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Ubisoft stuns with new article diving deeper into the world of Assassin's Creed Shadows News Share 17 Jan 2025 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) FrameHoldPhotography Back To Database Dynamic weather. Cherry blossoms. The sun rises over Japan in new Assassin's Creed Shadows gameplay. We would like to say a huge thank you to the Assassin's Creed community team for providing early access to AC Shadows material. The marketing campaign for Assassin's Creed Shadows is finally ramping up with the release of regular articles covering core aspects of the game. In the latest article featuring Game Director Charles Benoit, released today on the Ubisoft website, we get a better look at the expansive world of Assassin's Creed Shadows, and the activities that fill it. SNIPPET 1: WORLD MAP The clip starts with a closer look at an uncovered part of the map, showing that the player is on a river north of Shoryuji. The player leaves the map, and we get our first look at navigating Japan by boat. “When exploring the world, you should look out for undiscovered locations (i.e. “?” icons), because there are so many interesting places to seek out, whether in a destroyed camp or a hidden shrine, we want you to always feel a sense of discovery.” Thunder and lightning provide a moody atmosphere, and the perfect cover for a stealth approach. It looks like fireflies act as a lantern, sitting at the tail of the boat to provide a flicker of light. This method of transportation appears to be silent, moving swiftly with the river towards a destination. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSCxdaadBqU SNIPPET 2: VIEWPOINT Synchronization has changed Viewpoints are a staple of the Assassin's Creed series, and are returning in AC Shadows but with a difference. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy9JNGZF30w According to the article, “Rather than unveiling large sections of the world map along with all its opportunity icons, climbing viewpoints now reveal nearby points of interest as you observe your surroundings from the top of the high point: city districts, temples, shrines, castles - most of which are tied to quests or activities you’ll want to engage in.” We can see that the player is at the Osaka Tenshu viewpoint. From the vantage point, you can see that icons are visible on the mini map, and players have the option to place markers to highlight a specific destination. “By using the observe mechanic – first shown in our stealth overview article – you can move the camera manually through a 360-degree range to contemplate these points of interest and tag them” “Our goal in evolving the way viewpoints work was to give players a more intentional and active way to find their next adventure. For our long-time fans, you'll be pleased to know that on top of the new manual camera move feature, the iconic synchronized camera movement will also return. This will let you fully appreciate the stunning scenery around you.” It's interesting to see synchronization evolve after so many iterations, but it sounds like the more manual approach will allow players to discover opportunities and plan accordingly. SNIPPET 3: VANTAGE POINT Tagging enemies In the clip Naoe can be seen on a rooftop overlooking Kameyama Castle tagging enemies until her target is located. She observes her surroundings, highlighting enemies, watching their patterns, and discovering entry points, all giving her time to plan the perfect stealth approach from above Looking to her left, a beautiful cherry blossom tree sits within the castle walls. It also seems that numerous options are available around the perimeter for Naoe to use her grappling hook. For Yasuke however, gaining access to a rooftop will be trickier. “Yasuke will likely need to take the stairs and go through the guards to reach the top” Observing the enemies, we can see a level 34 guard, and another marked with a skull, indicating that he is an extremely high level. “In Shadows, we don’t have any companion Eagle to help you; now, you are the Eagle.” After locating the target, the camera zooms in and gives further details. This quest is all about finding Masatoshi Nakahara, who is marked on the objectives board. Throughout the map, players can discover ‘kakurega’ safehouses which act as ‘extensions of the Hideout (i.e. your central homebase that is fully customizable) and offer some of its practical functionalities such as refilling your rations/tools/ammunition, accessing your gear stash, managing and accepting contracts, and replenishing scouts as well as managing which allies can be summoned for help.’ This will be incredibly useful for players who venture far away from the hideout, and wish to resupply before planning their next attack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMy2zReDFbY SNIPPET 4: PATHFINDER Horse travel In the next clip, we see Yasuke travelling through the trees on a horse, looking for the next objective, 1500 meters away. At the bottom, players have the option to turn on pathfinder. This will be incredibly useful as Japan's landscape is full of hills, some of which may be difficult to climb without paths due to the height or quantity of trees. When switched on, pathfinder appears as a winding line which the player follows until a path has been discovered. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBwXG06jYog SNIPPET 5: OBJECTIVE BOARD Next we see the objectives page, which features allies and enemies. At the top we can see members of ‘The League’, which is marked with the Assassin logo. Could this be the local name for the Assassin Brotherhood? Presumably this footage is taken at the start of the game before further recruits are added, as only one member of The League can be seen around the Assassin insignia: A female dressed in a golden robe. Could she be the Mentor, or even Naoe’s mother? Another group at the top of the board, (allies), are ‘The People of Settsu’, who also appear to be quest-givers. Naoe and Yasuke can help the local people, which may lead to information or rewards. The player scrolls down, and we get our first look at the main enemy faction in the game, ‘The Onryo’. All dressed in masks, it is currently unknown if this faction are an offshoot of The Templar Order, or if they follow similar beliefs to The Order of Ancients. Wikipedia translation: In Japanese traditional beliefs and literature, onryō (怨霊, lit. 'vengeful spirit', sometimes rendered "wrathful spirits", "hatred spirits", "resentful spirits", "ruthless spirits", "envious spirits", "dark spirits", "fallen spirits", or "downcast spirits") are a type of ghost (yūrei) believed to be capable of causing harm in the world of the living, injuring or killing. I love the idea that the enemy faction in the game are seen across Japan as otherworldly, causing harm to the living. This is likely due to them operating from the shadows, and rumours spreading about their presence. The masks all look unique, some featuring horns, others imitating animals. Assassin's Creed Origins and most recently, Mirage did a great job at matching specific masks to enemy personalities, so it will be interesting to see if AC Shadows does something similar. Close to ‘ The Onryō’ at the bottom of the page are ‘The Kabukimono’, whose circles are positioned around a sword. Wikipedia translation: “Kabukimono were rōnin, wandering samurai, or men who had once worked for samurai families who, during times of peace, formed street gangs.” The in-game definition of this faction can be seen below. In particular, the player highlights ‘The Grave Dancer’, who seems to be the leader of a group of Kabukimono calling themselves ‘The Defilers’, believing that the world is corrupt and therefore nothing is sacred. From the objectives board, players can track quests using information they have gained, or go back to the map to send scouts to areas of interest to discover further details in regards to target locations. Finally, “When an alarm has been rung and an entire province has been put on high alert by your actions, you will be wanted and tracked down by deadly groups of enemies: the Guardians. While you can wait for the turn of the season, which happens dynamically over time, you can also switch protagonists or deploy some of your scouts to cancel the provincial alert. This will remove the aggressive attitude of the military patrols in the province and reduce the readiness levels of guards in military zones.” It sounds like this enemy faction will operate in a similar way to the zealots in Assassin's Creed Valhalla or the Mercenaries in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, chasing the player across the map. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yee2tIxHagQ SNIPPET 6: SCOUT A short 20 second clip shows the map being used to locate a target in a specific area. The map is done in a Japanese watercolour art style. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyXF-1ja_hs “The World Map is the backbone of exploration. You will start the game with a map that only reveals region names and drawings hinting at the potential nature of key locations. “ Similar to Origins, Odyssey and Valhalla, the game hints at a location and the player has to investigate. On the AC Shadows map, hints can be found in the top left corner. At the bottom of the map, you can see the option to dispatch scouts to retrieve information from a specific location. It looks like the maximum number of times a player can dispatch scouts is three times before they need recharged. “Once deployed, scouts will return at the end of the season and become deployable once again. However, you can always pay with in-game currency at a kakurega to speed up their return” “In Shadows, information is something you need to look for and earn, whether through your spies, NPC encounters, or through your own eyes.” ‘They are central to exploration and play a significant role in the war of information, which is an important aspect of your journey in Shadows.’ In the recently released episode 11 of our Rally the Creed podcast, Andy and Jen detail their hopes for the AC Shadows scout recruitment system. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LcvmkdwkFk In a way, the scout system calls back to the original Assassin's Creed game, where information had to be earned before action could be taken. This exploration mentality returned in Mirage and is a great way for players to uncover details first instead of charging blindly into an important mission . SNIPPET 7: SMUGGLING Smuggling is a useful way to gain resources for the hideout, finding enemy supplies and marking them for collection. Over time, supplies can be used to upgrade the hideout, with lots of options available across an acre of land to truly make each hideout unique to the player. As the supplies are too large to be transported by Naoe or Yasuke, '‘they need to be marked with a flag to be smuggled out over time by one of your scouts. At the end of the season, all flagged stockpiles are cashed in for you to upgrade your Hideout.’' We can't wait to see what players do to their hideout to make it a central base of operations! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4A2-92LBgg SNIPPET 8: SUMI-E Japanese ink painting, al so known as sumi - e. Naoe sneaks up on a grey heron and observes her surroundings. After watching the bird bask in the sunshine, she captures the moment by painting. “For the more contemplative players, both Naoe and Yasuke can participate in the painting of wild animals of Japan, showcasing the diversity and majesty of its ecosystems.” In these quiet moments Naoe and Yasuke both have the opportunity to practice stealth and also enhance their focus, but for players, it's a nice calm activity that acts as a break from combat. “Naoe has a unique Kuji-kiri meditation activity that helps her focus her mind and reveals more about her life and backstory, while Yasuke will encounter people in the world that can teach him new weapon-specific Kata — special maneuvers you can unlock by performing a series of fight moves in a specific order with good timing. Yasuke can also show off his skills in various horse archery events.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5h-r6_68GM “There is a lot to discover in the open world of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, from temples to castles, hidden parkour trails to training grounds, and other secrets.” It's clear that the world of Assassin's Creed Shadows has a ton of activities for players to sink their teeth into, and the world offers a huge variety of opportunities for players to embark on that are both memorable and entertaining. Once again we would like to say a huge thank you to the Assassin's Creed community team for providing early access to the exploration article and for always supporting The Ones Who Came Before. Assassin's Creed Shadows releases March 20th 2025. Check out our video summary of the new exploration article by FrameHoldPhotography! 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)

Sounds of History - an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental project by Gargudon Released Other Share 17 Jun 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Back To Database We are pleased to announce that Sounds Of History, an original AC inspired instrumental project by Gargudon from TOWCB, is out now on music streaming platforms, alongside our YouTube channel with special ambient visualisers! Project Synopsis: A unique fan project, never really seen before in the Assassin’s Creed community, featuring five original tracks written, arranged and produced by Gargudon, each inspired by different AC games. A tribute to the soundtrack, to sneaking, fighting and free running throughout the years, and the composers behind them who have shaped the sound of the franchise. Team member Gargudon from TOWCB has worked extremely hard to produce songs inspired by the Assassin's Creed series and we are thrilled to finally be able to release them in full! Check them out below! https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLI3iAj5fPeArahq41K7sG5AK8WNYtYfJe&v=sE_BvKXXxEI https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLI3iAj5fPeArahq41K7sG5AK8WNYtYfJe&v=9BvoQA999lA https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLI3iAj5fPeArahq41K7sG5AK8WNYtYfJe&v=4O_TaFND4No https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLI3iAj5fPeArahq41K7sG5AK8WNYtYfJe&v=IkLRlX1M27o https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLI3iAj5fPeArahq41K7sG5AK8WNYtYfJe&v=qXK7GW_xllo Spotify Playlist 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)

