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Assassin's Creed Hexe Fan Theme Released Other Share 15 Aug 2025 Written By: Edited By: Charlie Cooper TOWCB Team Back To Database We are pleased to release Coven", an original fan theme inspired by the upcoming Assassin's Creed Codename Hexe, written and produced by Charles Cooper from The Ones Who Came Before. Best described in the writer of the track’s own words: “Coven is a reimagining of Ezio’s Family by Jesper Kyd and the Assassin’s Creed III theme by Lorne Balfe, two of my favorite franchise scores. I blend them into a haunting piece inspired by the dark tone of Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe, drawing on my love for composers like Hans Zimmer who fuse nostalgic melodies with tension and scale.” Assassin's Creed Hexe is set to shift the tone of the franchise, supposedly acting as the darkest game in the series so far, and we here at TOWCB think that this fan theme by Charlie captures the eeriness of the setting which was teased in the Hexe reveal announcement. The game is expected to release in 2026 or 2027, and we can't wait to learn more about the mysterious next entry! What did you think of the cover? Let us know down below in the comments! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Charlie Cooper (TheAssassinLord) joined TOWCB Video Content Creation Team in July 2025 in an effort to help the team further the identity of TOWCB and its members on video platforms. He is a talented videographer, writer, editor and composer with experience in multiple fields. In his first week on the team, he created the iconic intro sequence for our Rally the Creed Podcast, and stepped in to the role of editor for the series. Throughout 2025 and beyond, we will be working alongside Charlie on a number of exciting projects, ranging from capturing and recording exclusive interviews with special guests on our podcast, to music releases. Charlie Cooper

This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: 3rd - 9th September 2022: Women of Assassin's Creed Community Share 10 Sept 2022 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week I will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for capture across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. This week our showcase is focused on Women of Assassin’s Creed a collaboration with @ CreedScholars and @ WIGVP 1) Eivor Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Theme: #WIGVPEivor Console: PS5 This week’s first capture comes from @ Amaya_Nocturna a member of our Assassin’s Creed VP Twitter Community . First up this week we have Eivor amongst the flowers. This beautiful capture struck me upon seeing it in the community. The Wrath of the Druids hair style is my favourite in the game and I am impressed with how it fits both male and female Eivor. I love the face and back tattoos, combined with the outfit you get a real grounded feel. The stunning scenery with the blurred effect and the awesome stance of Eivor all come together to produce a perfect photo. Link to set 2) Kassandra Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Theme: #WIGVPKassandra Photo number two comes from @ Snowy_exe over on Twitter. Photo number two is definitely up there with one of my favourite Kassandra shots. This striking capture is just so eye catching you cannot help but marvel at the details. The black background with a hint of red is just sublime and it complements Kassandra’s outfit and face paint perfectly. The lighting is the real winner as you get to see Kassandra’s hair in all its glory. Although not necessarily an Assassin look, I think this maybe my preferred appearance for Kassandra. 3) Aya Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins Theme: #WIGVPAya This week’s third shot comes from @ flyingfeather_g over on Twitter. It is so great to feature the mother of the creed this week, given the announcement from PureArts regarding a new statue of her dressed as Amunet. Although not as Amunet in this photo she still looks incredible. I feel like this shot sums up Origins so well, despite the absence of Bayek. The capture is all about positioning and how it brings everything into focus. The captivating pyramid in the background is just delightful, and Senu covering half of Aya’s face is genius. If Aya had been the mainprotagonist then this would have made a great box art. 4) NPC - Kyra Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Theme: #WIGVPNPC VP number four comes from @ missroseplays a member of our Assassin’s Creed VP Twitter Community. Photo number four is an outstanding shot of Kyra looking concerned. Romance options were slightly underwhelming in Odyssey as you always built up bonds, only for the character to simply disappear from Kassandra/ Alexios’s life. I actually thought Kyra’s arc was pretty good and it’s nice to see her feature here. I really like the black background in this shot, as mixed with her emotions it fits the tone. Fantastic work from Rose to create this, as taking shots of NPC isn’t always the easiest. 5) Female - Randvi Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Theme: #WIGVPFemale The final capture of the week comes from @ PodToGo a member of our Assassin’s Creed VP Twitter Community. The final shot of the week features Randvi an unsung hero of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. She is Eivor’s chief advisor back at Ravensthorpe and a constant throughout the game. I don’t believe I have featured Randvi before so it’s great to have this enchanting shot of her. Once again the brilliant use of black backgrounds brings out the immense details of this character. Her hair is very reminiscent of Kassandra’s in the shot above. I love how the colours are so vibrant on her outfit. A real powerful photo of the women behind the pledges. 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

Best Quotes in Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag (2013) Share Written By: Edited By: TOWCB Team Back To Database ''Here I am.... with riches and reputation. Feeling no wiser than when I left home.'' Edward Kenway (Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag) VP and edit by Turið Torkilsdóttir comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author A collection of articles from The Ones Who Came Before team. TOWCB Team

Q&A with Aymar Azaïzia Interview Share 7 May 2016 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Col: Hey Aymar. Thanks for joining me today. I have a few Assassin’s Creed topics we would like to discuss today. Aymar: Thanks for having me, especially in a pub, with a beer. Is it a strategy to get me to talk? :) Col: We’ll see if we can get any secrets today ;) So let’s get started. Can you tell us anything about the Apple of Eden replica that was shown off a while back? We saw a prototype but we haven’t heard anything since. Aymar: Sure, right now, the project and the will to make it happen during the year is still very real. However we are trying to find the best execution, quality so expect more news soon! Col: Cool! Okay so I have a very big question! How did Ezio die, and was he assassinated? Aymar: My take on it, is watch the Godfather movie, and focus on the death of Don Corleone. Then watch Embers again, and I would say that Ezio get assassinated. There is a price to pay, and there is no rest once you walk the path of the Assassins. It is a bittersweet ending, Ezio got a nice and long life, yet there was no way for him to die from a heart attack (PS focus on the soundtrack!). Now you can hate me :) Col: Poor Ezio! So I was also wondering about the Nikolai Orelov statue that was shown. Is that still happening? Aymar: Got the only one :) It was a prototype that wasn’t supposed to be shown at that stage. It was a unique resin prototype, and we didn’t moved on with that, yet you can expect more cool figurines from us! Col: Nice! So why did the Davenport Homestead mysteriously disappear after AC3? Aymar: History kills a lot of thing… But there may be another explanation… :D Col: Who was the man at Lucy’s Grave in Initiates? Aymar: What is your call? We know who he is, but we are not there yet :) Col – Interesting. I personally think that it could be an Instrument of the first will, but we’ll have to see! Col: I was wondering if you can tell us anything about the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Movie Novel by Ryder Windham. Aymar: Talking about early announcement :) It is supposed to be a movie script adaptation as far as I know, but I don’t have more details at the moment, sorry! Col: Fair enough! Speaking of early announcements, an Assassin’s Creed Colouring book appeared on Amazon. So what kind of images can we expect to be colouring in? Aymar: We have the guys working on our artbook selecting the best images, so expect a mix between characters, landscape, iconic symbol and more! Col: Awesome! So Assassin’s Creed has released two sets of comic books recently, so I was wondering if any more can be expected in the future? Maybe comics focussing on Erudito or Juno’s Instruments. That could be cool. Aymar: YES! Both Titans and us are really pleased with what is happening at the moment, and I would be lying if I was saying we don’t have more plans for Assassin and Templars :) Col: That’s cool. Speaking of future plans, I was wondering if you guys would ever consider making more Chronicles game’s? Aymar: Right now, we are focusing our game effort on our next Assassin’s Creed game, but nothing is impossible with Chronicles :) Col: Fair enough! So Assassin’s Creed Last Descendants was announced recently, and a new Piece of Eden was mentioned in the description. “The Trident of Eden”. Can you tell us anything about that? Aymar: Yes, but I will have to kill you then :) What I could stay is that it is a very amazing story, I LOVE what Matt did with it, and the trident is a very interesting POE :p Col: Sounds interesting! So I was wondering if we could see the Lydia Frye story going anywhere in the future? Aymar: Haha, Lydia, Haytham, and so many others we want to bring back. So stay tuned! Col: So I left the difficult question until the end. Let’s talk about the precursor box. Does one exist or many. I personally believe that we saw 2 in AC Rogue, but several exist. Aymar: How many visuals versions have you seen so far? Same? :p Col: Interesting. I’ll stick to my theory though! Thanks for your time Aymar. It’s been an absolute pleasure to meet you. Aymar: It was a pleasure, let’s focus on beers now :) 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: 13th to 19th March Community Share 21 Mar 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the weekly virtual photography roundup, hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week I will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. This week’s theme: Assassin’s Creed Mirage Vibe Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ _ItDoesMatter We start this week’s showcase with a ni ce Assassin's Creed Mirage style shot. The position of Kassandra looking down on the pile of flowers really resembles some of the key art we have seen for the new game. Likewise the colours are very on point. I am a fan of these type of shots, as they have such a classic Assassin’s Creed feel. Hopefully it won’t be too long now before we see some more from Mirage. Link: https://twitter.com/_itdoesmatter/status/1635313665183485953?s=46&t=rIujpeSq9644fgpRWA_xMA The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week: Judge - Mike Smith (TOWCB Core Team) When I first saw this photo, I thought I was looking at Aya and not her ancestor, Kassandra. The recognition of a signature assassin (pre-assassins brotherhood) is strong in this shot and the similarities to what we have seen from Assassin's Creed Mirage show the strength of this series' lasting style in gaming. Kudo's to @ _ItDoesMatter for this image. The Blacksmith Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ frips Next up we have an elegant black and white portrait of Gunnar the blacksmith. I love the thoughtful look on his face. I also like how this photo captures his awesome Viking beard and face tat too. He could n ot look anymore Viking if he tried. I wish we had seen more of Gunnar in Valhalla, he and Eivor shared a close bond and it would have been nice to see him get more screen time. Raids in Paris Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ ZombieVision A nice simple but elegant shot for photo number three this week. I really like the warm tones of this capture, as it reminds me of a pleasant summers day. If you look closely the details are just perfect. The water and the greenery are particularly beautiful. I am loving the washed up longship, and the rowing boat that I assume Eivor arrived in. I did love the after battle look of Frankia, as it really gave me Viking vibes. Constellations Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ soulsurrender I actually do not have any words for this capture. A few years ago I saw a piece of artwork similar to this and loved it. It represents Origins so beautifully. The stars were always a connection between Bayek and Khemu, which brought so much emotion to the game. I adore the silhouettes of Bayek and Senu but also have to applaud the colours. The sky and the sand, especially with that shadow are impeccable. Eivor Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ dede_wijayanto3 We end this week’s showcase with a superb portrait of Eivor. I admire the style of this shot . There is something so eye-catching about it. It is almost like a piece of art rather than a video game capture. I really like that you can only see Eivor’s head and hand. It adds so much mystery to the photo. For me though the facial expression coupled with the colours of the face tattoo are just faultless. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments (1) Write a comment Write a comment Sort by: Newest Guest Mar 22, 2023 Soulsurrenders shot is insane! Wow, such a beautiful shot Like Reply About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

