10 Eras the Assassin’s Creed Series Should Cover Next

Assassin’s Creed is known for creating unique worlds, with each of the series’ games centered around different historical settings. These settings aren’t random but are specifically chosen for their dense cultural details, unique aesthetic, intriguing historical characters, important historical events, and opportunities for the lore of Assassin’s Creed to take place. From Ancient Greece to the present day, Assassin’s Creed has built playgrounds in some of the most important eras in human history.

With the upcoming installment, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, being set in the franchise’s most requested era of all time, Feudal Japan, many wonder where Assassin’s Creed can take the franchise next. Since the games are often set in one specific location and time, the games are either limited to interesting areas without needing the main character to explore multiple locations, or they may need to experiment with a new feel for some of the games. While they’ve already shown many of the most notable periods throughout the world and time, there are still many countries and cultures with rich, and sometimes lesser-known, though equally important histories that can provide new experiences based on all the most well-loved features of the Assassin’s Creed series.

10 The Khmer Empire is Rich With Diverse Gameplay Opportunities and Connects Lore with Angkor (1177-1181)

The Rich Culture Offers Limitless Opportunity for Assassin’s Creed Innovation

The Khmer Empire is located in modern-day Asia, specifically Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos. It is full of Hindu and Buddhist cultures, intense invasions, and battles ripe with opportunities for Assassins to participate. This area is not only unexplored in the Assassin’s Creed franchise but also holds Angkor, an important location in Assassin’s Creed lore rumored to hold an Isu Temple and Pieces of Eden.

Khmer offers exciting opportunities for the series in a period of intense military and architectural activity. Assassins could participate in guerrilla warfare, quietly defending an important location, gathering intelligence on either side of the conflict, and helping with strategic reconstruction efforts of a vital Temple related to the Isu lore.

9 The Mughal Empire Offers a Period of Great Artistic and Architectural Feats Including the Taj Mahal (1632-1643 CE)

This Period Could Focus More on Architectural Wonders and Their Importance

The Mughal Empire would be a deviation from Assassin’s Creed, away from exploring Empires in upheaval and being torn apart and instead telling a story of building something important. It could explore themes of dealing with loss and the meaning of freedom through the Jahan family as they build the Taj Mahal.

When war isn’t at the forefront, what might the Assassins and Templars be at odds with? Similar to a period of great artistic feats to The Renaissance in the iconic Assassin’s Creed II and Brotherhood installments, this is an artistic period that could lead to explorations of more than just violent battles, and show what’s important to people in a period of societal growth.

8 Kievan Rus’ Provides a Deep Narrative Backdrop During a Significant Cultural Shift in an Unexplored Area (988-996 CE)

This Setting Could Provide a Unique Look at Cultural Changes, How They Occur, and Who They Affect

The Kievan Rus’ period offers distinct storytelling influences of religion, change, culture, and individuals working to protect and build their freedom among great changes in their society. Transformative eras offer many opportunities for Assassin’s Creed to have Assassins and Templars influence the most significant events, along with fighting over Pieces of Eden in surprising ways.

The gameplay in Kievan Rus’ would offer distinct Russian architecture for fun parkour and beautiful ambiance as well as plenty of opportunity for stealth during the unique backdrop of a time of increasing civilization and Christianization. Decisive leadership in an era of defending religious faith against hostile neighboring tribes offers opportunities for tension between Christianity and Paganism that could serve Assassin’s Creed lore.

7 The Indus Valley Civilization Offers Unique Cultural Challenges in an Early Civilization (1900-1890 BCE)

The Backdrop of this Period Would Offer Distinct Objectives for Problems Unexplored in Assassin’s Creed

There is little known about the people of the Indus Valley, as it is so far back in history, yet it spans a well-known era, the Bronze Age, and is rife with opportunities for early civilization exploration that have foundational political intrigue. Rather than focusing on war, this would be a setting with other important aspects of a civilization in turmoil that could play on unique features within the Assassin’s Creed formula.

The Early Civilization opportunities surrounded by environmental challenges, trade, and the decline of major urban centers such as Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa would be an interesting period of change in a uniquely simpler setting, offering the potential for Assassin’s Creed to rely on its most foundational roots and really let them shine.

6 The Iberian Union Would Shed Light on a Less-Explored, Important Setting of Trade and Globalization (1580-1590 CE)

Portugal Gained and Lost Extreme Global Power, Offering a Unique Storytelling Opportunity

The Iberian Union is one of the most important eras of history that is so little discussed and is perfect for Assassin’s Creed. It deserves to have more mediums take a significant look into it, especially with how powerful it was in its prime. Had 1588 gone differently, the world would look very different today.

This era offers a great opportunity for Assassins and Templars to get involved and change history. For those who enjoyed the naval battles in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the Iberian Union would be a great opportunity to bring back these systems and refine them further.

