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Product Reveal: Officially Licensed Assassin's Creed Valhalla Bookends by Nemesis Now Merchandise Share 6 Feb 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Ashlea Blackett Back To Database UK retailer PlanetMerch have listed an upcoming product for Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Officially Licensed Valhalla Bookends by Nemesis Now. These hand painted Assassin's Creed Valhalla Bookends are 31cm high and have Eivor (& Havi) on their longboat, and are listed for £117.69. They are incredibly detailed and will no doubt be a great addition to any collection. There is currently no confirmed release date for this product, but GamesAndComics Italia suggest that it may be released May 2023. To get the best look at this product, head over to the Nemesis Now website for a 360 ° turnaround image! Celebrate the fearless Viking raider Eivor with Nemesis Now's Officially Licensed Valhalla Bookends. Stood proudly on both ends of the longship, Eivor can be seen. Wearing their signature armour, sailing across the icy North Sea, they are armed and ready for battle. Cast in the finest resin and masterfully hand-painted, these bookends will display and secure your most prized possessions. Materials - Polyresin Dimensions - H31 cm Weight (Boxed): 1.54kg (UK Shipping only but available for pre-order via PlanetMerch ) Video via Nemesis Now comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Mike Smith is a collector of all things Assassin's Creed and a major supporter of transmedia who joined TOWCB as a writer from 2021 - 2024 With nearly a full library of Assassin's Creed media, his work explored the universe in order of Genetic Memory. Notably, his Assassin's Creed Timeline became an essential tool for fans of the franchise looking to complete their collection and consume AC media in a particular order. Michael Smith

Assassin's Creed Shadows Merchandise Guide Merchandise Share 6 Feb 2025 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) TOWCB Team Back To Database Welcome to our Assassin's Creed Shadows Merchandise Guide! Here you will find all of the merchandise currently available for the game! Article contains PureArts and Amazon affiliate links which support TOWCB. Game Editions Assassin's Creed Shadows Collector's Edition An Ultimate Edition copy of the game with: 3 days of early access to the game* Pre-order bonus quest: Thrown to the Dogs Season Pass with a bonus quest at launch and 2 upcoming expansions Ultimate Pack with Sekiryu Character Pack, Hideout Pack, and 5 skill points as well as the Red Dragon filter in Photo Mode. High-quality physical Collector's items: Naoe and Yasuke dual character statue Unique Steelbook® case Collector’s art book (84 pages) Life-sized Naoe’s katana tsuba World map Creed wall scroll 2 sumi-e lithographs Available from: Ubisoft Store ( SOLD OUT ) Game GamesTheShop (India) Gamestop SmythsToys EB Games NZ Micromania Figurines Assassin’s Creed Shadows Animus Naoe & Yasuke 1/8 Scale Statues by PureArts Naoe Bust by Nemesis Now. Available for pre-order from: DeToyboys NL ShopForGeek SmartToys SDCC 2024 Exclusive 3D foam figure set by Monogram. Available on eBay Stationary Assassin's Creed Shadows Katana Sun Notebook Available via Amazon UK Replicas (Pre-order) Assassin's Creed Shadows Replica Yasuke Helmet by PureArts Harness the power of legendary Samurai Yasuke! Made with premium materials and artfully crafted, the highly detailed Yasuke Helmet 1/1 Scale Replica features a removable face plate and Kabuto-style cords. This game-accurate life-size replica is the perfect display piece for discovering feudal Japan in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. (Pre-order) Naoe Replica Hidden Blade by PureArts Become a lethal shinobi Assassin from Assassin’s Creed Shadows with the Naoe Hidden Blade 1/1 Scale Replica! Daughter of legendary Iga shinobi leader Fujibayashi Nagato, Naoe is fierce, lethal, and ready to defend her people. This wearable and functional Hidden Blade Replica can be worn in both Tanto and Hidden Blade mode, perfect for battle against Oda Nobunaga's forces. Apparel Assassin's Creed Shadows" T-Shirt "Shadows Faces" Hooded zip mottled grey by Assassin's Creed Available from EMP Assassin's Creed Shadows Shinobi Hoodie (poor image quality currently) Assassin's Creed Shadows Kanji Clan T-shirt Assassin's Creed Shadows Balance T-shirt (poor image quality currently) Assassin's Creed Shadows Deadly Kanji T-shirt (poor image quality currently) Assassin's Creed Shadows T-shirt Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows T-shirt Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows Yasuke T-shirt Available from: GamesTheShop Mumbai Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe T-shirt Available from: GamesTheShop Mumbai Assassin's Creed Shadows - Hide In The Shadow Men's Short Sleeved T-shirt by Difuzed Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows - Two Tone Kanji Men's Zipper Hoodie by Difuzed. Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows - Hidden blade Men's Core Zipper Hoodie by Difuzed Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows - Shadow Men's Hoodie by Difuzed Available from: XZone CZ Assassin's Creed Shadows - Cut And Sew Men's Sweater by Difuzed Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows - Ronin Cargo Joggers by Difuzed Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe T-shirt by Blend Cota (Male and Female options) Available from Blend Cota Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe T-shirt by Blend Cota (Male and Female options) Available from Blend Cota Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe T-shirt by Blend Cota (Male and Female options) Available from Blend Cota Assassin's Creed Shadows Announcement T-shirt (Male) Male: Available from EMP Female: Available from EMP Accessories Assassin's Creed Shadows socks Available from Al.to Assassin's Creed Shadows - Crew Socks (3Pack) by Difuzed Available from: Caps / Hats Assassin's Creed Shadows Yasuke Cap Available from Ludistri Fr Assassin's Creed Shadows Cap Available from Ludistri Fr Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe and Yasuke Cap Available from Ludistri Fr Assassin's Creed Shadows - Acid Washed Men's Adjustable Cap by Difuzed Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows - Scarred Men's Adjustable Cap by Difuzed Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows - Lotus Men's Adjustable Cap by Difuzed Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows - Balaclava Beanie by Difuzed Available from: Phone Cases A variety of official designs which are currently available to purchase for different phone models on eBay and Amazon . Tech and Gaming Accessories Assassin's Creed Shadows Lantern by Neamedia The Character Available on Amazon Assassin's Creed Shadows Torii artwork mousepad. Available from EMP Assassin's Creed Shadows XXL Mousemat by Subsonic Available from Subsonic Assassin's Creed Shadows Mousemat by Subsonic Available from Subsonic Assassin's Creed Shadows Keyboard by Lexip Available from Micromania Assassin's Creed Shadows Headset by Lexip Available from MicroMania Assassin's Creed Shadows Gaming Controller by Lexip Available from Micromania Assassin's Creed Shadows Mouse by Lexip Available from Micromania Fr Assassin's Creed Shadows Mousemat by Lexip Available from Micromania Fr Assassin's Creed Shadows Wired Controller Available from Ludistri Fr PS5 Controller Silicone cover and caps Available from: Ludistri Fr Assassin's Creed Shadows Mousemat Available from VendiloShop It Assassin's Creed Parkour Mousepad Available for pre-order from: PlanetFantasy (Belgium) Assassin's Creed Shadows: USB C Listed for pre-order by Micromania ( Link currently down ) Playstation Sleeve Listed for pre-order by Micromania ( Link currently down ) Posters and Wall Art Assassin's Creed Shadows Metal Plate Available on Amazon Assassin's Creed Shadows Poster Available from EMP Assassin's Creed Shadows Yasuke and Naoe Framed Image Available from EMP Assassin's Creed Shadows Maxi Poster by Abysse Corp Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows Displate Metal Poster Available from BestBuy Assassin's Creed Shadows prints by Blend Cota Available from Blend Cota Cups, Mugs, Drinking Vessels Assassin's Creed Shadows Yasuke Naoe Mug Available from Al.to Assassin's Creed Shadows Mug by Abysse Corp Available for pre-order from: Assassin's Creed Shadows Mug by Abysse Corp Available for pre-order from: Assassin's Creed Shadows Mug Available for pre-order from: Xzone X-kom Assassin's Creed Shadows Chalice by Nemesis Now. Available for pre-order from: Amuzzi SmartToys Assassin's Creed Shadows Stein by Nemesis Now Available for pre-order from GamesAndComics IT ShopForGeek SmartToys Keychains Assassin's Creed Shadows keychain by Abysse Corp Assassin's Creed Naoe Katana Keychain Available from XKomPl Xzone CZ Assassin's Creed Shadows 3D Naoe Keychain Available from Xzone CZ Assassin's Creed Shadows - Creed Logo Metal Keychain by Difuzed. Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows - Logo Round Metal Keychain by Difuzed. Available from: Assassin's Creed Shadows - Kusarigama Metal Keychain by Difuzed. Available from: Random Assassin's Creed Shadows Red Sun doormat Available from EMP and DPI Merchandising Assassin's Creed Shadows 1000 piece jigsaw Available from Xzone CZ Promotional Items Around 70 promotional lockboxes were sent to content creators during the marketing campaign for Assassin's Creed Shadows. The boxes, and their contents should be considered incredibly rare. 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)

