadically, but collecting is the fun part. It is because of Assassin’s Creed that I have an actual interest in history now. In all games and media that I consume these days, I am listening for period appropriate texts and plan on continuing this collection once I finish the AC series with other game titles. Wanting to learn more about the contents of history so that I can better understand the games is enjoyable and I’ve learned a lot in doing so. I think about the future, of having a library that I can not only enjoy, but share with others. Not knowing where the series will go, or if it will even continue after the next decade, I can guarantee that my exploration of history will continue with other games & media. My most recent purchases have been based around the Middle East and The Golden Age of Piracy. I received books for Christmas tied to Assassin’s Creed: Mirage and Assassin’s Creed: The Golden City in addition to books I purchased about the pirates of the Golden Age of Piracy as seen in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag . I wasn’t aiming to get these specifically, but they were what first caught my eye and I had been wanting a few of them for a while (mainly the pirate books). This weekend I plan on going out again to see what I can find and maybe one day I can find and afford to purchase an original printing of an old book such as The Prince by Machiavelli, or a first edition of The Hunchback of Notre Dame as that would be a great focal point to my library. My love of the franchise has only grown with my yearning to learn more about history. Having the opportunity to look into the process of the developers and how they make the games, studying as Shaun Hastings would to assist Desmond Miles. For now though, I await to see what knowledge I will read from Feudal Japan, the witch hunts of Germany, the Great Wall of China and onwards. History has become my playground, much like Ubisoft sings from this franchise and the creed of the Assassins Brotherhood. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Mike Smith is a collector of all things Assassin's Creed and a major supporter of transmedia who joined TOWCB as a writer from 2021 - 2024 With nearly a full library of Assassin's Creed media, his work explored the universe in order of Genetic Memory. Notably, his Assassin's Creed Timeline became an essential tool for fans of the franchise looking to complete their collection and consume AC media in a particular order. Michael Smith

This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: March 12th - 18th 2022 Community Share 2 Apr 2022 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the new weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week, we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for capture across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. 1) The Berserker Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla This week’s first capture comes from @ Idylliss over on Twitter. A striking shot of Eivor, I don’t think she could look anymore Viking. The capture reminds me of The Revenant, just missing the snow. I am really liking the black background, it allows the torch to showcase the details of Eivor’s outfit. VP like this always makes for great phone wallpapers. 2) Revelations Game: Assassin’s Creed Revelations Photo number two comes from @ VistoGaming over on Twitter. This photo looks just like a painting. It is great that people are able to create VP for the old Assassin’s Creed games. Revelations has always had spectacular environments and this shot shows it. For me the colours of the sails amongst the misty backdrop make the picture. 3) Mountains Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla This week’s third shot comes from @ MindJackedJimmy over on Twitter. The third shot of the week could easily be mistaken for not being from a video game. Sometimes captures without people showcase the real art behind the games. This shot in particular has great range. I love the colourful greenery at the front and then the calm water with the steep mountains in the distance. 4) At Sea Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP number four comes from @ LiEVENGreG over on Twitter. For me the longship doesn’t get enough love in the VP world. Maybe it is due to not having any open seas to take photos in. This capture does it justice though. That bright sun in the middle glaring down reflecting in the water which is splashing up against the ship is just perfect. 5) In Search of Adventure Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla The final capture of the week comes from @ TheGamingNurseX over on Twitter. The Isle of Skye does not get enough credit. It is an absolutely beautiful location in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Lucky for us this capture showcase that beauty and then some. The vegetation looks incredible, and so does the mountains. My favourite part of the shot is the clouds, intentional or not they just standout to me. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: 16th April - 22nd 2022 Community Share 3 May 2022 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the new weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week, we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for capture across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. 1) Ancient Egypt Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins This week’s first capture comes from @zNotHermes over on Twitter. After watching Moon Knight this week I had to pick this one. A great capture of Bayek doing a bit of Tomb Raiding. I love the colours and the lighting in this shot. The warm glow of the torch guiding Bayek through the darkness, whilst being watched by the gods is very cool. I really miss exploring these wonderfully detailed tombs. 2) Easter Celebrations Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Photo number two comes from @NoviKaiba23 over on Twitter. A topical shot this week after the release of the Ostara event in Valhalla. The best part of each festival is how the environment changes to fit the theme. This capture sums up Easter for me. The details on the flowers and the pole really bring this shot to life. Eivor also looks very cool with the hood and cloak up amongst the guests. 3) Into The Fire Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey This week’s third shot comes from @anxelreyes over on Twitter. A leap of faith into what looks like a Volcano is my third pick for the week. This is such an eye catching picture with the molten lava bubbling below a diving Kassandra. For me, this capture brings the old and the new together in one shot. I would love to know what happens next. 4) Poppy Field Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP number four comes from @FlyingTrilobite over at ACFirstCiv Community. This shot immediately caught my attention when it was posted in our Twitter VP Community. The Poppies are so vibrant and I love the positioning of the capture. I like how Eivor is stood to the side admiring the beauty of the flowers. Valhalla can be quite a gloomy game but if you find the right spot you can create some amazing pictures like this. 5) Deep in Thought Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla The final capture of the week comes from @thewolfkissedVP over on Twitter. This is a stunning portrait of Eivor from the recent Ragnarok expansion. Everything just works here, I like the hairstyle and beard combo. The tattoos and the missing eye really give off that Norse feel. The armour is remarkable, very fitting of the mythical setting. The sepia toning of this shot is the winner for me, as it just gives off such a historic feel. 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

Why We Needed Assassin's Creed Valhalla Other Share 25 Jun 2024 Written By: Edited By: Hayden Bird Colum Blackett Back To Database ‘ Assassin’s Creed Valhalla ’ was released November 10, 2020, and was praised by both fans and critics. It was a big step forward in the franchise as fans for years had hoped to explore the Norse era of history and what Scandinavia had to offer. It was heavily anticipated upon release, and gathered a large following after its incredible cinematic reveal trailer in late April of 2020. The trailer excited many fans as it showed the return of the famous Hidden Blade, and also revealed some of what to expect in the era of the Vikings. However, it was a big deal having ‘ Valhalla ’ release when it did, as the world was at the peak of the Covid-19 Pandemic. People needed a reason to be happy or stay distracted. Assassin’s Creed fans had waited patiently for Ubisoft to navigate game development during a global pandemic. It forced work from home situations and changed entirely how to develop a game while remaining safe from health violations. ‘ Valhalla ’ fortunately did not face any major delays leading up to its end of year release date. Ubisoft had done a fine job keeping their employees safe from the Coronavirus while still being able to work and complete a game as big and as ambitious as ‘ Valhalla ’. November of 2020 was also the highly anticipated launch of the next-generation gaming consoles. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S were set to launch around the same time as each other, and along with the pandemic, the Semiconductor Chip Shortage was also a major problem in the world at that time, meaning purchasing one of these new consoles was borderline impossible. Restocks at select electronic stores and websites were done regularly, yet still supply was unable to meet demand. Covid, and the shortages combined made life difficult for a lot of people. 'Valhalla' releasing alongside the next-generation consoles, including the weight of the global pandemic pulling it down. It made the game become a source of comfort to fans across the globe. The state of the game industry at this time was as bad as it had ever been, and having 'Valhalla' in the mix was a great solution to fans not wanting to think about the pandemic, and became a staple of the industry to the gaming world during that time. When ‘ Valhalla ’ was still in production, a big phenomenon surfaced across the gaming world, and was seen by fans as a secret tease for the upcoming Assassin’s Creed game, as Ubisoft perhaps unintentionally created an in-game poster from one of their other franchises, ‘The Division 2’ of what seemed to be a Viking holding the Apple of Eden, which is a popular recurring artifact shown throughout the Assassin’s Creed series. It had fans wondering if Ubisoft hid an easter egg in the game to get clues as to their upcoming game. Ubisoft officially denied these claims, but fans had their suspicions that the next game in the series really would be a Norse Assassin’s Creed game, and they were right, as shortly after fans dubbed the new game to be called ‘ Assassin’s Creed Ragnarok ’. Fans also called the game ‘ Assassin’s Creed 2020 ’ to be more plain. But later on, shortly after all the rumors fiasco did Ubisoft officially announce the game as ‘Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’ in April of 2020. When ‘ Valhalla ’ was released, it became a coping mechanism to gaming fans during a very dark time. It was a major upside in the gaming community, and a big thing to look forward to from already faithful Assassin’s Creed fans. It was available on all major gaming platforms at launch, which was important considering very few people owned a next-gen console and could play the advanced version of the game. Ubisoft offered a free upgrade to the next-gen versions to players who purchased the game on either PS4 or the Xbox One. It was a good gesture from them as it saved people money and helped gamers avoid spending money on the same game twice, which had become a popular tactic in gaming at that time. It helped give players who were unable to upgrade yet. So, they would be able to play the new and improved version of the game they already owned. Ubisoft's marketing strategies for the game were also a big help to the fans as they were able to be even more excited about ' Valhalla '. Ubisoft's efforts to engage with their audience were a welcome gesture to the community, including having activities they encouraged fans to complete while in lockdown, such as cosplay from home and AMA's. This allowed fans to ask their most anticipated questions they had for the developers, giving fans a chance to interact with the creators and unify the community as one. The addition of Virtual Photography in the game was also a contributing factor to the game's success and allowing people an opportunity to explore and capture the land of Scandinavia, considering doing this yourself was challenging with the restrictions of the pandemic. The release of ‘ Valhalla ’ went quite well, as it performed great graphically, and was even moved up from its original release date to match that of the Xbox Series consoles and their much anticipated launch. It showed fans that Ubisoft was confident in their game, and they were rewarded as ‘ Valhalla ’ went on to become a monumental hit, selling record amounts of copies in its first week alone. Fans