The Ones Who Came Before - 2025 Highlights Community Share 28 Dec 2025 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Colum Blackett Back To Database 2025 has been another big year for us here at The Ones Who Came Before. Assassin’s Creed Shadows at last released in March, we got to interview true legends in the world of AC, launched new and built upon existing ventures, welcomed new members to our team and more, all while continually growing and becoming one of the leading and most followed platforms for everything Assassin’s Creed. With only a few days of the year left, let us look back at some of the highlights and our biggest moments from throughout the year! Thanks to all of our followers for your continued support, whether you have been with us from the beginning, hopped aboard just this year or anywhere in between! We look forward to releasing more content on everything AC in 2026, and hope to see all of you stick around for it! Interview with Roger Craig Smith Let’s kick off the list with one of our coolest and biggest landmark projects to date. At the beginning of the year, we had the opportunity to sit down with one of the most popular and in-demand voice actors, as well as one of the most iconic and legendary names in the world of Assassin’s Creed for a chat; the one and only Mr. Roger Craig Smith - the voice of Ezio Auditore - talking everything from Roger’s career, the role of Ezio and preparation for, the character’s legacy and more. We are so glad we could finally make it happen and put it out there for fans to listen to, after what actually ended up being months of trying to plan it. Thanks again Roger for taking the time to do it and being awesome! AC Shadows Launch & Original Music Fan Theme Inspired By One of the major highlights in Assassin’s Creed this year, was of course the launch of AC Shadows, after two delays and one of the most intense and controversial marketing campaigns in gaming history, at last taking players to a fan favourite location over many years, 16th century Feudal Japan. Maybe, maybe not against all odds, the game quickly turned out one of the biggest and quickest successes in the history of the franchise, accumulating 1 million players in under 24 hours, with more joining every day. The last stretch of road leading to as well as official launch in March, saw us putting out an array of special content, from early access gameplay and first impressions, exclusive interviews with the game’s directors, as well as launch week community streams among other things. Continuing our entry into the world of music, for the occasion, we also put out another original fan theme inspired by - The Wind Between The Cherry Trees - capturing the peace and tranquility of the vast natural landscapes of Japan, written and produced by our team’s musical brains Gargudon . Available wherever music is streamed; listen on Apple Music or Spotify ! Original track promotional banner The occasion also saw different members of our team attend launch events across multiple countries, representing the site, networking, talking to other fans and content creators, and overall having a fun time. Founder and Team Leader Colum (Col_96) was invited to the Assassin’s Creed UK community launch event, and on the other side of the North Sea, Gargudon attended the fan event at Kappa Bar in Copenhagen arranged by Ubisoft Nordic, enjoying fresh and ice cold “Samurai Sip” cocktails, and even finishing third in the ultimate AC quiz, winning a game code and super cool Shadows themed t-shirt. Colum at the AC Shadows UK launch event The Ultimate Assassin's Creed Quiz kicking off at Kappa Bar CPH Ice cold (0,0%) Samurai Sip cocktails at Kappa Bar CPH AC Shadows Photo Contest In Collaboration with Assassin’s Creed UK Directly following the launch of this newest instalment, we teamed up with our friends over at Assassin’s Creed UK, for a photography contest using the new game’s Photo Mode, them also serving as judge. We received dozens of entries from followers, and every one of them were nothing short of breath-taking! From shots magnificently capturing Naoe and Yasuke in moments of peace, the beautiful and scenic landscapes of Japan, moments of distress and more, there was a bit of everything, and narrowing it down to but a few winners was a real challenge, the top winner received an exclusive AC Shadows themed Displate. Thanks to everyone who participated and sent us their incredible captures, and congratulations to the winners and runner-ups. Stay tuned for more photography contests in the future! Winner photo "Samurai" by AlexKonstantin Launch of Rally The Creed LIVE Podcasting has been an average venture of ours over many years, with (discontinued) discussion based show The Memory Corridor and community hangout Rally The Creed, but both were very occasional, sometimes months passing between episodes. In the summer, looking to produce and put out episodes more consistently and frequently, the latter underwent a bit of rebranding, turning it into livestreams on our TikTok every Sunday evening. Despite still being a very new format, it has quickly turned fairly successful, accumulating a couple hundred viewers every Sunday, and has already featured a number of high profile names from throughout the community, from video creators, cosplayers, fellow team members and more. We hope to keep the show going on this basis in the new year, also having an array of new faces come on, and we hope to see as many of you join us for the streams on our TikTok ! All existing episodes are available wherever you get your podcasts and our YouTube channel , and head to the latter for a number of highlight clips from across the episodes as well! 11th Anniversary In August, it was our anniversary once again, our site this time turning 11 years old. Throughout the month for the occasion, we put out an array of special content, from our version of the legendary Ezio’s Family track, our take on the classic Celtic folk song The Parting Glass famously featured at the end of Black Flag, “The Music Of Assassin’s Creed” community listening stream with Gargudon & Laury_Runs and more. We are immensely grateful for and proud of what our site has and continues to become. From founder Colum (Col_96) , then only a kid, starting it as a place merely to share cool AC theories with next to no followers, to first being recognised by Ubisoft, becoming a three-man, then the 25+ members team we are today and 65K+ followers later, our site has certainly seen its share of growth and expansion, continually becoming one of the leading Assassin’s Creed fansites and communities out there. Coven - Original Music Fan Theme Inspired by Codename Hexe As part of our 11th anniversary celebrations, one of the newest members on our team - Charlie Cooper / TheAssassinLord - composed an original music fan theme, inspired by the upcoming Codename Hexe. Charlie has many different skills under his belt, and has taken on the role of everything from composer, video editor and narrator, graphic designer and more, and is a fresh and valuable new addition to our team. The track described in the composer’s words; “Coven is a reimagining of Ezio’s Family by Jesper Kyd and the Assassin’s Creed III theme by Lorne Balfe, two of my favorite franchise scores. I blend them into a haunting piece inspired by the dark tone of Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe, drawing on my love for composers like Hans Zimmer who fuse nostalgic melodies with tension and scale.” Assassin’s Creed Syndicate 10th Anniversary Content Turning a decade this October was the final instalment of what could now be considered the original era of the franchise, 2015’s Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. For the occasion, we put together special retrospective looks at the Victorian London epic, looking back at everything from the story and characters, the lively and vibrant open world, the Jack The Ripper DLC, 5 overall things the game nailed to near perfection, as well as what it could have improved and more. Both were a lot of fun to write and edit, and ended up decent successes, and were met with praise from viewers. AC Syndicate - The Grand End Of An Era and 5 Things AC Syndicate Did Right… & Wrong as well as a number of short clips from both videos are all available on our YouTube channel! Black Flag Main Theme / He’s A Pirate Classical Guitar Rendition For the occasion of Black Flag’s anniversary in October, Gargudon picked up a classical guitar once again, for an extended and remastered arrangement of the game’s iconic main theme originally written by Brian Tyler, that we originally released a rendition of for the game’s 10th anniversary in 2023. This new version saw the second half of the theme with a different and increased tempo added, as well as its main twist being the fusion with another legendary Pirate theme; the iconic He’s A Pirate from Pirates Of The Caribbean, originally written by Klaus Badelt. Making this guitar arrangement ended up a bit of a challenge at points, but was a lot of fun and the ultimate crossover between the two most legendary Pirate captains, and was met with praise from viewers and community members. Assassin’s Creed / Ubisoft Halloween Community Showcase For the occasion of Halloween, we looked to the cosplayers among our followers and in the community, for an Assassin’s Creed and Ubisoft themed costumes showcase. We reached out to cosplayers and friends of the site, called upon our own, and were sent incredible photo shoots by followers, showcasing costumes ranging from the most legendary Assassins, to major characters from Far Cry and Watch Dogs. Featured in the showcase on our Instagram were Rick Boer as Edward Kenway, Krishna Dammert as Ezio Auditore, Line Chambet and Blade.Of.Blackheart as Arno Dorian, NeonCosplays as Faith Seed from Far Cry 5, UnknownWrench as Wrench from Watch Dogs 2, and last but not least our own Laury_Runs as Eïvor. New Additions to the TOWCB Team And last but not least, this year of course also saw us welcoming a number of new content creators of many talents to our ever evolving team. Our Art Team was brought new life and taken to completely new heights, with the addition of several new super talented artists; from Jebs’ manga inspired style, Aita_Sageblood’s unique 2.5D leaning style, to incredible portraits by Serajeddine who ultimately came and went, but left quite the enduring mark! On other fronts, our video team welcomed James Davis (TopChef1288) - video narrator/editor, streamer and secondary host of Rally The Creed Live - as well as mentioned multi-talent Charlie Cooper / TheAssassinLord , both key figures in helping our growing video venture further take off. We look forward to building our team even further in the new year, and we want you on it! Are you passionate about AC with a knack for writing, video creation, art or social media managing among other things? Get in touch with us by sending us a message on any of our social media platforms and we’ll take you into consideration, we are excited to hear from you! The TOWCB team, December 2025 And that more or less sums up the best and most significant highlights throughout 2025 for us here at The Ones Who Came Before. There are of course still a few days of the year left, and we still have bits and pieces of content we are excited to share before the new year. Once again, thanks to everyone one of our followers for supporting us yet another year! We look forward to welcoming new followers, team members and creating new content in 2026, maintaining our place as one of the leading fansites and communities for everything Assassin’s Creed. We hope everyone had a magnificent Christmas and holiday season, and happy new year Assassins! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Gustav / Gargudon is an active community member, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016, but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews & composing. By joining The Ones Who Came Before in 2019, originally reviving 'The Memory Corridor' podcast, which had been offline for nearly a year, he has had the opportunity to expand his audience and further develop his skills. 