Sounds Of History - an original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental project by Gargudon: Influences and Inspirations Other Share 8 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Colum Blackett Back To Database In this article, Gustav Poulsen ( Gargudon ) from the The Ones Who Came Before team talks influences and inspirations, for his upcoming original Assassin’s Creed inspired instrumental project titled Sounds Of History. Project Synopsis: A unique fan project, never really seen before in the Assassin’s Creed community, featuring five original tracks written, arranged and produced by Gargudon, each inspired by different AC games. A tribute to the soundtrack, to sneaking, fighting and free running throughout the years, and the composers behind them who have shaped the sound of the franchise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvFmigArf3o French Highlands - Inspired by Assassin’s Creed Unity The project and the whole idea for it started with this track. I was sitting with my acoustic guitar one day just “noodling”, played this random shape, and just from those few notes I suddenly heard this whole piece in my head. Having found the remaining notes and playing the full piece, I realised it had this very cinematic, AC soundtrack leaning vibe to it, and hence the idea for an instrumental project inspired by the games was born. I felt like it had this very prominent Medieval tone to it that reminded me of Unity specifically; the Medieval sequences of that game and various areas of Paris, from old (abandoned) cathedrals to the underground catacombs. To accompany the main guitar piece, I wanted an instrumental relying on a certain ambient soundscape - which among other sounds features direct in-game noise from the Paris catacombs - and all sorts of Medieval sounds and instruments, to really capture that dark vibe and tone of 14th century Medieval France seen and felt in the game, whether in old towns and fortresses or the vast surrounding highlands. ...Away From The Crowds... - Inspired by Assassin’s Creed 2 & Brotherhood This is one of my favorite tracks from the project, and it was a lot of fun to write and work on. I knew early on I wanted this track to capture some of the most prominent sounds and vibes of Jesper Kyd’s iconic Assassin’s Creed 2 soundtrack, which ones and how I wanted to try and do that. Some very certain eerie and ominous ambiences, reminiscent of the old abandoned undergrounds and empty cathedrals explored in AC2 and Brotherhood, the dark secrets of which make the beauty and glamour of the Renaissance, but a facade for something larger. Ultimately, the track is quite simplistic, not relying on much to make it sound big, but achieves a lot and just what I wanted it to with just that. Another major influence for this track would actually be Alternative Rock band Bring Me The Horizon, especially their 2010 album “There Is A Hell Believe Me I’ve Seen It. There Is A Heaven Let’s Keep It A Secret”. A lot of the sounds and production on that album remind me of Assassin’s Creed 2’s soundtrack; strings, choir voices, glitchy electronics, ambient guitars, big reverbs and many more that brilliantly capture the hidden darkness of the Italian Renaissance. 60’s - Inspired by Assassin’s Creed Syndicate Despite this track being the shortest, it was actually the one that went through the most changes, fully settling upon as to how I wanted it to sound. I did however know from the beginning I wanted something inspired by British Rock, specifically Oasis, their instrumental songs and that whole 90’s Britpop sound. A lot of that music has this certain attitude and rawness to it, reflective of the working classes of England at the core of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. Originally I thought of just making this something along the lines of a regular song with the sound of a full band, but that ended up just feeling quite off. Then I tried taking that same idea but stripping it down to just an acoustic arrangement, but that sounded a bit bland. Then finally I got the idea of fusing that Oasis inspired acoustic instrumental, with that ambient Animus leaning soundscape that also comes across on other tracks, and that would turn out to be the best approach for this. Admittedly I might have free styled a bit with this one in some places, at least compared to the official Syndicate soundtrack, but still wanted to stay true to some of the sounds of that, some of which oddly enough also come across in Britpop, hence that influence. Eagle’s Path - Inspired by Assassin’s Creed 3 & Liberation While I have tried to stay true to some of the sounds of Assassin’s Creed 3’s existing soundtrack with this one, I have admittedly also free styled a bit with it, for example with the more Western sounding sections; all intentional though and with good reasoning. I knew I wanted one of the primary tones of this track to be very tribal, Native American sounding, and what better style for that to go with than among other some Western? I also wanted a section of it to capture the tone of AC3’s add-on Liberation, and it’s southern Louisiana setting, hence the middle section that relies on more Cajun and African percussion, to capture the vibe of the bayous explored in that g ame. In addition to the primary tribal aspects, I also wanted the track to be reflective of the American Revolution itself, and American history overall to some degree, past, present and future from the time period of the game. Hence the section with big sounding horns, symbolising the fight for freedom, and once again the Western tone that’s also heavily prominent towards the end with the gunslinger-esque electric guitar, symbolising one of the next big eras awaiting the future of American history. Tales Of The Winds And Waters - Inspired by Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag This track has got to be my favorite from the project. I got to play around with so many cool ideas and sounds, capturing the spirit of not only my favorite Assassin’s Creed game, but one of my favorite games overall. I actually fully wrote and made arrangements for this one last, and as it would turn out the track would be a good chunk longer than anticipated, closing in around 10 full minutes; really I suppose it is 2-3 tracks all crammed into one big one. Oddly enough, that process was pretty easy though, and I built most of the track’s foundations fairly quickly not too long after. From the beginning though, I had a good rough idea of how I wanted this track to sound, and what styles I should be tapping into. Black Flag’s soundtrack is ultimately quite diverse, from traditional Spanish, electronic glitchy Animus ambience, Caribbean and tropical, to classic Pirate music with a touch of Celtic to it, so there were a lot of possibilities and I wanted to cover as many of these as possible in my own way. In addition to incorporating these melodies and tapping into various styles, trying to capture the vibe of exploring the Caribbean and its many islands and settlements, I also wanted the chronology of track to try and be a representation of Edward’s journey throughout the game. From first wandering the lively and wild streets of Havana, sailing the vast waters at day and night, reaching Kingston, discovering the Observatory, to having eliminated the Templar threat, meeting his daughter and peacefully being homebound, taking the Jackdaw for one last sail. As a tribute to not only the existing Black Flag soundtrack, which is one of if not the best in the franchise in my book, but composer behind it Brian Tyler overall, I wanted to implement some melodies from other favorite score pieces of his, which oddly enough have some of the same vibes and instrumentation as the tracks from the game. Featured in the beginning during the traditional Spanish section are the melodies from “Letty & Dom” and “Neela Drifts” from the Fast & Furious movies. Beautiful pieces and melodies played on classical guitar, which tones in some ways are similar to the tracks of the Black Flag soundtrack. The Sounds Of History project is coming soon! Stay tuned here on the site and our social media channels for updates and previews! 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)

Possible Ubisoft Employees spotted photographing Italian architecture Rumor Hub Share 30 Jul 2018 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Colum Blackett Back To Database Freelance journalist Jordan Oloman recently visited the area surrounding Lake Como in Italy, which is situated roughly 2 hours away from Milan. On his travels to the beautiful location, Jordan and his travelling companion Helena had the opportunity to visit Villa del Balbianello, which was used for the filming of Naboo in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Image by Jordan Oloman Image by TREMEZZINA It was on this visit to Villa del Balbianello that Jordan and Helena noticed two possible employees from Ubisoft taking very particular photos of the architecture. He notes that the two people carried a Ubi30/ UbiProud bag, which were campaigns run by the company. After describing the two individuals, Jordan jokingly wondered if the sighting could be connected to an unannounced Assassin's Creed project. Could the two employees be location scouts? Although the Assassin's Creed franchise has already visited Italy in two major installments (AC2& AC Brotherhood), rumours circulating in 2017 suggested that the franchise would be soon be introducing an Ancient Trillogy, visiting Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The reveal of Assassin's Creed Origins confirmed these rumours for many fans, and the introduction of Assassin's Creed Odyssey made the claims even more believable. We contacted Jordan, who informed us that he has no concrete proof that the two individuals worked for Ubisoft, and may have just be tourists interested in Italian architecture. Do you think that the two individuals were Ubisoft Employees scouting out locations for an unannounced AC Project or just tourists? Could the Assassin's Creed Franchise be heading to Italy? Would you like to see the franchise return to the country? Does this sighting confirm the Ancient Trilogy rumors for you? Photos by Jordan Oloman You can find Jordan on Twitter Information source comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 1st to 7th May Community Share 9 May 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: Portraits & Quotes Basim Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Majdulf47 “A man you trust with anything, can take everything” a quote that sums Basim up. He works in the dark but not necessary to serve the light, although his origins story may expand on this. I admire this shot so much. I love the lighting across his face as he exits the shadows. The level of detail in this capture is excellent. I am in awe of how good his facial features look. A really stunning Assassin’s Creed portrait. Ragnar Lothbrok Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ JinxyVP This shot gives me massive Ragnar Lothbrok vibes. The way Eivor/Havi is staring into the abyss is reminiscent of Ragnar in the TV show Vikings. I can hear him saying “Don’t waste your time looking back, you’re not going that way.” This is such an atmospheric shot amplified by the striking background. The short hair and the beard help with the Viking feel and I admire that face tattoo as it adds something different to the shot. Guided by the Light Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Its_Gurly “The truth of a man lies not in the land of his birth, but in his heart. A king must be a king on his own terms. He cannot be his father, he can only be himself”. I feel like this quote and capture go together so well. Eivor spends most of his time with regret about his father’s death and the lack of ambition from Styrbjorn his adopted father. I feel the shot symbolises Eivor breaking free of his past and stepping out of the shadow of Sigurd. A beautiful capture that amplifies every detail, kudos for the shadow work truly spectacular. My Saga has ended Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ KeenEyeVP This week’s #Thorsday shot had to be Eivor deep thought about her time in England. There is a sadness to this shot. “My road forward has been a muddy one. Slick with blood and tears, but we can reach its end together”. I felt this quote best summed up this shot. Once again the shadow work here is excellent and that face tattoo brings some nice Origins vibes. Eivor always gets you with her eyes though, so mesmerising. Spinner Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @Cll3ar You would think this shot was right out of The Witcher. The three spinners play a big role in Norse mythology and also in Eivor’s journey. “Deep under the earth, where the corpse serpent gnaws at the roots of Yggdrasil, the tree of life, there are three spinners. Three women who make our fate” Eivor feels like she is in control of her destiny but we all know that is not true. This moody and gothic shot embodies the quote in exquisite fashion, the lighting is on point to make it incredibly eerie. The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week: Judge: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) from TOWCB Video Content Creation Team Taking the title as Photo of the Week this round is "Spinner" by @Cll3ar . A perfectly framed shot, with a very special and mysterious tone and look to it, where Eivor and her brightly coloured outfit shines perfectly in the otherwise dark. This shot also feels like something that could be a poster for a movie / show, or and album cover, with its simple yet very cinematic style. 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 May 10, 2023 Fantastic Article! Thank you for including me with other incredible Virtual Photographers. I look forward to your next ~Jinx 💙 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

