Assassin's Creed Shadows, the latest installment in this sprawling franchise, might seem chronologically out of place. Set in feudal Japan, it occupies a middle point in the series' complex, non-linear timeline. The Assassin's Creed series famously jumps through history, exploring pivotal moments from Ancient Greece's Peloponnesian War to the eve of World War I. With fourteen mainline games and counting, piecing together this intricate historical tapestry can be challenging. IGN has meticulously compiled the following chronological timeline, clarifying the overarching narrative and the interconnectedness of each game.
The Isu Era: 75,000 BCE
Before delving into the historical timeline, a foundational understanding of the Isu is crucial. This immensely advanced civilization of god-like beings ruled Earth, creating humanity to serve as their slaves. Control was maintained through the powerful Apples of Eden. However, humanity's inherent resistance led Eve and Adam to steal an Apple, sparking a decade-long revolutionary war. This conflict was abruptly ended by a devastating solar flare, obliterating the Isu and leaving humanity to inherit the Earth.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: 431 to 422 BCE - Peloponnesian War
Amidst the turmoil of the Peloponnesian War, mercenary Kassandra uncovers the Cult of Kosmos, a clandestine organization manipulating the conflict. Her quest involves confronting her long-lost brother, Alexios, a demigod-like weapon of the Cult. Kassandra discovers the Cult's use of an Isu device predicting futures to control the war. Her actions lead to the Cult's downfall and the device's destruction. A significant revelation occurs when she reunites with her Isu-descended father, Pythagoras, who bestows upon her the Staff of Hermes, granting immortality and appointing her guardian of Atlantis.
Assassin’s Creed Origins: 49 to 43 BCE - Ptolemaic Egypt
During Cleopatra's reign, Bayek and his wife Aya confront the Order of the Ancients, a shadowy organization collaborating with the Cult of Kosmos. The Order's pursuit of Bayek's lineage leads to tragedy, fueling his quest for revenge. Bayek and Aya dismantle the Order, uncovering its global reach and its manipulation of politics and religion through Isu artifacts. In response to the Order's oppression, they establish the Hidden Ones, a precursor to the Assassin Brotherhood.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage: 861 - Islamic Golden Age
Centuries later, Basim Ibn Ishaq, a street thief from Baghdad, undergoes assassin training in Alamut. His investigation into the Order of the Ancients leads him to an Isu temple beneath Alamut, revealing a technologically advanced prison holding Loki, an Isu considered a god by the Norse. Basim's discovery of his own connection to Loki fuels his quest for revenge.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: 872 to 878 - Viking Invasion of England
Basim accompanies a Viking clan to England, continuing his pursuit of the Order of the Ancients. Eivor and Sigurd, the clan's leaders, navigate political landscapes and confront King Alfred, a Templar leader. Basim's revelation of Eivor and Sigurd's Isu lineage and his subsequent actions lead to conflict and Eivor's eventual triumph at the Battle of Chippenham.
Assassin’s Creed: 1191 - Third Crusade
The Hidden Ones evolve into the Assassin Brotherhood, facing the Knights Templar, the evolved Order of the Ancients. Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad's quest to steal an Apple of Eden from the Templars leads to the exposure of Al Mualim's betrayal and his subsequent assassination by Altaïr.
Assassin’s Creed 2: 1476 to 1499 - Italian Renaissance
Ezio Auditore da Firenze's quest for revenge against the Templars leads him to an Apple of Eden and a hidden Isu vault beneath the Vatican. His confrontation with Rodrigo Borgia, the Templar Pope, reveals Minerva's prophecy of an impending apocalypse and the importance of a network of Isu vaults.
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood: 1499 to 1507 - Italian Renaissance
Ezio's rebuilding of the Assassin Brotherhood in Rome and his recovery of the Apple of Eden culminate in its safekeeping within an Isu vault.
Assassin’s Creed Revelations: 1511 to 1512 - Ottoman Civil War
Ezio's journey to Masyaf to investigate Altaïr's library leads to his discovery of Altaïr's remains and a message from Jupiter revealing the Grand Temple. Ezio's final actions safeguard the Apple of Eden.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows: 1579 - Sengoku Period
[Further details on the storyline of Assassin's Creed Shadows are currently limited.]
Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag: 1715 to 1722 - Golden Age of Piracy
Edward Kenway's involvement with the Templars and his quest for The Observatory, an Isu device, lead to his confrontation with Bartholomew Roberts and the ultimate safeguarding of the artifact.
Assassin’s Creed Rogue: 1752 to 1776 - French and Indian War
Shay Patrick Cormac's disillusionment with the Assassins leads him to the Templars and a quest to prevent the Brotherhood from uncovering more Isu temples.
Assassin’s Creed 3: 1754 to 1783 - American Revolution
Connor Kenway's quest for revenge and his role in the American Revolution culminates in his confrontation with his father, Haytham, and the securing of the Isu Grand Temple key.
Assassin’s Creed Liberation: 1765 to 1777 - Spanish Occupation of Louisiana
Aveline de Grandpré's fight against the Templars in New Orleans involves uncovering a conspiracy and activating the Prophecy Disk.
Assassin’s Creed Unity: 1789 to 1794 - French Revolution
Arno Dorian's journey through the French Revolution leads to his confrontation with François-Thomas Germain and the safeguarding of the Sword of Eden.
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate: 1868 - Victorian England
Jacob and Evie Frye's quest for The Shroud in Victorian London involves dismantling the Templar network and securing the artifact.
Transition Period: 1914 to 2012
The Templars establish Abstergo Industries, utilizing the Animus to explore the memories of ancestors.
Assassin’s Creed (1, 2, Brotherhood, Revelations, and 3): 2012
Desmond Miles' use of the Animus and his role in preventing the apocalypse through the discovery and activation of Isu technology.
Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag: 2013
Abstergo's continued exploration of Edward Kenway's memories and the actions of "The Noob" and John Standish.
Assassin’s Creed Unity: 2014
The search for François-Thomas Germain's remains.
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate: 2015
The hunt for The Shroud and Abstergo's plans to create a living Isu.
Assassin’s Creed Origins: 2017
Layla Hassan's exploration of Bayek and Aya's memories and her recruitment by the Assassin Brotherhood.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey: 2018
Layla's discovery of Atlantis and her encounter with Kassandra.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: 2020
Layla's exploration of Eivor's memories, her interaction with Basim and "The Reader," and her ultimate actions within the Yggdrasil simulation.
