Assassin’s Creed is a mixed bag of quality — at its best, the series has defined genre tropes, and at its worst, it’s given us plenty to laugh at. But, one thing that it’s done consistently well is providing a balanced, if not nuanced, story that defies generational boundaries. It could’ve been a series that was strictly limited to the past, or it could’ve been a series set entirely in the distant future. But it decided to be both.
In any case, there are so many games in the Assassin’s Creed franchise that it must be a veritable nightmare for newcomers to figure out where to start and in what order to proceed. Especially since the team at Ubisoft ceased the usage of numbers in titles after Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.
Let’s take a look at both the release and chronological order of the Assassin’s Creed series. It should be noted that we’re only counting the games — if you’re looking for a timeline that includes any other media such as comics or the like, you’re in the wrong place.
Assassin’s Creed release timeline
- Assassin’s Creed (2007)
- Assassin’s Creed [the mobile game] (2007)
- Assassin’s Creed: Altaïr’s Chronicles (2008)
- Assassin’s Creed II (2009)
- Assassin’s Creed II [the mobile game] (2009)
- Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines (2009)
- Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery (2009)
- Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (2010)
- Assassin’s Creed II: Multiplayer (2010)
- Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy (2010)
- Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood [the mobile game] (2010)
- Assassin’s Creed: Revelations (2011)
- Assassin’s Creed: Revelations [the mobile game] (2011)
- Assassin’s Creed: Multiplayer Rearmed (2011)
- Assassin’s Creed: Recollection (2011)
- Assassin’s Creed III (2012)
- Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation (2012)
- Assassin’s Creed III [the mobile game] (2012)
- Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (2013)
- Assassin’s Creed: Pirates (2013)
- Assassin’s Creed: Rogue (2014)
- Assassin’s Creed: Unity (2014)
- Assassin’s Creed: Memories (2014)
- Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate (2015)
- Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China (2015)
- Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India (2016)
- Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia (2016)
- Assassin’s Creed: Identity (2016)
- Assassin’s Creed: Origins (2017)
- Assassin’s Creed Unity: Arno’s Chronicles (2017)
- The Tower: Assassin’s Creed (2017)
- Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (2018)
- Assassin’s Creed: Rebellion (2018)
- Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla (2020)
- Assassin’s Creed: Freerunners (2021)
- Assassin’s Creed: Mirage (2023)
- Assassin’s Creed: Nexus VR (2023)
- Assassin’s Creed: Jade (2024)
Assassin’s Creed chronological timeline
- Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy [Kyros of Zarax] — 6th century before common era [BCE]
- Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey [genetic memory] — 431 BCE
- Assassin’s Creed: Jade — 215 BCE
- Assassin’s Creed: Origins [genetic memory] — 49 BCE
- Assassin’s Creed: Mirage [genetic memory] — 9th century common era [CE]
- Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla [genetic memory] — 873 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Altaïr’s Chronicles — 1190 CE
- Assassin’s Creed [genetic memory] — 1191 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines — 1191 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy [Mario Auditore] — 1454 CE
- Assassin’s Creed II [genetic memory] — 1476-1499 CE
- Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery — 1491 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy [Fiora Cavazza] — 1497-1503 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy [Perotto Calderon] — 1498 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood [genetic memory] — 1500-1507 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy [Francesco Vecellio] — 1501-1503 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy [Giovanni Borgia] — 1503 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy [Bartolomeo d’Alviano] — 1509 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy [Francesco Vecellio] — 1510 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Revelations [genetic memory] — 1511-1512 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy [Giovanni Borgia] — 1520 CE
- Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China — 1526 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy [Maria Amiel] — 1527 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy [Elizabeth Jane Watson] — 1587-1608 CE
- Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag [genetic memory] — 1715-1722 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Rogue [genetic memory] — 1752-1760 CE
- Assassin’s Creed III [genetic memory] — 1754-1783 CE
- Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation — 1765-1777 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Unity [genetic memory] — 1789-1794 CE
- Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India — 1841 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate [genetic memory] — 1868 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy [Frater V.O.V.] — 1891-1901 CE
- Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia — 1918 CE
- Assassin’s Creed [modern story] — 2012 CE
- Assassin’s Creed through Assassin’s Creed III are all set in 2012 CE
- Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag [modern story] — 2013 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Unity [modern story] — 2014 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Rogue [modern story] — 2014 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate [modern story] — 2015 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Origins [modern story] — 2017 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey [modern story] — 2018 CE
- Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla [modern story] — 2020 CE
Which Assassin’s Creed games will prepare you for Mirage?
The answer is Valhalla, without a doubt, considering the main character of Mirage, Basim, maintains a presence throughout Valhalla’s story. But, you could also take a trip down memory lane and play Assassin’s Creed (2007) or Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, considering both of those, like Mirage, are set in Middle Eastern environments.