The Assassin's Creed universe is a shared fictional universe centered on a historical and modern-day conflict between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templars, who believe in free will versus control, respectively. The universe includes a deep sci-fi lore about an ancient civilization called the Isu, who existed around 75,000 BCE, and their artifacts which are central to the conflict. Players experience the story through the Animus, a device that allows them to relive their ancestors' memories, primarily focusing on the historical settings where the Assassins operated, such as the Crusades, the Italian Renaissance, and the American Revolution. The lore extends across all the games, as well as novels, comics, and other media.
