Assassin's Creed: A Comprehensive Timeline

Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the latest installment in the storied franchise, transports players to the heart of feudal Japan, marking a significant midpoint in the series' historical timeline. The Assassin’s Creed series is renowned for its non-linear progression through history, jumping from the ancient Peloponnesian War to the eve of the First World War across its 14 mainline games. To navigate this intricate web of history and lore, IGN has meticulously compiled a chronological timeline that weaves together all the pivotal events in the Assassin’s Creed universe.

The Isu Era

75,000 BCE

Before diving into the timeline, it's crucial to understand the lore. Long ago, the Isu, a highly advanced civilization, ruled the earth with god-like abilities. They engineered humanity as their workforce, controlling them with powerful artifacts known as the Apples of Eden. However, the human spirit of rebellion was ignited when Adam and Eve stole an Apple, sparking a revolutionary war against their Isu overlords. The conflict raged for a decade until a cataclysmic solar flare wiped out the Isu, leaving humanity to rise from the ruins and claim the world as their own.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey

431 to 422 BCE - Peloponnesian War

In the midst of the Peloponnesian War, the mercenary Kassandra uncovers the Cult of Kosmos, a secretive group manipulating the conflict from the shadows. Her journey reveals that her brother Alexios, kidnapped and transformed by the Cult, shares the blood of their grandfather, the Spartan King Leonidas, a direct descendant of the Isu. Kassandra's quest to dismantle the Cult leads her to destroy an Isu device used to predict future outcomes, ending the war and reuniting her with her father, Pythagoras, who entrusts her with the immortal Staff of Hermes to guard Atlantis.

Assassin's Creed Origins

49 to 43 BCE - Ptolemaic Egypt

Set during Cleopatra's reign, Bayek, a peacekeeper, finds himself and his son kidnapped by the Order of the Ancients, an organization linked to the Cult of Kosmos. After his son's tragic death, Bayek and his wife Aya vow to dismantle the Order, which controls Egypt through manipulation and the power of the Apples of Eden. Their efforts lead to the formation of the Hidden Ones, a group dedicated to fighting the Order's global conspiracy from bases in Egypt and Rome.

Assassin's Creed Mirage

861 - Islamic Golden Age

A century later, the Hidden Ones have grown into a formidable force with strongholds worldwide. Basim, a street thief turned assassin, uncovers the Order's plot to access an Isu temple beneath Alamut. Inside, he learns of his past life as Loki, imprisoned by the Isu, and sets out on a path of vengeance against those who confined him.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla

872 to 878 - Viking Invasion of England

In the following decade, Basim joins a Viking clan in England, seeking to eliminate remnants of the Order. Sigurd and Eivor, leaders of the clan, navigate alliances and confront the tyranny of King Alfred, a member of the Order. Sigurd's encounter with an Isu artifact leads to revelations of his and Eivor's past lives as Odin and Týr, respectively, prompting Basim's attempt at revenge. Eivor traps Basim in a simulated reality, allowing them to return to England as heroes after defeating King Alfred.

Assassin's Creed

1191 - Third Crusade

Three centuries later, the Hidden Ones evolve into the Assassin Brotherhood, facing the Knights Templar, successors to the Order of the Ancients. Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, a member of the Brotherhood, embarks on a mission to retrieve an Apple of Eden and assassinate key Templar leaders. His journey uncovers a plot involving his mentor, Al Mualim, who seeks to use the Apple's power for world domination. Altaïr ultimately takes control of the Brotherhood after thwarting Al Mualim's plans.

Assassin's Creed II

1476 to 1499 - Italian Renaissance

Ezio Auditore da Firenze, seeking vengeance for his family's murder by the Templars, joins the Assassin Brotherhood. Armed with his father's tools and innovations from Leonardo da Vinci, Ezio battles the Templar-aligned Borgia family. His journey leads him to an Isu vault beneath the Vatican, where he learns of a future catastrophe from the Isu Minerva, prompting a quest to locate other Isu vaults to avert the disaster.

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood

1499 to 1507 - Italian Renaissance

Despite defeating Pope Rodrigo Borgia, Ezio's decision to spare him backfires when the Papal Army captures the Apple of Eden. In response, Ezio strengthens the Assassin Brotherhood, leading them to dismantle the Borgia regime and secure the Apple in an Isu vault beneath the Colosseum.

Assassin's Creed Revelations

1511 to 1512 - Ottoman Civil War

Seeking more knowledge about the Isu, Ezio journeys to Masyaf to access Altaïr's library. After thwarting the Templars' attempt to claim the library's keys, Ezio uncovers a message from the Isu Jupiter, indicating the location of the Grand Temple, vital for humanity's survival. Choosing to preserve the Apple within the library, Ezio retires and later succumbs to injuries sustained over his long service to the Brotherhood.

Assassin's Creed Shadows

1579 - Sengoku Period

Set in the Sengoku period of Japan, Assassin's Creed Shadows follows the journey of Yasuke, an African mercenary, and Naoe, a shinobi's daughter, as they navigate the tumultuous landscape under the rule of Oda Nobunaga. Their paths converge amidst the conflict, leading them to unite in pursuit of a common cause.