Ubisoft clarifies recent rumors regarding Assassin's Creed Shadows and Animus Hub News Share 18 Nov 2024 Written By: Edited By: Zephryss Colum Blackett Back To Database On Thursday, leaked information about the Assassin’s Creed Animus Hub (ex-codename Infinity) surfaced online via datamining, revealing a Battle Pass featuring a variety of cosmetics, upcoming collaborations with companies and even unlockable pets. Amid ongoing rumors about potential paid content in the Animus Hub, Ubisoft community manager Ubi_Waldo clarified some details in the Assassin's Creed Discord server. “It has come to our attention that inaccurate rumors have been circulating online regarding the upcoming Animus Hub (ex-codename Infinity). We wanted to take this occasion to clarify that: All the rewards available in the Animus Hub will be entirely free. There are no paid subscriptions or paid battle pass featured in the Animus Hub. Players will have access to regular content & missions at no extra cost.” He further stated, “We will unveil more details about it closer to the launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows.” Ubisoft has reportedly acted quickly to address the new leak about Assassin's Creed Shadows, which allegedly disclosed details about a cosmetic-filled battle pass for the upcoming stealth game. Previously known as codename Infinity, the Animus Hub will serve as a platform for launching future games, including Assassin's Creed Shadows, which is anticipated to debut alongside it. It has also been claimed that the game will feature partnerships with Red Bull, VISA, Intel, BAPE Clothing, and Sprecher, though no details have been provided about what these collaborations might entail. But Ubisoft has not mentioned anything about this in their recent clarification. This could indicate that another official announcement from Ubisoft may be coming soon. As with any leak, it's best to take this information with caution for now. There's still a considerable wait ahead before Assassin's Creed Shadows arrives. Assassin’s Creed Shadows is set to launch on February 14, 2025. The game will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. What do you expect to see from the Animus Hub when it launches alongside Assassin’s Creed Shadows? Let us know in the comments below. comments debug Comments (1) Write a comment Write a comment Sort by: Newest quantumninja Nov 18, 2024 Hey buddy, remember me ? Like Reply About the Author Zephryss is a passionate social media manager based in India who joined TOWCB's Social Media Team in Summer 2024 to help the team prepare for coverage of Assassin's Creed Shadows news and updates. Recently, he completed his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and is now preparing to take on a PhD. He loves video games very much, and since childhood has enjoyed playing various types of games in different genres He also has 3 gaming channels (Zephryss, Assassin Zephryss & Spider Zephryss) where he uploads gameplay videos regularly. Zephryss

Assassin's Beans: An AC Fall Guys Crossover Event Breakdown Share 8 Jul 2022 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Article contains ads that support TOWCB Fall Guys is a platforming-based, battle-royale game show where players control a customizable “Bean '' character in a variety of obstacle course races, or survival matches against up to 60 other contestants in a Solo, Duo, or Squad mode. This is a fun fast-paced game that can be played in small sittings, or for long marathons as each “show” lasts 5 rounds at a few minutes a piece. For those that can make it to the end, a show can last up to 25 minutes, but the chaos of everyone grouped together, jumping and diving around obstacles, can eliminate a player within seconds of starting. For those that do reach the final match, the end goal is presented in a floating crown that goes to the first player to grab it. Initially a paid title on Playstation 4 and PC, the game was then rereleased for Nintendo Switch, Playstation 5 and Xbox Series S/X on June 21, 2022. Now the game has been released as a free-to-play title for the Epic Game Store on PC with a Season Pass allowing players to unlock new customization items for their 'Bean'. With the release of Season 1, Fall Guys began a cross promotional campaign with Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed franchise. The first character they released was a Special Costume for Ezio Auditore from the Assassin’s Creed: Ezio Collection, the most recognizable character from the franchise. Within the Season Pass purchasable with 950 Showbucks, the game’s premium currency (1000 Showbucks can be purchased for $7.99 USD), a handful of Assassin’s Creed customization items can be unlocked. When purchased, the Season Pass rewards the player with: Ezio Special Costume (instant unlock) “Enter the Animus” Special Nameplate (Level 3) “House of Auditore” Special Nickname (Level 8) Leap of Faith Celebration (Level 9) (which plays when the player wins a full show). On July 7, 2022 the second collaboration with Assassin’s Creed was released with a Special Costume Pack and Limited Time Event. Eivor’s Big Bundle was made available until July 12, 2022 for 2000 Showbucks ($16 USD) and includes: “Odin the All-Father” Special Costume “Eivor the Wolf-Kissed” Special Costume “Eivor’s Battle Cry” Rare Emote “Vitruvian Guy” Special Nameplate “Animus Training” Special Nickname. The Odin costume is based on the “Twilight Armor” from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök expansion. With his golden eye-patch and Hugr-Rip equipped on his arm, this little Bean will fight his way to Valhalla! This costume can be purchased separately for 1200 Showbucks. Eivor’s Bean costume (shown here with the Battle Cry Emote) draws inspiration from the Raven Clan Armor and shows Eivor with Varin’s Axe and the Raider’s Axe from the game. As leader of Ravensthorpe, Eivor can lead her Squad to victory! This costume can also be purchased separately for 1200 Showbucks. To draw players back into the game, Fall Guys has limited time events that are themed by a special reward or promotional property. Previously in Season 1 was a Limited Event for the Halo video game with the final prize of a cat-eared Spartan Helmet achievable through the multiplayer mode. For the period of July 7 - July 11, The Abstergo Challenge, which is free for everyone, has players completing 10 tasks around the limited ''SWEET THIEVES'' game mode. These tasks range from winning shows in teams based “capture the flag”, to performing actions across matches. As a reward, players will unlock the following items: “Abstergo Trainee” Special Nickname (100 Candies) 200 Kudos Game Currency (300 Candies) “Apple of Eden” Special Nameplate (500 Candies) “Animus Synchronizing Special Pattern (700 Candies) “Apple of Eden” Special Costume Top (1000 Candies) Guardians must defend the candy by capturing the Thieves with the grab action to send them immediately to Prison. They are unable to pick up the candies, but can move certain platforms around the map to limit access to the spawn areas for the candies. If the Guardians capture the opposition or if time runs out, they win the match. I spent a few hours playing the limited mode to gather all of the Assassin’s Creed customization items and had a lot of fun doing so. This is a great game to play in short bursts in breaks between longer sessions of Assassin’s Creed playthroughs or while waiting for the next announcement to come along. Fall Guys is available now on all major platforms and the limited event ends on July 11th. The Season Pass for the first season ends on August 29, 2022, so make sure to download the game and grab your Season Pass while you can to access all of the Assassin’s Creed items. 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

Q&A with James Nadiger Interviews Share 22 Mar 2018 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database To celebrate the release of Assassin's Creed Rogue: Remastered, we contacted scriptwriter James Nadiger to discuss the game. Col: Hi James, thanks for joining us today. Before we start, could you tell us a bit about your role in the creation of Assassin's Creed Rogue. James: Thanks for having me! I wrote pretty much all of the present day stuff, the cinematics, the missions, the collectibles (video & audio files, emails), and the ambient dialogue. For Shay’s story, I wrote the War Letter collectibles - and it was a lot of fun connecting Rogue to Black Flag, AC3, Liberation, and Unity – a lot of the ADB entries, and then some ambient dialogue from various soldiers and civilians in the open world. Col: Have you worked on many other projects since AC Rogue? James: After Rogue I went directly to AC Syndicate, where I wrote the present day cinematics & collectible audio files, helped Ubi Montpellier with the London Stories sidequests, added the Juno subplot to the WWI section, and pitched in on some Animus Database entries and ambient crowd dialogue. I also wrote the Assassin emails for the Jack the Ripper DLC. From Syndicate I jumped ship to Far Cry 5. I'm very excited for that game to come out, and I hope all my friends in the AC community will check it out on March 27. Col: Are you excited to finally see AC Rogue on next gen consoles? James: Yes! I thought it was already pretty stunning on last-gen consoles, I can't wait to see the Northern Lights again. I also feel there was a part of the community who didn't get a chance to play Rogue because they went all-in on the current gen systems in order to play Unity. Col: Are there any Easter eggs left in Rogue that are yet to be discovered by fans? James: I don't think so. A lot of my "easter eggs" are pretty blatant connections to other elements of the franchise. I will say that one of my favourite bits of ambient dialogue I wrote between two random British guards involves the phrase "Where's Charles Lee?" But having said that, if you play FC5, you might find some Easter eggs in there. :) Col: Several of the characters in AC Rogue and Syndicate (Berg, Voronina) stem from Assassin's Creed Initiates, another project you worked on. How does it feel to see characters from the project come to life in games? James: It feels pretty good! I inherited a lot characters from previous projects. William, Shaun, and Rebecca, obviously, but Gavin Banks, Harlan Cunningham, and even Otso Berg all existed before I started working on AC. It was fun to develop their stories and push their characters further. My inner fanboy loved writing little bits for Warren Vidic and Daniel Cross in Rogue’s audio files. I really enjoyed bringing Gavin’s crew to life on Initiates and it's been a blessing to see characters I helped create outlive me after Syndicate. I was thrilled when I saw Galina show up in Charlotte’s first comic series, and even more so when Uprising brought back Arend and Kiyoshi. But then I get terrified reading every issue because I’m worried that my babies aren’t going to make it out of that story alive. It's also been fun to see characters pop up unexpectedly. I had forgotten that we'd created Deanna Geary for a little one-off story on Initiates and then she was in Origins with Layla. It’s a lot of fun just being a fan of AC again. Col: Assassin's Creed Initiates was a great way to expand AC lore outside of the games. Did you enjoy working on the project? James: It was a lot of fun for me, not just because the team was very good, but also because I feel that like Project Legacy before it, Initiates was an opportunity to tell different kinds of AC stories that kept the action game spirit, but could also be a little quieter and introspective. Stuff like Shaun & Rebecca taking a moment to mourn Desmond’s death, or the silly little emails of random Abstergo employees set during Black Flag’s modern day, or Gavin reflecting on his old Mentor in Japan, or a quick glimpse of Young William Miles in the Soviet Union, etc., I’m not sure these could have be done anywhere other than Initiates. In terms of expanding the lore, the challenge I set for myself was that every story or character that we introduced should be able to lead their own spinoff or project. I’m not sure if I succeeded every time, but we’ve already seen how a few of my beloved murder children have grown up and spread their wings into books, and comics, and games. Col: Are there any more characters from AC Initiates that you would like to see explorer further in future projects? James: From the modern day crew, I’m very fond of Eric Cooper, the steadfast Scottish navigator, and would LOVE to see him in a future game someday. I think Harlan Cunningham and Arend Schut-Cunningham could EASILY lead their own comic. I think Kiyoshi’s Yakuza Brotherhood is also a fun idea just sitting there. In the past, I wrote a little story about Eseosa, who was Adewale's grandson who had a hand in the Haitian Revolution. At the end of that story he made his way to the Davenport farm to train with Connor, and I think that would have been fun to explore. Col: Bayek's robes are available in AC Rogue Remastered. Do you think Shay will suit them, or will they look out of place in contrasting environments to Ancient Egypt. James: All those fan service costumes are just meant to be a bit of fun, so I don't worry about them looking out of place. You can turn your camel into a Chocobo in Origins, so, y'know, just go with it. Col: Are Ubisoft Montreal hosting a launch party/ celebrating the release of Rogue Remastered, and will you be there? James: Well, Ubisoft Sofia was the lead studio in charge of AC Rogue, so I imagine if there’s a party it will be in Bulgaria. But for me, there’s lots to celebrate this month: I’ve been at Ubisoft for 5 years, and with the release of AC Rogue Remastered and Far Cry 5 so I’m feeling very grateful across the board. Col: What can fans of Rogue look forward to with the release of the game? James: I think it’s going to look great on the current-gen systems. And while the Bayek outfit is exciting I just found out that there’s a Jacob Frye outfit available on the Ubisoft Club as well! I hope everyone enjoys playing Rogue as much as I enjoyed working on it. Thanks again! :) We would like to say a huge thank you to James for joining us for this interview, San San from the AC Community Team, and to everyone at Ubisoft who made it possible! Assassin's Creed Rogue Remastered is available now on Xbox One and Playstation 4 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)

