How to Play the Assassin’s Creed Games in Order

As we alluded to above, while there are 24 Assassin’s Creed games (not including remasters, iOS ports, and the like), only the 14 main titles are important to the franchise’s overarching narrative. And while stripping out extraneous spinoffs makes life a bit easier, the number of action-adventure/stealth games we’re left with still pose a challenge, narratively speaking.

All of these games – except for 2023’s Assassin’s Creed Mirage and (first five or so minutes notwithstanding) 2025’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows – consist of two components: a period central story and a modern-day framing sequence. As such, Assassin’s Creed technically has two correct chronological orders, depending on which narrative thread you follow.

Yet most fans agree that following the chronology of the modern-day sequences is the most satisfying way to experience the series’ wider narrative. This breaks down as follows:

1. Assassin’s Creed (2007)
2. Assassin’s Creed II (2009)
3. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (2010)
4. Assassin’s Creed: Revelations (2011)
5. Assassin’s Creed III (2012)
6. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (2013)
7. Assassin’s Creed Rogue (2014)
8. Assassin’s Creed Unity (2014)
9. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (2015)
10. Assassin’s Creed Origins (2017)
11. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (2018)
12. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (2020)
13. Assassin’s Creed Mirage (2023)
14. Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2025)

That said, if you still want to play through the Assassin’s Creed games based on their historical settings, here’s how to do it:

1. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (431-422 BC)
2. Assassin’s Creed Origins (49-43 BC)
3. Assassin’s Creed Mirage (861 AD)
4. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (872-878 AD)
5. Assassin’s Creed (1191 AD)
6. Assassin’s Creed II (1476-1499 AD)
7. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (1499-1507 AD)
8. Assassin’s Creed: Revelations (1511-1512 AD)
9. Assassin’s Creed Shadows (1579 AD)
10. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (1715-1722 AD)
11. Assassin’s Creed Rogue (1752-1760 AD)
12. Assassin’s Creed III (1754-1783 AD)
13. Assassin’s Creed Unity (1789-1794 AD)
14. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (1868 AD)

One final wrinkle applies to both chronological orders: The Tyranny of King Washington. A DLC expansion pack, The Tyranny of King Washington takes place in an alternate version of Assassin’s Creed III‘s Revolutionary War timeline. Although this stuff isn’t technically canon, the bookend cutscenes are set in the franchise’s core reality.

Related: What Assassin’s Creed Game Should You Play First?

How to Play the Assassin’s Creed Games in Release Order

That’s the in-universe chronology covered – what about if you want to play Assassin’s Creed in release order? That’s a lot easier: follow the present-day playthrough order listed above.

You can even break the franchise into different eras if that seems daunting. As each of Assassin’s Creed‘s present-day protagonists has a self-contained story arc, each of their debut games is a perfect jumping-off point.

The era approach works as follows:

Desmond Miles Era

1. Assassin’s Creed (2007)
2. Assassin’s Creed II (2009)
3. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (2010)
4. Assassin’s Creed: Revelations (2011)
5. Assassin’s Creed III (2012)

“Noob” Era

1. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (2013)

“Numbskull” Era

1. Assassin’s Creed Rogue (2014)

“The Initiate” Era

1. Assassin’s Creed Unity (2014)
2. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (2015)

Layla Hassan / Basim Ibn Ishaq Era

1. Assassin’s Creed Origins (2017)
2. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (2018)
3. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (2020)
4. Assassin’s Creed Mirage (2023)

Animus Hub Era

1. Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2025)

And that’s how to play the Assassin’s Creed games in order.

The Assassin’s Creed games are available for purchase through Ubisoft.

The above article was updated on 3/20/25 by the original author to include Assassin’s Creed Shadows.