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

This Week in Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography: 21st - 27th May 2022 Community Share 6 Aug 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) Pharos Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins This week’s first capture comes from @ flyingfeather_g over on Twitter. This week’s first shot takes us back to Egypt, and one of the most stunning locations in the game. The Lighthouse of Alexandria features fairly early in the story and serves a wonderful viewpoint. I love the view you get from this shot, especially with the ship sailing away. I really hope a portrait function comes to consoles. 2) Anubis Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins Photo number two comes from @ G_G_snaps over on Twitter. Sticking with Origins, and another amazing shot but this time taken during the Trials of the Gods. I actually thought this mini mode in Origins fit the theme of the game brilliantly. It reminds me of the Scarecrow scene in Arkham Asylum. This is a perfectly timed shot showcasing the amazing detail of Anubis, and the wonderful atmosphere that is created in these fights. 3) The Northman Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla This week’s third shot comes from former AC Partnership Program Member @ vikingdad278 over on Twitter. This capture is a crossover of Valhalla meets The Northman. With sword and axe in hand, Eivor could not look anymore Viking. I have seen a few shots like this since the film’s release, and with the Last Kingdom and Valhalla on Netflix there’s never been a better time to play this game. Despite the incredible feel of this shot I can’t help but think Lion King. 4) Lazy Day Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP number four comes from @ Yamis_Art over on Twitter. Photo number four brings a little peace to this showcase. I love the simplicity of this capture, the depth of field lets you know that there are amazing things in the background but on this occasion a sleeping cat is all that matters. Animals and there behaviours in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla are some of the best I have seen. We all needs animal pictures every now and again. 5) Collection Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla The final capture of the week comes from @ Jakeste66386991 over on Twitter. The final shot of the week is a clever one. I do like it when people edit their photos and put them together in one cool photo. I actually thought this capture summed up Assassin’s Creed Valhalla really well. Eivor with the hood representing the Assassin’s. The Raven (Odin) signifying Vikings/Norse and the cross symbolising the Saxons and Alfred. 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 Movie and its Importance Analysis Share 2 Jul 2025 Written By: Edited By: Hayden Bird Colum Blackett Back To Database Leading up to the announcement and release of the Assassin’s Creed Movie (2016), fans were eager to see a film adaptation of the franchise, and hoped to follow an original storyline in a unique historical setting. The movie, created by 20th Century Fox and New Regency, did exactly that. It excited fans of gaming who enjoyed seeing popular games adapted to the big screen. This strategy used widely by film companies who tried to expand the universe of several major video game franchises, worked at times, and at other times, did not quite as well live up to fan and critical expectations. The Assassin’s Creed Movie was an exciting project for the franchise as the year of its release, 2016, was set to be a quiet one for the series in terms of mainline games. Ubisoft committed to taking the year off of making a new game in the series for the first time in many years. Ubisoft instead put their focus on the movie along with the Ezio Collection , which was a remaster of the three beloved games in the series featuring fan-favorite protagonist Ezio Auditore. Overall, it was considered a quiet year, but there was still much to look forward to for any Assassin’s Creed fan. Promotional image for Assassin's Creed (2016) The movie boasted a serious star studded cast, with big names such as Michael Fassbender in the leading role, popular actress Marion Cotillard, Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons, and other big names that signed on the project. The cast certainly did not disappoint, and the film also hired Justin Kurzel to direct who was best known for directing the Shakespearian play remake Macbeth, ironically also starring Fassbender and Cotillard (2015). The cast and crew was well crafted by the producers and creative team. It made the movie so much more convincing with a cast full of stars. The story follows the journey of Spanish Assassin, Aguilar de Nerha, played by Michael Fassbender, and his life during the Spanish Inquisition and the Granada War. The plot of the film mirrored the modern day part of the story of Callum Lynch, also played by Fassbender. It told the story of the everlasting war between Assassins and Templars and their fight for freedom. This time fans got to experience a project in the series based on historical Spain, an era never touched upon by the games. The story of the film showed Callum, or Cal for short, synchronizing with his ancestor, Aguilar, and the journey he follows to transform himself from criminal misfit to a member of the Assassin Brotherhood. The movie released on December 21, 2016 and went on to gross $22 million in its first six days at the box office. The film ended up not living up to financial expectations, but there’s no doubt the film itself was quite selective and had a more complex following. It went on to gross a total of $240.9 million in its full theatrical run. The film also experienced mostly negative critical feedback, but on some sites such as Rotten Tomatoes, it has a significantly higher fan score than critical, suggesting most fans who watched were satisfied in the end. Since the film’s release, it has gone through several streaming services and most notably recently became the number one most watched movie on HBO Max for over a week and beyond. Sometimes films get overlooked during its initial release and eventually find their footing years later in the streaming category. Promo image for Assassin's Creed (2016) showing Aguilar de Nerha The idea of a movie based on Assassin’s Creed actually began in October of 2011. The film flipped through studios and development phases several times before Ubisoft Motion Pictures announced a year later that Michael Fassbender would be starring in the film. The film also flipped through directors and scriptwriters many times until they settled on Justin Kurzel taking over. After the film got its foundation started, it was initially planned to be the first film in a new series. After finalizing the cast and crew, filming began on August 31st, 2015. Pre-production was in full effect. There were several teases and hints as the film grew closer and the movie trailer was even revealed on TV during an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live. The trailer was very popular during the show and later after being posted shortly after on YouTube where it gathered over 2 million views on just one channel, not counting the dozens of other official and fan pages who released the trailer too. One thing that is a debate is the potential confusion of the story to casual fans who could be unaware of the games and what they are about. The movie was perceived as a bit tricky to understand mostly over the use of the Animus, which is a device used in the games that allows the modern day protagonist the ability to access their ancestors' genetic memories. The portrayal of the Animus in the movie was difficult to understand to more casual viewers. In the end, the movie was and is a big part of the Assassin’s Creed community. Many fans alike went on opening night to movie theaters to see it. It definitely holds a soft spot for fans of the series and gamers in general, and really defined how much bigger Assassin’s Creed is than just a video game series. It's a worldwide media giant. The expansion Ubisoft took to the big screens was a bold move as it showed that the franchise was so much bigger than some fans may realize. It extends deeply into entertainment in general. The movie originally had a sequel announced by 20th Century Fox, but after the Disney acquisition that took over all of 20th Century’s properties, Disney went ahead and canceled the sequel shortly after purchasing Fox, leaving some fans disappointed as the ending to the movie left the door open for potential sequels. This was news to fans thinking the Assassin’s Creed franchise was all but dead in anything aside from gaming, until Ubisoft announced a partnership with Netflix in 2020 to develop a variety of projects based in the Assassin’s Creed universe. Including a live-action TV series and an animated show. This announcement proved Ubisoft was able to bounce back after missteps before and after the Assassin’s Creed Movie . The Netflix show is still in active development, and fans are looking forward to seeing what Ubisoft can bring to the small screen. Early promotional images for Assassin's Creed (2016) The mixed reception of the Assassin’s Creed Movie was a continued chain in the overall bad luck of video games adapted into films. This became so prevalent in the movie industry that most expected every new adaptation to fail, that was until an idea shifted to instead of adapting games to a film each time, instead try adapting into a television series, and this worked perfectly. Many major games have since been adapted to television formats such as The Witcher on Netflix, The Last of Us on HBO, Twisted Metal on Peacock, and others that strayed from the cinema path to instead try the small screen, and the continued success of this idea has only ballooned. Many other video games are set to get the TV treatment aside from Assassin’s Creed partnership with Netflix. The infamous failures of video game movies changed the way the industry thinks and has so far hit the jackpot with TV shows. The Assassin’s Creed Movie is beloved by many fans of the series, and memories shared outside of just the movie releasing itself are important as well. There were countless memories made in anticipation of the film that brought the community closer and of course its surprise success all these years later on streaming platforms. Whether the film was a critical or financial success or not, it created golden memories for the community and all those involved. The impact of the movie is more important than the box office. The time leading up to the movie was one of the best times to be an Assassin’s Creed fan, and regardless of its impression, it was a great experience for the community and the fans. 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

