GameTimeline

Release & story order

Assassin's Creed timeline

Assassin's Creed from Altair's 2007 debut through feudal Japan in Shadows—US release dates, historical chronology from ancient Greece to the Victorian era, and why Black Flag precedes AC III in story order.

Updated June 2026

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Release order Story order

Release order

When Ubisoft shipped each mainline chapter. The annual Ezio trilogy era (2009–2011) gave way to Black Flag, then a break before the RPG soft reboot (Origins → Odyssey → Valhalla), Mirage's return to stealth, and Shadows in 2025. To follow the modern-day Animus meta-story (Desmond, Layla, Animus Hub), release order is the only practical path—historical order is for lore geography, not present-day continuity.

  • Full franchise / modern-day continuity → Release order only (AC 2007 through Shadows)—mechanical evolution and Animus frame align
  • Historical lore binge → Story order (Odyssey → Origins → Mirage → Valhalla → AC → Ezio trilogy → Shadows → pirate/colonial arc → Unity → Syndicate)
  • Pick your era → Greece (Odyssey), Egypt (Origins), Renaissance (AC II), Pirates (Black Flag), or Japan (Shadows)—then branch outward
  • Classic only → AC → AC II → Brotherhood → Revelations → Black Flag → Rogue → Unity → Syndicate, then add RPG trilogy if you want
  • Assassin's Creed Nexus VR (2023) sits between Mirage and Shadows in release order—optional VR anthology; see the questions below
Story order tips

When historical simulations happen in fiction—431 BCE through 1868 CE, plus feudal Japan (~1579–1581). This is not the same as release order: Black Flag's golden age comes centuries before AC III in history, and Odyssey predates everything.

  • Ancient/Medieval block: Odyssey (431 BCE) → Origins (49 BCE) → Mirage (861) → Valhalla (872) → AC (1191) → Ezio trilogy (1476–1512) → Shadows (1579)
  • Colonial block: Black Flag (1715) → Rogue (1752) → AC III (1754) → Unity (1789) → Syndicate (1868)
  • Black Flag is story-earlier than AC III despite releasing one year after—explained in the questions below
  • Extended completionist order (Chronicles + Liberation) is in FAQ—not listed as rows on Story order
  • On Story order, some entries are hidden to avoid spoilers—click to reveal them, or turn on Show all spoilers

Timeline

When each game was released. Click a game for platforms, dates, and where it fits in your playthrough.

Release order

  1. Assassin's Creed

    Assassin's Creed

    PCPlayStation 3Xbox 360ActionMainline

    Altair in the Holy Land—parkour stealth foundation.

    Overview
    Ubisoft's open-world stealth template—social stealth, viewpoints, and the Animus frame device.
    In-game setting
    Historical 1191: Altair hunts Templars during the Third Crusade.
    Should you play it?
    Dated movement by modern standards—still the modern-day story starting point in release order.
    Release date
    North America launch November 14, 2007.
  2. Assassin's Creed II

    Assassin's Creed II

    PCPlayStation 3Xbox 360ActionMainline

    Ezio Auditore in Renaissance Italy—the fan-favorite arc begins.

    Overview
    Expanded cities, economy, and a charismatic protagonist—defined the classic AC formula.
    In-game setting
    Historical 1476–1499: Ezio's revenge and early Assassin Brotherhood.
    Should you play it?
    Many newcomers start here instead of AC 1—explained in the questions below.
    Release date
    North America launch November 17, 2009.
  3. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood

    Assassin's Creed Brotherhood

    PCPlayStation 3Xbox 360ActionMainline

    Rome and recruiting Assassins—direct Ezio sequel.

    Overview
    First full city as base-building sandbox; multiplayer debut.
    In-game setting
    Historical 1499–1507: Ezio rebuilds the Brotherhood in Rome.
    Should you play it?
    Play immediately after AC II in both orders.
    Release date
    North America launch November 16, 2010.
  4. Assassin's Creed Revelations

    Assassin's Creed Revelations

    PCPlayStation 3Xbox 360ActionMainline

    Ezio in Constantinople—Altair flashbacks close the trilogy.

    Overview
    Hookblade traversal and dual-protagonist narrative with Altair's library.
    In-game setting
    Historical 1511–1512: Ezio's final chapter; Altair epilogue.
    Should you play it?
    End of the Ezio trilogy in release order.
    Release date
    North America launch November 15, 2011.
  5. Assassin's Creed III

    Assassin's Creed III

    PCPlayStation 3Xbox 360Wii UActionMainline

    Connor Kenway—American Revolution.

    Overview
    Naval combat preview and frontier traversal; Desmond modern-day arc climax.
    In-game setting
    Historical 1754–1783: Connor during the American Revolution.
    Should you play it?
    In story order, play after Black Flag and Rogue—not after Revelations.
    Release date
    North America launch October 30, 2012. Remastered on current platforms.
  6. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

    Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

    PCPlayStation 3Xbox 360PlayStation 4Xbox OneActionMainline

    Edward Kenway—golden-age piracy on the high seas.

    Overview
    Full naval sandbox and pirate fantasy—among the highest-rated entries.
    In-game setting
    Historical 1715–1722: Edward before Connor's era.
    Should you play it?
    Sixth by release date, tenth in story order—major chronology jump; See the questions below.
    Release date
    North America launch October 29, 2013.
  7. Assassin's Creed Rogue

    Assassin's Creed Rogue

    PCPlayStation 3Xbox 360ActionMainline

    Shay Cormac—Templar perspective between Black Flag and AC III.

