Assassin’s Creed Shadows marks the latest chapter in Ubisoft's iconic franchise, set against the backdrop of feudal Japan during the Sengoku period. While the series does not follow a linear chronological path, Assassin’s Creed Shadows slots into the middle of its vast historical timeline, showcasing the franchise's penchant for exploring diverse epochs, from the ancient Peloponnesian War to the dawn of the First World War.
With a total of 14 mainline games and counting, the Assassin’s Creed series presents a complex tapestry of events. IGN has meticulously analyzed every piece of lore to construct a comprehensive timeline, detailing the chronological order of key events across the series. This timeline not only highlights the overarching narrative but also elucidates how each game interconnects within the broader universe.
The Isu Era
75,000 BCE
To fully grasp the Assassin’s Creed timeline, it's essential to delve into its lore. Long before human civilization as we know it, a highly advanced race of beings, known as the Isu, ruled the Earth. These god-like entities created humanity to serve as their slaves, controlling them with powerful artifacts called the Apples of Eden. However, human rebellion led by Eve and Adam, who stole an Apple, sparked a war against the Isu. This conflict lasted a decade but ended abruptly when a catastrophic solar flare wiped out the Isu, leaving humanity to rebuild from the ruins.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
431 to 422 BCE - Peloponnesian War
During the tumultuous Peloponnesian War in Greece, the mercenary Kassandra uncovers the sinister Cult of Kosmos, the secret orchestrators behind the conflict. Her journey reveals the Cult's manipulation of her brother, Alexios, who was abducted and transformed into a formidable weapon due to his Isu lineage from their grandfather, the legendary Spartan King Leonidas. Kassandra's mission to dismantle the Cult leads her to destroy an Isu device they used to predict and control the war's outcome. In her quest, she reconnects with her father, Pythagoras, another Isu descendant, who entrusts her with the Staff of Hermes, granting her immortality and the duty to guard Atlantis.
Assassin’s Creed Origins
49 to 43 BCE - Ptolemaic Egypt
In the era of Cleopatra's rule, the Order of the Ancients, a shadowy group collaborating with the Cult of Kosmos, kidnaps peacekeeper Bayek and his son in an attempt to unlock an Isu vault. The tragic loss of his son during their escape fuels Bayek's quest for vengeance. Alongside his wife Aya, they uncover the Order's global ambitions to control politics and religion through the Apples of Eden. Their resistance leads to the formation of The Hidden Ones, a secret society dedicated to opposing the Order's tyranny from bases in Egypt and Rome.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage
861 - Islamic Golden Age
By 861, The Hidden Ones have expanded their influence, establishing strongholds like the Alamut fortress in Iran. Here, Basim, a former street thief from Baghdad, is trained as an assassin and tasked with thwarting the Order of the Ancients' plans. Discovering their pursuit of an Isu temple beneath Alamut, Basim helps defend against their attack and learns of his own past life as Loki, fueling his desire for revenge against those who imprisoned him.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
872 to 878 - Viking Invasion of England
A decade later, Basim joins a Viking clan in England, hunting members of the Order of the Ancients. Led by Sigurd and his sibling Eivor, they seek to establish Ravensthorpe while combating the Order's influence, led by King Alfred, who aims to impose a Christian regime. Sigurd's discovery of an Isu artifact triggers visions of his godhood, revealing that he and Eivor are reincarnations of Odin and Týr, respectively. Basim, seeking revenge for his past imprisonment by Odin and Týr, attempts to eliminate them but is thwarted by Eivor, who traps him in an Isu simulation. Eivor emerges victorious at the Battle of Chippenham and returns to lead Ravensthorpe.
Assassin’s Creed
1191 - Third Crusade
Three centuries later, The Hidden Ones evolve into the Assassin Brotherhood, facing off against the Knights Templar, successors to the Order of the Ancients. During the Third Crusade, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad's mission to steal an Apple of Eden from the Templars leads him on a path of redemption, assassinating nine Templar leaders. His journey uncovers a conspiracy and betrayal by his mentor, Al Mualim, who seeks to use the Apple to impose peace by force. Altaïr ultimately takes leadership of the Brotherhood after confronting his mentor.
Assassin’s Creed 2
1476 to 1499 - Italian Renaissance
In Renaissance Italy, Ezio Auditore da Firenze joins the Assassin Brotherhood to avenge his family's murder by the Templars. Armed with his father's gear and Leonardo da Vinci's innovations, Ezio battles the Templar-aligned Borgia family, securing an Apple of Eden that reveals an Isu vault beneath the Vatican. Inside, he learns of an impending apocalypse from the Isu Minerva, setting the stage for the Assassins' mission to save humanity.
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
1499 to 1507 - Italian Renaissance
After sparing the life of Pope Rodrigo Borgia, Ezio faces the consequences as the Borgia forces seize the Apple of Eden. He revitalizes the weakened Assassin Brotherhood, becoming the leader of the Italian Bureau. Their efforts dismantle the Borgia regime in Rome, and Ezio secures the Apple in an Isu vault beneath the Colosseum.