were happy to explore the history of the Vikings, which had been heavily requested for years from fans of the series. Fans loved ‘ Valhalla ’ for many different reasons. Norse Mythology itself is very popular amongst historians and gamers alike. Games such as ‘ God of War Ragnarok ’ became a gigantic hit due to its storytelling and a faithful adaptation into Norse Gods. ‘ Valhalla ’, meanwhile had their own version of the Norse Mythology, by adding it in with returning features and storylines of standard Assassin’s Creed games, such as the Hidden Ones against the Order of the Ancients, which is a earlier in history battle between the more modern Assassin’s Brotherhood vs the Templar Order shown in previous games. Ubisoft succeeded in adding their own touch to Norse Mythology, making it very believable for the story while staying true to the source material. For fans, the reason ‘Valhalla’ worked so well was because it was truly just a great Assassin’s Creed game in all aspects. The changes made in this game compared to previous games in the series such as ‘ Assassin’s Creed Origins ’ and ‘ Odyssey ’ were great additions to the game, and seen by most as a large improvement. The new features added included horse stamina, which gave you a meter on how far you could gallop with your mount without it getting exhausted. It offered players strategies such as escaping from enemies, meaning monitoring your horse's stamina to escape successfully. Another change included a new form of the classic Eagle Vision now known as Odin’s Sight, which allowed the player to get a landscape of the environment around them, and have them watch out for enemies in the area or where to find your objective. Weapon customization became more important for reasons such as adding runes to weapons and gear, making them more powerful and more durable against higher-leveled enemies. Building up your settlement was also a major addition to the game, where you could improve your home with pillaged materials taken from River Raids against rival clans, or found in chests hidden in enemy territory and around the map. These were welcome additions to the game, as they added a very unique form of exploration and combat that the series needed badly. Fans were also happy that Ubisoft decided to bring back certain popular elements of past games that were eventually left out of the newer games in the series, such as Social Stealth and Hidden Blade assassinations on enemies. Social Stealth allows the player to use the environment as cover, for example by equipping a cloak and going unnoticed through crowds in distrust areas. Including that, the game gives you the iconic Hidden Blade, a long-time staple of the series quite early on into the story, and allowed players to get familiar again with the weapon and the techniques needed to take out an enemy fast, or getting in and out of an enemy restricted area while killing your target. These were great additions for both fans of the current games and fans who could prefer the originals and its old formula. It catered to both sides of the fanbase who may have different opinions based on the direction of the franchise, but quickly pleased the ones who doubted ‘ Valhalla ’ which is a big reason the game was as popular as it has gotten to be. As we look back on this game, it truly is one of the more influential games in the entire Assassin’s Creed franchise, as it did a great job providing an excellent experience for fans and being able to distract the players and keep them busy while not trying to think of the dark time our world was going through then. In years, the gaming community may look back on this game as one of the first, if not the first true next-gen game made in the PS5 and Xbox Series era. Ubisoft did a spectacular job creating the beautiful world of both Norway and England during the Norse era, and creating a game as memorable as this one. ‘ Valhalla ’ was a great way to not only satisfy returning fans of the series, but also to entice new players to create new fans of the series. It was a game for everyone, even if you were not familiar with the ever-popular Assassin’s Creed games. ‘ Valhalla ’ was a gift during the Covid-19 pandemic, and allowed fans and gamers alike to enjoy it even in the darkest of times. Ubisoft once again hit the jackpot with ‘ Valhalla ’, a game we did not know we needed as much as we did. 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

Interview with Charles Benoit: Assassin's Creed Shadows Game Director Interview Share 17 Mar 2025 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) TOWCB Team Back To Database Welcome to the first article in a new series of interviews covering all things Assassin's Creed Shadows. Today we are joined by Game Director Charles Benoit from Ubisoft Quebec! Col: Hi Charles, thank you for joining us for this interview. Please can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your role on Assassin's Creed Shadows. Charles: Hi! I’ve been working on the AC Brand for over 10 years now, starting on AC Freedom Cry and now Game Director on AC Shadows. Assassin's Creed Shadows (2015) and Assassin's Creed Freedom Cry (2013) Col: When did you first begin working on the project, and why did Ubisoft ultimately decide that the time was right to create an Assassin's Creed game set in Feudal Japan? Charles: I started working on Shadows a little more than 4 years ago. Honestly, it’s hard to know why, but I always wanted since I started on the brand to do an AC in Japan. It’s pretty much a mix of timing on which game we did before, what fans want, which team is available, etc. Col: Did the development team visit Japan at any point during production for inspiration? Charles: Yes we did! It was the best trip of my life. It was intense but we visited a big part of what we have in Shadows in term of landscape and historical locations, so for sure it was very inspirational. Col: What would you say were some of the main inspirations behind Assassin's Creed Shadows, perhaps movies, other games or comic books? Charles: I cannot talk for the whole team, we all of different inspirations, but for me, of course past AC games, but also a lot of Stealth games such as Metal Gear or even the good old Tenchu series. Col: What can you tell us about the lead motion-capture and performance actors for Assassin's Creed Shadows, Masumi Tsunoda and Tongayi Chirisa. How did they find the overall experience? Charles: I wasn’t involved with MOCAP. I know the team really felt in love with those actors, I especially like Tongayi as Yasuke and it’s probably one of the reason why I always have hard time to pick between Immersive mode where language is Japanese and the English version. Tongayi Chirisa and Masumi Tsunoda Col: Have you visited any other locations from the Assassin's Creed series? Charles: I didn’t have the chance to visit other locations. It’s always a small group of directors and art-oriented discipline that goes in those inspirational trips and on past AC projects I was directly in the production as Game Designer. Col: What would you say makes Assassin's Creed Shadows different to other games in the AC franchise? Charles: Clearly the Dual Protagonist gives a unique vibe on how you play it and how you discover the story from different points of view. I would say the seasons are also a great game changer on how you perceive the world and the time passing. Col: Can we expect encounters with wildlife whilst exploring the world of Assassin's Creed Shadows? Charles: You will encounter animals while exploring the world, but you know, there is not a lot of dangerous animals in Japan except the cute bear with round ears. So, we decided to keep wildlife peaceful; you cannot hurt them, they won’t hurt you and you can hunt them to paint them. Col: It's been mentioned previously that the game features 'Seasons' and dynamic weather cycles. How long does a season last roughly, and can players change it manually? Charles: We split the seasons in 8 chunks, so the start and the end of the 4 seasons. Each chunk is a bit more than 1h of gameplay time where winter is a bit longer since it’s so unique and it will switch automatically when you fast travel. You can decide to switch it manually when the time is up if you don’t want to fast travel, but not at any moment since we have multiple systems tied to season switch and it would break the economy. Col: Looking at the gameplay released during the marketing campaign, it looks like a lot of effort went into creating new animations for Naoe and Yasuke, from parkour to combat. Are there any new animations in particular that will excite players? Charles: There are a ton of new animations that are fantastic. It’s really hard to pick just a few examples. Personally, I feel the Assassinations are worth mentioning; they are fast and efficient to really work well with the small stature of Naoe. I also love the flips in the parkour, but also the beam walk of Yasuke. There are some funny ones like the “Leap of fail” of Yasuke when he destroys the haystack and some really intense like all those over-the-top Abilities and Finishers. You see, I have a hard time to stop! Col: Compared to other games in the Assassin's Creed series, how big would you estimate the map to be? Charles: We compare it to Origins. The map is really large, but it’s surrounded by the sea and mountains, so we can compare the playable space to Origins. Col: As Naoe is noticeably quicker than previous protagonists, can we expect mounts such as horses to also be faster when exploring the world? Charles: Yes the horses speed has been increased so Naoe is not faster than a horse and the horses are still relevant to navigate long distance. Official promo image for Assassin's Creed Shadows via Ubisoft Col: Will a photo mode tool be available at launch? Charles: Yes of course! Col: What sort of collectibles will players be able to find in the world? Charles: We have a couple of them, linked to your progression or your quests. For example, you’ll find Hideout cosmetic in chests that you can then use to decorate. We also have few quests that ask you to find Clan’s Crests, food from different regions, Kano painting, Tea set for Sen no Rikyu and Valuables inside some Tenshu. Col: Are you pleased with the response to the game from fans so far, and how excited are the team for launch? Charles: Since the last few months, we’re very hyped by the feedbacks we received from our deep dive articles, the Preview event reception and our internal playtests. We’re working hard to keep pushing the quality of Shadows and we feel it’s paying off. Col: What would be your dream setting for a future Assassin's Creed game? Charles: It’s a hard question because my dream setting was Japan. I would love to continue exploring Japan, there is so much we can do in this period or even after. We’ll see what fans want, there is always something great to discover and learn in any setting and time period. Col: Describe Assassin's Creed Shadows in three words. Charles: “Shinobi-Samurai-Fantasy" Assassin's Creed Shadows: Available March 20th 2025 We would like to say a huge thank you to Charles for joining us for this interview, and to Ubisoft for making it happen. In particular, we acknowledge the efforts of Dan St Germain from the AC Community Team! Look out for more interviews in the series, coming soon! comments debug Comments (1) Write a comment Write a comment Sort by: Newest ahmadtf Jan 10 Cool information, i would be more appreciating if there is any documentation of this interview from u guys. i will put these topic on my thesis and quoting this interviews. Like Reply About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Education Through Story: An Overview of Discovery Tour: Viking Age Review Share 18 Dec 2021 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Ashlea Blackett Back To Database The Ones Who Came Before published an article in September about the Discovery Tour by Ubisoft, discussing both the museum style game mode and the books published in France. At the time of publication, the new Discovery Tour: Viking age had been announced but had not been detailed outside that it would be a new experience. With time we were provided more information that the new Discovery Tour would be an experience that focuses on education via combat free storytelling. The excitement built as the first images of the new mode were release just a few weeks before launch and come October 19, the Assassin’s Creed Community had dove head first into the world of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla after countless hours of raiding monestaries, building settlements, and fighting the King of England. This was a new way to explore the beautiful landscapes and mythical realms of AC Valhalla. DT: Viking Age is told in eight chapters, following three storylines that intertwine across Norway, England, Jotunheim, and Asgard. Thorsteinn Silvertongue and his wife Gunnhilda, a merchant family from Stavanger, are seeking wealth through raiding under Jarl Harald Fairhair and the promise of a new life in England. In Grantebridgescire, a monk of the Isle of Ely Monastery, Brother Ealric is