Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed franchise has captivated gamers for 18 years, taking them on a thrilling journey through five continents and 2,300 years of history. From Ancient Greece to Victorian London, the series has explored various eras through 13 mainline games centered around the epic conflict between Assassins and Templars. As we anticipate the release of Assassin's Creed Shadows, let's delve into a comprehensive chronology of the Assassin's Creed timeline, focusing solely on the mainline games that drive the series' narrative forward.
For an in-depth exploration of the historical settings in Assassin's Creed games, be sure to check out our complete guide to the Assassin's Creed timeline.
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- How to play in chronological order
- How to play in release order
Mainline Assassin's Creed Games in Chronological Order
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How Many Assassin's Creed Games Are There?
The Assassin's Creed series boasts 14 mainline games and an additional 17 spinoff titles. Beyond video games, fans can also look forward to an Assassin's Creed board game and a rumored TV series in development at Netflix.
Which Assassin's Creed Game Should You Play First?
Choosing where to start in the vast Assassin's Creed timeline can be daunting. For newcomers, consider starting with a game set in an era that piques your interest. The original Ezio trilogy—comprising Assassin's Creed II, Brotherhood, and Revelations—stands out for its compelling narrative and character development. If you're drawn to more recent entries, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag offers a unique pirate-themed experience, while Assassin's Creed Odyssey immerses you in the world of ancient Greece.
PS4, Xbox One, PC
Assassin's Creed: Ezio Trilogy
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Nintendo Switch
Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Trilogy
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PS4, Xbox One, PC
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
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PS4, Xbox One, PC
Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
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How to Play the Assassin’s Creed Games In Order
You can experience the Assassin's Creed saga in two distinct ways. The first approach is by following the modern-day storyline, which progresses chronologically with each game's release. This method is ideal for understanding the overarching narrative and witnessing the series' evolution from stealth-action to open-world RPGs. To play the games in this order, refer to the section on playing the Assassin's Creed games by release date.
Alternatively, you can explore the games based on their historical settings. While these stories are less interconnected than their modern-day counterparts, they offer rich historical experiences and are where you'll spend most of your time. This chronological approach is perfect for those interested in historical immersion.
The Assassin’s Creed Games in Chronological Order
To assist series newcomers, the following summaries contain only mild spoilers, focusing on broad plot points, historical settings, and key characters.
1. Assassin's Creed Odyssey (431 B.C.–422 B.C.)
Primary setting: Ancient Greece
Historic Protagonist: Cassandra or Alexios
Modern Protagonist: Layla Hassan
Set nearly 400 years before any other mainline game, Assassin's Creed Odyssey embraces RPG elements, marking the series' transition to open-world gameplay. As Cassandra or Alexios, grandchildren of Sparta's King Leonidas I, you navigate the Peloponnesian War between Sparta and Athens. The game intertwines historical figures like Hippocrates, Socrates, and Plato with mythological beings such as the Sphinx, Cyclops, and Medusa. Although set before the establishment of the Assassin and Templar orders, it features a crucial Piece of Eden, the Spear of Leonidas.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia, Amazon Luna | IGN's Assassin's Creed Odyssey Wiki
2. Assassin's Creed Origins (49 B.C.–44 B.C.)
Primary setting: Ancient Egypt
Historic Protagonist: Bayek of Siwa
Modern Protagonist: Layla Hassan
Following a year-long hiatus, Ubisoft returned with Assassin's Creed Origins in 2017, introducing RPG mechanics to the series. Set during the reigns of Ptolemy XIII and Cleopatra in Ancient Egypt, Origins follows Bayek and Aya's journey of vengeance, which leads them to uncover the proto-Templar organization, the Order of the Ancients. Their quest culminates in the formation of the Hidden Ones, the precursor to the Assassins. The modern story introduces Layla Hassan, the protagonist for Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla.