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

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

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

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Succeeded… What Now For Ubisoft? Analysis Share 5 Jul 2025 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Gargudon Back To Database Three months’ time ago now, after two delays and one of the most intense and controversial marketing campaigns in gaming history, the highly anticipated Assassin’s Creed Shadows was finally released, at last taking us to a fan favourite location over many years. Maybe, maybe not against all odds, it quickly turned out a massive success, ultimately having one of the best releases in the history of the franchise, reaching 1 million players in less than 24 hours, that number only growing exponentially. Despite this and the critical acclaim though, it is no secret a lot was hanging on this game for Ubisoft, the future of the very company itself possibly having been decided by it. This was mostly the result of a heavily financially disappointing 2024, plummeting stock prices and a potential company buyout, but the perception of the studio among fans and the public is not what it used to be either, after years of beloved flagship franchises undergoing heavy change, internal conflicts and more. So now that the fateful new instalment of the studio’s most iconic franchise turned out a massive success after all, what is next for the company, and how can they rise up again to their former glory? We will be exploring this in the following article, diving into the future of their flagship franchises, other outlets, fan relations and more. Focus On Key Franchises, Drop One-Off Games As mentioned, 2024 was one of if not the most financially disappointing year for Ubisoft ever, with both major releases of theirs that year heavily underperforming; the return to the golden age of piracy in Skull & Bones, and a new adventure in the galaxy far, far away in Star Wars Outlaws. To this day, both games have only sold around 1 million copies, which may necessarily not sound like a small number, but for an AAA studio of that size is. But were these two titles even necessary and the right output? One was a game that ultimately felt like nothing more than a failed second crack, at what is one of the company’s most successful and iconic titles even 12 years later; 2013’s legendary Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag. Secondly, should Ubisoft even have taken on a brand like Star Wars? Something which has already proven super successful in recent years with another studio - EA - 2019’s Jedi Fallen Order, and the 2023 Survivor sequel, proving some of the best and most beloved Star Wars games since the days of Battlefront II 20 years ago. If Ubisoft wants to avoid sales fiascos like this again, one obvious and easy move would potentially be as simple as this; drop one off games like these two “failures”, and instead continually focusing on their key franchises, that remain iconic and always only seem to get bigger - Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry and Tom Clancy’s. Additionally if not already, give up on franchises that once were great and promising, but dug themselves into ground with the years, best example being Watch Dogs. A franchise that started out with a bang, in a way being a new version of Grand Theft Auto… But with hacking, making for a fun twist and unique, new experience. While its 2016 follow-up more or less performed as it should, and was met with critical acclaim, for some it was also missing an array of the elements that made the original great, making players, including myself, kinda fall off. By the time the third instalment - Legion - was announced, many players just didn’t really care simply said, possibly also giving the shall we call it aimless direction of the game, for example being able to play as ANY NPC in it, signalling a lack of narrative. Fan Relations & Listen To Player Feedback Disappointing sales numbers aside, Ubisoft’s relations with players and fans has taken many hits in recent years due to a number of reasons. From solely a gaming perspective, the two mentioned beloved flagship franchises underwent stylistic changes to different degrees in the late ’10’s, clearly not to everyone’s liking. Assassin’s Creed (in)famously took a more loose RPG oriented approach with 2017’s Origins, and 2021’s Far Cry 6, were missing elements that made previous instalments as iconic as they were, survival and skill progression being at the very core of them. Following AC Origins that introduced this different style, an array of fans were begging for a return to roots… Only for the next two games to crank the RPG elements up to 11, almost completely ditching the classic Assassins VS. Templars aspects and narrative. Despite its perhaps smaller scale and some lore elements from this new era being carried over, 2023’s AC Mirage was as much a return to roots as possible, bringing back classic Assassins VS. Templars, (improved) stealth, and a gameplay formula reminiscent of the classic 2007 original. And then once again, AC Shadows re-introduced some of these RPG leaning elements. Can the AC franchise survive with all this push and pull, for one period of time more or less completely ditching the elements that made it what it is, then having it make a comeback, then for it all to come to a mix? Sure, games and franchises need to evolve, and a good example of a game that went against everyone’s expectations yet turned out a massive success - if not one of the all time greats of video game history overall - was Black Flag. But when the criticisms begins to outweigh the positives, it changes company dynamics, is it a sign Ubisoft needs to start listening to player feedback more than has been the case in recent years, and set aside any artistic decisions that may not turn out as thought? At this point, when AC fans say they want a more linear story and classic Assassins VS. Templars, it’s because they want it and to stay. When Far Cry fans criticised Far Cry 6 of feeling overloaded and long, lacking skill progression and a terrifying and deep villain on the level of Vaas Montenegro, they meant it. Another noteworthy aspect of this is following trends. Everyone in the gaming industry does it, Rockstar Games often having set the standard with every new game of theirs, more or less shaping the open-world genre single handedly. A wide array of elements from the first couple AC games can be traced back to GTA, Far Cry was inspired by classic FPS games but put its twist on it, and when a game in 2015 came out called The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt, it revolutionised the RPG genre, hence it makes sense Ubisoft would take note of that, and try to put their twist on that. As we well know though, this mostly only caused polarisation amongst fans, and Ubisoft seemed to fail at capturing the RPG feeling in the same way. Despite the success of The Witcher 3, was that really meant to be the game that would lay out the blueprint for the next decade of gaming, everyone trying to replicate that style since it clearly worked on one of the most iconic games of the ‘10’s? Since that, there have been many other landmark games that didn’t follow that RPG formula, so why are Ubisoft still clinging onto a blueprint that was last trending 10 years ago now? Ubisoft Television One wouldn’t necessarily know it, but for years Ubisoft have had a television division, the CEO of being Yves Guillemot’s brother, Gérard. In recent years, their most popular output has probably been producing the Apple TV+ original comedy show Mythic Quest, which despite recent cancellation, ran for four successful seasons over five years, to critical and fan acclaim. A number of projects based on Ubisoft titles are currently also in development; from a Tom Clancy’s The Division live action film set to star Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Chastain, and to be directed by David Leitch - known for John Wick, Deadpool 2 and Fast & Furious Hobbs & Shaw among others - a Just Dance and Rabbids project, and of course the Netflix Assassin’s Creed live action series. But will these films and shows prove successful, and can this TV division do enough to keep the company afloat? The Assassin’s Creed series is highly anticipated among fans, and recently announced its writers room lineup, including several writers and producers who have worked on some of the most high profile shows in recent years. Otherwise much still isn’t known about any of these upcoming projects, and only time will tell as to their success a lot potentially could be hanging on. Despite anticipation and mixed reviews from fans, Ubisoft Television’s first big film - 2016’s Assassin’s Creed - wasn’t necessarily a success, mostly receiving negative reviews among critics and underperforming at the box office, but there is always room for improvement and the Tom Clancy projects could turn the tide. Additionally, we live in a time where the “video game adaptation” curse has at last mostly been lifted, with shows like The Last Of Us for HBO and Fallout for Amazon receiving almost nothing but praise. So if executed right, Ubisoft Television’s projects in development have the potential to take the company to completely new heights. Internal Company Healing Last but not least, Ubisoft has a great deal of internal fixing and healing to do, after years of internal scandals and their handling of, massive layoffs, rumours of toxic work culture and more. Many probably remember the summer of 2020, where a dark side of the gaming industry as a whole was exposed, Ubisoft being hit HARD, with different beloved community icons of many years inside the company, finding themselves with heavy allegations of sexual misconduct made against them. This was probably the proper beginning, of the mistrust towards the company among many, that’s then only grown with the years. About a year later, it was revealed that little if anything, had really been done internally to handle this conflict, once again enraging and saddening many fans. As a result of Ubisoft’s mentioned tightening financial situation, in the last year alone, hundreds of employees have also been let go, following the closure of multiple Ubisoft studios in an attempt to cut costs and stabilise the company. Last year the online game XDefiant was infamously shut down, causing just under 300 people to lose their jobs. In January this year, three more studios - Leamington, Düsseldorf and Stockholm were also shut down, resulting in an additional 200 people being let go. This could be the start of a dangerous pattern. The company does indeed need to stabilise, to keep its studios up and running and people’s livelihood intact, also maximising work and company efficiency. Finally, following the announcement of AC Shadows last year and the controversies that followed, rumours started circulating of toxic company work culture, and them prioritising DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) over hiring the most competent workers. While Ubisoft never made any direct comments on this nor confirmed or denied anything, comments made by AC Shadows’ Senior Writer - stating how "There’s more than enough games out there with white men as the only playable characters" - as well as a photo of the “diverse” team working on the game could be interpreted the wrong way. Whether anyone working on the game were hired directly for their skills or just to meet “diversity” quotas or not, controversies like this are best avoided in the future. All this aside, there is no doubt parts of the AC Shadows promotional campaign were actually controversial, insensitive and a result of bad company management. One notable example of this was the Yasuke action figure with a one legged Torii gate, which could be seen as a mockery of the iconic Sanno Shrine in Nagasaki, that was destroyed following its destruction by nuclear bomb in 1945 after World War II, a deep trauma in collective Japanese culture and history. Overall, Ubisoft have a lot of work to do, if they want to fix their company, and restore it to one of the leading elite video game studios it once was, putting out hit after hit, making big money, and helping setting the standard for the video game industry. How this is going to be accomplished we don’t know if anyone really does, if there is one formula for it. By redirecting focus to hit franchises that despite change and criticisms, only seem to get bigger still accumulating new players, and dropping one off games that are likely to turn out fiascos, getting Ubisoft Television up and running like never before, keeping relationships with fans healthy and alive, and doing everything they can to internally heal, it is certainly possible they can go a long way. What are your thoughts on this? Do you think Ubisoft can rise up to their former glory again, and how do you think this can be achieved? Be sure to let us know in the comments, and stay tuned for more articles like this! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Gustav / Gargudon is an active community member, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016, but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews & composing. By joining The Ones Who Came Before in 2019, originally reviving 'The Memory Corridor' podcast, which had been offline for nearly a year, he has had the opportunity to expand his audience and further develop his skills. 