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag

1715 to 1722 - Golden Age of Piracy

During the Golden Age of Piracy, Edward Kenway becomes entangled in a Templar plot to control the world through the Observatory, an Isu device capable of surveillance. After allying with pirates and confronting the Sage Bartholomew Roberts, Edward chooses to protect the world's safety over personal gain, sealing the Observatory and returning to his family in England.

Assassin's Creed Rogue

1752 to 1776 - French and Indian War

Shay Patrick Cormac, after inadvertently causing an earthquake in Lisbon, leaves the Assassin Brotherhood and joins the Templars. His journey leads him to prevent the Assassins from accessing more Isu temples, culminating in a suggestion to ignite the French Revolution as a counter to the American uprising.

Assassin's Creed 3

1754 to 1783 - American Revolution

Haytham Kenway, son of Edward, seeks to unlock the Isu's Grand Temple but fails, instead starting a family with Kaniehti:io. Years later, their son, Connor Kenway, becomes an Assassin and fights the Templars during the American Revolution. His confrontation with Haytham leads to his father's death and the burial of the Grand Temple key, thwarting the Templars' plans.

Assassin's Creed Liberation

1765 to 1777 - Spanish Occupation of Louisiana

Aveline de Grandpré, an Assassin in New Orleans, uncovers a Templar plot to control Louisiana through the exploitation of slaves and Isu technology. Her investigation leads to the discovery that her stepmother is the 'Company Man' behind the plot, whom she kills before activating an Isu device revealing the story of Eve's rebellion against the Isu.

Assassin's Creed Unity

1789 to 1794 - French Revolution

Arno Dorian, an orphan taken in by the French Templars, seeks vengeance for his adoptive father's murder. His journey with the Assassin Brotherhood uncovers a Templar faction led by François-Thomas Germain, intent on sparking the French Revolution. Arno and his sister Élise confront Germain, who is revealed to be a Sage, leading to Élise's death and Germain's eventual defeat.

Assassin's Creed Syndicate

1868 - Victorian England

In Victorian London, twin Assassins Jacob and Evie Frye work to reclaim the Shroud, an Isu device, from Templar control. Their efforts dismantle the Templar's grip on the city, leading to the assassination of their leader, Crawford Starrick. The twins secure the Shroud and later confront other challenges, including the notorious Jack the Ripper.

Transition Period

1914 to 2012

During the transition from the Victorian era to the modern storyline, the Templars establish Abstergo Industries, a front for their quest to control the world through capitalism and the development of the Animus, a device to explore ancestral memories.

Assassin's Creed 1, 2, Brotherhood, Revelations, and 3

2012

In 2012, Desmond Miles, abducted by Abstergo, uses the Animus to explore his ancestors' memories, including Altaïr and Ezio, uncovering the threat of an impending apocalypse. With help from the Assassin Brotherhood, Desmond sacrifices himself to activate the Isu technology in the Grand Temple, preventing the disaster and releasing the Isu Juno.

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag

2013

Using Desmond's DNA, Abstergo continues their search for Isu technology through Edward Kenway's memories. Amidst this, an Abstergo researcher, dubbed "The Noob," uncovers a plot involving the Sage John Standish, who attempts to use The Noob as a host for Juno, but is ultimately killed.

Assassin's Creed Unity

2014

Abstergo releases the Helix software to the public, allowing players to experience genetic memories. An Assassin initiate explores Arno Dorian's life, discovering the location of the Sage François-Thomas Germain's remains in the Paris Catacombs, believed to be safe from Abstergo's reach.

Assassin's Creed Syndicate

2015

The initiate's next mission involves locating the Shroud in London through the memories of Jacob and Evie Frye. Despite Abstergo's attempts to use the Shroud to create an Isu, the Assassins thwart their plans, revealing Juno's manipulation of Abstergo employees.

Assassin's Creed Origins

2017

Layla Hassan, an Abstergo researcher, develops a new Animus version and uses DNA from Bayek and Aya to explore the origins of the Hidden Ones. Her work catches the attention of the Assassin Brotherhood, leading to an offer to join their ranks.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey

2018

Using DNA from the Spear of Leonidas, Layla explores Kassandra's memories and uncovers the location of Atlantis. Kassandra, having lived for centuries with the Staff of Hermes, reveals Layla's destiny to balance the forces of Assassins and Templars, passing on the Staff before dying.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla

2020

Investigating magnetic field disturbances, Layla uses Viking remains to explore Eivor's memories, uncovering the Yggdrasil computer in an Isu temple. Inside the simulation, she works with Desmond's consciousness to prevent future disasters, while Basim escapes with the Staff of Hermes, continuing his quest for Loki's children.

Assassin's Creed: The Complete Playlist

From the 2007 debut to the latest projects across consoles, PC, mobile, and VR, the Assassin's Creed series offers a vast array of experiences. Here is a comprehensive list of all titles, allowing fans to track their journey through the saga.

Ubisoft Montreal

Gameloft

Gameloft Bucharest

Ubisoft Montreal

Griptonite Games

Gameloft

Ubisoft

Ubisoft Montreal

Ubisoft Montreal

Ubisoft