A Message to our Community Other Share 26 Jun 2020 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author 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)

Interview with Simon Lemay-Comtois: Assassin's Creed Shadows Associate Game Director Interview Share 17 Mar 2025 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the second article in a new series of interviews covering all things Assassin's Creed Shadows. Today we are joined by Associate Game Director Simon Lemay-Comtois from Ubisoft Quebec! Col: Hi Simon, thank you so much for joining us for this interview. Please can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your role on Assassin's Creed Shadows. Simon: Hey! My pleasure! The TL;DR on my role as Associate Game Director is - I’m the “gameplay guy”! I decide which button does what, and how fast our characters should run. But there’s more to it, of course. New characters Yasuke and Naoe, as seen in the Assassin's Creed Shadows TV Spot Trailer Col: When did you first begin working on the project, and when did the project officially gain the title 'Shadows' instead of 'Codename Red'? Simon: I think I joined as “employee number 12”on the project a little over four years ago. It's been Codename Red for so long, I still get tripped-up when talking about the project, but the game did acquire its name about a week before our initial CG trailer reveal, if memory serves. Col: Did you join the development team on the research trip to Japan? Simon: Unfortunately, not – I had personal business to attend to in another corner of Asia at the time. Col: What would you say are some of the main inspirations behind the atmosphere and tone the team wanted to capture within the world of Assassin's Creed Shadows? Simon: The levels of details at any scale – from Japan’s rolling landscape and agricultural valleys, down to the various types of wood, the lacquer used on door frames, floors or paintbrushes – the amount of details our art team went into to re-create feudal Japan is astonishing. Col: Assassin's Creed Shadows is said to have a huge amount of enemy types patrolling the map. What can players do on launch day straight away to prepare for the conflict ahead? Simon: Learn to pick out samurai from the rest! Unlike other archetypes – like Ashigaru soldiers, say - samurai are extremely well trained and ready for a fight at any moment. Sneaking-up on them can be tricky, as they do not easily fall for the usual Assassins tricks – and even when they do, they’ll likely be a step ahead of you. Official promo image via Ubisoft Col: Have you visited any other locations from the Assassin's Creed series? Simon: I’ve visited both New England and old England. Does that count? Col: What would you say makes Assassin's Creed Shadows different to other games in the AC franchise? Simon: The way AC Shadows splits the narrative, backstories and unique perspectives between our two protagonist - as well as how each of them plays – is quite unique in the AC Pantheon, I think. Col: Do different areas of the map feel different to each other? Simon: Yes of course! Each region has their own landscape quirks, weather conditions, specific flora and fauna, unique architecture and local specialties. We try to find and promote every specific things that defines our various regions during the Sengoku period. Col: Do Seasons play a role at all in any of the questlines at all or is it purely to change the appearance of the land? Simon: Short answer is – yes: seasons factor in some questlines. A more nuanced answer would be that, while some specific things might be season-specific, its is fairly limited and always logical. One example I could give is the painting of wild animal activity called “Sumi-e”: you will only be able to paint short-tailed macaques bathing in hot springs during winter – as they are known to do during the colder months. Col: Is there a large variety of wildlife in the game, and are there any animals in particular that you feel will excite players? Simon: Japan has a colorful and charismatic line-up of domestic and wild animals – from the beloved Shiba Inu to the gorgeous mandarin ducks. But for me, the tanukis feel special – especially their tiny babies! Col: The last RPG in the series, Assassin's Creed Valhalla featured the Ravensthorpe settlement, which acted as a base for players. Is there a headquarters or space you can customize in Assassin's Creed Shadows? Simon: Oh yeah :D Players can expect unprecedented levels of customization and self-expression when it comes to Shadow’s Hideout! Col: Naoe and her father live in Iga, a historical region occupied by Shinobi Ninjas. Are there any links between this faction and the Assassin Brotherhood? Simon: Maybe - or maybe not? Depends if you want me to spoil some interesting story elements, here. Naoe and her father, Fujibayashi Nagato Col: How big of a role does music play when exploring the world of Assassin's Creed Shadows, and will fans of the series recognize any sound effects from previous instalments? Simon: Sound effects, yes. We are using the same audio feedback for detection as Assassin’s Creed Mirage – because it worked so well there. But music is another story entirely. In fact, I believe we have one of the boldest, most eclectic musical score ever in the franchise. What our composers and musicians have made is truly special, and I can’t wait for people to get their ears on it! Col: What were some of the challenges that the team faced when recreating Japan? Simon: The one thing that really stood out to me was how castles of the period were deliberately laid out to mislead invaders, tricking them to take a left turn when they should’ve gone right - only to end up at a chokepoint or dead-end where arrows could rain down on them from above. So, creating cohesive gameplay spaces where players would not get turned around too much was pretty tricky, considering our source material was built to fulfil that exact purpose! Col: Are you excited to see the photo mode captures that will be taken by players once Assassin's Creed Shadows launches? Simon: Yes I am! But who’s kidding who - I’m even more exited to use it for myself :D Col: What sort of mysteries will players be able to find in the world? Simon: The mysterious kind, mostly. (Sorry, no spoilers!) Col: Are you pleased with the response to the game from fans so far, and how excited are the team for launch? Simon: Any time we get the game into players’ hands, we’re getting what all dev teams hope for: lots of smiles, a few loud shouts – and the occasional tear. We couldn’t be more exited for this thing to finally come out and find its way into players’ hands on a massive scale! Col: What would be your dream setting for a future Assassin's Creed game? Simon: I’m a big fan of World War 2 and all the secret bunker shenanigans an Assassin could get themselves into Col: Describe Assassin's Creed Shadows in three words. Simon: Deliberate, realistic, grounded. Assassin's Creed Shadows: Available March 20th 2025 We would like to say a huge thank you to Simon for joining us for this interview, and to Ubisoft for making it happen. In particular, we acknowledge the efforts of Dan St Germain from the AC Community Team! Look out for more interviews in the series, coming soon! comments debug Comments 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)

Verrell is an experienced social media manager who joined the program in Summer 2021. By joining the program, he will have the chance to expand his reach within the community, and help TOWCB Team reboot the program with fresh ideas and projects. Keep an eye on TOWCB Instagram account throughout 2022 and beyond. Previous Next Muhamad Verrell Social Media Previous Partner Verrell is an experienced social media manager who joined the program in Summer 2021. By joining the program, he will have the chance to expand his reach within the community, and help TOWCB Team reboot the program with fresh ideas and projects. Keep an eye on TOWCB Instagram account throughout 2022 and beyond. Twitter | Instagram Work

