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Which Assassin’s Creed game should you start with? For most newcomers, start with Assassin’s Creed Origins. It introduces Bayek and the founding of the Hidden Ones while marking a major shift toward more open-ended combat and exploration, making it a useful bridge into the later, larger-world games. That is a recommendation for an all-around starting point—not an official Ubisoft ranking, a required first chapter, or a result of hands-on testing. If you already know what you want, choose Mirage for stealth, Assassin’s Creed II for Ezio, Odyssey for Ancient Greece, Shadows for feudal Japan, or Black Flag for piracy.
At a glance
| Name | Best for | Key feature | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assassin’s Creed Origins | A balanced first game | Bayek’s story and the founding of the Hidden Ones | Nov 2026 |
| Assassin’s Creed Mirage | Stealth and investigations | Basim’s Baghdad story, gadgets and investigations | Nov 2026 |
| Assassin’s Creed II | Ezio and the earlier series | Ezio’s introduction; the original game begins Desmond’s modern-day story | Nov 2026 |
| Assassin’s Creed Odyssey | Ancient Greece and a large adventure | Mercenary story, abilities and ship travel | Nov 2026 |
| Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | Viking-era raids and settlement | Viking setting, raids and sieges | Nov 2026 |
| Assassin’s Creed Shadows | Feudal Japan and contrasting play styles | Naoe’s shinobi stealth and Yasuke’s samurai combat | Nov 2026 |
| Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (2013) or Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced (2026) | Caribbean piracy and ship combat | Choose between the original game and a separately named remake | Nov 2026 |
Which Assassin’s Creed game should you start with?
Choose Origins if you do not have a strong setting or play-style preference. Its Ancient Egypt story follows Bayek and concerns the formation of the Hidden Ones, while Ubisoft describes it as a turning point in the series’ combat and exploration. That combination gives a newcomer both a foundation story and a taste of the newer, more open-ended format. Ubisoft’s release-order guide is a useful reference for how it positions the entries, but the guide is not a command to play them in sequence: Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed game-order guide.
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There is no single starting point that suits everyone. The games span distinct historical settings and differ in how much they emphasize stealth, direct combat, investigations, exploration and RPG-style adventure. A preference-led choice can be better than following either release dates or historical chronology. In particular, do not treat the oldest historical setting as an automatic first chapter: Odyssey takes place in Ancient Greece, but Origins is the choice tied to the founding of the Hidden Ones.
Pick by the experience you want
- Want the broadest first-game recommendation? Start with Origins for Bayek’s story and a series transition point.
- Prefer infiltration to open combat? Choose Mirage, which Ubisoft describes around stealth, gadgets and investigations.
- Want an earlier protagonist and a longer narrative path? Begin with Assassin’s Creed II for Ezio. The 2007 original introduces Desmond’s modern-day storyline.
- Want a large Ancient Greece adventure? Choose Odyssey for its mercenary premise, abilities and ship travel.
- More interested in Vikings? Valhalla is the setting-first choice for raids, settlement and sieges.
- Want feudal Japan and two different approaches? Choose Shadows to move between Naoe’s shinobi stealth and Yasuke’s samurai combat.
- Want pirates and ship combat? Look at the 2013 Black Flag or the separately named 2026 remake, Black Flag Resynced.
What makes Origins a good all-around starting point?
Origins balances two useful entry-point qualities: its central story concerns how the Hidden Ones came to be, and the game introduced a significant shift in how the series handles combat and exploration. Bayek’s Ancient Egypt story can therefore orient you to the organization at the heart of the series without requiring you to begin with the earliest release. It also lets you sample the more open-ended style that appears in later large-world entries.
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That does not make Origins the beginning of every Assassin’s Creed storyline. Ubisoft’s guide describes the 2007 game as the introduction to Desmond’s modern-day narrative, while Origins depicts the founding of the Hidden Ones in a much earlier historical period. Those are different kinds of continuity. If the modern-day thread and original release sequence matter most to you, start with the 2007 game and continue to Assassin’s Creed II. If the organization’s historical roots and a later-series structure matter more, start with Origins.
Ubisoft lists Origins as released on October 27, 2017, and its US store page identifies a PS4 version: Ubisoft Store: Assassin’s Creed Origins. Release date and platform listing help identify the game, but they do not establish what is currently in stock at a particular retailer.
Should I start with Mirage if I want stealth?
Yes. Mirage is the more direct recommendation if you want stealth and investigations to be central to your first experience. It follows Basim in Baghdad and emphasizes tools and investigative play, in contrast with the combat shift Ubisoft highlights for Origins. Pick based on the style you want rather than assuming one is a required prequel to the other.
Mirage released on October 5, 2023. Ubisoft later described its Valley of Memory update as free for owners of Mirage and as adding more than six hours of new content. That figure is Ubisoft’s stated scope for the update, not a measured estimate of how long the main game takes to finish, and the update is not a separate series entry beginners need to buy. See Ubisoft’s Valley of Memory announcement.
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Should I play Assassin’s Creed in release order?
Play in release order if you want to follow the series as its modern-day storyline and design evolved. It is not necessary if you mainly want a particular historical setting or style of play. Release order, historical chronology and story order answer different questions, so decide which kind of continuity you care about before committing to a long sequence.
When release order makes sense
The original Assassin’s Creed, released in 2007, introduces Desmond’s modern-day storyline. Assassin’s Creed II follows it and starts Ezio’s story. A newcomer who wants those earlier narrative links should begin with the original and move forward by release, rather than jumping directly to an ancient setting because it appears earlier on a historical timeline.