Codex Transferendum v2.0.2 | The Isu-to-English Dictionary & Language Guide Released Analysis Share 16 Mar 2024 Written By: Edited By: ActualSpider-Man Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to Codex Transferendum v2.0.2 , where Isu 101 is only the beginning! Inside there are 460 pages of sourced breakdowns, sentence complexity, a formulaic list of every word we’ve seen and how they’re built, followed by a comprehensive compilation of every possible rearrangement and conjugation of every root word, interpreting quite a few fun possibilities for words unseen! Hopefully this translation and language guide can help all of us solve any upcoming Isu puzzles that much faster, and for anyone interested it is entirely free to download. Enjoy, and always remember: ṇoænos wahæáid oænosr zàrhṇdichṛ Your Friendly Neighborhood Mentor PDF Download comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Author of the all-encompassing timeline, Codex Temporis, and the Isu-to-English dictionary, Codex Transferendum, Your Friendly Neighborhood Mentor is here to help unweave the confusing web of AC! ActualSpider-Man

What we would like to see in Assassin’s Creed Shadow’s Photo Mode Community Share 27 Jul 2024 Written By: Edited By: Renzo // CapturesByRenzo Colum Blackett Back To Database Written by Aaron Young and Renzo . The newest Assassin’s Creed game is set to be released towards the end of the year, and a Photo Mode is already confirmed. In this article we will discuss how this tool could improve compared to its predecessors. On May 15th 2024, AC Codename Red was finally revealed as Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Developed by Ubisoft Québec, the game will release on November 15th on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and other platforms. According to rumours, this will be the last RPG-style entry in the franchise. Set in the Sengoku period, AC Shadows will allow players to explore feudal Japan through the eyes of two playable protagonists: the Shinobi Naoe Fujibayashi, and the legendary African Samurai Yasuke. As it was shown in different trailers, these characters will provide different playstyles and ways to approach exploration and quests. Among other features, Assassin’s Creed Shadows will certainly include a Photo Mode (PM). The official Ubisoft website states that the game’s Ultimate Edition, as well as the AC Shadows Ultimate Pack, will include the Red Dragon Photo Mode Filter. This is great news for the Virtual Photography (VP) enthusiasts around the world and, as members of the VP Team at The Ones Who Came Before (TOWCB), we could not be more excited about it. AC Shadows’ Ultimate Edition features a “Red Dragon Photo Mode Filter” (image credit: Ubisoft websi te) Virtual Photography has increased in popularity in recent years due to the implementation of a PM in most modern games. It is a way for people to showcase their creativity, but also acts as a way of promoting the game through various social media platforms. Accessibility and a sense of community through this medium have contributed to the rise of VP. The sheer volume of competitions ran throughout the year, from both studios and fans, furthers the coverage of this relatively new phenomenon. VP isn't just a great tool for players, it is also a fantastic way for developers to achieve free advertising of their games. Virtual photographers are now starting to gain a reputation as being content creators, with some of these artists working with studios and publishers on promotional material. Ubisoft held a Photo Mode Contest during the first half of 2024 (image credit: Ubisoft website) Since the release of AC Origins back in 2017, Ubisoft’s Montréal (Origins, Valhalla), Québec (Odyssey) and Bordeaux (Mirage) studios have consistently delivered solid Photo Modes across the latest entries in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. These include a Composition Mode (free camera and camera tilt) and an Edit mode (frames, filters, depth of field, exposure, contrast, and many other features). Although the Assassin’s Creed PM hasn’t changed much since 2017 it is still a solid foundation, especially for people new to virtual photography. We believe that AC Shadows’ Photo Mode will be no exception compared to its predecessors. However, there are some features that we think would enhance Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed PM. It’s time to discuss them. Edit Mode - Assassin’s Creed Mirage Photo Mode (photo credit: Renzo C.) Time of day / Weather / Switch seasons When it comes to Photo Modes, Time of Day is one of the most requested features by virtual photographers. This allows for many possibilities in terms of lighting and colour palettes, and we think it would make for an excellent addition to the Assassin’s Creed Photo Mode. Ubisoft has successfully implemented this feature in games like Far Cry 5, Far Cry 6, The Crew Motorfest and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. On the other hand, changing Weather can completely affect the mood of a shot. This could be an interesting feature to have in Shadows, since other Ubisoft games like Far Cry 6 and The Crew Motorfest already have it included in their PMs. To wrap up this section, we’d like to talk about Seasons. Ubisoft has released a few trailers that showcase in-game footage, confirming that players will be able to experience the beauty of Japan during different times of the year. Having the ability to switch seasons in the AC Shadows Photo Mode would be a game changer in terms of virtual photography. AC Shadows’ features dynamic seasons (image credit: Ubisoft Creator Program) Camera range and camera collision One of the aspects that Ubisoft could improve in their AC Photo Mode is the camera. Having a free camera instead of one that orbits the character is always appreciated, but this should be accompanied by a better camera range than the one we currently have available in games like AC Valhalla and Mirage. With the confirmation that we will no longer have a bird companion in Shadows, this option becomes even more paramount if we want to showcase the beauty of Japan in all its splendour. In addition to this, fixing the camera collision is very much needed. As virtual photographers, we’ve seen characters like Eivor and Basim disappear when we try to get too close to them for a portrait shot. Getting rid of this issue would allow players to take magnificent close-up captures of Naoe and Yasuke. Unlike previous titles, Assassin’s Creed Shadows won’t feature a bird companion (photo credit: Renzo C.) Spotlights There is no photography without light, and the Assassin’s Creed games are known for their beautiful environmental lighting. However, when it comes to virtual photography, there might be a struggle over not having full control of light in certain situations. The addition of Spotlights could come in very handy, especially for portrait pictures. Being in control of the light is something that helps to achieve a great photo. Regarding indoor environments, AC games make it tricky to accomplish the desired lighting. It is also noted that Mirage has incredible lighting when a cinematic sequence plays but this does not translate to the scene once the player retakes control of Basim. Some games feature a three-point lighting system in their official Photo Modes, like Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor and Marvel’s Spider Man 2; and Alan Wake 2 recently got a PM that includes a single spotlight, as well as a camera flash and a flashlight. Custom lighting can boost an artist’s creativity, and we’d love to see some of these features in the upcoming AC Shadows Photo Mode. Hellblade 2 allows players to place spotlights within the PM (photo credit: Aaron Young) Depth of Field This feature is something we don’t feel requires an upgrade. Of all the depth of field functions we have used over various games, the Assassin’s Creed one is the most intuitive. That being said, there are people who don’t quite like it. It is important to find a balance, as it is easy to over complicate a DoF and that could be detrimental to new photographers, especially with the ease of how this feature works in the Assassin’s Creed titles. Depth of Field in action - Assassin’s Creed Mirage Photo Mode (photo credit: Renzo C.) Frames One of the few downgrades in AC Mirage’s Photo Mode, compared to previous entries, was the removal of the Frames tab. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Valhalla included thematic frames in their respective Photo Modes, with the former also featuring a black letterbox frame that allowed for a cinematic feeling when capturing horizontal shots. We think that the Frames tab should make a return in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The inclusion of letterbox frames with different aspect ratios (1:1, 2.39:1, 4:5, 5:7, etc.) would be a step up from previous Photo Modes, giving virtual photographers many possibilities to showcase their style and skills. Thematic frames would also be an interesting addition to the AC Shadows Photo Mode. Frames - Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Photo Mode (photo credit: Renzo C.) Character poses and position / Facial expressions These could be useful tools to have in AC Shadows’ Photo Mode, especially for portrait photographers. Changing a character’s pose and/or position can do wonders for a shot in terms of composition and, why not, when it comes to working with lighting. On the other hand, switching the character’s facial expressions can come in handy for close-up shots and other kinds of portrait pictures. Character poses and facial expressions definitely add variety and individualism to a capture. It broadens the horizons, allowing players that extra option to put their own stamp on a moment. Games such as Marvel’s Spider-Man and Horizon Forbidden West have used this to great effect in recent years. Spider-Man 2 allows players to change facial expressions and poses (photo credit: Aaron Young) The Competition Photo Modes have definitely seen some advancements since Assassin’s Creed Mirage released. Ubisoft themselves have shown this with Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, while Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 has really pushed the boundaries of what is possible from a PM. Full cutscene control and high camera range revolutionise the way we can capture a game. It is interesting that games like A Plague Tale: Requiem and Hellblade 2 have invested so much into their PMs, given these were developed by smaller studios. Are they seeing the promotional benefits of virtual photography or is it just an understanding they have of what the players would like? It’s probably a combination of the two. So now, we hope that bigger studios will start to take note of this trend. However, it would be unfair of us not to mention Insomniac and Guerrilla, who have provided an awful lot to their respective PMs. Features such as photo mode are instrumental in order to achieve longevity, keeping a game in the public eye way past its release date. Horizon Forbidden West being a great example, yet it’s interesting to see that another popular Sony game like God of War: Ragnarök doesn’t have the same exposure despite its huge fan base. In part, maybe this happened because Sony Santa Monica didn’t invest a lot in their photo mode. It’s important to clarify that we speak from a place of love here, since one of the authors of this article regularly posts shots from that game, but there are many artists in the virtual photography community who didn’t pick it due to its PM. GoW Ragnarök suffered from lack of advancements to the PM (photo credit: Aaron Young) We believe that if Assassin’s Creed Shadows added a few features from the ones we mentioned above, it would go a long way to improving the PM and showing a commitment to the fans that they value this part of the game. As we have stated, the AC Photo Mode is a great entry level that covers the basics well, but now it’s time to raise the standard and bring the Assassin’s Creed PM to the same level as the competition. AC Shadows’ releases November 15th 2024 (image credit: Ubisoft website) comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Renzo is a virtual photographer from Argentina who began sharing his work on social media in October 2022. Over time he has captured many games, with Assassin's Creed being the franchise he's shot the most! He has a love for Ubisoft games like Far Cry 5 and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and is looking forward to playing more in the future. Renzo is a positive influence in the VP community and is helping TOWCB team establish itself as the home of Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography Renzo // CapturesByRenzo