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 15th to 26th January Community Share 5 Jan 2024 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the biweekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every two weeks we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. This theme has been run alongside @ UnfazedVP aka Julio “Lion Heart”. Julio has been a member of our community for quite some time now and recently joined @ CreedScholars as a video editor. In addition, Julio is a member of @ vpgamers_ where he continues to support virtual photography. Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured. This week’s theme: Assassin’s Creed Combat The 300 Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ Lvl_hed The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ UnfazedVP This shot is very representative of the hashtag, the pose of the first line attack is amazing, and the atmosphere compliments the perfect battleground. Aaron “This is where we hold them”. I believe that one of the reasons the Assassin’s Creed series has done so well is its ability to recreate history/popular culture. Being able to play as a Spartan on the battlefield is so cool and something I could only dream of as a kid. This cinematic shot has the wow factor for sure. I love the action pose with the spear about to be thrown, the lighting is very nice illuminating the arrows wedged into the floor. Fantastic use of the depth of field to focus on Leonidas with his warriors deep in battle behind. I must credit the colours too, impressive how the background is so cold, but you have that orange glow on Leonidas. A glorious shot to kick start the theme. Leaping Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ AkiraAoyama_VP “You would fight me?” Assassin’s Creed Odyssey features epic conquest battles where you can side with the Spartans or the Athenians to gain control of that region. It’s a cool idea and certainly allows for some awesome virtual photography. I just wish they didn’t reset after a short time. This capture looks like it is straight from one of those battles. Fantastic timing to get Kassandra mid jump, I really like how the Spartan is on his knees about to face death. The lighting is nice, with the sunrays bursting in from the left. A very cinematic shot that captures the grandeur of these huge battles. Flaming Sword Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @m_nt_13 “I am your monster no longer”. The Assassin’s Creed RPG games have brought a more diverse array of weapons and action to the old stealth/counter gameplay. This has led to characters that resemble warriors more than assassins. It’s not been to everyone’s liking but I have enjoyed the change of pace. I must say this shot is giving me strong God of War vibes, especially with the multiple weapons and chained arms. This is a great combat shot with the blood and sparks flying everywhere. I am enjoying the pose too with Kassandra reaching for the spear. The flaming sword must be the standout, love how it is on fire at the business end, wouldn’t want to be on the other end of it. Streets of Baghdad Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ PodToGo “What was it like, the first time you took a life.” Assassin’s Creed Mirage doesn’t have the depth of combat its predecessor did, but the attempt to balance the old and the new led to some excellent finishers. I just wish we had a bit more variety. I really enjoyed the sword and dagger gameplay, plus it makes sense that combat is the last resort for Basim. Pod’s capture has Basim mid fight with one of the guards, the composition is on point and showcases them excellently. I adore the details on both outfits and the poses are great. The colours are so bold and inviting, with the warm sun-drenched background. The blooded dagger suggests this encounter is almost over. An Axe to Grind Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ secondcapture “Always remember to finish off your opponents.” The Wolf-Kissed one is the ultimate warrior, her skills with the axe are unrivalled. I did really enjoy the special moves in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, but one of my favourites has the be throwing axes. This capture is perfectly timed, with Eivor mid throw. The depth of field has been implemented perfectly, allowing full focus on Eivor. She definitely has a Viking/assassin look here, I love the mix of cloak and Basim outfit. The mound of bodies in front of her is not a good sign for the Saxon in the background, he is going to need that shield. Here is our January showcase video containing captures submitted via #ACFirstCivVP and #ACCombatVP ! Created by Turið Torkilsdóttir from TOWCB Virtual Photography Team! Show some love for the artists: @ RossHiroAsmara @ SubspaceNinja_ @ UnfazedVP @ CrimsonLenz @ cop_filip @ PodToGo @ m_nt_13 @ secondcapture @ AkiraAoyama_VP @ lvl_hed And that sums it up for this Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out the photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next time keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments (1) Write a comment Write a comment Sort by: Newest Guest Feb 06, 2024 Hello ! Thank you so much for this wonderful article. You were able to perfectly describe each part with a nice capture and it's an honour for me do be amongst such talented VPhotographers! You so much for this detailed and beautifully written article Aaron Young! AkiraAoyama_VP 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