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

Assassin's Creed Odyssey Merchandise Guide 12/6/18 Share Here we will be logging all of the merchandise we find for Assassin's Creed Odyssey! This article will be frequently updated Struggling to tell the difference between the many different editions of Assassin's Creed Odyssey? We have you covered, with our Assassin's Creed Odyssey Edition Guide! Alexios Figurine by UbiCollectibles Amazon Ubisoft Store Editions of the Game Merchandise Figurines/Statues Kassandra Figurine by UbiCollectibles Amazon Ubisoft Store Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – Kassandra 9" Figurine by ThinkGeek EB Games Replicas Broken Spear of Leonidas Replica by UbiCollectibles Amazon Ubisoft Store Clothing Clothing Merchandise Difuzed released preview images of their upcoming Assassin's Creed Odyssey clothing range! Here we see all of the pieces in the collection. Shirts/Tops Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Spartan Helmet Men's T-shirt by Difuzed Link Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Alexios Destiny Men's T-shirt by Difuzed Link Assassin's Creed: Alexios T-shirt Bol Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Odyssey Logo Space Dye Men's T-shirt by Difuzed Link Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Embossed Odyssey Logo Men's T-shirt by Difuzed Listing Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Cult of Kosmos T-shirt by Difuzed Amazon Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Kassandra Tank Top Link Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Tape Men's Longline T-shirt by Difuzed Link Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Spartan T-shirt by Ubi Workshop Ubisoft Store Kassandra Tshirt HeroCity Link Alexios T-shirt Attitude Holland Link Spartan T-shirt Attitude Holland Link Assassin's Creed Odyssey Charge T-shirt Time City Link Alexios side T-shirt Attitude Holland Kassandra T-shirt Attitude Holland Odyssey Circle Tee Link unavailable Grey Assassin's Creed Odyssey T-shirt Attitude Holland Black AC Odyssey T-shirt Time City Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Odyssey Logo Oil Dye Pintuck Men's T-shirt Difuzed Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Leap T-shirt HeroCity Assassin's Creed Odyssey -Emblem T-shirt Figurine Discount Assassin's Creed Odyssey -Hoplite T-shirt EMP Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Light Grey T-Shirt George Assassins Creed Odyssey Battle Pose T-Shirt Dark Knight Assassin's Creed Odyssey Tee MrGugu Assassin's Creed Odyssey Long Sleeved tee Assassin's Creed Odyssey Alexios T-shirt by AbyStyle Link Assassin's Creed Helmet Tee HotTopic Assassin's Creed Odyssey T-shirt Amazon Brazil Assassin's Creed Odyssey T-shirt Amazon Brazil Hoodies/Jumpers/Jackets Assassin's Creed Spartan Hoodie by UbiCollectibles Link Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Technical Dark Women's Hoodie by Difuzed Product Reveal Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Official Sweatshirt by UbiCollectibles Link Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Technical Hexagonal Men's Hoodie by Difuzed Amazon Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Apocalyptic Women's Hoodie by Difuzed Product Reveal Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Spartan Men's Hoodie by Difuzed Product Reveal Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Official Coat by UbiWorkshop Link unavailable Assassin's Creed Odyssey Spartan Hoodie by UbiWorkshop Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Apocalyptic Warrior Throw Over Men's Hoodie by Difuzed Amazon Assassins Creed Odyssey Taped Sleeve Hoodie by Difuzed Playstation Gear Spartan Cap by UbiWorkshop Retail link Hats/Caps Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Odyssey Logo Beanie by Difuzed Product Reveal Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Premium Odyssey Logo Snapback Cap by Difuzed Product Reveal Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Metal Badge Odyssey Logo Curved Bill by Difuzed Product Reveal Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Apocalyptic Snapback Cap Product Reveal Assassin's Creed Odyssey logo hat Ubisoft Store Keyrings Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Odyssey Logo Metal Keychain Product Reveal Assasssin's Creed Odyssey - Premium Keychain With Leather & Metal Product Reveal Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Odyssey Logo Metal Keychain Product Reveal Helmet Keychain (This looks really familar, but I can't quite figure out why) Originally available as a pre-order bonus from Gamestop Odyssey Logo Keychain Amazon Assassin's Creed Odyssey Logo Metal Keychain Copper-Coloured PopMerch Abysse Assassins Creed - Crest Odyssey Metal Keychain Gamescom Literature The Art of Assassin's Creed Odyssey Amazon UK Forbidden Planet The Art of Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Limited Edition Hardcover £40 from Forbidden Planet Assassin's Creed Odyssey: The Official Novel by Gordon Doherty Amazon Assassin's Creed Odyssey Strategy Guide by Prima Games Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Collector's Edition Guide by Prima Games Amazon More info Assassin's Creed Odyssey: Official Platinum Edition Guide Amazon Mugs/Cups Kassandra Mug by GBEye More images Alexios Action Mug by GBEye More images Assassin's Creed Odyssey Mug by GBEye More images Alexios Mug by GBEye More images AC Odyssey Mug bandUp! Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Alexios Shaker Cup EB Games Kassandra Shaker Mug Collector Cup Posters/Prints Kassandra print by GB eye Alexios Print by GB Eye Assassin's Creed Odyssey Print by GB Eye Assassin's Creed Odyssey Keyart Maxi Poster by GBEye Amazon Assassin's Creed Odyssey Maxi Poster by GBEye Assassin's Creed Odyssey Video Game Poster MyHotPosters Assassin‘s Creed: Odyssey - Kassandra Poster UK Posters Assassin's Creed Odyssey Alexios Poster Amazon Bags Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Alexios Messenger Bag Listing Assassin's Creed Odyssey- Messenger Bag Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Washed Look Messenger Bag With Coloured Webbing Product Reveal Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Technical Backpack with Gold Foil Print by Difuzed Product Reveal Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Premium Odyssey Logo Backpack Product Reveal Assassins Creed Odyssey Drawstring Gym Bag Sack Promo Item Other Assassin's Creed Odyssey Mousepad Product Reveal Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Apocalyptic Wristband by Difuzed Product Reveal Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Greek Helmet Logo Premium Coin Purse by Difuzed Product Reveal Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Premium pouch wallet by Difuzed Product Reveal Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Metal Badge Wristband Product Reveal Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Bifold Wallet With Metal Odyssey Logo Product Reveal Assassin's Creed Odyssey Mix Badge Set. Revealed by GB EYE Diamond Spear Ear Climbers in Sterling Silver - Assassin's Creed Odyssey Ubisoft Store Helmet Pendant in Sterling Silver Ubisoft Store Helmet Pin in Sterling Silver Ubisoft Store Silver Spear Pin Ubisoft Store Asymmetric Enamel Stud Earrings - Assassin's Creed Odyssey Ubisoft Store Engraved Logo Signet Ring - Assassin's Creed Odyssey Ubisoft Store Kassandra Diamond Geometric Necklace - Assassin's Creed Odyssey Ubisoft Store Diamond 5-Station Enamel Necklace - Assassin's Creed Odyssey Ubisoft Store Kassandra Diamond Geometric Ring - Assassin's Creed Odyssey Ubisoft Store Alexios Diamond Geometric Ring - Assassin's Creed Odyssey Ubisoft Store Helmet Ear Climbers in Sterling Silver - Assassin's Creed Odyssey Ubisoft Store Alexios Diamond Geometric Necklace - Assassin's Creed Odyssey Ubisoft Store

