Navigating the sprawling history of Ubisoft's flagship stealth franchise can feel overwhelming. Whether you want to experience the games by their release dates or piece together the intricate historical timeline of the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order, knowing where to start matters.
This guide provides both the complete release order and the chronological storyline order for every major installment in the series, alongside essential context on gameplay shifts, spin-offs, and how to dive into the franchise today.
Release Order vs. Chronological Order
When players search for Assassin's Creed games in order, they usually mean one of two things: the sequence in which the games were published by Ubisoft, or the internal timeline of historical events spanning from ancient Greece to Victorian London.
Playing in release order lets you experience the evolution of game engines, parkour mechanics, and modern-day framing narratives as developers intended. Playing in chronological order rearranges the historical settings so you can witness centuries of secret warfare unfold sequentially. To understand the bigger picture, check out the recent article by The New York Times.
The Complete Release Order
Ubisoft launched the franchise in 2007, and for over a decade, mainline entries arrived almost annually. Here is every major release in the order they hit store shelves:
- Assassin's Creed (2007)
- Assassin's Creed II (2009)
- Assassin's Creed Brotherhood (2010)
- Assassin's Creed Revelations (2011)
- Assassin's Creed III (2012)
- Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (2013)
- Assassin's Creed Rogue (2014)
- Assassin's Creed Unity (2014)
- Assassin's Creed Syndicate (2015)
- Assassin's Creed Origins (2017)
- Assassin's Creed Odyssey (2018)
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla (2020)
- Assassin's Creed Mirage (2023)
- Assassin's Creed Shadows (2025)
The Chronological Storyline Order
If you prefer to experience the historical eras as they happened in human history rather than when they were developed, the timeline shifts significantly. Note that the modern-day framing segments still follow release order, but the historical simulations run in this sequence:
- Assassin's Creed Odyssey (Ancient Greece, 431 BCE)
- Assassin's Creed Origins (Ancient Egypt, 49–43 BCE)
- Assassin's Creed Mirage (9th-century Baghdad, 861 CE)
- Assassin's Creed Valhalla (Viking Age Britain and Norway, 872–878 CE)
- Assassin's Creed Shadows (Sengoku period Japan, 1579 CE)
- Assassin's Creed (Third Crusade Levant, 1191 CE)
- Assassin's Creed II (Italian Renaissance, 1476–1499 CE)
- Assassin's Creed Brotherhood (Italian Renaissance, 1500–1507 CE)
- Assassin's Creed Revelations (Late Renaissance / Ottoman Empire, 1511–1512 CE)
- Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Golden Age of Piracy, 1715–1722 CE)
- Assassin's Creed Rogue (Seven Years' War, 1752–1760 CE)
- Assassin's Creed III (American Revolution, 1754–1783 CE)
- Assassin's Creed Unity (French Revolution, 1789–1794 CE)
- Assassin's Creed Syndicate (Victorian London, 1868 CE)
Era Breakdown: Key Shifts in the Franchise
The series has undergone massive structural changes over the years, shifting from linear stealth-action games into massive open-world RPGs, before returning to tighter stealth experiences.
The Classic Era (2007–2015)
Starting with Altaïr in the Holy Land and culminating with Jacob and Evie Frye in Victorian London, this era focused heavily on urban stealth, social blending, social assassination contracts, and dense historical cityscapes. Ezio Auditore da Firenze anchored three titles (II, Brotherhood, and Revelations), becoming the most iconic protagonist in the franchise's history. You can explore official background details via the Ubisoft corporate portal.
The RPG Era (2017–2020)
With Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla, the series transformed into sprawling action role-playing games featuring level scaling, dialogue choices, gear looting, and hundreds of hours of map exploration. These titles explored the mythological roots predating the formal establishment of the Assassin Brotherhood, tracing the ideological divide between the Hidden Ones and the Order of the Ancients.
The Return to Roots (2023–Present)
Mirage scaled back the sprawling RPG mechanics in favor of a concentrated, stealth-focused adventure set in Baghdad. This philosophy carried forward into subsequent projects, balancing classic social stealth with modern presentation. For industry historical data and release timelines, consult IGN.
Common Mistakes When Playing the Series
- Skipping the Ezio Trilogy: Many newcomers try to jump straight to newer titles, but Assassin's Creed II, Brotherhood, and Revelations remain the emotional core of the franchise. Skipping them leaves you lost on the overarching lore.
- Ignoring Standalone Spin-offs: Games like Black Flag and Rogue are crucial for understanding the naval mechanics and the ideological grey areas between Assassins and Templars in the American colonial era.
- Expecting Chronological Modern-Day Continuity: If you play purely by historical timeline, the framing story in the present day will jump around erratically. Modern-day segments are best experienced in release order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to play every game to understand the story?
No. While there is a continuous modern-day sci-fi plot involving the Animus and the Isu civilization, most historical settings feature standalone plots with self-contained character arcs. You can easily jump into fan-favorite historical settings like ancient Greece or Renaissance Italy without finishing every prior game.
Which game is the best entry point for beginners?
Assassin's Creed II is widely considered the best starting point for the classic style. If you prefer modern open-world RPGs with massive maps, Assassin's Creed Origins offers a great standalone entry point into the historical lore.
Are the handheld and side-scrolling spin-offs required?
Titles like Assassin's Creed Chronicles (China, India, Russia) and Liberation offer interesting side stories and expand the global reach of the Brotherhood, but they are entirely optional for understanding the mainline console games.
How long does it take to beat the entire series?
If you focus purely on the main campaigns of every mainline title, expect to spend well over 300 hours. If you aim to complete every side quest and DLC in the RPG trilogy (Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla), that single trio alone can easily exceed 300 hours.