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 16th to 22nd October Community Share 26 Oct 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: Baghdad Painting Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ giraph_1 “I have so much to tell you” Baghdad is a city that has deep roots in Assassin’s Creed lore. Throughout the series we have seen mentions of this beautifully vibrant playground. In 2023 we have finally been able to parkour its rooftops as Basim Ibn Ishaq. This striking capture has a real painting vibe, something that is amplified by the subtle white border. I adore the composition as it makes the city feel so big. This is assisted by the glorious water way running alongside it. There is a real Assassin’s Creed Origins feel to this shot, however the wondrous blue topped structures instantly tell us it is Baghdad. Lantern Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ IronJoy_ “A beacon to light the way” Decorative is a word I would use to sum up Assassin’s Creed Mirage and the beauty is often in the detail. Entering into a city full of culture and innovation really helps to create a diverse world that not only tells a story but acts as a history lesson. This beautiful shot encapsulates the ambiance of Baghdad. The warm tones of the capture are delightful and the lighting is on point. The lantern attracts the eye but it’s the clever composition that draws your attention to it. I love the markings on the wall and the perfect balance of dark and light. Docking Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ Cll3ar “I will go in quietly” One of the earlier missions in Assassin’s Creed Mirage sees Basim infiltrate a docked ship. It is the first real test of Basim’s training and rewards you with a nice outfit. This capture reminds me of Assassin’s Creed Origins and the constant flow of ships arriving at port. For me though this photo has been pulled right from the art studio at Ubisoft Bordeaux. The framing is exquisite and the saturation delightful. I love how you can see the beautiful blue topped building in the distance. I can just imagine this being Basim’s view as he plans his attack. Archway Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ G_Assassin90 “It is but one path” Even though Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a smaller game compared to the recent entries, I feel it has embraced and perfected specific locations. Most if not all of the major landmarks are memorable and have key moments and cues that make them recognizable. This capture is just so striking with the mix of colour tones. The warm interior reminds me of the collector’s edition, especially with the decorative border. The framing is precision with the dome encased in the archway. I must admit the dusty atmosphere and the sense of community in the courtyard make the shot for me. Majestic Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ cop_filip “We must go to Baghdad” Assassin’s Creed virtual photography can often excel in capturing the history of a location. Often character portraits rule but if you observe these masterfully created worlds you can see a lot is going on. This is one of the reasons the Discovery Tours have become so popular. This capture from Filip is a perfect example of the hard work that has gone into making Baghdad feel authentic. You could easily be forgiven for thinking this was a holiday snap. There is so much to love about this shot, the framing with the tree, the sunlight on the building and that elegant shadow of the bird cage on the wall. A perfect capture for the Baghdad theme. The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ _Virtualtourism ''A great capture. Once again Filip’s real world photography skills are shining through. You get the sense he’s walking through 9th century Baghdad himself rather than through a controller. Captures like this are precious in such a busy game, they shine the light on moments and scenes that can be easily missed. Filip has allowed us all to experience this through his photo. Great shot Filip.'' And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 24th March to 18th April Community Share 8 May 2025 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Turið Torkilsdóttir Back To Database Welcome to the monthly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every four weeks we will be picking our top five favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. This special Assassin’s Creed Shadows launch theme has been run alongside @Assassins_UK , the official account for the United Kingdom. Ubisoft are one of the leading publishers and developers in the gaming industry, most famous for their compelling Assassin’s Creed series. We would like to thank the team for agreeing to collaborate with TOWCB on this unique opportunity. We are very grateful that you took the time to pick this wonderful selection of photos for us. Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured. Theme: Assassin’s Creed Shadows Launch Samurai Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @AlexK0nstantin The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Theme Judge: @Assassins_UK Assassins UK Team We chose this amazing virtual photo as our favourite due to its many layers of beauty. Having the fierce silhouette of Yasuke set in front of the iconic rising sun of Japan encapsulates the spirit of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Aaron Silhouettes and red backgrounds are synonymous with Japanese media. They are symbolic of Japanese culture especially this time period. Even the marketing for Assassin’s Creed Shadows is heavily influenced by this style. In addition, the photo mode has a red dragon filter so we can produce similar style shots. Here we have a phenomenal portrait of Yasuke looking foreboding with his katana by his side. The use of red and black here is perfection, allowing Yasuke's samurai armour to shine with its intricate design. The composition with the sun behind him and the rocky ground elevating Yasuke to a position of authority, takes this capture to new levels. Time for Reflection Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @domo_vp Assassin’s Creed Shadows is a story of vengeance, which obviously brings a lot of pain and suffering. So, it is nice that Ubisoft allowed the reflective nature of Japanese culture to thrive in the quieter moments of the story. Just as we can see here with this peaceful shot of Naoe that has been elegantly framed. This is truly exceptional work by Dominik as he shows the softer side of our beloved Naoe. Capturing her with head down and eyes closed fits the scene brilliantly. I really like the depth of field and how it adds that flame effect to the circle. Naoe really needs these moments, and it helps us to understand her a little more. Through the Trees Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @ goodlovecapture.bsky.social Something that Ubisoft has always excelled in is the ability to create bountiful environments. From the announcement of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, I knew we would be in for some really breath-taking strolls through deep luscious forests. So, what better way to showcase this than an exquisite capture by GoodLove. I have to say the fog in this photo is amazing and shrouds the image in mystery. The height and depth on show complement the feeling of how small a human is when exploring nature. I adore the silhouette of Naoe, especially with the hair blowing in the wind. It almost feels like there is an impending doom about to appear from that fog. Perched Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @BranCakesVP I have longed to go back to the street and rooftops of big cities in Assassin’s Creed for quite some time now. The RPG entries offer us glimpses of this but are more focused on the full world. That being said there are some genuinely impressive buildings to scale in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. With any structure the opportunity arises to pose menacingly, looking down on the people you protect. Bran fortunately has provided that hero moment here with Naoe doing her best Batman impression. It was so smart to go with the black and white approach, especially with those thick white clouds offering great contrast to the shot. Without a bird companion this time, full credit must be given for capturing the eagle flying by in the distance. This is an Assassin’s Creed photo. Hide in Plain Sight Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @TakaSanGames Being able to blend in with the crowd has been a staple of the series since its inception. Assassins are trained to merge with their environments, disappearing from sight, allowing them to both assassinate and escape unseen. Finding moments such as the one in this photo are so satisfying. Taka has a knack for eye catching virtual photography and that is evident again here. How can you not admire the focus on Naoe with her unexpectedly colourful attire seamlessly fitting in with the crowd. I am a big fan of the hat covering the eyes and the framing with the crowd and blossom trees is immense. It’s incredible how everything just works here and is coordinated into such a beautiful shot. Natures Duellists Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @LegacyofAdam Once again Ubisoft have provided us with a living and breathing natural world that can sometimes make you feel like you’re walking into a David Attenborough documentary. It’s the small details such as these stags rutting that help with immersion, something that has evolved since Origins. Adam has definitely caught a great moment here, such perfect timing. The angle of the shot is excellent allowing us to see the moment of impact, and the level of detail captured in the grass and the stags is beautiful. I also like how the light is beaming in through the gap in the tress, acting as a spotlight on the big fight. Assassin’s Creed Shadows features many duels between skilled fighters, I just didn’t expect it to be talking about the wildlife. A World in Flames Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @Ayghan I have been very impressed with the tone of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, especially after the slightly light-hearted approach to Odyssey. So far, we have seen quite a few moody captures, featuring the brutality of feudal Japan. This one from Ayghan is both majestic and tragic. I am really impressed with the colours, the orange/yellow burning Pagoda stands out magnificently against the dark blue sky. Those embers flickering off in the wind make you feel the sheer power of the blaze, and the composition allows us to realise the scale of this building. The framing of the Pagoda between the trees is a nice touch and Naoe is so brilliantly placed, looking up at the destruction of her homeland. Shadow of Japan Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @PurplePampano The shinobi was always going to be the sensible approach to weaving the story of Assassin’s Creed through Japan. These infiltrators have operated in very similar ways although there is little historical evidence that suggest they actually assassinated targets. In this capture the drama has really been elevated thanks to some excellent composition work. The lighting is delicious, with Naoe’s hair flowing in the wind. I really like how there is a minimal approach to the photo. She really looks menacing perched on the structure, ready to pounce on an unexpected foe. I am getting Spider-Man 3 movie poster vibes. I think Purple Pampano has aced the Assassin’s Creed mood with this frightful good portrait. Many Faces Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @RalstonVP The masks that you find in Assassin’s Creed Shadows are impressive and fit effortlessly with the themes of the game. Allowing Naoe and Yasuke to adopt similar styles to the people they are hunting ties the two parties together in a shaded battle that blurs the lines of right and wrong. I think this is a fantastic portrait that gives an almost two face vibe. It’s such a great idea to have such an intimidating mask show the softness of Naoe through her eye. The shadows have been applied excellently and the colours softly, which assists in highlighting the superb details of the mask. I would not want to see this face hunting me in the night. Perfectly Poised Game: Assassin’s Creed Shadows VP Artist: @summers458 If there was ever a photo that could close this wonderful showcase, then it is this one. Assassin’s Creed has always allowed us to witness stand out, reflective moments either through cutscenes or more recently photo mode. I love the layers to this capture with the sun being the focal point, and Naoe beautifully suspended just below. The colour tones are warm and inviting with the different shades of oranges complimenting the darken silhouettes. Naoe starts this journey of vengeance alone but along the way finds friendship to aide her cause. Their struggle to free Japan of its oppressors is long and hard but they do not give up. I feel this capture epitomise this and would definitely have looked good as an end game cutscene. A worthy winner of the #ACFirstCivUK tag - Congratulations. And that sums it up for this Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out the photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next time keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Assassin's Creed Shadows Stealth Article Breakdown Breakdown Share 21 Nov 2024 Written By: Edited By: UbiCypher (Joe) Colum Blackett Back To Database The first Assassin's Creed Shadows article has been released giving us insights on the game's stealth system and how it will apply to the world's environment, enemies and traversal, let's recap the article's highlights! It is abundantly clear that Assassin's Creed Shadows is focusing on stealth making it the prime element to play with in the world Ubisoft will make us explore on February 14th 2025, to the point of borrowing certain elements inspired by other IP's in their roster of games. 👁️ Observe 👁️ This new feature will allow Naoe and Yasuke to display additional information about their targets and environment on-screen as well as loot & collectible locations and quest objectives. It will be possible to pair it with a Synchronization Point to further analyse the area. 🦅Eagle Vision🦅 We know how it works, however, only Naoe will be able to access it hence why the Observe mechanic was developed in order to not undermine Yasuke's involvement in infiltration and exploration since these two mechanics work independently revealing different information for us. The Shinobi Art In the likes of Splinter Cell and Ghost Recon, for the first time in the Assassin's Creed Franchise we will see the addition of a feature that will allow us to hide in the shadows as well as create hiding spots by taking out light sources in order to covertly move around. ⛩️Crouching⛩️ They have cranked up the stealth penalties by having the guards extremely sensitive to your movement in order to force you to be thoughtful of your actions pushing you to the limit making the most of the overhauled stealth system allowing you to go prone outdoors and indoors. ⚔️Their Arsenal⚔️ Smoke bombs are making their return -although properly this time- as consumables rather than passive or active perks. We will be able to use throwable Shinobi Bells to distract enemies, Kunais to one-shot enemies with precision and Shurikens to create environmental distractions. ⛩️Hiding Spots⛩️ Given her size, Naoe can squeeze through tiny wall cracks, and she can hide inside small storage spaces and boxes to avoid detection as well as perform assassinations. Now, if you want to take down an enemy from a bush you'll have to manually grab them and drag them in with you. ⚠️Detection System⚠️ When spotted and breaking the enemies line of sight, they will remain in a constant state of alert and "suspicion" that will make them hard to lure into traps and hiding spots, actually, attempting to do so will result in a logical and straightforward reaction from them: spot you. ⛩️Enemy Archetype Reactions⛩️ Samurais won't be able to be One-shotted and will evade the area of effect produced by a smoke bomb, they can also deny your assassination attempt, this will be distinguishable when you'll see a red prompt over their heads meaning they can't be killed via the Hidden Blade. Ashigaru soldiers (weak enemies) are however, easily dispatched, the same goes for the Servants (Alarm Ringers). (It is important to note that Smoke Bombs can be used to disperse Samurai groups ought to engage in combat with you, allowing for a swift escape for Naoe). All in all, the Assassination system will be classified as follows: 🔴 Red for Assassination Denial. (Samurais & Elites). 🟡 Yellow for Assassinations that deal some damage. ⚪️White for Insta-kill Assassinations. ⛩️Stealth for Yasuke⛩️ While the whole article seemed to have centered around Naoe and her Shinobi mastery of assassination and traversal, Yasuke will also have some balanced attributes to level the playing field between the two, of course, keeping in mind that he will be mainly combat-oriented. When he uses his bow for example, Yasuke can deliver stealthy blows without ever needing to draw his katana if precise. He can even sneak behind enemies and assassinate them silently with an aggressive yet swift kill with his devastating arsenal blending close combat with stealth. This is it for now! Ubisoft will be releasing more information soon. Next up, they will drop yet another detailed article about Yasuke's role and gameplay. Stay tuned Assassins!🦅 Did you enjoy our breakdown? Check out the original thread on the Isu_Network X account! 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)