Rally The Creed Podcast The Ones Who Came Before Team are proud to present Rally the Creed, an original live podcast hosted by members of our team! The live show, which airs on a Sunday at 10pm GMT on TikTok is hosted by Colum Blackett (UK AC Community Ambassador) & James Davis (TOWCB Video Content Creation Team Leader). Each week a new guest is invited on to the show, lifting the lid on the lives of content creators, their honest thoughts and feelings on the franchise, and hopes for the future. We hope that this new and exciting structure keeps the podcast fresh, and helps it to stand out from other fan projects. The new series will cover a huge range of topics relating to the Assassin's Creed series, and give a voice to community members. For some, the podcast will provide the opportunity to step out of the shadows for the first time, and introduce themselves to the community, whilst for others, it becomes a meeting place for long-time fans of the series to discuss all things Assassin's Creed. Edited by Charlie Cooper (TheAssassinsLord) Music by Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Rally The Creed Live! Add a Title 24) In episode #24 of Rally the Creed Live, an Assassin's Creed Podcast, host James is joined by ACJohnny from Beneath The Hood Podcast! Topics include: Defending the AC RPG games, pitching Assassin's Creed Hexe and the controversial wind mod for Assassin's Creed Unity. Spotify Add a Title 23) In episode #23 of Rally the Creed Live, an Assassin's Creed Podcast, host Col is joined by The Exile (Harrison) from The Podyssey! Topics include: Reflecting on 2025, the highs and lows of the year, Pitching an Assassin's Creed game set in Tudor England, and tainting the Assassin's Creed franchise through weak storylines. Spotify Add a Title 22) In episode #22 (The Creedmas Special) of Rally the Creed Live, an Assassin's Creed Podcast, host Col is joined by James Davis (TopChef1288) from TOWCB. Topics include: Secret Santa surprise unboxing, James' big win and casting news for the upcoming Assassin's Creed Netflix TV Series. Spotify Add a Title 21) In episode #21 of Rally the Creed Live, an Assassin's Creed Podcast, host James is joined by stand-in guest Col from TOWCB. Topics include: James experiences backlash for the first time, iconic duos in Assassin's Creed and discussing the declining quality of writing to create a focussed narrative. Spotify Add a Title 20) In episode #20 of Rally the Creed Live, an Assassin's Creed Podcast, hosts James & Col are joined by RTC Editor Charlie Cooper from TOWCB Video Content Creation Team. Topics include: The Attack on Titan collaboration for Assassin's Creed Shadows, Ubisoft's problem with release quality & news on the AC Netflix TV series. Spotify Add a Title 19) In episode #19 of Rally the Creed Live, an Assassin's Creed Podcast, host Col is joined by Marco from Access the Animus! Topics include: Creating an AC Community, deciphering Isu messages & marking 16 years of Assassin's Creed II. Spotify Add a Title 18) In episode #18 of Rally the Creed Live, an Assassin's Creed Podcast, host James is joined by TallManGames. Topics include: Co-op in Assassin's Creed, Love for AC Odyssey & Blind Ranking Assassin's Creed characters. Spotify Add a Title 17) In episode #17 of Rally the Creed Live, an Assassin's Creed Podcast, host James is joined by co-host Col. Topics include: Comments made by Yves Guillemot at Paris Games Week which contradict recent internal Ubisoft decisions, updates to Assassin's Creed parkour and ranking Assassin's Creed characters to create Mount Rushmore. Spotify Add a Title 16) In episode #16, host James is joined by UK Content Creator BPRGaming. Topics include: Content Creation & the journey so far, Accidentally leaking Juno due to a miscommunication & Reimagining Black Flag as an RPG title. Spotify Add a Title Special Episode: The Podyssey x RTC Live Col from The Ones Who Came Before and Rally The Creed Live joined The Podyssey to talk everything Ubisoft and Assassin’s Creed! Add a Title 15) In episode #15, the Halloween Special 🎃, hosts Col & James are joined by SisterlyThrower & Jebs from The Ones Who Came Before. Topics include: The darkest moments for Assassin's Creed, potential storylines for Hexe and Pitching an AC Game: Black Death . Spotify Add a Title 14) In episode #14, host James is joined by UK Content Creator & Skit maker Calvin Whiteway (formerly Roberts), from The Ones Who Came Before Video Content Creation Team. Topics include: The definition of love, losing Marc-Alexis Côté and the reveal trailer for Assassin's Creed Mirage: Valley of Memory. Spotify Add a Title 13) In episode #13, host Col is joined by UK Content Creator WillisMakesMovies, host of The Podyssey (alongside The Exile). Topics include: Starting The Podyssey, meeting The Exile, making slop (easy to make videos), analysing Assassin's Creed & a potential cancelled Assassin's Creed game set during The Reconstruction Era, featuring a slave Assassin fighting The Ku Klux Klan! Spotify Add a Title 12) In episode #12, host James is joined by Cosplayer / Prop Creator Rick Boer from RBF-Productions! Topics include: BTS life of a Cosplayer, almost drowning, mental health and mechanisms to cope, accidentally fuelling Black Flag Remake rumours and more! Spotify Add a Title 11 ) In episode #11, host Col is joined by Gaming Content Creator, AndyReloads! Topics include: BTS life of a Youtuber, beating burnout and mechanisms to cope, narrative choices in AC Shadows. Spotify Add a Title 10 ) In episode #10, host Col is joined by Gaming Content Creator, Ironside George! Topics include: Content creation as a parent, Ubisoft events & the future of Assassin's Creed. TikTok Spotify Add a Title 9 ) In episode #9, host Col is joined by Gaming Content Creator, JorRaptor! Topics include: The Claws of Awaji, Content Creation & Animus Hub Potential. TikTok Spotify Add a Title 8 ) In episode #8, host Col is joined by Declan Rose from the Let's Talk Assassin's Creed podcast! Topics include: Modern Day, Assassin's Creed Podcasts and Discovery Tour. TikTok Spotify Add a Title 7 ) In episode #7, host Col is joined by Dave Woodward from AC United Kingdom! Topics include: Upcoming Mirage DLC, Creation of AC United Kingdom and Assassin's Creed Tattoos! TikTok Spotify Add a Title 6) In episode #6, host Col is joined by Arshak from AC Landmarks! Topics include: Assassin's Creed Mirage DLC, Gaming Landmarks, Upcoming Projects and hopes for a Black Flag Remake. TikTok Spotify Add a Title 5) In episode #5, host Col is joined by Streamer Laury_Runs, known in the AC Community for her 24 hour AC livestreams and fundraising efforts. Topics include: Working from home, preparing for a 24 hour stream & life during Assassin's Creed Time Periods Spotify Add a Title 4) In episode #4, host Col is joined by Youtuber HangryHiggs, known in the AC Community for his in-depth Assassin's Creed news coverage and gameplay videos. Topics include: content creation, burnout and the AC Community in 2025. TikTok Spotify Add a Title 3) In episode #3, host Col is joined by Calvin from The Ones Who Came Before's Video Content Creation Team. Topics include: Skit creation, Assassin's Creed Mirage and future DLC content, Potential Game settings, Modern Day Assassins and more! TikTok Spotify Add a Title 2) Join TOWCB Team Leader @col_96 with guest James Davison TikTok as we discuss Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag, the upcoming Netflix series, the 2025 Community Fundraiser and more! TikTok Spotify Add a Title 1) Rally the Creed returns in a new format! Join TOWCB Team Leader @col_96 on TikTok as we discuss all things #AssassinsCreed! Sundays at 10pm BST See you there Assassins! TikTok Spotify Rally The Creed Reboot 1) In episode #1, Col and Michael from TOWCB Core Team discuss Assassin's Creed Mirage, the new podcast format and choices in Assassin's Creed. Spotify 2) In episode #2, Col, Gustav and Finn from TOWCB Team discuss Assassin's Creed Mirage, potential settings for future games and creating music inspired by the series. Spotify 3) In episode #3, guest host Jack from ThePhotoMode E-Magazine joins TOWCB Team members Lisa Zaman (Portrait Artist) and Aaron Young (Writer) to discuss all things in AC. Spotify 4) In episode #4, host Michael Smith from TOWCB Core Team discusses LGBTQ representation in Assassin's Creed with guests Ollie (@ItsOlliebyGolly ) and Louise (@TheNerdyArcher ). Spotify 5) In this new episode of Rally The Creed, Gargudon and Col look back on 9 years of The Ones Who Came Before, from Col first creating the site in 2014, first getting recognised by Ubisoft, our two guests first getting acquainted, the site growing and expanding, the future and much more. Also touched upon is the imminent release of AC Mirage, what to expect from it and the impact it will have on the community. Spotify 6) The Rally The Creed podcast is back at last, this episode hosted by Gargudon, featuring UbiCypher from our team and Arshak from AC Landmarks. Covering everything from an evaluation of AC Mirage, with the game having been out for a while now, hopes and expectations for AC Codename Red with more in between. Enjoy listening! 7) In Episode 7 of Rally The Creed, host Gargudon is joined by one of the newest recruits on our team, video creator and streamer Andy, also known as SisterlyThrower. At the core of this episode is a proper introduction to Andy, talk about our growing video venture and future content, the American saga and more. Enjoy listening! 8) In Episode 8 of our community podcast Rally The Creed, host Gargudon is joined by in-game photographer and video creator Armin, better known as Mentor Captures throughout the community. Together, the two talk photography in the AC community and its evolution in gaming overall, as well as the music and soundtracks of Assassin’s Creed; from favourite tracks, iconic composers, soundscapes, fan themes inspired by and more. Spotify 9) In this special ninth episode of our community podcast Rally The Creed, part of celebrating 10 years of The Ones Who Came Before, host Gargudon is joined by Aaron (Falconswift) and Jack (VirtualTourism) from our photography team, to talk the new upcoming instalment in the franchise, Assassin’s Creed Shadows. From expectations for the world and story, gameplay features, photo mode and more. Enjoy listening! Episode originally recorded 13th July, 2024. Edited by FrameHoldPhotography. Spotify 10) In this special tenth episode of our community podcast Rally The Creed, site founder Colum and Gargudon reflect on 10 years of The Ones Who Came Before. From the site’s origin and growth, the evolution of our team, our hosts’ 9 years of friendship, looking to the future and much more. Enjoy listening! Thanks for 10 years to every single one of our followers, whether you have been with us from the beginning, have just hopped aboard, or anywhere in between. Cheers Assassins and here’s to 10 more! Spotify 11) Andy (AKA TheSisterlyThrower) from TOWCB Video Content Creation Team hosts his first episode of Rally the Creed podcast, covering all things Assassin's Creed with community member Jenerator3‬! Spotify Rally The Creed Podcast (Original Series 2020) Welcome to Rally The Creed, a brand new Assassin's Creed community podcast by The Ones Who Came Before! In each episode, Ashlea_97 will be joined by members of the community to discuss the franchise, giving listeners a unique perspective on the world of Assassin's Creed. Listeners will also have exclusive behind-the-scenes access to one of the biggest AC fan communities, and gain an insight into what it takes to create and manage a community. Spotify Link Promo image created by our fan Maor. Twitter Add a Title 1) Episode 1 Ash and Col discuss the creation of TOWCB fan community, and how fans can start up an Assassin's Creed project of their own. Also available on Spotify Add a Title 2) Episode 2 In this episode, we discuss our new roles within The Mentors Guild, Marketing for Assassin's Creed Valhalla and the upcoming Netflix TV Universe. Also available on Spotify Add a Title 3) Episode 3 Community discussion led by Gargudon, featuring guest Kyle Marvell. Also available on Spotify

Female Vikings: The Real History Breakdown Share 27 Oct 2020 Written By: Edited By: Lauren Harris Ashlea Buckley Back To Database When the first trailer for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla released and fans were introduced to the protagonist, Eivor, who can be played as either male or female, it was the subject of much discussion. Fans debated over how realistic the concept of a female Viking warrior was. Could a female Eivor be historically accurate? Or was it simply a gameplay decision made for the benefit of representation and player choice? In this article, we look at the true history of women during the Viking era and the role they played in their society. According to Judith Jesch, Professor of Viking Studies at the University of Nottingham and the author of Women in the Viking Age (1991), women could not be Vikings as the Old Norse word “vikingar” only applied to men. The idea of female Viking warriors being a historical fact seems to have originated with a DNA study into the remains found in a grave in Birka, Sweden, in 1889. For over one hundred years, the remains were assumed to be of a male warrior. However, in 2017, DNA proved that the bones belonged to a woman. The researchers then published their assessment that the deceased must have been a warrior woman. The reasoning for this was due to the possessions found in the grave, such as pieces of a chess-like board game. Items like this were often found in the graves of warriors, and so the assumption was made that this must have been a warrior. Vikings historians were quick to dispute this conclusion, however. For one, there was no concrete evidence that board games had any connection to warriors. Also, it was very possible that bones had been mixed together during burials, and that this was not specifically a warrior’s grave. Sadly, most scholars believe that female Viking warriors simply did not exist. However, that does not mean that women had no role in Viking society. Actually, research shows that Viking era women had a level of equality with men that most societies would not achieve for many, many years. In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, players can let the Animus choose which perspective to view the memory stream from depending on its strength. This is to encourage fans to play as both characters, rather than as just one. Women had a number of important roles in Viking society. Many of these involved work around the house and farm – but women were not simple housewives. In fact, they were responsible for all the wealth in their household. The women controlled the money and the keys to the property. If the men wanted to use either of these things, they would have to go to their wives first. Additionally, since the men were often away exploring, raiding, or voyaging, the women were in charge of making the decisions. They were the ones left behind to keep the economy flourishing and prevent the village from falling apart. In what was an incredibly progressive move for the time, women were allowed to have occupations outside of the home. They were traders, priestesses, and even rune masters. Often, women would produce textiles and sell them in the village. Sometimes, the power of a woman could overshadow her husband. Some men would admire their wives for this fiery personality, but others would feel emasculated. Regardless, society always respected a powerful woman. Evidence of a powerful Viking era woman was found in a burial in Oseberg. Remains of a woman, assumed to be of nobility or even royalty, were found buried in a large ship. She was interred with carved wooden furniture, a tapestry, fine bedding, and household utensils. This suggested that she had power within the society and was respected by her peers. Law was also much fairer to women in the Viking Age than in other periods of history. Women were able to inherit land from their parents, though less than their brothers would receive. A woman would also receive money from her groom upon marriage, of a similar value to the dowry she would present to him. Married couples in the Viking Age were able to divorce, a progressive concept in itself, and if they did, the woman would get to keep her own dowry and that of her groom. They were also free to remarry without judgement. Abuse of women was not tolerated in Viking society. Rape of a woman was a crime punishable by exile, and a woman could demand a divorce if her husband hit her three times. That said, female infidelity was not acceptable and was punished, though men were allowed to have mistresses. Another way that Vikings showed their appreciation for the women in their lives was through rune stones. Whilst most rune stones were erected for men, many were also erected in memory of women. This shows that Vikings wanted people to remember their women and felt that they deserved the same memorial as the men. Eivor is a fierce Viking warrior, and the leader of the Raven Clan. Despite the historians suggesting that female Viking warriors did not exist, there are many stories in Norse literature of women riding into battle alongside the men. Where did these myths come from? The Icelandic sagas with tales of Viking shield-maidens and Valkyries were written centuries after the Viking Age, which makes it difficult to believe the stories they tell. However, what these sagas do show is the way the Norse respected and admired strong women in their society. The women in these stories were depicted in various ways. Some were Valkyries sent by the god Odin to retrieve fallen warriors from the battlefield and bring them to Valhalla. Some were mortal but with supernatural powers, like fortune tellers and prophets. Others were regular humans who picked up a sword and shield and went into battle with their male counterparts. Famous female warriors in Norse literature include Sigrdrifa the Valkyrie, who appears in the poem Sigrdrífumál also featuring Sigurd the Dragonslayer. While little historical evidence has been found to support the idea of Viking warrior women existing, there have been some accounts which could lend support to the theory. One is from an Irish history book written in the 12th century which speaks of a warrior named “The Red Maiden” who attacked Munster with a Viking fleet in the 10th century. Another is from 11th century Greek historian Johannes Skylitze who recorded that there were armed female Vikings among the warriors who attacked the Byzantines in Bulgaria in 971. As with the Icelandic sagas, though, the fact these sources were written hundreds of years after the Viking age makes the stories less credible. Other evidence which could suggest female Viking warriors existed comes from two sets of remains found in Norway. One set was the skeleton of a woman around 20 years old who was buried with a complete set Viking weaponry. The other was a skeleton of a woman around 18 years old who had a full set of weaponry along with equipment for a horse. There is little reason for the women to be buried with these possessions unless they were important to them, suggesting that they could have been warriors themselves. However, under Viking law, a woman would gain all her husband’s belongings upon his death. It could be that these weapons belonged to their warrior husbands and were buried with the wives for sentimental reasons. To conclude, historians believe that the existence of Viking warrior women is unlikely – and so too would be a character like female Eivor. However, it is clear that women held more power in Viking society than any other culture for years to come. Women were not subservient and they were free to make their own decisions in life. It is said that no one could tell a Viking era woman what to do. We have to wonder then if a woman wanted to be a Viking warrior, who was going to stop her? In that case, maybe there were female warriors lost to the annals of history – and maybe Eivor was one of them. Available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation®4, Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Store on Windows PC, as well as on UPLAY+, and Stadia. Also coming to PlayStation®5. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Lauren is a online article writer who joined the program in 2019, which allowed for her work to be viewed by a larger audience. She is especially interested in Assassin's Creed lore, and wrote a number of thought provoking articles which you can find here in the Community HUB. Lauren left the program in 2021 shortly after the 'Assassin's Creed Infinity' announcement, which understandably left many fans feeling uneasy. We wish her the best of luck with her future projects. Lauren Harris