adapting to his new life as a brother of their church and strengthening his Christian faith. Lastly, King Aelfred of Wincestre works towards a solution to the “Great Heathen Army” and the protection of his Kingdom in England. When it comes to controls and mechanics, players of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will find that the directional pad actions are usable to summon a horse, longship, use a torch, and meditate to pass time within the world. There are guided instructions for these actions via the story missions to assist those who have not played the prior release before. Additionally, Odin Sight and a personal raven are available to locate interactive nodes and examine the environment around them from a higher perspective. Keeping the same controls minus the combat has allowed a smooth transition into DT: Viking Age. The education portion of Discovery Tour is broken up into two types of collectable informative codex entries; Learnings (historical entries) and Behind the Scenes (game design entries). Subjects cover Daily Life, Law & Justice, Trade & Economy, Art & Culture, War & Politics, Religion & Magic, and lastly Science. The BTS sections are divided into Research, Immersion, England, and Scandinavia. The order these Learnings and BTS are unlocked are organized around the story in each chapter. In example, Chapter 3: Seaworthy provides information on relationships within a clan and their shipbuilding. On average, each chapter will provide 20 Learnings and at least 2 or more BTS Codex entries. When each chapter is completed, a short recap is provided by a research expert and the player is able to replay the chapter again or free roam the area in an open exploration, this is where the majority of Learnings and BTS can be gathered without breaking away from the story. Once the player gathers a fixed amount of either Codex type, a new character can be unlocked to be used as an avatar when traversing the world of DT: Viking Age. In total there are 24 total characters to choose from, 6 of which are available at the start of the story. 12 characters are unlocked from Learnings, 3 from BTS, and the last two are unlocked after finishing Chapters 6 & 8. One of the key benefits of having so many characters to roam around with is the Photo Mode function of the game, allowing players to take their favorite characters to any location within Norway, England, Jotunheim, or Asgard that do not require some form of combat to unlock (such as destructible coverings). Players of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla are also rewarded at the end of the remaining chapters that did not provide character rewards. These rewards cover all selective components of the main game around the customization of the character and their settlement. A new max level gear set, raven, longship, horse, tattoo set, and settlement decoration pack are the rewards. Once the player has completed all chapters in DT: Viking age, a Mythical Short Sword is unlocked to close the “Valhalla Rewards” provided. The theme of all of these unlocks is historical and more grounded than some of the mystical designs in the gear and decorations of the parent title. Discovery Tour: Viking Age, is an improvement on the original Museum style guided tours that were experienced in Ancient Egypt and Greece. Integrating the educational aspects of the history that influenced Assassin’s Creed Valhalla into bite sized chapters of a detailed and historically accurate story made the content interesting and captivating. Players that were dismissive of the original Discovery Tour method may find this interactive story to be more attention grasping and explore the content more. This is also supported by the use of DT: Viking Age in educational settings. The unique software has been provided to multiple schools and was spotlighted on the BBC at the time of launch. Multiple classrooms have presented this refreshed model to their classes and have had students take notes from the learnings to use for review. Gaming in the classroom is something that has been looked at for the future of education and Discovery Tour is a great source of historical information. With the success of the release, future entries in the Assassin’s Creed franchise will likely be followed by additional Discovery Tour experiences. With the game mode being offered separately, this series can continue via education, even when the series comes to an end or a reboot of sorts. The concept of educational story based tools can be expanded into other fields outside of history, and released in multiple languages. Expanding the library of tours for players to experience can also become a new focus for Ubisoft and their library of IPs. However, this can also lead to a higher price point for the mode. While the game is sold separately, there should be free application use for educators and students that are using the software for research. One option could be a more detailed database of Learnings and animated examples or levels to depict how something worked in the past. I found Discovery Tour Viking age to be my favorite entry of the series thus far. The overall gameplay feeling made it more interesting to come back to each night of my playthrough and not try to complete in a single sitting. The chapter format played like episodes in a TV series and the knowledge available in each chapter was never overwhelming. One thing I didn’t care for with DT: Viking Tour was that certain learnings were off the path of the story and were either left until the end of the chapter, or would be an off-course objective that pulls the player from the story. Everything should be included for a complete tour, or displayed as points of interest after the chapter was completed. In addition, once the chapter is complete, a quiz could be given as they were in the past for reward currency to unlock concept art or BTS videos, maybe even more characters to use with the games Photo Mode. It would be enjoyable to have an updated version of the previous two entries to this new format with stories of the era and not based on the games themselves, but more likely released around an anniversary of the games. Games that receive remasters or reboots could have the new mode added on disc or released as their own collection on disc. Assassin’s Creed Infinity could even add the new eras within its release if the game goes the route of the Helix service as seen in AC Unity. Implementing more and more education to the games will not only provide a stepping stone to those that do not play, but allow the ones that do to explore their new interest in the history of these characters via DTs or an in-game codex archive that covers all stories of the AC universe. All aspects covered in this review show not only the current, but future benefits of the Discovery Tour series. By presenting history in an interactive story-driven way similar to shows and film, the newer generations of students can experience their studies and not just absorb fact after fact. I have been able to speak more about the Viking Age, or at least know where I can find information over so many aspects of Viking life with this tool. Unlike the previous entries, while enjoyable, I have not retained the information as much and that alone shows the importance of this new version and a reason why everyone should play it that has interest in the history influencing Assassin’s Creed. Discovery Tour Viking Age is available now through the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla main menu on all systems and separately on the Ubisoft Store and Ubisoft+ for PC. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Mike Smith is a collector of all things Assassin's Creed and a major supporter of transmedia who joined TOWCB as a writer from 2021 - 2024 With nearly a full library of Assassin's Creed media, his work explored the universe in order of Genetic Memory. Notably, his Assassin's Creed Timeline became an essential tool for fans of the franchise looking to complete their collection and consume AC media in a particular order. Michael Smith

This Month in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: April 1st Community Share 1 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week I will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. This week’s theme: Assassin’s Creed Invisible Man Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Falconswift87 I would say this is a great start to the week but the NPC in question is hard to see. Most people will see right through this one, but I thought it was worth a mention. You don’t often see things like this in video games. Birb Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ TheLordReylus Photo number two gives us a bird’s eye view. I am loving the pixilation here as it really adds to the feel of the shot. That tree growing out of Senu neck is giving me real hidden blade vibes. Snoozing Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ TheaMR1305 Next up we have an after action report from London. Some enemy solider has an arrow in the neck, at least they fell onto something soft. Talk about lying down on the job! A Powerful Stance Game: Assassin’s Creed Freedom Cry VP Artist: @ col_96 I had to feature this shot, how often do we get a chance to see some Freedom Cry virtual photography. Fun fact: this shot was first published in April 2022, and went on to become a sensational meme……………….if you get a chance check it out. Comfort Break Game: Assassin’s Creed Unity VP Artist: @ FrameHoldPhotos We end this week’s showcase with Arno stuck in a prison cell with Bellec. We all know how this one plays out. I love how this shot catches Arno off guard, it’s like he didn’t know that camera was on while taking a pee. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: 23rd April - 29th 2022 Community Share 8 May 2022 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the new weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week, we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for capture across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. 1) Lighthouse Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins This week’s first capture comes from @Marstongallery over on Twitter. Our first capture this week takes us back to Egypt. A brilliant shot of Bayek pulling off a hero pose between two columns. I really like how panoramic this picture is. The depth of field is perfect here, despite Bayek being the focal point, the lighthouse still shines. I remember infiltrating this enemy base not long ago myself. 2) Egyptian Architecture Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins Photo number two comes from @VirtualHedron over on Twitter. Origins is one of the most beautiful Assassin’s Creed games. For me what sets it apart is the stunning scenery and architecture. This shot is everything I love about exploring the cities of Egypt. There is so much detail here with NPC’s living their lives, lush vegetation, colourful hieroglyphics and a hint of sun bursting through. A fantastic capture, just needs a frame. 3) Arctic Fox Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla This week’s third shot comes from @StefanieMcMaken over on Twitter. It seems to be a weekly theme at the moment for me to feature a fox. I enjoyed how Valhalla mixed up the wildlife with the different landscapes/seasons. It definitely looks like these two foxes are friends out on the hunt for some food. What impresses me is the way the fox is leaving a trail, great attention to det ail. 4) Daily Contracts Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP number four comes from @PodToGo over on Twitter. This is as first for a Reda themed shot. I absolutely love the positioning of this, as it instantly caught my eye. The focus on Eivor showcasing her hair, tattoos and weapon ready for battle is outstanding. I really like how the band of Saxons are walking into their demise. Extra kudos for featuring the Huldufolk armour such an underrated gem. 5) Finisher Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla The final capture of the week comes from @tn_taurus over at the ACFirstCiv VP Twitter Community. The final shot for the week is a brutal one. It is always hard for shots like this to stand out amongst the colourful environments and protagonist portraits. However I feel like this very much captures the essence of Valhalla and how dark the story can get. The misty background and the vignette really highlight the finisher. It looks like Eivor hasn’t left anyone alive to tell the tale. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 19th to 29th February Community Share 7 Mar 2024 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the biweekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every two weeks we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. This theme has been run alongside @ JChoukroun aka Jean who is new to the virtual photography community. Jean is a game developer for Ubisoft and has worked on several titles. Jean has a passion for virtual photography, and we are honoured to have him with us. Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured. This theme week: Assassin’s Creed Protagonists and their Companions. Partnership Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ cop_filip The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ JChoukroun ''I really love this shot, because it reminds me of so many things, I adore about 2017’s Assassin’s Creed Origins. From the onset of the game, it is clear Bayek is a broken man, and I feel a deep melancholy emanating from his obscured face. The super strong depth of field calls back to Bayek’s sole focus being revenge. It blinds him to the rest of the world, which merely becomes a blurry backdrop upon which he will exact his vengeance. Amidst all this though, there is still love to be found as represented by Senu who will lead Bayek from seeking revenge to seeking redemption and reconnection, both to Aya and to the outside world.'' Aaron “You are the Medjay from Siwa.” Assassin’s Creed Origins is the first time we get to share our journey with a companion. For me Senu has the best personality of all the birds. Her friendship with Bayek is pivotal in the revenge quest he sets out on. She acts as emotional support for a wounded Bayek whose mission would be very lonely without her. This majestic capture embodies the relationship between the two. I believe the black and white of this photo make it appear classy, while the depth of field allows the viewer to focus on the friendship. Filip has nailed the timing too, Senu’s wings look magnificent. A truly beautiful capture from one of the best games in the series. Companion Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ Milz_VP “Yes Enkidu, food is coming.” Basim’s relationship with Enkidu is far more complex than previous games. He is gifted to Basim during his time at Alamut, before the young assassin sets out for Baghdad. As the story progresses the two become good friends, however the darkness inside Basim soon causes a rift between them. Here we have the two companions scouting out their next target. I really like the composition of this capture. The lighting is very good, as a result you can see such detail in Basim’s robes and Enkidu’s feathers. I think Eric has done a great job of showing the connection these two have, its just a shame it doesn’t end well. Aya and Senu Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ NovA1990 “Bayek, it has been too long.” This for me is a glimpse of what might have been or what could still be for Aya in this series. She is a character that deserves more story content. These two powerful females have such a dominating presence in Assassin’s Creed Origins, and Bayek relies on their support as he seeks vengeance for the death of his son. In this capture it is the head turns that makes it so special for me, they are almost mirroring one another. Both characters look very elegant, and the colours are in harmony. The depth of field is assisting to draw the eye to both assassin and eagle. Across the Desert Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ thefrostysm “It has been an honour to watch you walk your path”. When wandering the deserts of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, you cannot help but think back to 2017 and those highly impressive landscapes of Egypt. Origins has without doubt left a huge mark on this franchise and will do for some time to come. This shot is all about the shadows and how the capture has been split into two magnificent sections. I love the contrasting colours that represent the beauty but also the harshness of the desert. The silhouette of Basim on his camel is such a delight, I have seen quite a few photos in this style, and I am always blown away by their simple elegance. Leap of Faith Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ BasimIbnIshaq_ “Ready to make the leap”. It isn’t a surprise that Assassin’s Creed Mirage has done so well. A return to the roots with a deeply interesting main character was always going to treat the fanbase. The setting is also a delight on the eyes and as a virtual photographer I couldn’t wait to jump into the photo mode. I love this capture; it is very cinematic and could easily be from a trailer. Timing is often everything and this shot proves it, with Basim flying just below Enkidu. I adore how both have their respective limbs outstretched. The camera angle is excellent allowing us a view of the streets these two are protecting. An impressive action shot that fits beautifully with the Assassin’s ethos. Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography Showcase: February 2024 by Turið Torkilsdóttir. Music: East Again by Gargudon (TOWCB Video Content Creation Team) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfMRBt2Sl24 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

Chinese Pirates: Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game Wishlists Share 13 Sept 2022 Written By: Edited By: Finn Fletcher Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Following the latest Assassins Creed showcase, we can all see that the future of the brand will be exciting and varied. While Mirage undoubtedly stole the show as an exciting return to form for the series, there was a more unusual announcement with the new Assassins Creed Infinity platform. I can't lie, it does have me worried, but my personal concerns aside, the exciting aspects of this new platform is getting to explore more varied historical periods with smaller, stranger stories. Taking advantage of this, and after having fun through replaying the series recently, I had an idea for a story that I think could add wonderfully to this new tapestry. When replaying Assassin's Creed Rogue, I couldn't help but wonder why Ubisoft gave up on the genuinely spectacular naval gameplay. Black Flag was obviously a huge success, and while Rogue wasn't such a smash hit, it was built to fail next to Unity's next gen glitches. Naval gameplay is still beloved and missed by players, whether hardcore Assassins Creed fans or not, and it seems no other developer stepped in to fill that gap. So today I want to pitch Ubisoft an idea, the most simple plan for success I could possibly imagine. At first I thought the obvious location for another naval/pirate game would be India. With a full and vibrant history of piracy and sea fairing, matched with corrupt politicians and tyranny to fight against, the Indian Ocean would definitely provide a great setting for a game in this series. However, with the upcoming and, in my opinion, incredibly bland looking Skull and Bones filling this period, I reconsidered. If we're already getting a pirate, naval game to explore this period, then let's look elsewhere, find a location and culture that could provide something distinct. With that in mind I moved my sights to East Asia, specifically the exploits of Pirate Queen Zheng Yi Sao. For those who don't know, Zheng Yi Sao was an infamous pirate of the early nineteenth century, who rose from a prostitute to leader of 70,000 men in the largest pirate fleet known to history. She terrorised the coasts of China, plundering both European and Chinese vessels alike. The reason she gained so much success, was because, unlike the pirates of the Caribbean, Zheng Yi Sao's fleet was well organised, with a set governance and rules in place. This pirate confederation stopped the pirates from falling to the greed and chaos that destroyed cities like Nassau and the characters we saw in Black Flag. This period of the great Chinese pirate confederacy, I think could make a stellar follow-up to Black Flag, allowing Ubisoft to show not just different visuals of East Asian culture, but explore new themes for this series. It would also the first Assassins Creed game in Asia, which is mind boggling in itself. The particular region of china I am envisioning is Hong Kong, Canton (modern day Guangzhou) and the surrounding sea and islands. Historically this was the hub of trade and therefore, pirate action and the city of Canton was pivotal in the end of Zheng Yi Saos career. This area would also provide good geography to match the gameplay; two bustling cities that can accommodate the Assassin fantasy and an island filled ocean for interesting naval exploration. Ideally, the smaller islands surrounding the mainland would function a lot like the islands of Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Each will house a target, with stories that involve the locals. This can give fun smaller narratives/side missions, while showing the personal effects of Templar control. In terms of narrative , considering this game's setting, I believe we should start at the turn of the 19th century. The lead character will be an original character (OC) named Lai Jun. Captain of her own ship, and master Assassin. I want her to be older, middle to late thirties , similar to Ezio in Brotherhood. The franchise has settled into protagonists around the age of twenty, and while I appreciate getting to be the age of every lead character, I think we need to push different stories about different types of characters. Having been an Assassin her whole life and from an Assassin legacy (you thought Jun was just a coincidence?), Lai has never needed to question her role. She is determined, talented at the art of being an Assassin and dedicated to its creed. Yet, despite the brotherhood being her whole life, her whole heritage even, she has grown rather cynical. At this period in time, China, like the rest of the world, was in a rather tumultuous position. Globally, capitalism and industrialisation were being born, leading to unmitigated starvation and inequality, revolutions were rising everywhere and power was being funnelled to increasingly fewer people. Then in China, the people were about to enter what would be, in retrospect, called the "century of humiliation" with the death of the emperor just behind them, with in-fighting and rebellions to come. The British Empire was sneaking in, and, while it didn't have the chokehold it had over the rest of the world, it was still only a few decades away from taking control of Hong Kong; an action that has caused trouble in the region which remains to this day. This is the context of Lai's introduction, as she runs across the rooftops of Hong Kong during New Year's festivities to kill a Templar target. The world is changing and the future is uncertain. At this point in her life, Lai has killed more Templars than she can count, and yet there are always more to fill the positions. The war doesn't seem to be swaying either way, and she can't help but feel that her actions are futile in the wider chaos of the world. I think when a franchise reaches a certain point, it needs to consider the emotions of its audience, and its place in the wider culture. Think of Halo 3, a massive event game which was built from the ground up as a war game, the scale of which you've never seen. It was a tour de force, a the best of compilation for the Halo franchise so far, all turned up to 11. Then, having set the world alight with this event game, Bungie made Halo Reach. A game with the same mechanics and fun action of 3, but which took a sombre approach. It was a reflection really, of the franchise as a whole, and how it may never live up to the hype and scale it previously had. After 15 years, 12 mainline games and god knows how much multimedia content, fatigue has set in to the Assassin's Creed franchise. Lai, like us, doesn't know the direction her fight is going or if it will ever have a satisfying end. Searching for her first target will let us understand Lais position, and tutorialise land based gameplay. In general I want to go back to the aspirations of Unity, a stylish free flow movement with a focus on social stealth. Combat should be deadly and swift, I envision the same precision of Ghost of Tsushima, a back and forth of attacks and deflections. Sneaking through the highly populated celebrations, Lai will find her, target a low level and frankly unimportant Templar. His insignificance will be reflected in the confession scene, with Lai seeming unimpressed but still remaining respectful as Assassins are expected. Escaping the scene, Lai will return to her ship and flee the city. We can here get a glimpse of the new naval mechanics, which in all honesty I can't imagine being that different from Black Flags. They are already perfect, adapt them to Chinese ships (that are named "Junks"), which are usually smaller and faster than the frigates and brigs of Western navy's Lai will reunite with the Brotherhood to report on her mission. I really want this branch of the Brotherhood to feel ancient, capturing the atmosphere of Masyaf. Historic dens with intricate architecture retelling the stories of great Assassins from this part of the world. Nevertheless a lot of this has fallen into disarray, rituals and repeated phrases taking the place of effective, organised action. Walking through the den we can see that Lai is comfortable there, friends with everyone she has always lived alongside. The mentor, who's not much older than Lai, is clearly unprepared for his responsibilities and unsure of how to direct Lai from here. His fear of appearing too controlling, and his constant search for