Ubisoft Forward 2024 Breakdown: Assassin's Creed Shadows Gameplay Reveal Breakdown Share 10 Jun 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Colum Blackett Back To Database Ubisoft released the first ever glimpse at Assassin's Creed Shadows gameplay on the 9th June 2024 in a brand new 'First Look Gameplay Trailer' which was shown at the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase event, with the promise of more to follow at Ubisoft Forward the next day! Watch the teaser here: Ubisoft Forward has become a highly anticipated event since the collapse of E3, with players eagerly awaiting trailers, reveals and gameplay for their favourite franchises, and Assassin's Creed is no exception. As fans awaited the 19:30 BST launch time for the pre-show, screenshots, short clips and images of the game started to appear on Twitter, as just before Ubisoft's own event, Apple's WWDC event was going on. In a short section featuring Assassin's Creed's Vice President Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Côté, it was announced that the game would be available on both MAC and iPad! The main focus of the short teaser was the environment, which looks stunning in each and every scenario! Assassin's Creed was mentioned a couple of times in the build up to the show during the pre-show, with my favourite reference being a pigeon passing the camera along with the iconic eagle screech. We also see a few community photo mode shots on the walls of Ubisoft Montreal which were taken in Assassin's Creed games. The pre-show section dedicated to Assassin's Creed highlighted the fact that Mirage is available now on Apple devices. The Main Show As the biggest Ubisoft franchise of all, Assassin's Creed was naturally shown last at the event to end things on a high, with the tone set early on in the event by a series of excellent reveals, focusing on the passion of the developers, rather than pre-written jokes, audience participation and celebrity endorsement, as was often the case with E3. Coverage of #AssassinsCreedShadows at Ubisoft Forward kicked off following a stunning musical performance! Twelve minutes of gameplay was shown during the main show, focussing oin Yasuke. Features we noticed in the gameplay, written by Yazen (MidnightMarauder) Full year seasonal weather (depending on the season, the terrain changes). Can pet stray Shiba Inu. Yasuke is respected which can be seen by NPC bowing to him. Armour types on enemies affect their health, armour can be broken. Can easily switch between weapons with Yasuke. Unique kill screen for big targets. Noae has eagle vision. Many tools to assassinate not just the hidden blade. Grappling hook can be used to reverse vertical obstacles. You can choose to grab rather than assassinate for a non-lethal takedown. Can assassinate through Japanese doors. Kuni knife replaces the regular throwing knife. Can swim underwater to remain hidden for assassinations, breathe using a stick. Yasuke and Naoe now have different abilities which can be recharged through assassinations or kill like AC Mirage. Post-Show Features we noticed in the developer interview / gameplay, written by Yazen (MidnightMarauder) Monkeys are a visual clues for loot and interesting places The look of the map and animals even changed through the seasons Environment is highly interactive which can lead to breakable things during combat The ability bar is called the meter adrenaline meter Unlike Valhalla posture and parrying is paramount playing as Yasuke Different enemies of different types of combat encounters some enemies are more patient than others You can switch between characters, however, during missions or infiltrations that is not possible You can use a spy network to scout ahead for where your target is Grappling hook is highly dependent on speed and positioning Can peek around corners enemies are highly affected by light and shadows Weapons have different assassination animations like the hidden blade and the long blade The grappling hook can be used to grab at enemies quickly that are far away Thunder and different weather condition can affect assassination ways can change based on the weather condition where a pond can be frozen during winter but can be swam in in other seasons Media Coverage After the show, the floodgates opened on Assassin's Creed Shadows as the embargo lifted and media coverage and reactions of an early access gameplay demo hit the web. 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)

TheNerdyArcher and Frame Hold Photography from TOWCB Join the Ubisoft Creators Program News Share 29 Jun 2024 Written By: Edited By: TOWCB Team Colum Blackett Back To Database We are absolutely delighted to announce that Louise Chase (@ TheNerdyArcher ) and Frame Hold Photography from TOWCB have been accepted in to the Ubisoft Creators Program! This means that going forward, both will have more access to opportunities like playing game demos, Twitch drops and downloads supplied directly by Ubisoft. We are particularly proud of this achievement since both are members of The AC Partnership Program (@ Isu_Network ), a community initiative created by The Ones Who Came Before which aims to promote and share content. The program is a great way for content creators to gain recognition for their work within the community, and expand to a wider audience. About the Program: ''Welcome to the Ubisoft Creators Program, our home for content creators, community leaders and creative minds who bring our games to life thanks to their passion, engagement, and unique voices. Once you join, you can access a personalized dashboard with a lineup of different activities and choose to join the ones that best support your channel, interests, and tone.'' Louise (TheNerdyArcher) is a UK Assassin's Creed community ambassador and former member of The Mentor's Guild and 'Scholars of the Creed' community. She is an Archaeology graduate and passionate historian. By joining TOWCB Writing Team, we aim to provide her with structured guidance, early access to transmedia, and a platform for her written works. Throughout 2024 and beyond, TOWCB will be working on a variety of projects covering the series. Blog | Twitter | Instagram Frame Hold Photography is a passionate Virtual Photographer who joined our Video Content Creation Team in Summer 2022, as we began our efforts to break away from solely written content. During a period of uncertainty for TOWCB website, FHP stepped up and took on the role of Site Manager, overseeing our restoration efforts. Our website today now sits at the top of many Google searches📈 Outside of AC, she is also a full time editor and visual effects artist on TV commercials, and has been putting her skills to use in the community by creating epic Assassin's Creed tribute videos, miniature figure painting videos and editing episodes of our Rally the Creed podcast! Twitter | Instagram | YouTube Congratulations Assassins! 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