TOWCB Interview with AC: The Golden City Author Jaleigh Johnson Interview Share 30 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Colum Blackett Back To Database Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal (Moonchildgecko) from TOWCB Art Team. Author photo credit - Kobey Felter Character photo credit - Aaron Young (Falconswift87) from TOWCB Photo Team Back in January I was provided an early access review copy for the upcoming Assassin’s Creed book The Golden City by author Jaleigh Johnson and publisher Aconyte Books. It was a unique story that tells a tale about a young Assassin Apprentice Hytham and his mentor Basim Ibn Ishaq on a mission in Constantinople to protect the young Prince Leo VI from his paranoid father Basil I. The review is available here , but a light spoiler warning is listed with the article. I reached out to author Jaleigh Johnson via her personal website for an interview and thanks to assistance from Aconyte Books I was able to have the following questions communicated to Jaleigh and with approval from Ubisoft, answered for this written interview. The contents of this interview have not been edited in any form to keep accuracy and transparency. Which game was your introduction into Assassin’s Creed? Was there a particular scene or character that grabbed your interest the most? I actually had this conversation with my husband while I was writing the book, because I remember my introduction to the game was watching him play it, and we were both trying to remember which game it was. I believe it was the very first game, and I remember asking him all kinds of questions about what he was doing. Why are you assassinating all these people? Why are you spending so much time climbing that building? Why did you then just jump off the building and land in a pile of straw? And my husband’s response was always something along the lines of, “You just have to watch or play it yourself.” But I remember the moment when the game switched to the present day and introduced the concept of the animus. That was the moment I really got intrigued with the game and the story, and I knew I had to try it myself. That was the beginning of the path that led to this point. Having worked with Aconyte before on Marvel’s Xavier Institute series, how are you enjoying writing for these large franchises? Are there challenges writing historical fiction compared to superhero driven stories? The large franchises are a huge amount of fun to write and special because I get to leave my own mark on something that’s been important to me, but there’s also this massive sense of responsibility and the desire to do justice to the stories and the characters and contribute something that builds on everything that’s come before. The challenge with writing historical fiction for AC in particular is to craft a story that fits with history but also melds seamlessly with the game lore and the characters you’re writing about, so in that way it takes much more time to write than the superhero driven stories because of the amount of research. But with the superhero stories, you also have this rich and deep history of the comics, so there’s always going to be a lot of time and work involved. Fortunately, I love to do research, so that’s been a fun part of the process as well. Your new book, The Golden City follows Hytham and Basim from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla in an earlier timeline than the game’s main story. What kind of process do you go through to do a “prequel” of sorts for a character’s personal history? In the beginning, it was reacquainting myself with everything that was known about Hytham and Basim from the events of Valhalla – re-watching all the cutscenes in the game that involve them, things like that – to get a sense of who they are at that point in their lives and asking myself how they might have gotten to that point and how their relationship might have evolved. Later, I was also given information about Basim’s journey in Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and it then became a matter of bridging the gap for him between Mirage and Valhalla. A prequel and sequel of sorts, for Basim, which sounds particularly confusing since Mirage hasn’t been released yet. It was definitely an interesting challenge! Basim Ibn Ishaq (photo by @Falconswift87) On a similar note to the setting of Constantinople, what kind of research did you do to prepare for this new story? Being a fan of historical books, were there any titles in particular that you read about the period of Basil I and Leo VI? Researching for this project was wild because one day, I’d be reading books like Herrin’s Byzantium or Bury’s History of the Eastern Roman Empire , among others, and then the next I’d be digging into AC lore or cutscenes that reference Constantinople to get a sense of the city as it’s presented in the game. They were both fascinating perspectives, and I admit, I loved getting to play video games and have it count as actual research, heh. Your story, for me personally, speaks to a sense of fatherhood in a character that cannot have a family, something that hasn’t been discussed much by the Assassins Brotherhood in the past. What was your drive to explore this concept? You know, one of the first things I thought about Hytham in Valhalla was that he was someone who should have a family, somehow who would make a good father. And then I remembered, that’s not the path of these characters, and it made me wonder how Hytham felt about that. Did he dwell on it at all? Was it something he mourned? Or was it a relief? Over the last several years, I’ve also watched a lot of my friends become fathers, and I’ve seen the way it changes them, but I’ve also witnessed how their personalities have shaped the type of father they are. I look at them and think, yes, you’ve got this, this is what you’re meant to do. I liked the idea of exposing Hytham to that role and seeing how he would handle it, this glimpse into a world that was not his path. How would his strengths and weaknesses show in this role? I loved exploring the answers to all those questions. Hytham (photo by @Falconswift87) Additionally, the relationship between Hytham and Basim is explored more in your book than what we saw in AC Valhalla. Were there any ideas that you had from the Valhalla story that you wanted to expand on in your book? I always wanted to know how the relationship between Hytham and Basim became what it is. In Valhalla, I got the sense that Hytham had a great deal of respect for Basim and loyalty to him, even when he doesn’t agree with Basim or his methods. I wondered how that bond developed between the two men, especially when you consider Basim’s secretive nature and his skill at manipulation. How does a man like that earn the loyalty of someone like Hytham, who is a much more open character? That was the place I started from in developing their story. I myself enjoyed the stand-alone nature of the book on a character, Hytham, that is becoming an anchor for the AC Valhalla storyline. Would you like to write about him again in the future, if so what kind of story would you like to tell about his life? I love Hytham, and I think he’s a fascinating character, so I’d always welcome the opportunity to return to his story. I think if I did, I would love to explore his early life and his recruitment by the Hidden Ones. I’d love to see the forces that shaped who he is and made him the man you see in Valhalla. There is definitely a passion that is growing with the works of the various authors that Aconyte and Ubisoft have chosen for the Assassin’s Creed series of late. It is nice to learn how authors like Jaleigh process concepts and research for such a project. With additional titles being announced with growing frequency, I am looking forward to seeing more content in the transmedia line and having a chance like this to interact with the scribes of these fantastic stories. Assassin’s Creed: The Golden City will be available on digital platforms globally and in paperback format in the US on May 2, 2023, followed by a physical release in the UK on June 22, 2023. 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: Heresy Breakdown Breakdown Share 1 Mar 2017 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Buckley Back To Database Simon Hathaway, member of the Templar Inner Sanctum, brings a cool head and detached manner to his new role as Head of Abstergo Industry's Historical Research Division. But Simon also has an insatiable curiosity, and is fascinated by the thought of experiencing history first-hand through his ancestor—Gabriel Laxart, who fought alongside the legendary Joan of Arc. When he enters the newly-designed Animus for its initial project, Simon finds himself unprepared for what he discovers: How deep the conflict between the Templars and the Assassins goes. What Gabriel will do for the woman he both loves and reveres. And the most dangerous truth of all: Who is the heretic … and who is the true believer? I was lucky enough to get an early copy of Assassin's Creed: Heresy from Ubisoft. Special thanks to Holly Rawlinson. A n endless conflict. An old wrong. A new revelation. Simon Hathaway, member of the Templar Inner Sanctum, brings a cool head and detached manner to his new role as Head of Abstergo Industry s Historical Research Division. But Simon also has an insatiable curiosity, and is fascinated by the thought of experiencing history first-hand through his ancestor--Gabriel Laxart, who fought alongside the legendary Joan of Arc. When he enters the newly-designed Animus for its initial project, Simon finds himself unprepared for what he discovers: How deep the conflict between the Templars and the Assassins goes. What Gabriel will do for the woman he both loves and reveres. And the most dangerous truth of all: Who is the heretic and who is the true believer. Assassin's Creed: Heresy focusses on Simon Hathaway, the new Head of Abstergo's Historical Research Division. Replacing the late Isabelle Ardant, Simon takes the department in a new direction.Taking his place in the Inner Sanctum, Simon is given clearance by Alan Rikkin to use the new Animus, in a search for knowledge that will benefit the Templar Order. My Thoughts: Assassin's Creed: Heresy is extremely well written, uses an extreme amount of detail to set the scene. Although the book looks at the Historical aspects in great detail, it can sometimes become slightly confusing, as many names and characters hold similarities. I really enjoyed the idea that the Animus could be used to find knowledge that could help the present day characters fix broken Pieces of Eden. Simon's proposal to Rikkin at the start gives us a fresh perspective of the many ways in which the Animus can be used. Recently, we have seen the same formula in Assassin's Creed games. Use the Animus to find a Piece of Eden. It was interesting to see a search for knowledge, rather than a search for another artefact. I was especially impressed with the many links to the Assassin's Creed: Abstergo Employee's Handbook (also written by Christie Golden). To finally learn the truth about Robert Fraser, and the reasons for his termination was truly satisfying. Often I feel that Assassin's Creed leaves a lot of questions unanswered, so it was great to finally know the truth. I also really liked the way Heresy made it clear of the date and location of each and every memory entered by Simon. Sometimes the jump between past and present can be confusing, in transmedia material such as the Titan Comics. Heresy made it very clear, helping the audience to understand where exactly we are focussing on. The fresh concept of an Assassin Queen was also a fantastic move for the franchise. Many times have we seen Templars in positions of power, so it was great to see an Assassin Mentor in such a high ranking position. The references to the Isu Precursor Race were also very interesting. The return of Consus, and the Sword of Eden made this book almost feel like a sequel to the lore provided in Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy and Clay Kaczmarek's Animus Glypths. I really liked the way Heresy expanded on previous lore. It's very clear that everyone involved in the creation of this book put a lot of time and effort into avoiding lore inaccuracies and contradictions. The AC Team and Christie Golden did a great job with this book. I highly recommend Assassin's Creed: Heresy, and rate it 4/5. Lore/Information breakdown Heresy gives us an updated list of members of the Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order (as of 2016. Right) The Animus used by Abstergo in London is version 4.35. No Spinal Tap is required. (pg 29) The Animus used by Abstergo in Seville (AC Movie) is version 4.3, and requires a Spinal Tap. (pg 30) Simon moes into Isabelle Ardant's Office, as seen in Assassin's Creed Syndicate. (Image on slideshow below) The Bleeding Effect apparently had a devestating effect of Subject 14. This is the first known reference to Subject 14. (Pg 24) Simon is a Professor. "Simon hid his annoyance. Although he was technically a professor, he found teaching frustrating" (Pg 25) Simon is also a Master Templar. (Pg 27) Warren Vidic is the decendant of Geoffroy Thérage, the executioner of Joan of Arc Possible reference to the AC Movie: "It looks a bit like something the Inquisition might have used back in the day, doesn't it" (referring to the Animus 4.35) (Pg 28) Joan of Arc could "Glow". Possibly because she had a high concentration of Precursor DNA. "But she looked- like she was glowing." (pg 42)."It's not as if she's a Piece of Eden given human form (pg 45) Reference to the Titan Comics. "There was in fact, a Templar effort right this moment to track down one Charlotte de la Cruz, who is rumored to have merely a tiny bit of the precious DNA" (Pg 43) Robert Fraser's fate revealed (AC Employee Handbook Researcher). "His body was riddled with bullets, and he had died with his eyes and mouth open" (Pg 53) Simon's Ancestor, Gabriel Laxart was trained by the Assassins. "Simon felt physically ill. Gabriel Laxart - his own ancestor - was an Assassin? Impossible! Simon was a Master Templar, a member of the Inner Sanctum. (Pg 88) Simon comes from a Templar family. "More than that, he was what was called a "legacy." Both of his parents were Templars, and his Grandmother had been one as well, working quietly in the background of Winston Churchill's war office. There were several others sprinkled throughout his line" (Pg 88) The first Sword of Eden is hidden behind an altar in Saint Catherine's Church. (Pg 97) "We are to dig behind the altar," he said. "And there, we shall find a sword" Father Michel Gabriel can sense the presence of the Sword of Eden. This ability to sense POE's is rare, and is an ability shared by the Assassin, Giovanni Borgia. This is likely due to a high concentration of Precursor DNA. "He could..... there was no other word...... sense it" (Pg 98) Piece of Eden 25 (Sword of Eden) is the same one that belonged to Jacques de Molay, Thomas Francois Germain and Arno Dorian! It is also the sword that Alan Rikkin has in his office. (Pg 99) Simon believes that Joan of Arc possessed some of the highest percentages of Precursor DNA on record. He also believes that she was influenced by the Precursor Scientist known as Consus (Pg 118) The Templars are using Pins to recognise each other as members of the Templar Order. (Similar to the Badge of Office used in Unity) "There was no secret handshake, pr code word, or anything that Hollywood would salivate over between Templars. The only identifying item by which they would recognise one another was the pin, and was an utterly innocuous replica of it available in the local gift shop. The trained eye could spot a real pin from its counterfeit, but generally one could never tell who was a Templar and who wasn't at Abstergo unless one was specifically informed." (pg 123) The Assassin Mentor was Queen Yolande of Aragon! (Revealed on Page 127) Gabriel uses his Eagle Vision to discover that a camp follower (prostitute) also has traces of Precursor DNA in her blood. He also recognises that she too has the ability to use Eagle Vision. He brings her to Joan, who, after speaking to "the voices", accepts her. She is renamed as "Fleur" (Pg 150) Simon begins to see strange symbols and messages in his sleep. "The teardrop shaped-sun etched into the stone wall of Coudray dungeon" (Pg 163) The "Voices" that talk to Joan correctly predict that she will be injured." Tomorrow, blood will leave my body...... here, perhaps, above my breast........" Joan is shot with an Arrow. (Pg 173) Reference to Sofia Rikkin and the Animus project from the AC Movie. "Rikkin stretched out his legs in the back seat of the Rolls, absently watching London zip past as he spoke on the phone with his daughter, Sofia, who was preparing for his arrival in Madrid in a few days." (Pg 183) Victoria Bibeau's involvement in the Robert Fraser incident revealed: Page 185 explains that she gave Fraser information that was then leaked to the Assassins. She did not know the goals of the Assassins or Templars at the time. Rikkin tells her that she was very close to being terminated, like Aidan St. Claire. Joan had attempted to escape using a Leap of Faith from a tower, but was caught as she landed. This proves that the Assassins must have trained her. (pg 233) Ending (Spoilers) Simon steals Alan Rikkin's Sword of Eden and Abstergo intellectual property, then escapes Abstergo by doing a leap of faith! (249) (247) "You are in possession of Abstergo property. Hand it over and submit to judgement!" Simon escapes Abstergo and sneaks into the Inner Sanctum Meeting! Otso Berg defends Simon right to a fair hearing. Simon discovers that the Sword of Eden needs another piece to work properly. He calls this "The Heart (260) Jacque de Molay had hidden the Heart in Coudray dungeon behind the symbols on the wall. Joan had kept the "Heart" in a pouch around her neck, and it acted as a power source! When Joan was burned, her executioner had thrown the "heart" into the river Seine. Simon managed to find "The Heart" by sensing it's presence at the bottom of the river Seine! By reuniting the Sword of Eden and "The Heart", the Sword once again works properly. Simon completely restores the Sword of Eden, and returns it to Alan Rikkin infront of the Inner Sanctum. (261) Otso Berg calls for all charges against Simon Hathaway to be dropped! (261) The Templars have a secret group called "Omega Team" standing by. Favourite Quotes "I'm a Templar, we don't have Hobbies," but she revealed that she herself enjoyed pottery and running marathons. (Victoria. pg 24) This Animus would not seat it's occupants. It would embrace them. (pg 29)The Animus was not a time travel machine. He was a pasenger, not a pilot, and he, like Gabriel, was here to bear witness (63) "That's because we're descended from beings that came before man ever walked this world. Powerful beings, with great abilities and skills." De Metz (96) "These.... beings, the Ones Who Came Before - They left behind artifacts of great power. We call them Pieces of Eden, and both Assassins and Templars have been trying to find them since the dawn of time" De Metz (97) "Our Brotherhood is not like the Templars. We value individuality, and do our own thinking" De Metz. (110) Thin ice, Rikkin thought. One way or another, we're all skating on it. But the difference was, if Simon Hathaway fell through it, he wouldn't just drown. He'd be eaten alive by what lurked below. (119) Well, well. An Assassin Mentor Queen, came Victoria's voice in Simon's ear. I believe that may be a first. (127) And for pity's sake Simon, be honest with me about how much you can handle. I can't have another Robert Fraser. I won't" (Victoria. Pg 165) Hathaway had been spared the necessity of the more unsavory aspects of Templar business, happily ensconced in his ivory tower while others, such as Berg's Sigma team or even deeper, darker branches of the Templar Order, went about clearing the garden of the world from weeds like Assassins, and turncoats, and heretics who wanted to upend the Order. (pg 186) A solid hand was needed to guide humanity. The hand of the Templar Order. (Rikkin's thoughts. 187) Pieces of Eden were about power. The Precursors weren't exactly the nicest of beings, and most of what they had left behind were definitely weapons. (206) "This is what the Templar Order should be!" Simon cried, joy and certainty surging through his blood. "A weapon when needed, and an inspiration at all times. A light for humanity when it needs it the most." Simon Hathaway (pg 261) comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

