If you play your games on a computer, then you’re in luck. A few days ago, developer Ubisoft announced that PC owners will be able to download and play Assassin’s Creed: Origins for free during this coming weekend. And as the company notes, “if you want to continue the adventure after the free weekend concludes, your progress will carry over when you purchase the game.”
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the franchise – which, if you take video games even semi-seriously, is pretty much impossible – Assassin’s Creed is a series of action-adventure titles that allow players to step into the shoes of, you guessed it, assassins. Since the release of the first game in the late 2000s, each subsequent entry has been set in a different historical epoch. Over the years, fans of the franchise have been able to visit places like crusade-struck Jerusalem, renaissance Venice, Revolutionary War America and industrial London.
The game which Ubisoft will now be offering for free, Origins, is set in Ancient Egypt and, as the title suggests, features a story that details the origin of the secretive organization that players have been a part of for years.
Released only a few years ago, Origins occupies a special place in the history of the franchise. It was the first game to come out following a 2-year production schedule instead of Ubisoft’s usual single calendar period. With more time on their hands, the developers were able to really distinguish their project from previous iterations.
Following the success of Origins, as well as its acclaimed sequel Odyssey, the Assassin’s Creed franchise is still going strong. In fact, not too long ago, Ubisoft revealed the next game in the series, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, which will allow players to experience what it’s like to live as a Viking. Look for it to release in December.