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When a setting-first order makes sense
If you care more about a particular era or style than the modern-day plot, choose the matching game and treat it as a standalone point of entry. Odyssey can be the right first game for someone drawn to Greece and ship travel; Shadows for someone drawn to Japan and its two protagonists; or Valhalla for someone whose priority is the Viking setting. Those are preference-based paths, not claims that all their surrounding story material is irrelevant.
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Do I need to play the first Assassin’s Creed before II?
No, not to begin Ezio’s story: Assassin’s Creed II is the entry point for his character. Playing the 2007 original first is the more orderly choice if you also want the beginning of Desmond’s modern-day storyline, which that game introduces. The right choice depends on whether your priority is Ezio or that earlier series thread.
Be careful when checking platform information. Ubisoft’s original Assassin’s Creed II page lists PC, macOS, PS3 and Xbox 360 for that release. That listing does not establish the platforms, contents or current availability of a separately packaged collection or remaster. Check the exact edition and platform in the store where you intend to buy it: Ubisoft Store: the original Assassin’s Creed II listing.
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Yes. Choose any of them if its setting and features are what brought you to the series; none is a prerequisite for Origins. The trade-off is that each offers a different first impression, so the best fit depends on what kind of adventure you want rather than on which title comes first on a historical timeline.
Choose Odyssey for Ancient Greece
Odyssey centers on an Ancient Greek mercenary adventure and features abilities and ship travel. That makes it a strong fit for someone seeking a broad setting-driven epic. It is not the game to pick specifically for a story about the founding of the Hidden Ones; that is the distinction that makes Origins the more natural all-around recommendation.
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Choose Valhalla for a Viking-era story
Valhalla is the setting-led alternative for players interested in Viking settlement, raids and sieges. It can be a sensible first game when that premise is more appealing than Egypt or Greece, but it is not the shortest route to the organization’s founding story. This is a fit judgment based on Ubisoft’s descriptions, not a ranking based on playtesting.
Choose Shadows for feudal Japan
Shadows puts two contrasting approaches together: Naoe’s shinobi stealth and Yasuke’s samurai combat. Its Ubisoft-listed release date is March 20, 2025. If the setting and character contrast appeal to you, there is no need to complete older entries first; if you want the founding story, Origins is the more direct choice.
Which Black Flag should I buy?
Be precise about the edition: the original Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is the 2013 Caribbean pirate adventure starring Edward Kenway; Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is a separately listed remake. Both fit someone looking for pirates and ship combat, but their names and storefront listings are not interchangeable.
Ubisoft’s US product page lists Black Flag Resynced with a release date of July 9, 2026, and lists digital platforms. That page does not verify a physical-disc edition. If you specifically want a disc, do not assume one exists based on a listing for the digital version; confirm the format and platform for the exact product before paying. Ubisoft’s release-order guide describes the 2013 original’s Edward Kenway and Caribbean premise, while the remake has its own Ubisoft product listing.
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How should I check platform and purchase format?
Confirm the platform and format for the exact edition you want before buying. A game’s title alone is not enough to establish whether a particular store listing is for a physical disc, a digital copy, a specific console generation or a particular collection.
- Choose the game first. If you have no strong preference, look for Origins; if you already know you want stealth, Ezio, Greece, Vikings, Japan or piracy, choose the corresponding game instead.
- Match the listing to your hardware. Ubisoft’s US page lists an Origins PS4 version. Do not infer that a listing for one platform means the same edition is available for another.
- Check physical versus digital format. For a physical copy, confirm that the listing is actually for a disc rather than a code, and check the stated condition and seller. No particular seller, price or current stock level is established here.
- Verify the full edition name. This matters especially for Black Flag: distinguish the 2013 original from Black Flag Resynced, and confirm whether the listing is digital or physical.
- Check access requirements before relying on the Animus Hub. Ubisoft’s January 2025 explanation says the Hub is integrated into Shadows, is not a standalone launcher, and can launch Mirage, Valhalla, Odyssey and Origins when those games are owned or installed. It does not provide games you do not own. Ubisoft also says that owners of physical versions of the recent games discussed in that explanation are prompted to insert the disc before launch. Details are in Ubisoft’s Animus Hub explanation.
How we picked these starting points
The recommendations match each game to publisher-described story context, setting and play-style features: the Hidden Ones’ founding and combat shift in Origins; stealth and investigations in Mirage; Ezio and the earlier modern-day narrative in Assassin’s Creed II; Ancient Greece, abilities and ship travel in Odyssey; Viking raids and sieges in Valhalla; Naoe and Yasuke’s contrasting approaches in Shadows; and piracy in the two clearly distinguished Black Flag editions. These are editorial fit recommendations, not official Ubisoft rankings or test results.
Availability and edition details can change by region, platform and retailer. Ubisoft’s dated product pages and announcements establish the particular facts cited here, but they do not establish a live retailer’s price, stock, subscription inclusion or every current platform option. Check the listing for the specific edition you intend to play.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does starting with one Assassin’s Creed game lock me into a particular order?
No. The recommendations here are entry points based on setting and style, not a required sequence. You can move to another era or protagonist next; choose release order if following the original modern-day storyline is important to you.
Is Valley of Memory a separate Assassin’s Creed game?
No. Ubisoft described Valley of Memory as an update for owners of Mirage, rather than a separate series entry. Its stated content scope is Ubisoft’s figure, not a completion-time estimate for the main game.
Does Ubisoft+ currently include the game I want to start with?
Current subscription inclusion and terms are not established by the cited Ubisoft pages. Check the current offer in your region for the exact game and platform before subscribing.
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Does Ubisoft’s 2024 game-order guide include every newer release?
No. That guide was published in 2024 and ends with Mirage; Ubisoft’s separate listings identify later releases including Shadows and Black Flag Resynced. Use it as a release-order reference for the titles it covers, not as a complete current catalogue.
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