5 Small Things I Would Like to See Added to Assassin's Creed Shadows Review Share 2 Apr 2025 Written By: Edited By: Finn Fletcher Colum Blackett Back To Database Generally, I'm really enjoying Assassin's Creed Shadows. It feels like a return to form for the series following the recent RPG saga. Not to say that those games were bad, in fact I'm a massive Valhalla defender, but after years of watching this franchise change from its original intentions, something like Shadows feels wonderful. I've not completed the game yet, and will save my full review until then, but up top I wanted to say how much I'm enjoying it. As with anything though, there are things which could be better, and I have chosen five nitpicks that have really been annoying me as I explore 16th century Japan. Headgear in Cutscenes Cutscene in Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe has some of my favourite costumes in the series. She's a walking fashion icon. And yet, whenever you start a conversation, even just to use the shops, her hood vanishes. I know this isn't a major issue, but I find it truly breaks my immersion. These cool costumes lose their aura the second a cutscene begins to play - I hated it in Odyssey and I hate it here. The argument from developers is that they probably want to show off the work done on facial animations, which I respect, but a toggle to choose this would work perfectly. Afterall, we managed to get emotional moments with characters wearing hoods in a dozen other games. Walking Speed Photo Mode shot by Finn Fletcher This may be less popular than the first point, but I would also like to be able to toggle the walking speed. Since Origins characters have been jogging everywhere, in fact everyone in games now seems to jog. The cool moments of walking towards a battle are sort of gone, and while you can control it with the stick, it's too fiddly to ever be precise. An option to make it so Naoe and Yasuke move slower unless running would again add to the feeling that we're playing something much closer to the original games. Objective Counters Shadows introduces missions that amount to killing x amount of a certain type of enemy within an area. They're fine, introduced with a bit of a narrative which goes a long way to making it more engaging. The problem is, the count for this only begins after you speak to the quest giver, and can task you with battling 100 NPCs. Recently I picked one up in Yamashiro after completing the main quest in the area, which meant that the hundreds of bandits I'd already killed in the region did not contribute to this counter. My intention was to finish some side quests before moving the story forward, but now I'm certain that mission will never be complete because I'm not going to bother running across Kyoto again waiting for bandits to respawn. If this was monitored in totality then it would make what are very much box ticking tasks feel much less annoying. Selling Items This one's so simple I'm surprised it wasn't in the game from launch. If you want to sell gear in Shadows you have to go to a shop, choose the specific item, and hold the button for a few seconds. You get A LOT of gear in Shadows so if you chose to clear out your inventory it could take minutes of holding down one button. A group sell option (where you select multiple items to sell at once) would just streamline this whole process. Change Time of Day In Shadows light and darkness play a major role in how successful you'll be in stealth. It's honestly a brilliant design, making your surroundings play a much bigger role in the gameplay. Obviously this also means that the time of day you choose to attack a fortress/camp is more important than ever, and yet unlike in all the previous RPG games you don't have an option to skip time. Bayek, Kassandra and Eivor could meditate to move between night and day, but Naoe and Yasuke aren't even able to sleep. Unless you are incredibly patient, this will often mean you just attack at whatever time of day it is and make do, meaning a whole system and strategy goes completely ignored. Bringing back meditation would be a really simple fix to this problem. If you do want to make it more restrictive, as to provide a bit of an extra challenge, you could always restrict this feature to Kakuregas, the small bases you can unlock across the map. Maybe add a bed into these, where Naoe and Yasuke can go to rest and you get to choose the time of day you want to approach the next target in. Conclusion I'm no game developer, and my understanding of how easy these features would be to add might be wrong. But honestly, everything I've mentioned here feels like it could be patched in with the latest update, and it would go a long way to making the experience more enjoyable than it already is. Assassin's Creed Shadows is available now comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Finn is a creative writer from Rotherham, UK who has previously supported TOWCB's Fundraising events, and raised awareness surrounding Men's Mental Health. Finn's writing covers a wide scope, with releases including reviews, interviews and stories. He is known in the AC Community for his 'Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game' series, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website! In February 2026, he left the team to focus on real-world opportunities as a journalist, writing for a newspaper! We're thrilled to see Finn using his skills to build a career! Finn Fletcher

Interview with Jesper Kyd Interview Share 22 Aug 2024 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) TOWCB Team Back To Database Gargudon from our team recently had the opportunity to sit down with Jesper Kyd ( AC1, Ezio Trilogy & Valhalla composer), talking his Assassin's Creed scores, writing process, advice for composers and more. Check it out now! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdLezhsRrBo 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)

2025 Assassin's Creed Community Fundraiser for Blood Cancer Launched Community Share 8 Jun 2025 Written By: Edited By: TOWCB Team Colum Blackett Back To Database Cancer. Everyone has a story. It affects us all. We are proud to announce that the 2025 Assassin's Creed Community Fundraiser will be raising funds for Blood Cancer Alliance and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), a collection of charities around the world leading the fight in the battle against Blood Cancer. The Assassin's Creed Community are once again coming together to make a real-world impact for a cause connected to the franchise. Every Assassin's Creed fan knows that the series is deeply connected to DNA, exploring the memories of our ancestors using the Animus Device. Blood holds the key to every adventure. It's the holding cell for memories, and the life force of existence. There are around 240,000 people living with blood cancer in the UK. Together, blood cancers are the fifth most common type of adult cancer, the most common cancer amongst children and the third most fatal cancer. Your support will ensure that those fighting leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma and all types of blood cancer are able to live longer, better lives. In particular, your financial support will fund lifesaving research that will be used to improve diagnosis, treatment and care. Beating Cancer is in our blood. We are Assassins. GoFundMe Our Partners AC United Kingdom All-Father Media AndyReloads Cadaea G Assassin HangryHiggs Ironside George Ropotopolous The Hidden One The Podyssey Podcast Team: ExileAC & WillisMakesMovies Ubisoft We would like to say a huge thank you to all of our partners for supporting the 2025 Assassin's Creed Community Fundraiser! 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