Rally The Creed: Episode 5 Released w/ Gargudon and Col_96 Podcast Share 6 Sept 2023 Written By: Edited By: Gustav Poulsen (Gargudon) Colum Blackett Back To Database 9 Years of TOWCB, Mirage & More - Rally The Creed Episode #5 w/ Gargudon & Col_96 In this new episode of Rally The Creed, Gargudon and Col look back on 9 years of The Ones Who Came Before, from Col first creating the site in 2014, first getting recognised by Ubisoft, our two guests first getting acquainted, the site growing and expanding, the future and much more. Also touched upon is the imminent release of AC Mirage, what to expect from it and the impact it will have on the community. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Gustav / Gargudon is an active community member, who started out in podcast hosting in 2016, but today mostly specialises in video creation, interviews & composing. By joining The Ones Who Came Before in 2019, originally reviving 'The Memory Corridor' podcast, which had been offline for nearly a year, he has had the opportunity to expand his audience and further develop his skills. 

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

Assassin's Creed News Recap: 7th - 20th August 2022 News Share 21 Aug 2022 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Welcome to a new Assassin's Creed News Recap series, hosted by Colum Blackett (Col_96) from The Ubisoft Star Players Program (Formerly Mentors Guild). Every week, we will be rounding up Assassin's Creed News and sharing it here on The Ones Who Came Before website. Keep an eye on the site every Sunday for more weekly recaps, or check out our social media links down below to stay updated on everything Assassin's Creed. 1) We have quite a lot to cover in this Assassin's Creed news round-up, this time spanning a fortnight instead of a week due to the launch of our Assassin's Creed Community Fundraiser! In collaboration with various community members and organisations, we here at TOWCB are raising funds for The British Heart Foundation and The American Heart Association, two incredible organisations providing critical cardiovascular medical research and education to facilities around the world. To increase donations, we are currently hosting an art sale! Lisa Zaman from the Assassin's Creed Partnership Program has kindly donated prints which we are selling via GoFundMe donations! To purchase a print, simply donate £15 for one, or £25 for x2, and message the admin team with your selections and details! Please donate if you can and help the fundraiser reach it's target of £1500! All donors receive a special thank you pack containing a surprise, and will be entered into raffles depending on donation amount. 2) Antheum Studios released new images of the Assassin's Creed Whisky, and it looks incredible! ''Crafted in the hill country of Texas and finished in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, this 4 year old straight bourbon whiskey carries a rich flavour with rye spice, wheat character, and hints of cherry, vanilla and oak. Appealing to spirit connoisseurs and fans alike, this iconic selection is a worthy addition to any bar. Game hard, drink responsibly.'' Look out for the Assassin’s Creed 15th Anniversary Straight Bourbon Whiskey, which is available now from various retailers in the US! 3) The teaser trailer for the Assassin's Creed event coming to PUBG Battlegrounds dropped! Never did we expect to see Master Assassin Ezio Auditore using a frying pan to knock out enemies, but here we are. In fairness, the crossover has done a good job at replicating Abstergo Industries and Ezio's robes. It also looks like the game features a number of core pillars sacred to the identity of the brand like the leap of faith and the Hidden Blade, so it'll be interesting to see how this plays out in-game. 4) Mike Smith from the AC Partnership Program (Isu Network) released his fascinating new interview with Kate Heartfield, author of The Magus Conspiracy novel. In the interview, we discuss her book and working with publisher Aconyte Books on a new trilogy for the Assassin's Creed universe; The Engine of History. For the first time ever, we also released the interview transcript, so you can enjoy this interview on Youtube , or here in written form! 5) We were happy to release a Q&A with Michael Doyle, an online article writer who recently joined the AC Partnership Program (Isu Network). Michael is a close friend of TOWCB admin team and has provided support behind the scenes for many years. In the interview, we covered everything from the Netflix Assassin's Creed TV show to the upcoming Ubisoft Forward Assassin's Creed event. Check it out here! 6) Ubisoft shared three new creations for the weekly social media series titled Wallpaper Wednesday. To mark the 15th Anniversary of Assassin's Creed, Ubisoft have been commissioning community artists. The first image, featuring an Assassin underneath the AC15 logo, and the second, showcasing settings from the games were created by artist Valorianru , formerly of The Mentors Guild! We love the use of colours in these two creations! The third image, by Assassin's Crweed , shows Desmond Miles in a powerful stance holding the Apple of Eden, surrounded by shattered glass fragments featuring the faces of Assassins. Look carefully and you'll notice that even the tiny fragment closest to Arno has an Assassin looking back. It's great to see community artists getting opportunities like this, and we are very much enjoying all of the creations. 7) We celebrated 8 years since the creation of The Ones Who Came Before. The main focus for this year's celebration was to launch the Assassin's Creed Community Fundraiser, but we still have one or two celebratory projects to release later on in the month. To mark our anniversary, we reflected on our history in a new article titled 8 Years of The Ones Who Came Before: Looking Back. Check it out here! 8) Hugo Sahuquet, Former Associate Narrative Director at Ubisoft Bordeaux shared some of his notes from the creation of the Wrath of the Druids DLC! We love stuff like this, showing the inner thought processes of the devs, and also how ideas change over time. Look carefully at the notes and you'll notice early dialogue ideas for a quest featuring Barid and Ciara! 9) Ubisoft shared a cryptic image featuring Morse Code on their Weibo account which reveals the phrase “coming soon” The second translation roughly says 'retrace the past, improve the present, define the future.' What do you think they are teasing? 10) Voice actor Roger Craig Smith (Ezio Auditore) shared an image of himself outside of the Ubisoft Montreal studio in Canada! This image sparked speculation that he could he be working on an Ezio project with Ubisoft, and we actually can't rule that out just yet. It could just be a fun tweet by Roger, but then again, it could be something more. The purpose for the visit remains a mystery, but with a new platform based Assassin's Creed project titled 'Infinity' currently in development, it may be that we start to see small chunks of content for older characters, so it may be possible to see Ezio again, or even get a conclusion for other characters such as Connor or Arno. Fingers crossed, the Mentor will return one day! 11) Several retailers including Amazon and IndieBound listed an upcoming novel titled 'Assassin's Creed: The Golden City', written by Jaleigh Johnson & published by Aconyte Books! The novel is set to release February 7th 2023! A young emperor’s life hangs in the balance, and only the Brotherhood of Assassins can save him, in this action-packed historical adventure from the award-winning Assassin’s Creed universe. Which Empire do you think it could it be referring to? 12) Ubisoft announced that CJ Allan (CJthegeek) would be host presenting the #AC15 Cosplay Competition by @CosXpo at Insomnia Gaming Festival! ''As a legendary host of past cosplay competitions, his expertise will benefit this amazing #AssassinsCreed event on Saturday 27th August'' Although we are unable to attend the event ourselves, we are very much looking forward to seeing all of the entries! Good luck Assassins! 13) Check out this incredible Assassin's Creed 15 Year Anniversary sand art project by @fallinginsand This impressive creation is one of many art projects commissioned by Ubisoft to mark the 15th Anniversary of Assassin's Creed It's interesting to see all the ways Ubisoft are thinking outside of the box to mark the occasion, and we love seeing unique creations such as this. We hope that you enjoyed this Assassin's Creed News Recap! You can look forward to more articles like this, dropping every Sunday! What was your highlight of the week? Let us know in the comments! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