approval and advice leave the Brotherhood rudderless. With no new target given to her, Lai heads to her pirate friends and here we can meet some of the more unusual side characters who will join our journey. At this point there was no large spread confederacy, however the region around Hong Kong did have a large pirate presence. One important figure of this group of pirates was the husband of previously mentioned pirate queen Zheng Yi Sao, known by the same name. For my own sanity from here on out I'm going to refer to the male Zheng Yi and original pirate king as "Zheng", while the female Zheng Yi and later pirate queen will be referred to as Sao. Anyway, at this point the two Zhengs were not married. Sao was still a prostitute and while this may not be entirely accurate, I want her to be living among the pirates, already close to this growing fleet. Her and Lai are friends, very different people who manage to see the charm in one another. Zheng meanwhile is a charming gentleman, a rather eccentric character who hasn't yet taken control as pirate chief but has clear ambition. His eccentricities allow him to get close to people, and his cunning mind allows him to continue rising and taking advantage of opportunities. Also historically he was bisexual, marrying Sao but having male sexual partners up to his death. It’s incredibly important to show this side of his life, providing representation for the real historical figures who were LGBTQ+. If I was to use a more modern comparison, I want these pirates to be like the free love hippies of the sixties. Lai clearly enjoys her time among them, and we truly get to understand how this group of criminals find freedom and acceptance in one another. Yet, it's still important to show that this community has important rules and leadership. One of these early missions could see Zheng sending Lai after a crew member who ignored orders, establishing his rulership as firm but fair. This directly contrasts the current Brotherhood, who seem in disarray without leadership. It can also be through the pirates that Lai will meet the main antagonist of the game. When robbing a merchants storage warehouse, we will overhear two British merchants discussing the arrival of a large incoming shipment, led by the aristocrat and famous businessman Charles Vidic (OC and descendant of Warren Vidic), a name instantly recognisable to Lai. Vidic is a Templar grand master, and like Lai, has a legacy in the order. He was raised a Templar, with incredible wealth and a commitment to restoring what he calls “the natural order of things”. A traditionalist, Vidic's ideals heavily resemble the older Templars, who subjugate and control the populace by any means necessary, believing it to be for their own good. He also hides a major secret, but we’ll get to that later. Seeing a chance to hit a huge target and finally make an impact, Lai contacts the pirates to organise an attack on the coming delivery. She wilfully chooses to not inform the Brotherhood, worrying that they may interfere with her plans. The attack is a major failure, Vidic captains a huge man o war, unusual for a merchant vessel, and decimates the pirates. Lai flees, losing a majority of her crew, with only a few pirate ships surviving. Broken and injured, Lai returns to the den and faces the chagrin of the mentor. Lai is criticised for acting too rash, but communication is made with the brotherhood of England to learn more about Vidic. While taking on other targets, both Chinese and British, we will get a better understanding of Vidic’s behaviour and the overall goals of his version of the Templars. Importantly, I want the game to clearly indicate the passage of years. This journey should be long, spanning across the full decade to 1810. We can see the pirate confederacy rise and fall, become a full fledged government, while British merchants become more prominent in the area. During these time jumps, Lai and Sao become closer, good friends who support one another as Sao becomes leader of the pirates. As the journey goes on, Sao pushes Lai to take a more proactive role in the Brotherhood. While not wishing to join herself, Sao sees its importance to Lai and how the disastrous leadership has affected her. It will be in Sao’s final scene where we can truly see her impact. In real life Sao did not go out in a dramatic blaze of fire we like to see for heroes. She did not fall in some great battle like Blackbeard does in Black Flag, screaming some inspiring quote. No, the ever cunning Sao saw the increased pressure placed upon her pirate confederacy, after she’d spent so many years raiding the coasts. In 1810, she sailed her huge fleet directly into the city of Canton, disembarking to hand herself in for her crimes. Due to her high profile, the state handed her and her crew a pardon, allowing them to keep the riches they’d earned as long as they didn’t resume pirating. Before doing this I’d like to see Sao and Lai converse, as Lai begs for her to reconsider. She doesn’t want to lose her friends and allies, seeing this as only another loss, a failure of making any major change in her life. Sao reassures Lai, informing her that we can only try to find the best in the situations we are given. For Lai, she needs to finally stand up to the Assassins' leadership, take control to implement the actions that are necessary. Watching her friends sail off to a peaceful life, Lai is provided with a choice. Settling down, or continuing her fight. Unable to give up on her ideals, Lai returns to the den, demands the position of mentor and creates a plan to finally finish off Vidic. More will be revealed of Vidic throughout the narrative, I want multiple encounters between him and Lai, failed assassination attempts or aggressive responses from the Templars. As it turns out, Vidic's mental state is rather erratic, and while he’s a talented leader the claims he makes about himself seem outlandish. Now let us take a look into the Isu lore for this instalment and I have to admit I’m not an expert in this area. The additions I’m going to make should fit in with the existing lore, however any creed fanatics who see problems with what I write please leave a comment. I’m genuinely interested to know. Anyway, Vidic has the ability to glimpse through time. It’s not clear visions, rather small insights, almost like poetry that describes what has and what will happen. One of my favourite parts of Isu lore in Origins was the description of how the Isu could physically see time. When the humans first revolted for their freedom, Isu who supported the human cause attempted to grant this ability to us. They performed experiments on willing subjects, hoping that if this power was provided they would gain equality, or at least be powerful enough to truly fight. The experiments were not completely successful though, leaving hundreds of people with parts of this code abandoned in their DNA. Through the pure chaos of existence though and centuries of genetic combinations, Vidic was created with the right combination of genes that gave him a sliver of this power. This connection to the Isu drove Vidic into his more fundamentalist Templar beliefs. Glimpsing the future has given him foresight of the coming globalised and industrialised worlds, and the problems that they will cause. This march toward progress must be orderly, and it’s only by having a fully dominated populace that this can occur. He will label the the pirates as degenerate terrorists and the Assassins as mindless, pointing to the poor leadership that has left them unable to ever effectively eradicated the Templars. We can see that he is not necessarily wrong, the current Assassin leadership is weak and the pirates attack and kill merchants in sometimes brutal ways, leaving regular citizens without food. As trade increases, and the demands of the public become much more complicated (internet, television, food that can only be grown in different nations etc.), this level of chaos will lead directly to the downfall of civilization as we know it. His mental gift will also reveal to him the location of an Isu temple, one that was intentionally left unrecorded due to the power it held. Imagine it like a black ops base, redacted even from official records. Being able to glimpse through time is the only way Vidic could find it. The base itself will house a “telescope” that will allow Vidic to gain a clearer image of the future. With it, he could monitor what every person on the planet will do, and act to make sure they behave in a way he deems suitable. That is why he came personally to Hong Kong with such an impressive fleet, to access this temple and defend himself during the search. This way the finale of the game can take place inside the temple, Vidic getting to truly envision the future as he had always wished, only to mentally crumble under the strain. We as people were never meant to have this gift, our psyche cannot process the information and it leads only to madness. An epic fight occurs, where Vidic dies in disgust, knowing of the great terrors that will occur. Nuclear explosions, world wars, climate change and the potentially apocalyptic solar eclipse are all to come, with no way of stopping it. He dies in anguish, screaming at Lai for her foolish commitment to freedom, which will only lead to humanity's ruin. Obviously there’s an irony to Vidic’s belief. The greatest minds to ever live could not figure out how to give the power of temporal sight to humans, with it only truly being solved by the infinitely powerful chaos of existence. In a world as controlled as he would like, the power that guides him wouldn’t exist. This should be explicitly stated in game either by an Isu messenger (like seen in Origins) or potentially Basim if he is still the modern day protagonist. With the telescope available to her now, the temptation of its power hits Lai. She questions whether to use it, whether to see if her fight will be worthwhile, but refuses. At heart, she knows that to do so would stand against her tenants, that seeing what will happen can only lead to the removal of people's free will, whether intentional or not. She destroys the temple, leaving this path behind. Of course as modern viewers we know her fight wasn’t as impactful as she would have hoped. Hong Kong would fall to the British, weaponized addiction would sweep the nation, and the last dynasty would fall. Her people had much more strife ahead of them that no one person could change, but the ideals she preached and her trust in humanity are the only cure to the plagues which face us all. I know this exploration of time may seem out of left field, but I think it could provide an additional layer to the drama of this story. To have someone who can provide accurate information on what will occur in this difficult era for China can truly express the dramatic irony of trying to fight what we know will come. Additionally, a core principle of Chinese political philosophy is the “dynastic cycle”, which refers to the continuous rise and fall of different dynasties' rulership, destined to repeat the mistakes of before. Culturally we can relate this story of time exploration with this philosophy, providing a nice link between the region and narrative, as Vidic (an outsider) acts to defy this ancient belief in cycles of repetition. And so that’s the pitch, the world of a cynic finding hope even in the darkness. With any luck, this can reinvigorate the community, providing a game that can recreate some of the heights of the franchise while reflecting growing franchise fatigue. Gameplay wise, mixing the impressive naval with the heights of city based action allows the best of both worlds, which was never quite reached before. Additional Isu exploration can continue to expand the lore, while potentially setting up future modern day plots. Based on what direction the series heads with the modern day, Basim or otherwise, the telescope can reveal the next major event the modern day Assassins must face. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Finn is a creative writer from Rotherham, UK who has previously supported TOWCB's Fundraising events, and raised awareness surrounding Men's Mental Health. Finn's writing covers a wide scope, with releases including reviews, interviews and stories. He is known in the AC Community for his 'Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game' series, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website! In February 2026, he left the team to focus on real-world opportunities as a journalist, writing for a newspaper! We're thrilled to see Finn using his skills to build a career! Finn Fletcher

Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game: Black Eden Wishlist Share 21 Nov 2025 Written By: Edited By: James Davis (TopChef1288) Colum Blackett Back To Database During a recent episode of The Ones Who Came Before podcast Rally The Creed , myself and my co-host Colum Blackett were talking about what a Assassin’s Creed game set during the Black Death would look like, the origins of the bubonic plague and a fear system. I just couldn't shake the idea from my head. We discussed that it could be a sequel to Hexe in time but not as a direct sequel, more of a spiritual successor. A new era in the franchise, the “Dark Era” and it was in that conversation, that I realised it wasn't just an idea to be spoken about on a podcast. It needed to be written down and shared. Something that demanded life on the page before it could ever exist in a game. The idea of a “Dark Era” isn't about heroes in shining armour, nor sweeping tales of conquest. It's about survival in the shadows of human failure, about morality bending under the weight of desperation. It's about a city drowning in death and a man whose sins are not just his own, but those of a whole world. Assassin’s Creed: Black Eden exists in that space between faith and fear, love and obsession, death and the memory of what could have been. Marseille, 1348 - The City of Plague Art by Thea_Rivedal Marseille in 1348 was not a city. It was a graveyard pretending to be a city. Smoke clung to the roofs like soot stained ghosts. The river ran dark with filth and blood. Bells tolled endlessly, calling out the dead while the living recoiled at each other’s breath. Shops and marketplaces deserted. The only commerce left was fear, and even that was precious. People whispered that the air itself had turned against them. Some spoke of angels who had abandoned the city, of saints who no longer listened. While others wore amulets, some carved protective symbols into their doors; some even prayed so fervently their hands ached and their knees became blistered. Marseille was a city where superstition had become law, where despair shaped every step. And above it all, moving between alleys and rooftops, someone was watching. Someone who had once believed he could save lives through control. Only to learn that salvation came at the cost of the city’s soul. Lucien de Montfort - The Templar Who Wept Lucien de Montfort had once been a man of reason. An alchemist and a Templar scholar. He believed in the grand design, in the orderly flow of history. In the Templar promise that control could cure chaos. And that's why he helped the Templars with the creation of the Black Death. He did not do it out of malice but out of misguided devotion. Every vial, every calculation and every careful release of the plague was intended to prune humanity. To cleanse what he and the Templars deemed unfit. He loved once. A brilliant, beautiful and terrifying woman called Lilith LaMort. Together they studied the apple, or what was left of it. But obsession and fear coiled around their work, experiments went wrong and people died. One day an accident happened and destroyed their lab. Both Lilith and the Apple were destroyed with it. Everything the two of them had built was gone. He buried both his love and his faith in the same grave. Now months later, the plague begins to strangle the city and he is alone. A man haunted by the faces of the dead, as he moved among the living. He was searching for absolution but he might never find it. The Rot of Eden: The Black Apple Art by Thea_Rivedal The Apple isn't just a relic, it's a weapon. A piece of divine technology that has been corrupted over centuries. Once golden, radiant and pure. It had been warped by the Isu’s war code into an Apple of obsidian black. Its carvings were gold and oozing a hissing, thick sap. Lucien called it the Rot. it was able to prune a population, the Templars deemed unworthy. It accelerated decay and manipulated life itself. wells , wine and incense all distilled into tools by the Templars. Under the guise of salvation but in reality they were tools of control and power. And yet to Lucien, it was more than just a weapon. The Rot was a part of him, after the accident. A constant reminder of his complicity. To him, every death whispered his name. Every coughing child, every corpse was a testament to his sins and failure. The Apple isn't something you wield lightly; it was something that carried the weight of life and death. Lucien had been the one to tip the scales. Faith, Fear and Masks The city devoured itself in silence. Fear spread faster than the plague. It turned every home into a fortress and every neighbour into a threat. Trust soon became a relic. It had been buried and forgotten, even feared as much as death. Lucien adapted. He became what the city needed and what it wouldn't question. He became a plague doctor. Cloaked in soot stained robes and wearing a beaked mask that reeked of herbs and despair. He drifted through the streets like a penitent spirit. The mask was both his sanctuary and his prison. It granted him passage through guarded alleys and restricted areas. Behind the glass eyes, Lucien watched as the world around him continued to rot and he wondered if he could ever atone for the things he had done. Via The Harbinger (2022) Elias - The Modern Assassin Centuries later, in a quiet lab, Elias Moreau strapped into the Animus. He wasn't anyone special, just a field operative; trying to make a difference. He followed orders, gathered intel and blended into the world unnoticed. But this time it was different. His mentor’s words still ring in his ears “if we are to understand what Covid is. We need to find the Black Apple. You need to walk the streets of Marseille and see what Lucien de Montford saw” and with that Elias entered the Animus. And in a heartbeat, the modern day began to fade from his eyes. The plague choked air, the tolling bells and the fear on the street became as real as anything he'd seen before. He could feel Lucien’s guilt crawling along his spine. He could hear Lucien’s whispered prayers to the dead and the smell of the rot that lingered in every corner of the city. The Animus was supposed to be a tool, a window to history. But for Elias it was now a bridge connecting him not only to Marseille but also to the sins of his bloodline. As Marseille began to unfold around him, Elias thought “Death is not the enemy, it is the relief of pain and the end of suffering to those around him” The Whispers of La Maitresse Noire Even as Lucien moved through the plague ravaged streets of Marseille, a shadowy figure lingered. The city whispered of a woman only referred to as La Maitresse Noire. No one knew her true identity and if they did, no one spoke it. Her cruelty was legendary. Entire families vanished overnight. Experiments gone wrong turned into tales of horror. She commanded through fear, her intellect was as sharp as any blade. Her heart, cold and barren. Templars tremble at her name. When they die, their last words weren’t of battles or hatred. But of her, The Maitresse surpassed them all. Lucien now looking at people he once trusted and respected, realised that they all served her and they were merely instruments to her ambition. The Kiss of the Maitresse Lucien had begun to piece it together, the patterns and the names in the ledgers. The whispers of la Maitresse Noire. Every lead drew him closer to the truth. She wasn’t just a myth, she was real. She was orchestrating everything, the plague, the fear and even the city’s slow decline. Lucien cornered a Templar alchemist in the catacombs beneath Marseille, who once looked up to Lucien. The man begged for his life, he mumbled about salvation and sacrifice; as Lucien towered over him. Lucien ignored his pleas and drove his blade home and the Templar looked into Lucien’s eyes and smiled. The pain came later, Lucien felt his veins burning and the bitter taste of iron in his mouth. His vision became blurred and his limbs trembled. In the dying man's hand, Lucien saw it. A broken vial. He had been injected. The Maitresse had turned the plague against its creator. Days bled into nights, fever consumed Lucien. His mind unraveled between flashes of clarity and delirium. Every cough was now a reminder that he is one of the infected and is a reminder of the countless souls he has doomed, in the name of order. Even as sickness ravaged his body, Lucien’s resolve was only sharpened. If this was to be his end, he would make sure it means something. He would drag this plague and Maitresse Noire with him into hell. The Final Act Lucien returned to where his story began, the laboratory buried beneath the cathedral. Once a beacon of Templar ambition, now left to rot and is nothing more than just ash and the echoes of the past. He thought he was alone, that is until a voice calls out to him “I knew you’d come back home, mon cher” from the shadows crept, a figure; La Maitresse Noire, but her veil was gone and Lucien saw a face that had haunted his dreams. Lilith LaMort. Her beauty had not faded, she stood there; like something otherworldly. She wasn’t the same woman he once knew, as she stood there half divine and utterly terrifying. The Black Apple clutched in her hand. Lilith circled Lucien with a predatory gaze. Lucien lunged at her, steel clashed. Assassin against former love & false divinity. Every blow echo screamed through the shadows. Lilith falls to her knees, she reaches for him with her blood soaked hands. A faint smile across her face. “You can kill me” she whispers “but not what I’ve set in motion. This plague will end only when the Apple can’t corrupt anymore” Lucien knew that the Apple couldn't be destroyed. Gameplay Mechanics When I started imagining how Black Eden would actually play, the goal was simple: build systems that make the world react to Lucien, not the other way around. The plague isn’t just a backdrop, it’s the heartbeat of the entire game. And every mechanic stems from that idea. Trust System In a city collapsing under fear and superstition, nobody is going to welcome a stranger with open arms, especially not someone poking around crime scenes and plague zones. So trust becomes a core mechanic. People judge Lucien based on what they see. If he helps gather medicine, deliver food, guide families to safety, or take down corrupt officials, their trust rises. If he sneaks where he shouldn’t, draws attention, or appears too often near death, they pull back. Trust isn’t just a meter; it affects everything: • What missions unlock • Who speaks to you • Whether an area will hide you or betray you • How easily you can move through the city It’s not “good vs evil.” It’s “do they believe you’re here to help, or here to harm?” Disguise System Disguises in Black Eden aren’t cosmetic, they’re social tools with consequences. Plague Doctor Disguise Lucien’s signature look. Great for accessing quarantined districts and moving through zones thick with corpses and infected. Guards assume he belongs there. But regular citizens? They keep their distance. Some won’t talk to him at all. He smells like death, and no one wants to trust a walking omen. Commoner / Peasant Disguise Safer, more social, more immersive. People open up. Hidden pockets of the city become accessible. But guards won’t respect you, and certain areas become blocked entirely. Each disguise opens one door while closing another, making identity itself part of the strategy. Rot Vision Rot Vision is Lucien’s twisted version of Eagle Vision, born from the Black Apple fragment embedded in his palm. It works just like Eagle Vision structurally, but the feel is different: • Infection patterns spread across walls and streets • Trails of sickness reveal where outbreaks started • Corrupted enemies glow with inhuman intensity • Hidden paths and clues appear like veins beneath the city’s skin It’s powerful, intuitive, and story-driven, but every use chips away at Lucien. The player sees the world decay as he does. Parkour & Movement Lucien isn’t a superhero. He’s agile, fast, and trained but grounded. Movement would feel closer to: • Unity’s precision • Mirage’s responsiveness • Shadows’ clean, intentional platforming The rooftops of Marseille become escape routes, ambush paths, and lifelines. There’s no sprawling open-world parkour circus, just tight, dense, believable navigation through a dying city. Combat Lucien fights like a man who learned from two worlds, Assassin training from his father, Templar discipline from his mentors. Simple but lethal. • One hidden blade • One sword • Fast, brutal counters • Precise strikes • No heavy RPG stat nonsense • And a combat feel very close to Assassin’s Creed Shadows It’s intimate and unforgiving. Every fight has weight. Stealth Stealth is the backbone of Black Eden. No modern gadgets, no overpowered tools but just shadows, timing, and disguise. You can: • Blend into crowds • Slip through alleys • Use darkness as cover • Distract guards with environmental tools • Disappear into plague smoke or church candlelight The goal isn’t to erase entire fortresses, it’s to make the player feel hunted, cautious, clever, and resourceful. Conclusion When I started shaping Black Eden, I wasn’t trying to reinvent Assassin’s Creed. I just wanted to tap back into what made the series special in the first place. The atmosphere, the tension, the blurred lines between good intentions and terrible outcomes. And as the idea grew, it naturally evolved into something that felt both familiar and completely new. Lucien de Montfort isn’t a chosen one or a mythic hero. He’s a man whose brilliance and mistakes cost lives, and he spends the rest of the game trying to make sure no one else suffers because of him. That’s the heart of this pitch. Not destiny, just responsibility. Not spectacle, just consequence. And it fits the Assassin’s Creed universe better than anything flashy or supernatural ever could. The gameplay systems, the trust mechanics, the disguises, Rot Vision, the grounded stealth. they all push the game toward a more reactive, human style of play. People don’t automatically trust Lucien. He has to earn it. His disguises open doors but close others. His connection to the Black Apple gives him insight but slowly destroys him. Everything he gets comes at a cost, which is exactly how an AC game set in the Plague should feel. And then there’s the modern day, Elias trying to navigate the fallout of a life he didn’t live but still feels. It brings back that personal, present-day urgency the series has been missing for a while. If Assassin’s Creed ever decided to explore a story like this; something darker, more intimate, more morally tangled. I genuinely believe it could mark a turning point for the franchise. Not a reboot, not a throwback, but a new era built on what made the originals resonate so deeply. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author James is a UK-based video creator who joined TOWCB's Video Content Creation Team in June 2025. James was brought on board to help TOWCB with TikTok news coverage and to establish a consistent Twitch streaming schedule. He is a big fan of the Assassin's Creed series who will be helping TOWCB grow in late 2025, with a particular focus on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. By joining the partnership program, we aim to provide James with opportunities to grow and further his relationship with the AC Community and Ubisoft. James Davis (TopChef1288)

