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Assassin's Creed: How to play the long-running series in order
With Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced on the horizon, now's a great time to jump into the series. Here's how to play the franchise in release and chronological order.
Assassin's Creed has been around as a franchise for almost 20 years, with the first game in the series debuting in 2007. Playing through the series in order can be a daunting task as a result, with over 18 games that jump around different periods of history – and across consoles and platforms – and a larger narrative threading through, it can be quite confusing.
Here's a quick guide to give you the low-down on the series history, the game's order – along with its narrative tale – and in a strict chronological sequence that the games depict. Onward!
01
Release order
Assassin's Creed (2007)
The first game that kicked it all off, in Assassin's Creed, you jump into the shoes of the modern-day Desmond Miles, who is captured and forced to experience the memories of his ancestor Altaïr, a member of the Assassins during the Third Crusade in 1191. Through the Animus, you'll climb your way through Damascus, Acre, and Jerusalem, fulfilling assassination targets and uncovering a larger conspiracy.
Play it on: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC
Assassin's Creed II (2009)
The second title in the series still has you in the shoes of Desmond Miles, and as he's freed by modern-day assassins, he's then plugged back into the Animus to experience the memories of another assassin, this time the fan-favourite Ezio Auditore da Firenze. Set during the late-15th century Italian Renaissance, Ezio's tale spans from 1476 to 1499, and gives you even more parkour moves and assassination skills to draw on.
Play it on: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Ezio is one of the fan-favourite characters from the series
© Ubisoft
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (2010)
Ezio's tale continues in the second game of his trilogy, as through Desmond's continued memories, we head to Rome to take the fight to the Templars from 1499 to 1507. With Leonardo da Vinci's weird and wonderful war inventions, and an army to recruit from, Ezio's second adventure is just as thrilling as the first – and Desmond's modern-day tale continues to unravel.
Play it on: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Assassin's Creed: Revelations (2011)
The third and final instalment in the Ezio trilogy takes you to Constantinople from 1511 to 1512 in search of hidden memories of the first game's protagonist, Altaïr. New weapons and gameplay mechanics make this a ripping adventure, while the concluding parts of Ezio's tale make this a must-play for fans of his story, as well as bringing in parts from the very first game in the series.
Play it on: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Assassin's Creed III (2012)
Assassin's Creed III broke new ground for the series
© Ubisoft
Assassin's Creed III gives us the conclusion to Desmond's story, all while teasing narrative tidbits that will be picked up by later instalments, and giving us a whole new setting with fitting gameplay mechanics to boot. Step into the shoes of half-English/half-Native American assassin Connor during the 18th-century American Revolution, which gave us Boston and New York to run around, complete with wilderness free-running and extra stealth abilities, such as hiding in tall vegetation. But perhaps the biggest addition that would form a key part of the next game in the series was its naval combat – which would only grow from here.
Play it on: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (2013)
Naval combat was a huge draw for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
© Ubisoft
The fourth main game in the franchise takes us to the Caribbean and Edward Kenway's world of pirates, seafaring, and assassinating in 1715. Taking the naval combat from its predecessor, AC4 put extra focus on the high seas, with exciting ship battles and a huge open world to explore. With modern-day sections that bore little resemblance to past titles – and furthered the story away from Desmond – the focus here was on the action, and traversing the cities of Kingston and Havana gave you plenty to do. Sailing the seas with a shanty from your crewmates, however, was even better. And with Black Flag Resynced out later this year, you'll soon be able to enjoy Kenway's adventure in even higher definition.
Play it on: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Play Resynced on: Xbox Series S|X, PlayStation 5, and PC
Assassin's Creed Rogue (2014)
The somewhat forgotten Assassin's Creed Rogue continues the seafaring ways of Black Flag, but twists things up to put you in the robes of not an Assassin, but a Templar – the sworn enemies of the franchise's protagonists. From 1752 to 1760, you'll explore New York City, the North Atlantic, and the fictional River Valley as Shay Cormac, an ex-Assassin who switched sides, as he hunts down his former brethren around the time of the Seven Years' War.
Play it on: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch
Delve into more Assassin's Creed content
Assassin's Creed Unity (2014)
Paris was rendered in fantastic detail in Assassin's Creed Unity
© Ubisoft
Fans of the franchise were treated to not one, but two adventures in 2014 – with the second released as the next-gen exclusive Assassin's Creed Unity, a city-focused adventure that took players to a 1:1-scale recreation of Paris set during the French Revolution in 1789. Parkour received another upgrade, this time allowing you to fling yourself up and down vertically, while a new combat system expanded the many different ways you could take down your foes.
Play it on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC
Assassin's Creed Chronicles (2015-2016)
Away from the main three-dimensional, third-person action adventure games, Ubisoft developed a trilogy of 'Chronicles'; smaller, 2.5D action-stealth platforming games that took players to different places and times – 16th-century China, 19th-century India, and early 20th-century Russia – all with the common goal of locating an artefact dubbed the Precursor Box. Sliding around side to side as Shao Jun, Arbaaz Mir, and Nikolai Orelov, respectively, each title packed in plenty of AC-style gameplay in a smaller package, and further expanded the history and lore of the franchise.