    Overview
    Play as a Templar hunting Assassins; Arctic naval map.
    In-game setting
    Historical 1752–1760: bridges Edward's era toward Connor.
    Should you play it?
    Optional but short—story between Black Flag and AC III.
    Release date
    North America launch November 11, 2014.
  8. Assassin's Creed Unity

    Assassin's Creed Unity

    PCPlayStation 4Xbox OneActionMainline

    Arno Dorian—French Revolution Paris.

    Overview
    Co-op assassinations in dense Paris; ambitious but rough launch.
    In-game setting
    Historical 1789–1794: Revolution-era France.
    Should you play it?
    Story after colonial arc; standalone Arno plot.
    Release date
    North America launch November 11, 2014.
  9. Assassin's Creed Syndicate

    Assassin's Creed Syndicate

    PCPlayStation 4Xbox OneActionMainline

    Evie and Jacob Frye—Victorian London.

    Overview
    Dual protagonists return; rope launcher and gang warfare.
    In-game setting
    Historical 1868: Industrial Revolution London.
    Should you play it?
    End of classic formula before Origins RPG reboot.
    Release date
    North America launch October 23, 2015. Last pre-RPG annual-gap entry.
  10. Assassin's Creed Origins

    Assassin's Creed Origins

    PCPlayStation 4Xbox OneRPGMainline

    Bayek in Ptolemaic Egypt—Hidden Ones origin.

    Overview
    Full RPG overhaul—XP, gear tiers, and larger open worlds.
    In-game setting
    Historical 49–44 BCE: birth of the Hidden Ones.
    Should you play it?
    Second in story order after Odyssey; release order starts RPG trilogy.
    Release date
    North America launch October 27, 2017.
  11. Assassin's Creed Odyssey

    Assassin's Creed Odyssey

    PCPlayStation 4Xbox OneRPGMainline

    Kassandra or Alexios—Peloponnesian War Greece.

    Overview
    Choice of protagonist, dialogue branches, and massive Aegean map.
    In-game setting
    Historical 431–422 BCE: earliest mainline setting.
    Should you play it?
    Story order starting point; release order mid-RPG trilogy.
    Release date
    North America launch October 5, 2018.
  12. Assassin's Creed Valhalla

    Assassin's Creed Valhalla

    PCPlayStation 4PlayStation 5Xbox OneXbox Series X/SRPGMainline

    Eivor—Viking age England and Norway.

    Overview
    Settlement building and year-long siege arcs; ties toward Mirage's Basim.
    In-game setting
    Historical 872–878 CE: Norse invasion of England.
    Should you play it?
    Play before Mirage in story order for Basim context—explained in the questions below.
    Release date
    North America launch November 10, 2020.
  13. Assassin's Creed Mirage

    Assassin's Creed Mirage

    PCPlayStationXboxStealthMainline

    Basim in Baghdad—stealth-focused return to form.

    Overview
    Shorter, stealth-first design echoing AC 1; set before Valhalla's present.
    In-game setting
    Historical 861 CE: Basim's Hidden Ones induction.
    Should you play it?
    Story between Origins and Valhalla historically; play after Valhalla in release order for character payoff.
    Release date
    North America launch October 5, 2023.
  14. Assassin's Creed Shadows

    Assassin's Creed Shadows

    PCPlayStation 5Xbox Series X/SRPGMainline

    Naoe and Yasuke—feudal Japan Sengoku era.

    Overview
    Dual protagonists in Japan; builds on RPG systems with seasonal stealth.
    In-game setting
    Historical 1579–1581: between Ezio era and Black Flag on the calendar.
    Should you play it?
    Latest mainline entry—story placement after Revelations, before Black Flag.
    Release date
    Worldwide launch March 20, 2025 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

FAQ

Release vs historical order, modern-day Animus frame, Mirage and Valhalla placement, extended lore order, and what to skip.

Release order

Release order follows Ubisoft's launch dates (2007–2025). The modern-day Animus frame—Desmond, Layla, Abstergo samples, Helix, and Animus Hub—advances only in release order. Story order follows historical simulation dates from Odyssey's 431 BCE through Syndicate's 1868 London, with Shadows' 1579 Japan between Revelations and Black Flag. Use Release for first playthroughs and present-day continuity; use Story for lore geography and era-hopping—not as a substitute for the modern meta-plot.

Full-series playthrough → release order from Assassin's Creed (2007) through Shadows (2025). AC 1 feels dated → start at Assassin's Creed II (Renaissance/Ezio). Era-first → Odyssey (Greece), Origins (Egypt), Black Flag (pirates), or Shadows (Japan), then branch. RPG fans → Origins instead of AC 1. Historical-only binge → Story order. Modern-day continuity always requires release order regardless of where you start.

Historical order

Black Flag (2013) released after AC III (2012) but simulates Edward Kenway's pirate era 1715–1722—Connor's grandfather in AC III (1754–1783). Story order places Black Flag and Rogue before AC III; release order does the reverse. Either works for gameplay, but lore-first paths should play Edward before Connor.

Optional & spin-offs

Remasters & RPG era

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.