Assassination Classroom

Assassin’s Creed Origins’ forthcoming Discovery Tour mode could inspire future historians.

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Ubisoft’s flagship series is as synonymous with history as it is with virtual murder. From sunny Renaissance Italy, to a pirate-infested 18th-century Caribbean, to Victorian England’s bustling streets, the worlds of Assassin’s Creed have offered players a taste of many different time periods – even if the factual accuracy of them has been questionable. The recently released Assassin’s Creed Origins is no different: it’s a lavish interpretation of Ancient Egypt, but a videogame nonetheless, with all the fantastical trimmings players enjoy. Yet a forthcoming free addition to the game may even trump some of Origins’ taller tales.

Due next year, the Discovery Tour update turns Bayek’s adventure into an interactive museum, allowing players – hopefully, even history students – to dive deeper into Ancient Egyptian culture. “We were toying with the idea for several years, wishing to someday make it happen,” Jean Guesdon, creative director on Origins, tells us. “History is very important for us: we really do our homework. We always say that the education that we put in our games deserves to be shared with more people, and not just be seen as background. In previous games we had an in-game encyclopedia, the Animus database, and we wanted to take that to the next level.”