Assassin's Creed Wedding Ideas Share 31 Dec 2022 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Back To Database Engagement is undoubtebly an exciting time for couples, filled with planning and saving, but it can also be stressful as they aim to make the day perfect. One thing that can be particularly tricky is getting interests and hobbies across in a way that doesn't clash with other wedding day choices. For some, like myself, Assassin's Creed is an obvious choice, and others may also wish to incorporate AC inspired elements into their wedding day. Here you will find some of the best Assassin's Creed Wedding ideas to act as inspiration for a future big day. Venue One of the first things to book when planning a wedding is the venue: The place where it all happens. Although we have never actually seen a wedding occur in an Assassin's Creed game between main characters, you can still find inspiration in the franchise for the perfect setting. Ideas: Monteriggioni / Tuscany Rome Paris London Egypt Venice Istanbul Havana Cuba Norway An old castle An old church The Rings comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: Feb 26th - 5th March 2022 Community Share 21 Mar 2022 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the new weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week, we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for capture across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. 1) Renaissance Game: Assassin’s Creed II This week’s first capture comes from @hannyafoxdie over on Twitter. The scenery in Assassin’s Creed 2 is immense. The city of Venice is so vibrant, and this capture reflects it extremely well. I am always a fan of the protagonist standing on a rooftop. The colour of the tiles really pops in this image. I certainly appreciate the larger buildings in the distance and the waterway just below. 2) The Seaside Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Photo number two comes from @FeRa0408 over on Twitter. This capture is so colourful and striking. Kassandra walking through the red plants is very iconic, giving me Gladiator vibes. There really is a lot going on here, with the flock of birds in the sky and the two ships floating in the water. This is possibly one of my favourite Odyssey shots. 3) Sunlight Game: Assassin’s Creed This week’s third shot comes from @realKICKFLIPKID over on Twitter. Once again, we travel back to where it all began. I have not yet played the original since I entered the VP world. This is definitely a capture I would attempt, though. I love the bright sun blazing in from the right and the birds circling in the air. I am particularly impressed by the hidden blade sticking out as if Altair is about to strike. 4) Black and White Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP number four comes from @DagNammit86 over on Twitter. Black and white shots can often get missed, but this one stood out to me. I really like the depth of field drawing your eye to the archway which seems to make this image so bright. The simplicity is a breath of fresh air, minus the civilian this shot is pure environment. 5) Egyptian Hedj Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins The final capture of the week comes from @nkeiiin over on Twitter. Bayek and Origins captures are my favourites. Once again great use of the depth of field, really makes Bayek stand out amongst the burning sun. Nice to see Bayek in the Hedj robes, such an underrated look. I was so happy when they returned in Assassin's Creed Valhalla. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Assassin’s Creed 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

Community Spotlight: Some the Best Collectables from Assassin's Creed Merchandise Share 22 Feb 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Ashlea Blackett Back To Database (Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal Moonchildgecko . Article contains Amazon affiliate links which support TOWCB) Collecting has been my favorite hobby since I was a child. Whether it be trading cards, video games, art work, or achievements, the satisfaction of growing a collection from a few items to a well designed shelf or even better, a dedicated room in a home is something that any fan of a series enjoys working towards. I myself have collected for years and in late 2020, I began shifting my collection from video games in general to specifically Assassin’s Creed items due to my enjoyment of the series and the vast amount of collectables available I could start to accumulate. Within the year I had two full shelves of various media, statues, and whatever I could get my hands on across second hand sites and stores within my area. Due to starting my collection after the release of Valhalla, my options were limited to the newest games, unless I put down collector’s prices for older pieces. Yet, I was successful in building my collection to over 500 pieces since then and I continue to add new items every month. What I love the most about collecting is comparing what I have with others in the community. So with the assistance of my fellow Assassins on social media and some direct messages with a few key members of Ubisoft, I have gathered photos of their favorite and/or rarest items to share with everyone while I provide a little information on each one and tips on building your own collection. To keep it organized, I will post images based on the game that they came from, but not all games will be represented in this article. Each community member will be tagged in the caption of their item, and if you click on the image, you will be sent to that collector's social media so you can follow some amazing people that share love for the Assassin's Creed series. Assassin's Creed (2007) Assassin's Creed CE Altaïr Statue (@StephenMarsh66) Released within the Collector’s Edition of the first game, this resin statue stands at 12 inches and was exclusive to Europe. I have seen from collectors that this statue had an issue, where the resin that it is made from would become sticky overtime. Some would resolve this by never removing it from the packaging, where as Stephen cleaned his with Isopropyl alcohol and which resolved the problem. A good tip for people that have an issue with a piece in their collection is to reach out to others via a collector's group or a hashtag (#) for assistance so that we can all enjoy our pieces, free of defects. Altaïr, The Legendary Assassin (@Wolfie_Whispers) One of the more sought out statues, this design of Altaïr sitting on a bell is a detailed and unique piece from PureArts and the UBiWorkshop teams. It is also one that has been the unfortunate victim of unofficial replicas. So, when purchasing statues of any kind, be aware of the seller and the price as most official statues that are no longer in print will be sold for over $100. 1 oz Silver Colorized Altaïr Coin (@PhilippeTherr20) This officially licensed coin was a limited print of 500 pieces and is .999 fine silver. The company Apmex offers various Assassin's Creed coins as well as other collectable precious metal pieces. Coins have been an easy way to provide something to collectors that not only may hold monetary value over time, but can provide a small, but detailed design that is fun to have someone hold when showing off your collection. "The Holy City" (AssassinsCreedSeries on YouTube) Limited to 100 pieces, "The Holy City'' by Japanese artist HR-FM is an amazing piece to display on any wall. While you fill your shelves with statues and books, you should look for artworks, whether it be official or fan art, to give your space personality and show off your favorite scenes and characters. While Ubisoft has unfortunately shut down their online store which sold artwork, there are plenty of other licensed sellers that still offer options. Assassin's Creed The Ezio Collection NECA Figures (@Tales_of_Alamut) NECA was the manufacturer of various lines of Assassin's Creed figures from the first game through the release of Assassin's Creed Revelations (McFarlane Toys took over afterwards). Each figure was measured at around 7" and was articulated to be posed with included weapons or additional accessories such as Da Vinci's Flying Machine. These used to be one of the easiest collectables to find when their respective games were on the shelf as many big-box stores would carry them in the gaming or toy aisles of the store. You could even walk into your local corner drugstore and find an exclusive color or character at times. "Ezio's Fury" (@RipRoobox30) Limited to 2000 pieces, "Ezio's Fury" is one of the more expensive statues in the series (even more so now that it is out of print). This 1/6 scale model by Tsume-Art was made for Assassin's Creed Brotherhood and depicts Ezio on the attack. While I haven't heard of many issues with this particular statue, others that have a statue which is sculpted in a jumping or leaning action where they are only connected to the base by a foot, have been known to break due to weight over time. So when displaying pieces like this, keeping them out of direct sunlight or supported by additional stands may be needed. Altaïr's Codex (@JayKirkendall) From the Assassin's Creed Brotherhood Limited Codex Edition is a replica of Altaïr's codex from the games. Items like this are by far my favorite pieces in a Collector's Edition or separately as they provide a physical version of a digital time or in cases like Washington's Journal from the Assassin's Creed III Collector's Edition, a book from the perspective of another character in the game. Altaïr's Codex is one item that I hope to acquire one day as I would love to flip through the pages of the Master Assassin. Ezio Limited Developers Edition Bust (@DimPkl) Busts are another great way to display a favorite character if you have limited space to work with. There are various companies that have produced character busts for the series, but the hardest to get are the ones that were given to the developers of their respective games. Some of the busts are released with a full color pallete, while others like this one provided by DimPkl, are bronze. Getting your pieces autographed also adds an extra value to the itemsl, as many are signed in person or purchased with some form of authenticity. Altaïr Bust Mentor's Guild Edition (@ACLetsTalk) Another source of some of the rarest busts are direct from Ubisoft themselves in the form of gifts given to members of the previously titled Mentor's Guild (now titled The Mentor's Order). This group of die hard fans were picked by Ubisoft themselves due to their dedication and love of the series. From time to time, the members would be gifted with early previews, access to those involved with the games, and extremely limited collectables such as this bust of an experienced and older Master Assassin Altaïr Ibn-LaʼAhad . Only 200 pieces were created. Ezio's Hidden Blade (@djpweb) Another series of collectables are the replicas of the main Assassin weapon, the Hidden Blade. Most of the games have had a version of the blade released and a few have had different levels of quality. The one in the image above was supposed to be one of an unknown number (due to it being a while ago) of replicas for a giveaway for the launch of Assassin's Creed 2. The VP of Ubisoft, Jean-Philippe Durand shared this one with me for the article and stated that they were