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 9th - 15th January Community Share 15 Jan 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week I will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. This week’s theme: World of AC 1. The Way of the Medjay Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ _Virtualtourism First up this week we have the symbol of honour, courage, and loyalty. The Medjay are the sworn protectors of the Pharaoh's and Bayek is the last of his kind to hold the role. This shot gives me 'Dark Knight Rise’s' vibes with the sign of hope etched into the wall. Jack has a knack for capturing these sorts of shots. Checkout the set below as they are all stunning. Link to set : 2. Woodland Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ NoviKaiba23 This week's second shot just needs to be framed and put up on the wall. I can't get over how beautiful this photo is. It also amazes me how games can look like this; the world building is phenomenal. I love the colours, especially the deep red of the flowers. The rays of light breaking through the trees make this shot so magical. Link to set: The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week: Judge: Michael Doyle - TOWCB Strategist I love that this image is a metaphor for the brotherhood. The atmosphere of the image is calm and unassuming, whilst the shadows cast by the ancient trees give off a sense of protection for the wildlife they shelter beneath them. The misty air beyond the tree line, hiding what possible mysteries lay beyond. Everything together, including the elegance of the Stag, mirror the principles of the brotherhood. 3. Ikaros Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ WallyDaGreat66 Next up we have a wonderful collage of Ikaros shots. It's strikingly put together, showcasing The Eagle Bearers favourite companion. I am impressed with the variety of angles that Wally has used to capture the eagle. It’s great to see different kinds of VP and I am always blown away by what this community produces. 4. League of Assassin’s Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ KeenEyeVP I had no choice but to feature photo number four. I love absolutely everything about it. The atmosphere is tense, the outfit devilish. In a game based around a Spartan this shot shows that the Assassin look still rules. This sort of capture makes me so excited for Assassin's Creed Mirage's photo-mode. Checkout the others in this set to get a feel for how Troy created this shot. Link to set: 5. Sunset Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist : @ RenanVP_Alt This shot brings the article to a fitting close. What a fantastic sunset in Assassin's Creed Odyssey. The positioning of this capture is just beautiful. It feels like you are sat on the water watching the sun go down. The little details of the landscape caught in the background really help make this shot. Posted for the #MinimalFriday theme, I think Renan has perfectly fulfilled that brief. 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

Q&A with Chris Wildgoose Interview Share 14 Aug 2019 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database To mark our 5th anniversary as an Assassin's Creed Community, we're proud to release a new Q&A featuring Chris Wildgoose, Weapons Concept Artist on the Assassin's Creed Movie! Col: Hi Chris, thanks for joining us for this interview! Could you please tell us about your most recent projects, and the part that you played in the development of the Assassin's Creed Movie. How did you find the experience? Chris: Thanks for having me! I’ve recently finished a couple of concept art projects for TV and film but sadly they are all wrapped up in NDAs, so I can’t name them just yet! When I’m not doing concept work, I’m illustrating comics. Earlier this year I finished a teen Batman book for DC called Batman: Nightwalker, which hits shelves in early October. Right now I’m getting stuck into the design work for a new comic series, which should be announced soon! For the Assassin’s Creed movie I was the weapons concept artist. It was my first concept art job of this scale and the weapons master was also my eldest brother, Tim, so it was a big job for me in a couple of ways. I’m genuinely a huge fan of the games and I really enjoy working with my brother, so I loved every day of it. We had a lot of freedom when it came to the design and it felt like our input as fans was listened to and encouraged. It was a great experience. Col: Have you worked with your brother on many projects before? Chris: I’ve worked with Tim for years. As a student I worked as an assistant in the props/weapons department when he was a maker. Back then I'd be more hands on, painting and basic making for a variety of films, TV shows, and theatre. After graduating I started working mostly in comics, so Assassin’s really brought us back together as a little team. Since then we've worked on a number of other projects recently together and hopefully more to come! Col: Did you find it challenging to work on a movie set in a long running video game universe? Chris: It was quite daunting at the beginning. It’s Assassin’s Creed! I was coming to it as a fan, so from the get-go I felt the pressure to do it justice. At the same time, Assassin’s is very open to interpretation with each new chapter or format, so you have space to bring in your own ideas. Ubisoft has such a wealth of existing material, so you can see what has worked before and that can be a reassuring thing to have as a guideline. Also, this wasn’t Tim’s first rodeo, so he knew how to keep me calm. What was the weapons creation process like? Was it trial and error? I think there's always an element of trial and error in concept art. When you're working on such a huge project, what works for you or within your department, doesn't always work within the grand scheme of the film. We're just a small piece of the jigsaw, so there's usually a few attempts to make that piece fit the big picture. On Assassin's, Tim and I would have a chat about the specific weapon’s brief, throw ideas and ref around, and I'd respond with some rough sketches. Tim gave me feedback on that first set and then, more often than not, we’d combine elements of different designs into something new. I’d then produce fully rendered versions of these and Tim would show them to Justin the director. He'd give us feedback and we'd make adjustments. If we were very lucky we'd nail it on the first design, but often we'd go through a few rounds of feedback and editing. For example, Benedicto’s Axe was picked from our first set of designs, but with Aguilar’s blade we went through 4 or 5 sets before we settled on the final design. Col: What materials were used to create Aguilar's hidden blade? Chris: Like all the Assassin’s blades, they reflect the specific culture and period of that assassin. For Aguilar it needed to fit the aesthetic of 15th century Spain, so it’s made from metal and ivory, with lots of asymmetric Moorish relief patterns and iconography. The ivory sections were 3D printed and painted to look like bone, then the metal sections were cut, shaped and I think acid etched with the patterns. Col: How many designs/ concepts did you have for Aguilar's gauntlet? Chris: We did roughly 4 or 5 sets of designs, from the first loose sketch to the final illustration. I think we actually did around 16 variations of his blade alone, if I gather every sketch and design sheet together. Col: Were any changes made over time? Chris: Yes, a fair bunch. Originally it was going to be all metal and a fairly different shape but as the design developed we added more intricacy and materials to make it more decorative. It’s one thing for me to draw a weapon, but Tim and his team then have to make it into a functional object. They needed to adapt bits to allow it to work and move etc. One big change that happened after the final design was the addition of the ivory eagle that sits where the blade retracts in. Tim then added pearl indents to give it some extra flare. I think it turned out great. Col: I saw that you recently purchased the Aguilar figurine by DamToys. How does it feel to own a detailed replica of items you helped to design? Chris: I did. I was secretly hoping for something like this to be made! DamToys really don’t spare on the detail and accuracy so it was great to see something so faithful. It’s a nice reminder of a job that I loved. I have it on a shelf overlooking my drawing desk and I’m so happy with it. Col: Did you work with Sammy Sheldon Differ (Costume Designer) when creating the gauntlet? Chris: Not directly. Tim would often have meetings with Sammy and the director, Justin. I would be passed feedback and notes from Tim. Sammy’s costume team popped in to our studio now and then and we’d swap designs and update each other. I remember feeling gobsmacked when they first brought in the actual Aguilar gauntlet as it has so many intricate patterns running through it. It was a thing of beauty. Col: Which other pieces of equipment did you help to create? Chris: All the assassins’ blades, Cal’s dismantled blade, the smoke grenades, Aguilar’s throwing knives, Aguilar’s grappling hook (originally a separate wrist blade), the assassins’ ceremonial finger cutting blade, Benedicto’s axe, Shao Jun’s sword, Ojeda’s sword, the Abstergo guards’ batons, and the Templars’ 15th century swords, shields, and crossbows. Cal’s dismantled blade was especially fun, as I needed to figure out how different parts would be hidden amongst the disguised assassins. Col: Do you have a favourite item that you helped to create? Chris: Ooh, it’s genuinely hard to pick. I was really, really happy how Cal’s father’s blade turned out. They wanted it to look like it was a blade from the 70’s, as if Travis Bickle had made it. That got a few really nice close-ups in the film. If I could pick a couple of cheeky others, then Benedicto’s blade turned out gorgeous and retracted the blade really nicely. Also, Shao Jun’s sword was really fun to draw and is a nice Easter egg. Col: Do you have a favourite item that you helped to create? Chris: Ooh, it’s genuinely hard to pick. I was really, really happy how Cal’s father’s blade turned out. They wanted it to look like it was a blade from the 70’s, as if Travis Bickle had made it. That got a few really nice close-ups in the film. If I could pick a couple of cheeky others, then Benedicto’s blade turned out gorgeous and retracted the blade really nicely. Also, Shao Jun’s sword was really fun to draw and is a nice Easter egg. Col: Back in 2017, Tim (Damage Inc) generously donated three throwing knives used by Maria in the movie for our three year anniversary giveaway. Did you help to create them? Chris: I did. I worked on them alongside Aguilar’s blade when I first started. I think we settled on that particular design from the first set of design variations. Col: Quite a few of the AC Movie items can now be found on Prop Store. How do the production team decide which items to keep or sell? Chris: I don’t really know. I’m usually long gone from the project when that stuff gets handled. I think props usually go back to the studio once it’s completed. Col: Do you have any pieces from the AC Movie set lying around your studio? Chris: Sadly, no. However, Tim did let me keep a spare cast of the head on the pommel of Ojeda’s sword. Col: If a sequel was to be announced, would you like to be involved in its creation? Chris: Straight up yes, especially if Tim and I got it again. Col: Where would you personally like to see the franchise go next? Chris: Since the very first game I’ve hoped for Japan. A film of that would be incredible. I loved the comic that was set in 20’s Russia, so I’d love to see more of that outside the platform game and book. As for somewhere not really considered before? Perhaps any era of New York. What a city to play with! Col: What are your overall thoughts on the movie? Chris: Obviously I have severe bias towards the film but I honestly, really liked it. It’s not without issues, but what film is? I would’ve liked to spend more time with Aguilar in his period, known more about him and Maria, or learnt more about the group of old Assassins. Personally, I also think it would’ve benefited from a touch more light-heartedness. However, it was a very respectful adaptation while trying to handle a new setting. Not an easy thing to balance. From being behind the scenes I know there was a lot of love and consideration for the fans thrown in from everyone involved, which goes a long way with me. To me, it’s easily one of the most faithful game-to-film adaptations. But like I said, I’m biased. Col: Do you have any designs from the movie that we can share with the community? Chris: I have! I’ve sent you: Shao Jun’s sword. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Easter egg but she has a bigger appearance in a deleted scene and Jin fights with her sword in the big escape from Abstergo. As a fan, I was so happy to work on this one. I also designed the dragon that was etched into the blade of the sword, but I couldn’t find that particular design sheet. Super early, rough sketches for Maria’s blade, plus the final design. It has a very similar design theme to Aguilar’s, but she had the double thin blades and a different mechanism action. Design sheet for Benedicto’s wrist blade. The final design used was a combination of the second blade to the left’s back spinning mechanism with the blade on the far right. Smoke Grenades. These were the very last thing I worked on for the film. The design used was the bottom left one. Though again sightly adapted as we changed it to look as though it contained two liquids that when combined would create the smoke. Again, Tim adapted it when actually making it, I think the end result was a more metal looking piece rather than ceramic. Col: Thank you so much for joining us Chris! You can find more from Chris on Twitter and Instagram and Tim on Twitter Blogspot Damage-Inc 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)

