This is the next historical period I want to see in Assassin's Creed

The Assassin's Creed series has explored multiple eras of world history within the narrative of its many releases. Each new game transports players into a new period that is immensely detailed and faithful to the culture and zeitgeist of that time. Whether wandering the rooftops of 15th-century Italy or hiding in the shadows of feudal Japan, Assassin's Creed has a rich ensemble of settings that fans love to explore. But despite the historical periods highlighted in the series being very diverse and interesting, there is one era of world history I have yet to see the franchise explore in a new game. It is one that has major relevance to the entirety of the Assassin's Creed series in deeper ways than you might realize.

It's finally time for an Assassin's Creed game to be set during the era of the Second World War, during the years of 1939–1945. This is a significant timeframe within the series because of the big shifts taking place for both the Templars and the Assassins during World War II, which led to key aspects of the larger story of the series. As a part of various Assassin's Creed comics and other media, World War II has only been mentioned or referenced in passing, with very few stories set during the events of that era. With how important the Second World War was to everyone globally, and how much room there is to tell original stories based on those historical events, I believe now is a great time for a new Assassin's Creed game to dive into the era and showcase a missing part of the franchise's lore.

Why World War II now?

Hasn't it been done enough?

For some people, World War II seems like an easy answer to finding a setting for a video game. There are already games that tackle the setting in a variety of ways, with varying degrees of success. And with Assassin's Creed often taking players to very early civilizations, World War II seems like a stretch to cover at first. However, many of the modern-day parts of Assassin's Creed games, those sections that flash to the present day of nearly every game, are tied directly to the struggle between the Assassins and Templars during the Second World War. And because of that, it's a big chapter within the history of the franchise that has never been explored in a full game.

The growing power of the Templar Order, the enemy faction of the entire series, was exponential as World War II was going on. Key items like the Apples of Eden played a role in some of the historical events within the lore of Assassin's Creed, which the Templars instigated from the very start. In the aftermath of the war, the Templars managed to grow into a secret mega-power that influenced nearly all aspects of the world, which led to the creation of Abstergo Industries. I want to see all of this come together from the perspective of an assassin caught in the middle of the chaotic events of that era.

The main historical players

What role would they fill?

The setting of World War II opens up the possibility of seeing many historical figures who were significant to the war. In much the same way, Haythem Kenway crossed paths with the likes of George Washington and Ben Franklin during the American Revolution; the same could happen for an Assassin's Creed game set during the Second World War. Finding myself on a mission in Europe that takes me to the offices of Winston Churchill, or meeting with Franklin Delano Roosevelt about the influence of the Templars on the Allied Powers, could create a great story that includes these important figures. The scope of World War II was vast because of how many countries were involved, but there are enough key people from events in history to introduce into a plot that wouldn't go far off track from the conflict between the Assassins and Templars. Not every historical figure needs to make an appearance in a big way, but just the ones that make the most sense.

But what would their roles be without compromising the accuracy of historical events? The series has a firm basis in keeping the historical context of the time period intact, without taking too many creative liberties for the game. In supplemental Assassin's Creed books and media, most of the leaders of the era were involved with the ongoing battle with the Templars, on multiple sides of the conflict as well. However, I don't need to have well-known figures accompanying me on assassination missions or secret events of the war that were erased from the record books. However, the best way to approach it is to allow historical figures of World War II to play a small role in the Assassin's story while maintaining their specific history. We may know everything there is to know about Joseph Stalin from the war, but that doesn't mean he can't appear to influence some part of the game in a way that feels authentic.

And what about Adolf?

There's no getting around it

With any game or piece of media that focuses on the Second World War, the topic of Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust will inevitably come up. As both a tragic and significant part of world history, you can't have a time period without some of its worst parts being included in the story. Most of the references to Adolf and his role within the context of Assassin's Creed media are detailed in books and comics, with events leading to the end of the war as the Assassin takes his Apple of Eden following his death. For a game, we would eventually have to see and be part of what happens, along with the events in real history that signaled the end of the war. But there are a lot of terrible things that precede that, which should not be avoided but handled with care.

Nothing about Adolf Hitler or his role in history has to be glorified, nor given a pass by any faction within Assassin's Creed. It would be better if the Templars were shown not to endorse what occurred, while still being seen as the antagonists of the story, and having history accurately portrayed. It's easy to have players take a role in the assassination of Adolf Hitler during these events, whether the main character is the one who does the deed or not. But the bottom line is that there's no getting around this part of the time period. It's part of the lore of the franchise, and it has to be part of this story as well.

Places to go during war

What to see in this era

The events of World War II encompass multiple countries, which would give Assassin's Creed the opportunity to showcase more historical landmarks from that period of history. And it doesn't have to be all from Europe, since the Assassins had eyes on multiple parts of both the Allied and Axis powers who were involved in the conflict. The story could take players from the United States to multiple countries in Europe, including France, Great Britain, Russia, and Germany. Any one of the famous landmarks that were present during the conflict could be a potential spot to visit. Depending on who or what the main character will be, there's a lot of room for creativity in how to depict what the Assassins and the Templars were doing in this timeframe. Does the main character need to be from America or from any of the specific countries heavily involved in World War II? No, but the option to see it from multiple vantage points is there.

With multiple countries being possible locations, this also opens up a diverse display of visuals for the many people we encounter. Whether it's the style of the Americas or the Europeans from the 1940s, it's a presentation that would stand out from other entries in the Assassin's Creed series. The technology of the time could play a big role as well, since the world was witnessing the seeds of many technological advancements we've seen up to today, and throughout the franchise for both the Assassins and Templars. The beginnings of Abstergo Industries could creep their way into what we see with the locations we go to, eventually foreshadowing what would eventually come to be in later games.

An era of significance

The Assassin's Creed games have a great track record of depicting the historical eras they explore in authentic detail. It's a big part of why I and many other people love playing the games, and seeing aspects of history rendered faithfully. There are very few franchises that do this so well. Assassin's Creed has a lot of room to tell great stories that give this setting a sense of authenticity and originality, taking people on a ride through historical events and offering them an experience that feels genuine. With so many eras of world history explored in the series already, it would be fair to say that this same level of care and attention to detail would work very well for a World War II setting, which will build upon the franchise and tackle a significant part of world history.