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

The Ultimate Photo Mode Guide released by FrameHoldPhotography Breakdowns Share 4 May 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Back To Database TOWCB Core Team member FrameHoldPhotography is pleased to release the Ultimate Photo Mode Guide! This video combines a love for virtual photography with experience working in TV and film to explain what all of the settings in Photo Mode do. Described by TOWCB Virtual Photography member Turið Torkilsdóttir as an ' AMAZING PhotoMode Guide for Assassin's Creed, explaining each setting in detail', this video is an essential tool for fans looking to enhance their skills. We guarantee that this comprehensive breakdown of the photo mode tool will make a huge difference within the community, as it provides both confidence and knowledge to take their skills to the next level. Be sure to subscribe to FrameHoldPhotography on Youtube for more in-depth videos. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Assassin's Creed Mirage Art Dump: ItsACreed Other Share 17 Mar 2024 Written By: Edited By: Al Boncompagni (It’s A Creed) Colum Blackett Back To Database We are pleased to present the works of TOWCB Artist ItsACreed (Alice) who has created a series of sketches and digital creations inspired by the world of Assassin's Creed Mirage. Enjoy! We here at TOWCB were all heavily inspired by Assassin's Creed Mirage, as it gave players a more detailed look at The Hidden Ones before their transformation into the Assassin Brotherhood. Although the game was short, it was well received by the overall gaming community and critics alike, as it returned the series to its roots, and took care in re-establishing cut features, creating a truly special game that acted as the ultimate tribute to the core identity of Assassin's Creed and it's fans. Look out for more art pieces by ItsACreed on our platforms. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Al is a French artist specialised in portraits who discovered Assassin’s Creed with Black Flag, and their initial passion for the golden age of piracy. They later discovered the previous and newer games to be able to grasp the depth of the lore this saga has to offer. They started regularly posting Assassin’s Creed fanarts in 2020 with the release of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and met at that moment many other very talented artists with whom they love sharing their work. They were delighted to join the partnership as it means to them sharing their work with many people that are as passionate as them about the Assassin’s Creed saga. Al Boncompagni (It’s A Creed)

Summon the Brotherhood: A Review of the Summoners War X Assassin’s Creed Crossover Event Review Share 10 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Colum Blackett Back To Database Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal ( Moonchildgecko ) from TOWCB Art Team . Starting in the month of March through May 1, 2023, Summoners War is collaborating with the Assassin’s Creed franchise for a variety of events including a themed dungeon, exclusive Arena opponent, and five characters from the games. Ubisoft is well known for their openness to cameos or crossovers with properties within their own IP umbrella and other companies. It is a simple way to promote both games and introduce fans to each other and the respective works. This is most commonly seen with mobile games as the games as a service model results in various events that are great for promotion and drawing in new players that hopefully will continue to play once said event has ended. What is Summoners War Summoners War is a gacha-based team building RPG game where players “summon” characters using scrolls of various types to collect characters of various designs and strength levels (or ranks). These characters are upgraded by playing through turn-based levels where your team of 2-5 characters (based on level difficulty) will fight waves of enemies, progressing through a story based around the releasing of a “dark magic” in a fantasy world (something that I did not pay much attention to). The game walks you through all aspects of the game through tutorials and quest lines, showing you how to level characters via EXP and absorbing weaker characters, merging creatures to get new ones, and building a personal island with multiple buildings that provide things like shops, storage, and speciality focus for things like summoning and mining resources. Event Story The story for this event has fan favorite and original Assassin, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad appearing on the player’s island with the Assassin’s Headquarters. He informs the host character, Ellia, that he is searching for the Templars and asks for both her and the player’s help. This Headquarters building acts as a daily Assassin Quest hub that will reward the player “Codex Pages” and game materials such as currency and summoning scrolls in return for completing quests such as fighting the mysterious Master X in the PVP Arena or completing a set number of campaign or dungeon missions. The Codex pages are used to claim rewards from the various event campaigns that will be discussed below. Characters The characters included in the crossover between Summoners War and Assassin’s Creed are Kassandra from AC Odyssey, Bayek of Siwa from AC Origins, Eivor Varinsdottr from AC Valhalla, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad from the original Assassin’s Creed, and Ezio Auditore da Firenze from AC Revelations. Each character (with the exception of Altaïr) can be summoned in any of the five character types, Water, Fire Wind, Light, and Dark. Altaïr is a Light exclusive character that is rewarded in an event that is detailed further in this article. During the time I played the game and events, nearly 60 hours, I was able to get each of the featured Assassins with a mixed coverage of types (all but Darkness). My first character was Kassandra, followed by Bayek and Eivor, then Altaïr from one of the event campaigns, and lastly Ezio after multiple batch summons from the RNG based gacha system. I played with each character, focusing on leveling and evolving them quickly to reach the higher start ranks which improves their stats and chances at success in the various game modes. I reached the highest ranking of 6-Stars with Bayek and Kassandra before ending my initial playthrough of the game. I was able to play the full campaign (non-event themed) on nearly all difficulty levels, using these characters to progress through the story quickly. Event Dungeon An exclusive event dungeon is included with the update that started the collaboration with Assassin’s Creed and has players work through a pathway dungeon that varies in difficulty depending on direction selected. The enemies are at post game levels (from my experience) and unfortunately for me were too difficult to fight even with the high levels of my characters (from both Assassin and Summoners War). Due to this, I was unable to explore the dungeon in full but was able to at least see what the boss was for the event. The Legion Commander of Conviction is the event boss and is a really cool design. This Templar commander looks like a formidable foe to defeat with your team of Assassins or other characters. Per the notes in the image, he uses magic power from the Piece of Eden that is influencing the dungeon. I had hoped to defeat him at least once during my play, but the dungeon feels more designed for those that are already playing the game. Altaïr Giveaway Event The first Event is designed around collecting Altaïr, and is broken down across 7 rounds where players must defeat a set number of Monsters & fight a set number of matches in the Arena to be rewarded energy and currency for the game. Once they have completed the two tiers for each round, they are provided a Hidden Mission that will reward more currency & summoning scrolls. At ranks 3 & 5 players are rewarded Ezio themed Emojis for the game chat and the Assassin Altaïr at the end of round 4. The final round 7 rewards an Assassin’s Creed Summoning Scroll which gives a guaranteed Assassin summon, whereas the normal scrolls can reward an Assassin, but it is random among the other characters. What is nice about this event is that you do not have to complete the Hidden Missions to progress, you only have to defeat Monsters and fight in the Arena, but you do have to complete them for the themed rewards. Altaïr is rewarded after finishing a set amount of Assassin Missions from the Headquarters. Collab Gift Bag & Monster Skill Level-Up Event The second event is based around collecting the Codex Pages from playing during the event. Players can claim energy and currency each day after gathering Codexes in increments of 10 (up until 40) and then Summoning Scrolls every 20 pages from 20 - 180. At 100 scrolls collected and 200 scrolls collected the player is rewarded with exclusive themed items. First is a Collab Outfit for Ellia that dresses her as an Abstergo Scientist, Ellia opens her book to release an orb of light and adjusts her glasses before closing it again. Second is a Collab Building, the Assassin Post, which has five spaces for players to display your Assassins (or whatever character you choose). Players can place this anywhere on their Island and activate it to see a cool hologram display of the Animus field and the Assassin’s Emblem. Pages are not consumed for these items but, the Codex pages can be used to pay for caches of items from upgrade monsters, scrolls, runes (used to boost characters), currency, and energy. This is a great way to progress quickly as a new player as players only have to play the game and save the Codex Pages for the caches. It is also the event that players can claim Codex Pages to rank up the skills of the Assassins which is normally obtained by using duplicate characters of the same name to level up that Assassin (ie. using Kassandra to level up Kassandra). Collaboration Treasure Chest Event This event is broken into two mission sets assigned by Ezio and Summoners War character, Archangel. Ezio requires you to clear Brotherhood missions from the Headquarters and enter the Arena, World Arena, or Guild content gamemodes. Archangel asks for players to Enter dungeons of various types and play Scenario missions (story missions). Once players complete 2 Ezio missions and 3 Archangel missions, they are given a Key to open one of 28 chests that reward similar rewards to the caches from the previous event. Once all chests are claimed, the keys can be exchanged for energy and currency. Trial of Ascension Event One of the various game modes is the ladder based Trial of Ascension where players climb a battle tower and are rewarded every 10 levels. In this event, each level cleared gives the player 1 point that can be used to claim Summoning Scrolls every 20 points up to 150 (the last two rewards at 120 and 150). There is also a reward for clearing the first 10 floors on Normal and Hard difficulty. If the player clears Floor 50, they can claim an Assassin’s Creed Scroll for an Assassin summon. Assassin’s Creed Scroll Giveaway Event Bayek hosts this event and rewards points for completing an array of missions that each reward different amounts of points and allow the player to claim rewards every 1,000 points. The best reward is an Assassin’s Creed Scroll at 6,000 points. There isn’t much to this event, just a lot of play required. When the event had started, I claimed around 2750 points as I researched the game for this event. Collaboration Special Reward Giveaway Event What appears to be the final event has players defeat the Boss in the Event Dungeon and clear Assassin Brotherhood Missions. Players will be rewarded an Assassin’s Creed Statue, Kassandra Emojis, an Assassin Brotherhood Rainbowmon Transmog (which is used for upgrading a character), and lastly the Assassin’s Fortress building for their island. There is still time to claim these for the event, but if players have the same difficulty curve that I experienced, that may not be possible to get the all. When I first started the event, I rushed through most of the game just attempting to get the Assassin characters. Over the 60 hours I played for this article, I started to follow along with the Summoner’s Way questlines to figure out what to do and enjoyed playing the game more once I did that. I made a few mistakes and used characters for leveling my Assassins that hindered me from completing quests until I summoned that character again, but with all of the prizes I received from the events, they were easy to replace. The game is worth looking at just for the crossover, and can be played afterwards if you end up liking the game, but jump in sooner than later as the individual events end within the next few weeks and if you want these characters, they won't stick around forever, so jump in and help the 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