Play it on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation Vita, and PC
Assassin's Creed Syndicate (2015)
The streets of London were the setting for Assassin's Creed Syndicate
© Ubisoft
1868, Victorian England, Industrial Revolution, and a pair of twins: Assassin's Creed Syndicate, had an exciting setting and premise – a large scale London – and even further interesting gameplay mechanics, such as rope launchers and grapple mechanics that allowed you to zip around London swiftly. The modern-day story continues to unravel in the background, and while its plot often feels secondary, the action here focuses on Jacob and Evie Frye as they work in the shadows as a power struggle unfolds, along with historical figures popping up, too.
Play it on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC
Assassin's Creed Origins (2017)
As the name of this AC title suggests, we head back to the origins of the assassins: this time with Bayek, one of the co-founders of the Brotherhood, all the way back to Ancient Egypt. In 49 BCE, we follow Bayek's quest for revenge with all-new mechanics that feel like reinventions of the entire franchise. With a scouting eagle that allows you to look far and wide, and being able to climb practically any surface, Origins gives you more options to traverse the open-world Egypt. With huge tombs and digital recreations of the pyramids, plus a new equipment system, Origins laid down the more RPG-focused foundations that would be replicated in further games in the series – along with a new modern-day protagonist in Layla Hassan.
Play it on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC
Assassin's Creed Odyssey (2018)
Ancient Egypt was a fantastic setting for Assassin's Creed Origins
© Ubisoft
If Origins set the bar for an epic adventure, Odyssey cleared it with aplomb. This massive epic that spans Ancient Greece, you're placed into the digital shoes (sandals) of Spartan mercenary siblings Alexios and Kassandra during 431 to 422 BCE, continuing Layla Hassan's search for a mysterious artefact. With mystical and mythical abilities and opponents, Odyssey focuses more on telling its own story – and as a result, feels more disconnected from the Assassins vs. Templars narrative we're accustomed to.
Play it on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC
Assassin's Creed Valhalla (2020)
From Ancient Greece, we head now to the Viking Age: Assassin's Creed Valhalla takes us to 872 to 878 CE, with the Viking occupation of England, and continues Layla Hassan's modern-day narrative. We're placed into the reigns of Norse chief Eivor, who commands his clan and roams England's countryside, all underpinned by the battle between the Hidden Ones and the Order of the Ancients, the precursors to Assassins and Templars. With a two-handed combat system, riverside raids, and fortress sieges, Valhalla expanded on the scope of Odyssey and brought plenty of new items to the table.
Viking adventures were the name of the game in Assassin's Creed Valhalla
© Ubisoft
Play it on: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC
Assassin's Creed Mirage (2023)
Returning character, Basim, the Master Assassin from AC Valhalla, delivers us a throwback to the series start, as Assassin's Creed Mirage reminds us of the stealth, parkour, and assassination gameplay of the franchise, rather than the RPG-heavy focus of the last few titles. Set in 861 CE Baghdad, we uncover Basim's journey from street thief to fully-fledged assassin, as well as exploring his own hidden past and the connections to past Assassin's Creed titles.
Play it on: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and iOS
Assassin's Creed Mirage went back to basics
© Ubisoft
Assassin's Creed Shadows (2025)
From Spartan warriors to vikings, Assassin's Creed now gives us ninjas and samurai, as Assassin's Creed Shadows jumps to 16th-century Japan, towards the end of the Sengoku period, and gives us two protagonists to play as. Fujibayashi Naoe, a kunoichi, and Yasuke, an African samurai inspired by the historical figure of the same name – and their adventures across Japan, against a backdrop of intense civil war. While lacking a modern-day storyline, Shadows gives us a deep and bold combination of the series' early stealth gameplay elements, and the later RPG-infused mechanics, all culminating in a satisfying entry into the series' history. With a different perspective on the history-spanning Assassins vs. Templars war, and as the latest game in the franchise, Shadows has set the bar high for future titles.
Play it on: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, macOS, and iPadOS
The Japanese setting for Shadows made for some incredible scenes
© Ubisoft
02
Chronological order
If you want to try out each title in the Assassin's Creed franchise in a more complicated, albeit chronological fashion, here's how to experience each time setting in sequence. Warning: with all the modern-day elements interspersed and how each game relates to each other, things could get confusing…
- Assassin’s Creed Odyssey - Setting: 431 BCE to 422 BCE
- Assassin’s Creed Origins - Setting: 49 BCE to 44 BCE
- Assassin’s Creed Mirage - Setting: 861 to 870
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla - Setting: 872 to 878
- Assassin’s Creed - Setting: 1191
- Assassin’s Creed II - Setting: 1476 to 1499
- Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood - Setting: 1499 to 1507
- Assassin’s Creed: Revelations - Setting: 1511 to 1512
- Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China - Setting: 1526-1532
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows - Setting: 1579
- Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag - Setting: 1715 to 1722
- Assassin’s Creed Rogue - Setting: 1752 to 1760
- Assassin’s Creed III - Setting: 1754 to 1783
- Assassin’s Creed Unity - Setting: 1789 to 1794
- Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India - Setting: 1841
- Assassin’s Creed Syndicate - Setting: 1868
- Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia - Setting: 1918
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