Full Breakdown of the Launch Trailer for Assassin’s Creed Mirage Valley of Memory DLC Analysis Share 15 Nov 2025 Written By: Edited By: Zephryss Hayden Bird Back To Database The launch trailer for Assassin's Creed Mirage: Valley of Memory has finally arrived, giving us our best look yet at the story, characters, locations, and new features coming with this highly anticipated DLC. Here’s a complete breakdown of everything shown in the trailer. First of all, a big thanks to Ubisoft and the Assassin's Creed community team for providing us early access to the launch trailer. A Deadly Chase in AlUla The trailer opens with an intense scene set in AlUla, where Basim is seen chasing down a member of a new enemy faction known as the Robbers. He quickly catches the target and eliminates him with his hidden blade in an action-packed start to the adventure. How the DLC Begins We then jump to a moment that takes place before the DLC story starts. Players must visit Dervis in his shop in Baghdad to begin the new quest titled “A Call from the Past.” Interestingly, the DLC is also accessible in two ways: It unlocks naturally when players begin the Head of the Snake mission in the base game. OR it can be started immediately from the main menu when launching a new game. Arriving in AlUla Next, we see Basim finally arriving in AlUla with some beautiful shots of the region, including a cinematic moment of him riding a camel through Hegra. The region looks stunning and packed with exploration potential. Basim’s Personal Journey We then see Basim and Dervis resting at a campfire during their journey. Basim holds a brooch crafted from a blue ceramic tile, taken from the home where he once lived with his father. This is a strong emotional anchor for the story. Basim reveals that he has come to AlUla to seek out his father, who he hasn’t seen in many years. New Faces and Rising Tensions A new character appears in the trailer, telling Basim that lawlessness has plagued the AlUla region for a long time. This reinforces just how dangerous the area has become. Basim later infiltrates a fortified location in search of his father. By this point, he has already learned that the Robbers are involved in his father’s disappearance, leading to several tense confrontations. Landmarks & Parkour Moments The trailer then highlights several iconic locations and dynamic shots: Basim standing before Elephant Rock after defeating a group of enemies. A great parkour sequence near Musa ibn Nusayr Fort. These visuals suggest that AlUla will be one of Mirage’s most visually unique regions. Fears and Hopes In a small camp outside the town, Basim tells Dervis that he is unsure what scares him more, finding his father’s resting place, or finding nothing at all. Dervis reassures him that there is still hope. Captured on Purpose? In the following scene, we see another new character who warns Basim that the men he seeks are very dangerous. In the next moment, Basim is surrounded and captured by enemies. It appears Basim intentionally allowed himself to be captured to reach the leader of this new enemy faction. Meet the Robbers' Leader: ‘Abis We then get our first official look at the Robbers’ leader, ‘Abis, who threatens Basim. Basim asks him why he was involved with his father, saying the conflict was only with him. Somehow, Basim escapes from the prison and attempts to attack ‘Abis, but ‘Abis anticipates Basim’s moves and counters his attacks. New Features & Improvements The trailer also showcases several updates coming to Assassin’s Creed Mirage , including: Enhanced parkour mechanics New Animus Sequence missions Additional gameplay improvements New Outfits and Weapons Next, we get a look at the three new outfits, three new dagger skins, and two new sword skins that will be available in the upcoming updates. The third purple outfit could be a reward from the Animus Sequences. It looks really cool and now it's actually a Hidden One outfit, so we can’t see Basim’s face, haha. A Final, Mysterious Tease In the final scene, we see Basim walking toward a mysterious cave. Inside, there is an Assassin’s Creed insignia banner. It could be an Isu cave or a new Hidden One bureau in AlUla. We’ll have to wait until November 18 to find out. Assassin's Creed Mirage: Valley of Memory launches on November 18 and adds more than six hours of new content to Assassin's Creed Mirage, and it will be free for all players. What do you think about the new launch trailer, and how excited are you for the Assassin's Creed Mirage: Valley of Memory DLC? Share your thoughts below. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Zephryss is a passionate social media manager based in India who joined TOWCB's Social Media Team in Summer 2024 to help the team prepare for coverage of Assassin's Creed Shadows news and updates. Recently, he completed his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and is now preparing to take on a PhD. He loves video games very much, and since childhood has enjoyed playing various types of games in different genres He also has 3 gaming channels (Zephryss, Assassin Zephryss & Spider Zephryss) where he uploads gameplay videos regularly. Zephryss

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 6th to 12th February Community Share 15 Feb 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week I will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. This week’s theme: Assassin’s Creed Caving Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Platform: PS5 VP Artist: @ theblueb4ndit First up this week we have a beautiful capture of Eivor exploring. This shot is giving me God of War vibes, especially with Eivor using a boat to navigate the cave. The positioning of this capture is perfect. I really like how you have the two holes in the cave, one leading to what looks like a waterfall and the other providing a much-needed light source. Link Sundown Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Platform: PS5 VP Artist: @ Amaya_Nocturna Next up we have dusk in Assassin's Creed Valhalla and what a stunning shot this is. The sun is perfectly captured, and the timing here is impeccable. The colours are faultless too with a real mixed bag of darker tones. I especially like the outline of the Monastery and the sunlight reflecting off the water. I just want to put a frame round it. Link: TOWCB Photo of the Week Judge: Thea Marie Rivedal The warmth of a setting sun after a cold winter is a welcomed gift, and this photo from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla captures that moment perfectly. The dark violet colours mixed with fiery sunshine gives an ominous feeling, and makes you wonder what people may be waiting in the shadows, hoods drawn over their face and a task to be completed under the cover of night. Hooded Eivor Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Defalt368 Keeping with Assassin's Creed Valhalla we have a great portrait of Eivor emerging from the darkness. The lighting and the shadows in this capture are perfect. Hiding the eyes in darkness but allowing the tattoo to show is genius. I still can't get over how impressive the fabric looks on Eivor's hood. The attention to detail in this shot is phenomenal. Medjay of Egypt Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ AlexKOnstantin During my time of hosting these showcases there have been a few Bayek shots that I truly adore and this one has now joined them. This capture is from a set of three atmospheric shots, which just blow you away with how stunning they are. Bayek could not look any cooler here, representing both the Hidden One's and the Medjay. Link: Eivor Jarl Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ alisjansendotir We end this week with a perfect portrait of Eivor looking like a true Viking warlord. There is something about this capture that I find captivating. I love the armour, hair, and beard combo with the subtle face tattoo. That blurred background really works with the shot too. As someone who takes a ton of Eivor VP, I would be overjoyed if I produced something like this. 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 Shadows World Premiere Cinematic Trailer Breakdown Breakdown Share 17 May 2024 Written By: Edited By: UbiCypher (Joe) Colum Blackett Back To Database We are pleased to release our analysis of the recently released World Premiere Trailer for Assassin's Creed Shadows, highlighting some of the things you might have missed! Written by UbiCypher (@ Kenway_Joe ) from Isu_Network . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vovkzbtYBC8 From the Shadows The trailer begins with a target fleeing for his life through a forest. He knows that he is being pursued, but cannot see the identity of those hunting. We see the target remove a throwing star from his armour (Shuriken) . Next we get our first glance at Shinobi Warrior Naoe, who emerges from the shadows. She looks like she is wearing light armour, so should be able to move quickly in comparison to her counterpart, Yasuke. Iga: The land of Ninjas The Ubisoft logo appears over a cinematic representation of Iga, the land of Ninjas. Scattered across the countryside were remote villages training the next generation of Shinobi warriors. After coming into dispute with Military leader Oda Nobunaga over unification , Iga was attacked on two occasions, one of which occurred in 1579, the year in which the game takes place. It is said that the attacked came from three directions, giving the villagers little chance to respond. In Assassin's Creed Shadows, Naoe is the daughter of r eal-life shinobi Warrior Fujibayashi Nagato. Naoe's life is turned upside down when enemy forces bring the blade to her village, burning everything in their wake. Dual Protagonists The Fiery Shinobi and the Giant Samurai. It seems that the long rumored dual protagonism is due to make a comeback in this new iteration of the franchise. Missed by many and despised by others, it will most certainly blend well with the story Ubisoft seems eager to tell us in this game which revolves around unity. This concept is on the nose brought back from Assassin's Creed Unity, in this case being an alliance that will, by the looks of it, make you go to war against the ruthless opression spawned by Greed, Power and Vengeance all of them very familiar motives to this franchise. Naoe and Yasuke our protagonists are -according to the Game Director Charles Benoit- designed in a way that focus on their abilites is evident; Stealth for Naoe and Combat for Yasuke although "They can do a bit of both" confirming that you can even the gameplay between the two. Naoe Fujibayashi With a stealth & infiltration-oriented gameplay, you take on a quest of vengeance and honor that will show her cunning and skill in the Iga arts of the Ninja with a set of classic Japanese tools according to the trailer: Shuriken and a Kusarigama. Unexpectedly, she wields a dual-action Hidden Blade similar to the blade worn by Connor Kenway in Assassin's Creed III -which could make one wonder if the hunt mechanic is back- but I digress. Described as fiery she will probably leave her mark on the community. Yasuke the Samuari If you followed my thread on Yasuke a month ago and the countless videos out there that emerged ever since the first rumor leaked, then you should know who he is by now. If not, well, let's do a quick recap! Either from Ethiopia or South Africa, Yasuke was a slave or mercenary -depending on the sources- that was brought on board a ship with Alessandro Valignano a Jesuit that sought to extend the will of Catholicism across Japan in 1579. Due to his appearance and uncommon stature, he impressed the Shogun Oda Nobunaga who made him his vassal. With this in mind, we can understand his status as Samurai in this story and the possible motives behind his actions due to his turbulent past. He's evidently the action/combat oriented character with the ability to crush his enemies with ease, break doors and armor from tougher enemies and such, while the trailer did not show much of his weaponry we can but assume that he will carry what you would expect of a Samurai. Assassination Contracts or Theft missions Oldschool contracts might be back... At some point in the trailer, you can see Naoe passing on a piece of paper to Yasuke, if you translate the note it says "There is Tono Hakeda Catle" which can possibly be read as "It is at the Tono Hakeda Castle" possibly referring to a target or an object to steal. Since the Brotherhood has been established for 14 years by 1579 and many prominent members have been recruited into the Assassins as well, it would be safe to assume that a network of Assassins is already deeply rooted across the Islands, which would explain this informant here. Absence of Templars Nothing in my cross hairs for now... There is no trace of Templar activity in the trailer whatsoever, even though we know that the Tokugawa Clan and Nobunaga Clan have been fighting with Templar-backed clans in the past such as the Takeda Clan. I should add that according to the lore, the Templars were all but exterminated in Japan by 1615, having struggled against the Assassins during all their continued activity in the country ever since the Assassins arrived in between 1565 and 1571, maybe not entirely being present. Personal Commentary As far as I'm concerned, I found this trailer intense and different from other AC trailers, there is something I quite can't get a hold on but I like where this is going, at least according to the official Ubisoft website the game won't be RPG stating "Action/Adventure". Here are a number of other breakdowns of the trailer! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhMOQowMjM8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UFYL18-eQg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzMFK1FUchI Let us know your thoughts down below! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author UbiCypher (Joe) is an Assassin's Creed Transmedia expert who worked as the Lead Admin for the Isu_Network social media team, providing consistent social media content in the form of Assassin's Creed lore trivia, puzzles and news coverage, spending countless hours researching the series and real history. In 2025, he stepped back from his social media duties to pursue other opportunities. UbiCypher (Joe)