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Music Fan Theme - The Wind Between The Cherry Trees - Available Now! Breakdown Share 27 Mar 2025 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) TOWCB Team Back To Database Link to listen on Apple Music Link to listen on Spotify For a while now, we here at The Ones Who Came Before have been getting into the world of music, interviewing composers who have shaped the sound of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, covering iconic tracks, as well as writing our own original fan themes inspired by different instalments. This tradition of course continues with the newly released AC Shadows, hence we are excited to announce our newest original track inspired by the new game - The Wind Between The Cherry Trees - written, arranged and produced by Gargudon from the TOWCB team! This is an in depth look with the brains behind the track, at the process of how it came together, as well as some of the influences behind it. And of course, make sure to also check out the full track, available now wherever music is streamed! Track breakdown & writing process I had so much fun creating this new fan theme for the new instalment, at last heading to a fan favourite location over many years, 16th century Feudal Japan. Before I even started properly producing the track, I already had a very good idea of how I wanted it to sound, what elements I wanted to be at the forefront of it, and what ambiences and emotions I wanted to capture. The setting of the new game meant so many fun opportunities and possibilities for choice of sounds and instruments; I always knew I wanted emphasis on something very ambient and tranquil sounding, with lots of Japanese stringed and wind instruments. The opening and final sections of the track, are meant to capture the peace and tranquillity of the vast forests of Japan that can be explored in the game, filled with massive waterfalls, blue skies, diverse wildlife, and like the title suggests of course, blooming pink cherry trees, or as they call it in the native tongue, sakura. I feel like the prominent koto, fused with the ambient plucks and pads, perfectly captures these sceneries, and can serve as the soundtrack to meditating and or practicing katana moves on the highest mountain. In between these two sections though, is a perhaps slightly darker and more intense, yet also quite cinematic sounding interlude. I wanted this part to mainly centre around massive sounding percussion with big taiko drums, while also giving it an element of traditional African music, as an homage to Yasuke’s native background. My favourite part about this interlude section though, is easily the throat singing, a common ritual practiced throughout Southeast Asia. Recording those parts was also super fun and challenging in a good way, as it had me looking into different techniques, learning something new in the process. When I tracked them, my voice was also pretty rough, following a nasty round of sickness, which in the end may or may not have been an advantage, it then having a certain rawness to it. Track influences There was a number of different influences for the track, from things I’ve written myself earlier on, Jesper Kyd’s iconic AC soundtracks, to a couple of “normal” songs even and more. Two songs that were major influences, were actually these two by Nashville artists Alana Springsteen and Robyn Ottolini, “Look I like ” and “ House I Grew Up In ”. First of which I also did a super fun remix of it once, reusing a lot of elements, sounds and melodies for this new track. For songs labelled “Country”, both have a lot of sounds and ambiences you wouldn’t necessarily associate with the genre, having prominent sections with what sounds like a koto, or some other Eastern stringed instrument. Robyn’s song was a major influence for the first section, recreating certain sounds and vibes, and reusing the chord progression and koto melody. Alana’s (and my remix of) served as influence for the final section, also reusing the chord progression and a certain melody played on koto. Additionally I once again used the melody from my AC Unity inspired fan theme “French Highlands”, it being played on flute during the middle interlude. If a new version of Ezio’s Family can be written for almost every game, so can I reuse my own written themes. Of course I also turned to the master Jesper, using some ambient samples reminiscent of his legendary AC2 soundtrack, samples of birds singing and a waterfall to create a very lively soundscape and some realism, and of course as mentioned, throat singing, where a major inspiration was the loading screen music from another massive Ubisoft game, Far Cry 4, also set in a similar culture and part of the world. And that concludes this in-depth look at our newest original AC inspired musical fan theme! Once again, make sure to check out the full track, available wherever music is streamed, add it to your playlists, maybe even having it on in the background while exploring Japan! That and let us know what games you would like to see inspire future fan themes! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Gustav / Gargudon is an active community member, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016, but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews & composing. By joining The Ones Who Came Before in 2019, originally reviving 'The Memory Corridor' podcast, which had been offline for nearly a year, he has had the opportunity to expand his audience and further develop his skills. 

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

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 20th to 26th November Community Share 30 Nov 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 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 week’s guest judge is Ultra Violetra a real talent within the virtual photography community and known for some beautiful Assassin’s Creed captures. Ultra is also a Mod @ VGPNetwork and @ ThePhotoMode . 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: NPC All Father Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ _Virtualtourism “Rise, Eivor….and awaken” I love Norse Mythology so having it feature so prominently in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla was excellent. The whole Loki and Odin face off was interesting to watch, especially with how the two are so pivotal to the events of Ragnarok. I did love the assassination scenes too as Eivor fought between two personalities. I felt Jack captured the essence of Odin so well with this shot. Surrounded by darkness and riddled with pain, Odin appears from the shadow of his own hood. I really like how the lighting gives us a glimpse of his grey beard and showcase the runes on the tip of the hood. Such a brilliant capture of the All-Father. The Details Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ Dario_OtherEyes The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ UVioletra Dario has captured a beautiful NPC that appears curious yet weary. The character’s skin texture and the lighting is perfectly matched, creating a gorgeous shot of the week. Aaron “Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent” Something Assassin’s Creed Mirage has perfected is the variety of NPC’s. The amount of different cultures walking the streets of Baghdad is quite special. It adds so much variety and makes for some really interesting NPC shots. This beautiful capture shows exactly what I mean. I adore the lighting of this shot, with the shadow covering half of her body. The warmth of the photo really does give you the feel of the desert whilst also highlighting the details of this amazingly crafted NPC. She definitely looks like she is being tailed by the order, let’s just hope Basim gets to her first. Valka Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ NIKOOO_WOLF “I am better than well. I am present.” Valka is the Raven Clans Seer and the women responsible for guiding Eivor in her visions. Her stunning character design and warming personality have led to her being one of the stronger NPC in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. This side shot of her is extremely beautiful. I love the white mist in front of her and the clouds in the background. It reminds me of when we first meet her upon the snowy mountain. The level of detail on her clothing and face have been emphasised, and together with the saturation makes this shot look like a piece of art. Randvi Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Kristina_m0509 “Married off in service of peace between two clans.” For me Randvi is one of the best but most underused NPC’s in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. She serves as a strategist and potential love interest. However I was always disappointed that she didn’t accompany you more often. This capture of Randvi is exceptionally beautiful, the colours on show match the feel of the game. That stunning blue sky behind her not only looks great but elevates Randvi’s presence. I think the little details of her character design are wonderfully shown through that luscious golden sunlight. Excellent virtual photography of an NPC. Stowe Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Kristina_m0509 “Eivor, I beg you, Alfred’s men or not, they are Saxons and Christians.” Stowe is The Reeve of Lunden and close friend of Eivor. It was nice to see our Viking hero team up with an Anglo Saxon. Stowe is a man of pride and honour who plays a critical part within the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla story. The Lunden arc is probably the most 'Assassin' section of the game and I really enjoyed it. Here we have a strong portrait of Stowe surrounded by a striking wintery background. I quite like how he is framed in this shot, and the details are impressive. The shadow across his face adds mystery and I am getting super hero vibes from his stance. Once again an excellent NPC capture to round off the showcase. 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