Available on: PS4, Xbox, PC, Stadia, Amazon Luna | IGN's Assassin's Creed Origins Wiki
3. Assassin's Creed Mirage (861–???)
Primary setting: 9th Century Baghdad
Historic Protagonist: Basim Ibn Ishaq
Modern Protagonist: N/A
Released in 2023, Assassin's Creed Mirage is a $50 USD stealth-focused adventure, paying homage to the series' origins. It follows a 17-year-old Basim Ibn Ishaq, a street thief with "nightmarish visions," as he escapes Baghdad en route to the Hidden Ones' fortress of Alamut. Unlike other entries, Mirage does not prominently feature a present-day storyline.
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, PC, Amazon Luna | IGN's Assassin's Creed Mirage Wiki
4. Assassin's Creed Valhalla (872–878)
Primary setting: 9th Century England and Norway
Historic Protagonist: Eivor Varinsson/Varinsdottir
Modern Protagonist: Layla Hassan
Assassin's Creed Valhalla ventures into Norse history and mythology, offering the series' largest game to date. The narrative intertwines real-life figures like King Harald Fairhair and King Aelfred the Great with mythological beings such as Fenrir and Odin. It continues the conflict between the Hidden Ones and the Order of the Ancients while exploring Eivor's clan's journey from Norway to England. The modern-day story concludes Layla Hassan's arc.
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia, Amazon Luna | IGN's Assassin's Creed Valhalla Wiki
5. Assassin's Creed (1191)
Primary setting: 12th Century Holy Land (Acre, Damascus, Jerusalem)
Historic Protagonist: Altair Ibn'La-Ahad
Modern Protagonist: Desmond Miles
The inaugural Assassin's Creed game introduces Altair Ibn'La-Ahad, set during the Third Crusade. It lays the groundwork for the series' core gameplay elements and narrative, including the Pieces of Eden and the Animus. Altair's mission to hunt down nine Templars intertwines with Desmond Miles' introduction to the modern Assassin-Templar conflict.
Available on: PS3, Xbox 360, PC | IGN's Assassin's Creed Wiki
6. Assassin's Creed II (1476–1499)
Primary setting: 15th Century Italy
Historic Protagonist: Ezio Auditore da Firenze
Modern Protagonist: Desmond Miles
Assassin's Creed II introduces Ezio Auditore da Firenze, whose story spans three games. His journey begins with a quest for vengeance, leading him to uncover a broader conspiracy and engage in the Assassin-Templar conflict. The game takes players through iconic Italian locales and introduces historical figures like Leonardo Da Vinci and Niccolo Machiavelli. In the present, Desmond begins his work with the Assassins.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Switch (The Ezio Collection); PS3, Xbox 360, PC (Original Release) | IGN's Assassin's Creed 2 Wiki
7. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (1499–1507)
Primary setting: 15th-16th Century Italy
Historic Protagonist: Ezio Auditore da Firenze
Modern Protagonist: Desmond Miles
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood continues Ezio's story, focusing on his efforts to rebuild Rome's Assassins Guild and retrieve the Apple of Eden. The modern-day narrative sees Desmond and his team pursuing the same artifact in Italy to avert a prophesized catastrophe.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Switch (The Ezio Collection); PS3, Xbox 360, PC (Original Release) | IGN's Assassin's Creed Brotherhood Wiki
8. Assassin's Creed: Revelations (1511–1512)
Primary setting: 16th Century Constantinople
Historic Protagonist: Ezio Auditore da Firenze
Modern Protagonist: Desmond Miles
The final chapter of the Ezio trilogy, Revelations, sees an older Ezio seeking Altair's hidden library in Constantinople. His journey uncovers key memories in Altair's life and solidifies Ezio's role in the series' overarching narrative. In the present, a comatose Desmond navigates the Animus to escape "the Black Room."
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Switch (The Ezio Collection); PS3, Xbox 360, PC (Original Release) | IGN's Assassin's Creed Revelations Wiki
9. Assassin's Creed Shadows (1581)
Primary setting: Feudal Japan
Historic Protagonists: Naoe and Yasuke
Modern Protagonist: N/A
Assassin's Creed Shadows takes players to Feudal Japan during the late Sengoku period. Featuring dual protagonists, Yasuke, an African samurai, and Naoe, a shinobi-in-training, the game explores their intertwined quests for vengeance. Shadows introduces the Animus Hub, a platform that unifies the Assassin's Creed series and adds modern-day subplots.