displayed on mannequin arms in closed plexiglass cylinders but during shipping from the factory, the mounts were broken so the blades were given to developers instead. Assassin's Creed Movie Ojeda's Armor (MRSales4640 on eBay) While not impossible, it takes a lot for a franchise to get a live action or even animated feature film in theaters. It is even more unlikely that collectors can have a chance to own a piece of the film via props, wardrobe, or set pieces. Fortunately, there are options for the Michael Fasbender lead film via eBay and other high end collectors as you will see in the following photos. Various movie props (@AymarMtl) Transmedia and Business Development Director, Aymar Aza ïzia shared this set of props that he has fromt he film. A hidden blade, two throwing knives, a smoke bomb and I believe a vial of some sort. Moussa's Smoke Bomb (@ViRaLuNdEaD) One of the weapons that Assassin Moussa (played by the late Michael K. Williams) possesses as he prepped for the riot at the Abstergo Madrid facility was a pair of smoke bombs. The intricate design and Assassin's insignia can be seen in the casing of the bomb itself. Arno's Guillotine Gun (@ClaudioACSy) Another weapon replica from the film is Arno's Guillotine Gun which was used by Callum Lynch's father, Joseph, during the raid after he smashed its case in Alan Rikkin's office. Such an awesome piece that is treasured by its current owner. Assassin's Creed China UbiHeroes Shao Jun Mentor's Guild Exclusive (@DaveWoodwardAC) One of the more recent figure series that Ubisoft released was its Heroes Line covering characters from across their games library. This exclusive color of the Shao Jun figure was given to Mentor's Guild members. The original was the black and red color that the Chinese Assassin is known for in her line of games and promotion artworks. Assassin's Creed III Haytham Kenway Sketch by Lisa Zaman (@Mrs_H_E_Kenway) Sketched by our own Art Team member, Lisa Zaman , this sketch of the Templar Grandmaster, Haytham Kenway is not only a great sketch, but a way for fans to support creators via their artworks. Within the community, many artists will produce all forms of artwork. Below you can see another piece which was a knit doll of Haytham from the same collector. Knit Haytham Kenway Doll (@Mrs_H_E_Kenway) Connor's Hidden Blade (@juanmawl) Another example of a Hidden Blade replica, this version for the protagonist of Assassin's Creed III was exclusive to Japan. I have only ever seen this twice since I started collecting, but looking for international exclusive items is always enjoyable. Seeing what makes it to production in various countries is always interesting. If you do decide to take up collecting, work on making connections across the globe for insight to other regions. "Washington Crossing the Delaware" by Stephane Turgeon (@TriFreako) Concept art is another outlet for growing your collection. There are plenty of pieces that are available as prints or are used for promotional purposes. Maxime Durand, Director of the Discovery Tour for Assassin's Creed shared this concept art signed by the artist, Stephane Turgeon. Throughout the history of the games, well-known art pieces like this one have been edited to show the Assassin's characters amongst the historical figures. It is a great example of the historical playground that is the AC series. Assassin's Creed Liberation "The Assassin of New Orleans" (@MagicTCGMama) While the current games of the series are beginning to introduce more and more female Assassin protagonists, it was rare that one would be portrayed in a statue or even used for merchandise. Aveline is one Assassin who has been given the statue treatment a few times and while there hasn't been any expansion on her story, she is still a fan favorite. This statue of her fighting a gator is one of the most action heavy designs and one to look out for. *Collector's social media has been deactivated. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Vinyl Soundtrack (@Wolfie_Whispers) One of the best components to the Assassin's Creed games is the soundtrack. Black Flag has one of the best in my opinion as I love the sea shanties. Soundtracks have been released for the games digitally and at times physically. Lately, vinyl has grown in popularity and the one for Black Flag is a fantastic one due to having two vinyls included to cover both the composed songs and shanties. Some of the more recently produced vinyls are that of Assassin's Creed Valhalla and the 15th Anniversary event. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Blood Cube (@FitzChevaleriie) Isu artifacts have also been replicated in merchandise, such as the Blood Cube from Black Flag. Originally released by UbiWorkshop, this collectible has skyrocketed in price since its original release. If there was a grail for fans of the series, this would be a contender. Additionally, the Apple of Eden and a few other items have been replicated. Assassin's Creed Unity "Arno: The Fearless Assassin" & "Elise: The Fiery Templar" Diorama Statues (@JamesTiddlyQuid) Pure Arts, who produce statues for the Assassin's Creed series, have released three sets of dioramas that depict couples from various titles. Arno and Elise are a fan favorite due to their story in Assassin's Creed Unity. The other dioramas contained Bayek & Aya from AC Origins, and Aguilar & Maria from the Assassin's Creed Film. "His & Hers" Towels by @larmoiredelise (@JamesTiddlyQuid) You can see from these custom-made towels that this couple have found themselves in the hearts of the fans. @larmoiredelise on Twitter even cosplays as Elise and makes great clothing pieces for her costumes. While these towels are not used for a cosplay, the community loves recreating outfits and comparing them in competitions and photo challenges. Élise de la Serre portrait (@larmoiredelise) At times, fans have even taken images and documents from the games and brought them to life in the real world. This portrait of Templar Élise de la Serre is a great example of this. 3D Printer Arno Dorian Figure OoK (@Kells_Creed) Ubisoft runs contests for Assassin's Creed frequently and have produced some custom items or limited releases as rewards. This figure was the prize for a contest in South Africa where players would design their own Arno Dorian figure (as Unity allows customization of his clothing) and the figure voted best would be printed for a one-of-a-kind collectible. This figure (provided to Kells_Creed by Ubisoft Netherlands) was most likely the prototype for this contest. By far, this is the rarest collectible that would have been publicly available via a contest. Assassin's Creed Unity Journal (@Col_96) Journals are a great way to show your support for the series and have something practical. While I haven't used either of the journals I have for the games, they are not expensive to purchase and are still available regardless of when the game came out. However, there are limited versions such as this journal that are (as expected) higher quality material. Assassin's Creed Unity: Prima Official Initiate Edition Guide (@larmoiredelise) Not only does Assassin's Creed release Collector's Editions of their games, but they have also done so for the Unity Strategy Guide. This Initiate Edition came with the hardback guide, map poster, and the Initiate chalice which was replicated for the game. It is another great example of the love the series has for itself and something I would love to see return for future releases. Assassin's Creed India Assassin's Creed Brahman (@Kupokuponut) Transmedia is a major portion of the current Assassin's Creed lore, consisting of novels, art books, and comics. Of the currently released printed media, Assassin's Creed Brahman has held an elevated price point due to it being published under UbiWorkshop and considered by many resellers to be a rare item. If you take your time shopping for an item, you can get this for a good price, and not spend $60 like I did on Amazon. Assassin's Creed Syndicate Assassin's Creed Syndicate Rooks Flag (@TheNerdyArcher) Pre-order items have been both amazing incentives (such as this flag) and confusing offerings, such as the Black Flag plastic football from American electronics store Best Buy. These promotional items are some of the most diverse as not only do various stores have different items at times, but different countries have offered items that some of us in the States and Europe never knew existed (such as the wooden Origin slipcovers). Autographed Syndicate Soundtrack (@Lorie_O) Another example of an autographed item, signed by Composer Austin Wintory and Voice Actor of Evie Frye Victoria Atkin. CDs are mainly obtained via Collector's Editions of the games but full albums can be purchased as well. The love for the music of Assassin's Creed is wide-spread in the community. Assassin's Creed Origins "Assassin's Creed: Animus Bayek" (@BasimIbnIshaq_) Statues come in various size scales, and of them all the 1:4 scale is the dream. PureArts (a name I have mentioned multiple times now) offers a line of statues in their "Animus" series covering nearly every protagonist from the games. As of this publication, they offer Kassandra, Bayek, Eivor (with both gender heads), Altair, Ezio, Connor, and Edward. The detail of these statues is reflective of the $800+ a piece depending on where you acquire them. Collectors that are able to purchase these never stop at just one. These can be a fantastic centerpiece for a shelf or room, but not for those that are limited on space. Reference Books Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia 3.0 (@kenway_joe) Spanning 15 years of content, Assassin's Creed has a lot of characters and lore that can be difficult to manage. So collectors that are wanting to stay refreshed or catch up on the previous stories will find reference books to be a valuable aid in this task. The line of Encyclopedias and Essential Guides are perfect for this, but do not always cover everything due to when they were published. The last version of the Encyclopedia was the 3.0 Edition that covered content up until Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and AC Brahman. It was released on UbiWorkshop and includes the content from the previous versions. 2500 Years of History (@FitzChevaleriie) Do you want to learn more about the real history that influenced the Assassin's Creed games? "2500 Ans d'Histoire" is a great way to do so. While not published in English, there have been multiple releases of reference books covering the real world history, and of course there are plenty of other books that you can gather about your favorite era. I myself have been working on a historical library that contains (mainly) books referenced in the games and transmedia, so that I can have a better understanding of the games... I just have to sit down and read them. Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Assassin's Creed 15th Anniversary Playing Cards (@FrameHoldPhotos) #AC15 was celebrated this past year and there were lots of new themed items sold and used for promotions. Through various stream giveaways on Twitch, contests on Twitter and other socials, and prizes at events, a limited number of decks of AC15 playing cards were released showcasing every main character from the series with a beautiful art style. AC15 Amunet Statue (@BriThibodeaux) Amunet (previously Aya) is the reason we have the Assassin's Brotherhood and was a key icon for the celebration that was #AC15 . This full colour replica is based on her statue in the crypts of Monteriggioni in a 1:8 scale and is good value for the amount of detail it has. Antheum Spirits' Assassin's Creed Collection (@thelordreylus <-That's me!) The final items I have to share come from my own collection. This series of alcoholic beverages released by Antheum Spirits. These were released over the winter season of 2022/2023 and come in three options; bourbon whisky for AC15, vodka for Valhalla, and spiced rum for Black Flag. Many fans were confused to why Valhalla was marketed with vodka and not AC Russia, but the time and care put into these designs and, I assume the taste (I'm not much of a drinker), are a unique offering that is limited to the United States due to where they are made and laws around shipping alcohol internationally. This was an extremely enjoyable article to work on and one that I could see The Ones That Came Before doing again in the future if the participation is high. I hope that you found some new things to look out for, something to go out and purchase, or just enjoyed seeing what others have. Go out and network with your fellow collectors and share your thoughts here or on our socials. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Mike Smith is a collector of all things Assassin's Creed and a major supporter of transmedia who joined TOWCB as a writer from 2021 - 2024 With nearly a full library of Assassin's Creed media, his work explored the universe in order of Genetic Memory. Notably, his Assassin's Creed Timeline became an essential tool for fans of the franchise looking to complete their collection and consume AC media in a particular order. Michael Smith