Assassin’s Creed Revelations
1511 to 1512 - Ottoman Civil War
Seeking more Isu knowledge, Ezio journeys to Masyaf, only to find the Templars already searching for Altaïr's library. In Constantinople, he allies with the Ottoman Assassins against the Byzantine Templars, thwarting their plans. Inside the library, Ezio discovers Altaïr's remains and a message from the Isu Jupiter about the Grand Temple, vital for humanity's survival. Understanding the message is for a future observer, Ezio secures the Apple and retires, passing away from his years of service.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
1579 - Sengoku Period
Set during Japan's Sengoku period, Assassin’s Creed Shadows introduces Yasuke, an African mercenary who becomes a samurai under Oda Nobunaga. His path intersects with Naoe, a shinobi from the Iga province, as they navigate the political turmoil and unite against a common enemy, though details of their shared goal remain undisclosed.
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 spying on anyone. As the Templar's 'Sage', Bartholomew Roberts, Edward navigates the Caribbean, aligning with pirates to oppose the Templars. After a series of betrayals and confrontations, Edward secures the Observatory, thwarting the Templar's plans and returning home to his family.
Assassin’s Creed Rogue
1752 to 1776 - French and Indian War
Shay Patrick Cormac, an Assassin, inadvertently causes a devastating earthquake in Lisbon while retrieving an Isu artifact. Stricken with guilt, he defects to the Templars, embarking on a mission to prevent further disasters by hunting down his former Assassin colleagues. His journey leads him to confront his mentor, Achilles, and suggest sparking a revolution in France to counter the Assassins' influence in America.
Assassin’s Creed 3
1754 to 1783 - American Revolution
Haytham Kenway, a Templar, seeks to unlock the Isu's Grand Temple, inadvertently fathering Ratonhnhaké:ton with a Mohawk woman. After his mother's death, Ratonhnhaké:ton, now Connor Kenway, joins the Assassins to combat the Templars during the American Revolution. His quest culminates in a confrontation with Haytham, leading 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
In parallel to Connor's journey, Aveline de Grandpré in New Orleans uncovers a Templar plot involving the exploitation of slaves to access an Isu temple. Her quest leads to the discovery of her stepmother's role as the 'Company Man' and the collection of Isu components forming the Prophecy Disk, which narrates Eve's rebellion against the Isu.
Assassin’s Creed Unity
1789 to 1794 - French Revolution
Orphaned Arno Dorian joins the Assassin Brotherhood to avenge his adoptive father's murder by Shay Cormac. His investigation reveals a Templar rift led by François-Thomas Germain, who seeks to overthrow the French monarchy. Arno and his sister Élise confront Germain, who is killed by an exploding Sword of Eden, revealing his status as a Sage. Arno secures Germain's remains in the Paris Catacombs, keeping them out of Templar hands.
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
1868 - Victorian England
In Victorian London, twin Assassins Jacob and Evie Frye seek the Shroud, an Isu device. They discover the Templars' control over the city and split their efforts: Jacob assassinates Templar leaders, while Evie searches for the Shroud. After defeating Templar leader Crawford Starrick, the twins secure the Shroud, bolstering the Assassin Brotherhood. Later, Evie confronts Jack the Ripper, and their daughter Lydia fights Templars during World War I.
Transition Period
1914 to 2012
The Assassin’s Creed series features a modern-day framing story where the Templars establish Abstergo Industries, a pharmaceutical company, to control the world through capitalism. Abstergo develops the Animus in the late 1970s, allowing them to explore ancestral memories in search of Isu artifacts.
Assassin’s Creed 1, 2, Brotherhood, Revelations, and 3
2012
In 2012, Desmond Miles, a descendant of Altaïr, is abducted by Abstergo to locate Isu artifacts. With the help of Assassin mole Lucy Stillman, he escapes and joins the modern Assassin Brotherhood. Through the Animus, Desmond explores Ezio's memories, learning of an impending apocalypse. He sacrifices himself to activate Isu technology that prevents the apocalypse, inadvertently freeing the villainous Isu, Juno.
Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
2013
Abstergo continues its search for Isu technology using Desmond's genetic material, assigning "The Noob" to explore Edward Kenway's memories. Amidst this, the modern-day Sage, John Standish, attempts to use The Noob as a host for Juno but is killed by Abstergo security.
Assassin’s Creed Unity
2014
Abstergo releases Helix, allowing the public to experience genetic memories. An Assassin initiate, guided by Bishop, explores Arno Dorian's life, ensuring the remains of Sage François-Thomas Germain remain secure in the Paris Catacombs.
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
2015
The initiate's next mission involves the Shroud hidden in London. Abstergo's plans to use it to create a living Isu are thwarted by Assassin intervention, with Juno manipulating events from behind the scenes.
Assassin’s Creed Origins
2017
Layla Hassan, an Abstergo researcher, develops a new Animus and uses Bayek and Aya's DNA to explore the origins of The Hidden Ones. Her discovery leads to recruitment by the Assassin Brotherhood.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
2018
Using DNA from the Spear of Leonidas, Layla relives Kassandra's memories and uncovers Atlantis. Kassandra, preserved by the Staff of Hermes, entrusts Layla with the staff, prophesying her role in maintaining balance between the Assassins and Templars.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
2020
Layla investigates magnetic field disturbances linked to Desmond's actions in 2012, exploring Eivor's memories and discovering the Yggdrasil computer. Entering the simulation, she works to prevent future apocalypses with Desmond's consciousness, while Basim escapes and joins the Assassins, seeking Loki's children.