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC | IGN's Assassin's Creed Shadows Wiki
10. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (1715–1722)
Primary setting: 18th Century Caribbean Islands
Historic Protagonist: Edward Kenway
Modern Protagonist: Unnamed Abstergo Employee
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is renowned for its naval gameplay and follows Edward Kenway, a pirate embroiled in the Assassin-Templar conflict. Set two centuries after Ezio's trilogy, the game introduces real-life pirates like Blackbeard and explores Edward's search for The Observatory, a First Civilization site. The modern-day story involves an unnamed Abstergo employee reliving Connor's life for a film.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PC, Stadia; Switch (The Rebel Collection) | IGN's Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag Wiki
11. Assassin's Creed Rogue (1752–1760)
Primary setting: 18th Century American Northeast
Historic Protagonist: Shay Patrick Cormac
Modern Protagonist: Abstergo Employee "Numbskull"
Assassin's Creed Rogue bridges the narrative between AC III and AC IV, focusing on Shay Patrick Cormac's journey from Assassin to Templar. The game features Haytham Kenway and Shay's hunt for a Piece of Eden. In the present, you play as another Abstergo employee, dubbed "Numbskull," serving the modern-day Templars.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Stadia; Switch (The Rebel Collection) | IGN's Assassin's Creed Rogue Wiki
12. Assassin's Creed III (1754–1783)
Primary setting: 18th Century Colonial America
Historic Protagonist: Ratonhnhaké "Connor" Kenway
Modern Protagonist: Desmond Miles
Assassin's Creed III follows Connor Kenway's quest to protect his tribe and the First Civilization's Grand Temple during the American Revolution. The game features historical figures like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. The modern-day storyline concludes Desmond's arc as he and the Assassins work to prevent the prophesized end of the world.
Available on: Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PC, Stadia | IGN's Assassin's Creed 3 Wiki
13. Assassin's Creed Unity (1789–1794)
Primary setting: 18th Century France
Historic Protagonist: Arno Dorian
Modern Protagonist: Unnamed Helix Player
Set during the French Revolution, Assassin's Creed Unity follows Arno Dorian's journey of vengeance and his involvement in the Assassin-Templar conflict. The game includes historical figures like Napoléon Bonaparte and King Louis XVI. The modern-day story, which lacks gameplay, follows a gamer playing Helix, Abstergo's Animus-powered gaming software.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia, Amazon Luna | IGN's Assassin's Creed Unity Wiki
14. Assassin's Creed Syndicate (1868)
Primary setting: Victorian London
Historic Protagonists: Jacob and Evie Frye
Modern Protagonist: Unnamed Helix Player
Assassin's Creed Syndicate features twin protagonists Jacob and Evie Frye, who work to clear London of Templar control and find a Piece of Eden. Set in 1868, the game includes historical figures like Alexander Graham Bell and Charles Darwin. The modern-day narrative continues with the same character from Unity, assisting the Assassins in locating another Piece of Eden.
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia, Amazon Luna | IGN's Assassin's Creed Syndicate Wiki
How to Play The Assassin’s Creed Games By Release Date
- Assassin's Creed (2007)
- Assassin's Creed II (2009)
- Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (2010)
- Assassin's Creed: Revelations (2011)
- Assassin's Creed III / Liberation (2012)
- Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag / Freedom Cry (2013)
- Assassin's Creed Rogue (2014)
- Assassin's Creed Unity (2014)
- Assassin's Creed Syndicate (2015)
- Assassin's Creed Origins (2017)
- Assassin's Creed Odyssey (2018)
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla (2020)
- Assassin's Creed Mirage (2023)
- Assassin's Creed Nexus VR (2023)
- Assassin's Creed Shadows (2024)
Upcoming Assassin's Creed Games
The next installment, Assassin's Creed Shadows, is set to release on March 20. While no information is available on future mainline games, Ubisoft is reportedly working on remakes of older Assassin's Creed titles. Additionally, a live-action Assassin's Creed series is in development at Netflix, and Tencent's mobile-exclusive title, Assassin's Creed Jade, has been delayed to 2025.
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