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

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

Announcement: Two of our admins are joining The Mentors Guild! News Share 19 Oct 2020 Written By: Edited By: Ashlea Blackett Colum Blackett Back To Database We're pleased to announce that two members of TOWCB admin team, Col and Ash are officially joining The Mentors Guild! This is a huge opportunity for our community that will hopefully open many doors, and we are extremely excited to join a network of Assassin's Creed leaders around the world. We hope to help bridge the gap between community members and developers, and look forward to the future projects this community initiative will provide. We would like to say a huge thank you to the Assassin's Creed Community Development team for inviting us to join the program. What is the Mentors Guild? The Mentors Guild is a collection of Assassin’s Creed Community leaders, ranging in skillsets and areas of expertise. Members include cosplayers, artists, content creators, opinion leaders, and fan site administrators. The Mentors Guild was initiated by Ubisoft, spearheaded by Assassin's Creed Community Development team, and its members are hand chosen by Ubisoft. The Mentors Guild’s main purposes are to connect disparate community members together, assist in grass-roots community initiatives, and act as a bridge of communication between the developers and the fans for both criticism and praise. Our Admins Colum Blackett ( Col_96 // Col ) is the community admin for The Ones Who Came Before, and is joining the Mentors Guild as a community builder. Col has been a community ambassador in the UK for the last 4 years, and created TOWCB in 2014. It took a great deal of time to grow, but six years later TOWCB is a community that can be found across several different platforms and has an overall number of around 30,000 members. "It's a great honour to be selected for the Mentors Guild community program. I've spent many years within the Assassin's Creed community, and I can't wait to get started. I hope to bring a fresh wave of ideas to TMG that will help with its future. I have a ton of experience when it comes to community building, and hope to work together with fellow Mentors to create opportunities that will benefit the entire community." Trivia: Col is also an Assassin's Creed merchandise collector, and has one of the biggest collections in the UK! See more Ashlea Buckley ( Ashlea_97 // Ash) is the Editor/ Charity Project Coordinator for The Ones Who Came Before, and is joining the Mentors Guild as a community builder. Ash joined the Assassin's Creed community in 2016 during the promotional campaign for the movie, working from the shadows to keep our social media spoiler-free. She later took on the bigger role of Editor, where she reviews and edits all content published by TOWCB. At University, Ash was the Charity Officer for the Fencing society, where she helped raise money for various charities. Upon leaving, this was something she wanted to continue, and took on the additional role of Charity Project Coordinator. Ash has created several fundraising projects since joining TOWCB, most recently for The Italian Red Cross during the Coronavirus pandemic, supporting the efforts to combat the virus by providing resources and aid. To date, Ash has helped to raise over £1000 for various campaigns through Assassin's Creed community fundraisers. "It is such an honour to be selected as part of the Mentors Guild. It was definitely unexpected as I have not been involved in the Assassin's Creed community for as long as the other people in the program, having only been on the scene for the last 4 years, but it is great to see that even when working mostly behind the scenes the work I do as a part of The Ones Who Came Before doesn't go unnoticed. I really appreciate being given this opportunity to further my contributions to the franchise" Trivia: Ash has also cosplayed at several UK events, and is the host of the Rally the Creed podcast! Going Forward A new wave of members are joining the ranks from across the globe, and it's exciting times ahead for all involved. You can expect a ton of fan-led initiatives in the future, as we aim to help and inspire content creators to take the next step. We'll also be sharing community projects over on TMG social media accounts, so keep an eye out for that! Until then, you can find everything you need regarding AC here at the home of Assassin's Creed community content. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Ashlea is the Editor/ Charity Project Coordinator for The Ones Who Came Before on its wide variety of social media platforms. Her main responsibilities for TOWCB involve creating and editing articles, organisation of events and coordinating our charity fundraising, as well as hosting the Rally The Creed Podcast. Ashlea Blackett

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

Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Eve of Launch Message News Share 9 Nov 2020 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database We are now just moments away from the launch of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, the next entry in the series that takes players to war-torn England looking for a new place to call home. Although much of the marketing campaign has focused on raids and combat, we encourage our fans to dig deep below the surface and find the Assassin's Creed connections and lore, as the series takes another step towards getting back to its roots. We can't wait to join you in the stealth raids, and welcome all of the new fans that the game is sure to attract. Valhalla is such a unique game, and will provide hours of entertainment. No matter which version of Eivor you choose to play as, we will be with you every step of the way, as you discover the hidden conflict that plagues England and other lands further ashore. Thank you to all the fans who have supported The Ones Who Came Before community on the journey towards Valhalla, and we will once again be doing our best to cover all of the news, community content and more as we dive straight in. Before we boot up the game for ourselves, we would like to congratulate Ubisoft on the launch, and thank all of the teams around the world who made it possible. It's been an incredibly difficult year for game development, with many still working from home, but we recognise the efforts of the company to adapt and overcome the challenges presented. See you all in Valhalla! - TOWCB Admin Team & Partners comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