5 The Indian Independence Movement Offers a Unique Conflict for Assassin’s Creed Lore by Adding the Unexpected Figure of Ghandi (1930-1942 CE)

This Could Be The Most Recent Historical Setting, With a Unique Focus

Some of the most memorable moments of the Assassin’s Creed are character relationships. One example is Ezio’s adventures with Leonardo da Vinci, which was so important throughout his trilogy that in the Assasin’s Creed Nexus VR game, they had Ezio meet up with his friend one last time. Loyalties have also been tested throughout the series in many ways, from the divide between Kassandra and Alexios in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey to the love between Arno and Elise in Assassin’s Creed Unity. It would be interesting to see an entry in Assassin’s Creed play relationships against the main character and essentially tell the opposite story from that of Assassin’s Creed III, one where peace tempts the main character.

A distinct moral dilemma between freedom and peace could be exacerbated if the main character came in contact with one of the most well-known figures in human history: Mahatma Ghandi. What if Assassins can win the same battles with less violence? Templars often turn to this method by using control, but what if there’s a better way than both sides have ever pursued? The story could potentially have a different reward system based on the non-lethal assassination of something other than just people, finding different ways to get to the same outcomes.

4 The Aztec Empire Offers a Brutal Setting of Cultural Conflict and Sacrifice in a Well-Known Setting (1519-1521)

The Fall of the Aztec Empire is Both Rich and Epic, Perfect for Both Sides of Assassin’s Creed’s Strengths

The Aztec Empire is one of the most well-known periods of history and was an intense and dramatic time that would offer a perfect background for a cinematic and gameplay-forward entry in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. The era was brutal, and the people built their society around sacrificial mysteries. But more than that, this was a time of fighting back against invading forces and the resulting cultural conflict.

This would be another great entry with involvement in an important war. The unique aspects of this era could include moral dilemmas in the face of who inhabits a land, and what it means to have or to pursue, especially within the context of the greater Assassin’s Creed lore.

3 Switzerland’s Struggle for Independence Provides a Unique Aesthetic and Assassin, William Tell (1291-1300 CE)

Snowy Mountainous Terrain and Swiss Architecture Could Provide a New Feel for Assassin’s Creed

Switzerland would offer a distinct aesthetic and cultural feel not explored in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, though would nod to some of the elaborate Western European beauty also seen in the Ezio trilogy, specifically Assassin’s Creed II and Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, along with Arno’s palace escapades in Assassin’s Creed Unity.

The rugged Swiss Alps along with the unique architecture would offer phenomenal parkour opportunities. The political upheaval would offer political intrigue all in the name of eventual peace, which lends to the Assassin and Templar conflict nicely. But best of all is the legend of William Tell, someone who would make a perfect Assassin within the greater lore.

2 The Mongol Empire is One of the Most Well-Known and Exciting Historical Settings (1206-1227 CE)

This Could Offer Assassin’s Creed’s Largest Geographical Setting and Unparalleled Conquest with Brutal Warfare

The Mongol Empire easily encompasses the most exciting time Assassin’s Creed could be a part of. It is well-known for a reason —because its influence is eternal. Genghis Khan is one of history’s most important and influential figures, and everything occurring around him during his reign affected everything after, from the Mongol conquests to trade in the Silk Road expansion.

Assassins could have a huge variety in mission design in an era with vast-reaching conquests, battles, and trade. The gameplay could be both brutal and stealthy, and the creativity of parkouring The Great Wall of China would be nothing short of thrilling.

1 The Mayan Civilization Offers Mystery in a Distinct Setting Ripe With Assassin Opportunity (820-830 CE)

The Many Unknowns of Mayan Decline Offers Unique Opportunities in One of the Most Intriguing Periods in Human History

The Mayan Civilization spans a lengthy amount of time, so there are multiple points of interest to choose from. One of the most intriguing and mysterious is the abandonment of the major cities of Tikal and Copán. The Mayans forever altered human scientific discoveries, yet there’s so much mystery surrounding how they were able to accomplish such feats.

With all the mystery surrounding this great civilization, there’s a great opportunity for treasure hunting Pieces of Eden, and having those be part of the mysterious lore, along with the Assassin and Templar lore playing a part in the abandonment of the cities. It would also be intriguing to see the types of puzzles related to Mayan mysteries that could innovate the Assassin’s Creed formula.

The franchise has already explored a variety of eras throughout some of the most well-known periods including Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt, The French Revolution, The Renaissance, and The Industrial Revolution, but none of the mainline games have explored significant events in Russia, India, Switzerland, Portugal, or countries in South America. There is also a huge gap of time between Ancient Egypt and the Islamic Golden Age. This leaves many extremely rich cultural and exciting events for Assassin’s Creed to explore after Feudal Japan in Assassin’s Creed Shadows that could add unique, fresh elements for current fans and expand the unique qualities of the series to new fans who might enjoy time periods less explored throughout the gaming industry.