TOWCB 5 Year Anniversary News Share 18 Sept 2019 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database Check out the ways in which we celebrated our 5 year anniversary! New Website Launched On the 10th August 2019 we launched our new website! The site is one of our most ambitious projects to date, and provides an interactive platform for members of our passionate community. We will be working hard to provide regular content that is both interesting and engaging. Stay tuned for more. Brotherhood of Venice Interview We released an interview with Thibaud de la Touanne, Founder of Triton Noir, the Montreal based studio behind Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood of Venice. You can read it here. Follower of Romulus Giveaway We ran a giveaway for an exclusive Follower of Romulus Figure from the AC Brotherhood of Venice tabletop board game, kindly donated by the Triton Noir team! Congrats to our fan Shell from the UK for winning this limited edition prize! Bundle Giveaways To celebrate the launch of our new website, and 5 years as an Assassin's Creed community, Ubisoft kindly donated a range of items for a giveaway! Congrats to our fans Cole from the US and Nader from Egypt for winning the epic merchandise bundles! Assassin's Creed Movie Interview We released an interview with Chris Wildgoose, Weapons Concept Artist on the Assassin's Creed Movie! You can read it here Giveaway We teamed up with Lisa Zaman and ran an art giveaway! Three lucky winners received exclusive art prints to add to their collections! Congratulations to Peter from Denmark, Joseph from Michigan and Adrienn from Hungary! We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported TOWCB, and hope to see you all again in August of next year for the year 6 celebrations! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 16th to 27th September Community Share 17 Oct 2024 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the biweekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every two weeks we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. This theme has been run alongside @ Cll3ar a long-time friend of TOWCB. Raven has been delighting us with her beautiful and unique virtual photography from the RPG games. Her dark and gritty Valhalla shots are some of the best I have seen, while she also charms us with the softer tones of Odyssey. Raven was the very first guest judge for these articles, so it is a pleasure to have her return. Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured. Theme: Peaceful Blossom Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ playpausephoto The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ Cll3ar Raven When it comes to capturing what I consider peaceful, it’s mostly places in nature, ambient spots or details with soft colours. Each of the participants did an amazing job of showcasing these. However, as only one can be the winner, I definitely see it in Malin’s capture. It is lovely, soft and shows peaceful details from nature. Aaron In some ways it is the perfect theme for the minimal queen. When Malin won the code for Assassin’s Creed Mirage, I knew we would be in for some different and distinctive captures. This theme really breaks away from the standard Assassin’s Creed shot and delves deeper into the finer details. Malin’s beautiful photo mixes vibrant flowers against some soft calming negative space. I just can’t get enough of the colours in this shot. What I love about it though is the fact you could not tell which game this is from. A worthy winner for the peaceful theme. Warm Glow Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ WonDerNooB_VP RS is a fantastic virtual photographer who consistently supports our themes. This time we had a really hard time picking which shot to feature. For all the action and bravado of the Assassin’s Creed games there are always softer, more peaceful moments to find. I think RS has found one of these here with this capture. There is a real relaxing vibe with the stunning view and the warm glow of the fire. I really like how this photo makes it feel like we are playing in the first-person perspective. Looking at this reminds me of some of the promotional shots for the VR game. Excellent work as always RS. Autumnal Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ UVioletra Much the same as Malin, Bianca excels with peaceful photography. Although known for her vibrant Odyssey shots, Bianca actually produces quite a lot of remarkable Valhalla environments. The diverse seasons within Valhalla really do lend themselves to some truly beautiful VP. I am sure this is something we will see a lot more of once Shadows releases. The distinctive colour tones displayed here make this look like a painting. I love the autumnal colours, with the trees looking so good. The house and the people in the fields working really gives that lived in experience. Wonderful photography as usual. Sunset Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ cyrielle_vp Assassin’s Creed Odyssey has such contrasting landscapes that offer sublime photo opportunities. The Sunsets in all the RPG series have been quite something and activating the PM during these moments often ends with a mesmerising capture. This beautiful shot from Cyrielle is the epitome of peaceful. What I love the most is the framing, with the tree branches encompassing the sun as it sets behind the mountains. That reflection on the water is very picturesque adding to the sense of calm. This is the perfect photo to accompany the end to Kassandra’s story. The Forest Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ NovA1990 This capture confused me as I was sure this was the English countryside. Once again showing that Odyssey has some of the most diverse landscapes in a video game. What I like about his photo is the way it reminds me of summer walks in my local area. The varying vegetation on both sides of the path adds variety and that leading line from the walkway is a great addition. You can feel the peace exuding from this capture. I am sure Kassandra enjoyed walking this path after a hard day on the battlefield. And that sums it up for this Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out the photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next time keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Starter Guide focussing on Norway for new players looking to begin their Assassin's Creed Valhalla adventure. Community Guides Assassin's Creed Valhalla Starter Guide: Norway By Aaron Young 2/2/21 Share Top Stories The Assassin's Creed Community are raising money for Ocean Conservancy. Donate today Assassin’s Creed Valhalla can seem like a daunting game at first. When you start in Norway the map is already a decent size. The amount of collectables and content to discover can feel slightly overwhelming, especially with most of the main game set in England. In this article I will try and set you up for your Viking adventure, with hints and tips for your beautiful starting location, Norway. I am going to keep away from the story aspects of the Norway arc, as it is best you discover this yourself. The only thing I will say is that the story can drag you in, and before you know it you will be sailing off to England without exploring everything Norway has to offer. Take time in-between quests to have a look around. Important to note, you will be able to return to Norway at any moment once you are in England. When you begin the game you will immediately start levelling up, however this is only the beginning. Norway is a snowy playground that you can use to set yourself up for your adventures in England. You will notice many icons scattered around Norway on the map. They range from gold (wealth), blue (mysteries) and white (artefacts). These are often separate from the main story and are here to enrich the experience. Completing the main quest will always be your best way to level up as the XP reward is high. The little gold markers have less of an impact on completing an area but offer valuable XP and resources. If you are a completionist like me then these small loot boxes are worth it even if they don’t seem like it at the time. Edited by Ashlea Buckley XP and the Map Interview with Magnus Bruun - Eivor Assassins' Creed Valhalla Merchandise Guide Q&A with Abubakar Salim - Bayek of Siwa TOWCB Plans for 2021 Netflix announce upcoming live-action Assassin's Creed series Female Vikings: The Real History Building an Assassin's Creed Community: Getting Started Mentors Guild Announcement Interview with Benoit Richer: Valhalla Co-Dev Game Director Interview with Eric Baptizat: AC Valhalla Game Director Interview with Jordan Van Andel (JorRaptor) Colours in Assassin's Creed: A Short Review 6 ways to stay entertained in the Assassin's Creed Community during isolation Interview with Carlos Ferro - Da Vinci 5 ways you can support TOWCB Interview with Jesper Kyd Top Stories For anyone who played Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Mysteries may come as a welcome addition. I found Odyssey a tad repetitive, but Valhalla’s Mysteries help diversify the world and keep things fresh. They often come with a small bit of problem solving, but be sure to check your surrounding area for clues. Mysteries are great for XP too, but don’t feel compelled to complete them all as some are power dependant. Gear and Skill Points Unlike Odyssey, don’t expect to find loads of gear throughout the world. Norway does not have many gear items and you can find yourself in the same outfit for quite some time. Personally I enjoy this, as I find I use each piece way more than I would in Odyssey/Origins. Your best way to scout out these gear pieces is to find the synchronization points. This will open up the world, and although Valhalla is less click and go, waypoints will become clearer after syncing with the world. Upgrading your gear can be done in multiple ways. The major upgrades will not be available until you reach England (Settlement Blacksmith), but runes and resources can be applied to your gear right from the start. I did this sparingly but if you follow the guidance above then you can use resources such as iron and leather to upgrade your gear as often as you like. Try not to get overloaded with skill points. The maximum power in Valhalla is 400, but this level will be increased during future DLC expansions. The points can be added to 3 different routes, however you do not have to specialise as by the end of the game you will most likely have filled all of the skill tree. Red is the way of the bear (Melee), yellow is the way of the raven (Stealth) and blue is the way of the wolf (Ranged). The game lets you view what is available under each section, so just find a skill you wish to acquire and work towards it. Combat Combat will take some getting used to but with perseverance you will prevail. I don’t tend to make the strongest builds or use that many different weapons, as I prefer to keep to the pure Viking simulator. If you take the time, you can make your character very powerful, even in the early stages of the game. When in Norway, I preferred the axe and the shield combination for close up fights and then switching to the bow for anything at a distance. There are not a lot of weapons to choose from in Norway, but there are enough to get you started. Once in England you will gain many more abilities which will tie in with your weapon choices. Health and stamina play a larger role in Valhalla. You will not have the luxury of health regeneration and must forage for food to store in a rations bag which can then be used during combat. Your stamina bar will deplete when running/fighting, so it is important to slow things down from time to time. Traveling and Discovering When navigating Norway it is best to use your longship. This will help you to discover fast travel points for easy access later in the game. It is also a great way to view the beautiful scenery Norway has to offer. On land you will find yourself on horseback. I found it a tad slow due to the mountain ranges. Try if you can to keep to the main paths, as this is a lot quicker and will not deplete your stamina. Quite often you will find items in the world that are trapped behind locked or barricaded doors. Sometimes it can be frustrating to find a way in. Remember, locked doors will always have a key nearby and Sýnin your raven can help. Sýnin cannot tag everything in the environment like Senu or Ikaros could, but your bird will still be useful for finding things. If that fails you have Odin’s sight (Eagle Vision) which will give you a glimpse of the environment around you. Anything that is barricaded will just be a small puzzle to solve. Keep an eye out for gaps in windows, or weakness in walls/roofs for a way in. Hopefully these tips will help you get started on your Viking adventure. Valhalla is a wonderful game full of intrigue and mystery with a story that sucks you in slowly. Be patient and take your time, you will not regret it. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who recently joined TOWCB AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer. Throughout 2021, Aaron and other writers will be joining the admin team in a collaborative effort to create an Assassin's Creed Valhalla Guide Database, which you can find here . Twitter Aaron Young Save 10% on officially licensed Assassin's Creed Origins merchandise with the code "TOWCB"