Assassin's Creed Shadows isn't the only AC content we're getting this year

Assassin’s Creed Shadows isn’t the only Assassin’s Creed content we’re getting this year, TCG fans rejoice.

The Assassin’s Creed franchise is huge spanning multiple games across several years, with each one arguably being more impressive than the last.

Check out the latest game on the way, Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Now while the next game in the series is taking players to Feudal Japan, it’s not the only content we’re getting from Ubisoft’s flagship franchise.

Assassin’s Creed will make its Magic: The Gathering debut with a new collaboration, which includes several custom-made cards that reference the games.

We had some hands-on time with the new cards at Summer Game Fest, and while I’m not a Magic: The Gathering player by any means even I could appreciate how cool they were, and they fit into the wider game pretty well.

The cards themselves reference a variety of different Assassin’s Creed events, characters, locations and weapons, spanning multiple games in the series.

From the early adventures of Ezio Auditore, to the Viking Age of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and more modern titles like Assassin’s Creed Mirage, it covers all bases and I can almost guarantee your favourite is lurking in here somewhere.

We were given a short demo of the game with the new cards, skillfully guided through the match by someone who actually knew what they were doing, as we were treated to some of the new cards and how they fit into the wider game. While you could put together a deck of just Assassin’s Creed cards, you can also shuffle a few into your current decks provided that they’re a good fit and won’t be just fodder for an enemy player.

Many of the assassins like Ezio were unique as they were considered aerial combatants, no doubt a reference to the various aerial assassinations you can execute in the games. That’s not all though, as other cards had different abilities that reflected the character they were showing off.

Ubisoft

For example, my favourite Assassin’s Creed character Edward Kenway can be used to enhance vehicle cards, no doubt a reference to the way he masterfully captains the Jackdaw in his game. Other characters like Kassandra are a bit more boots on the ground, and you can always upgrade your cards with others that give them different weapons or other upgrades.

It was great to see the cards take on such unique properties according to who they were supposed to represent, and if you’ve played the games before then it’ll certainly help understand their abilities and what function they can have in a match. I loved seeing the variation, and while there were some aspects from the games I would have liked to have seen as their own card, I think all the basics have been nailed.

The cards themselves were also stunning, with delightful artwork and a glossy finish that’ll make them perfect for playing with but also collecting if that’s more your jam. My personal favourite was one of a young Ezio perched outside a window, but they’re all quality in their own way.

As for the game itself, I was absolutely awful. As I said before I’m not a Magic: The Gathering guy, and while I was being kindly assisted by someone who could tell me what the cards do and when to play them, it didn’t prevent my inevitable defeat.

Nevertheless I still had a great time just seeing the cards in person and learning something new, even though I’ll never be able to shake the memory of my colleagues' smug face as he was reduced by life points to zero.

Ubisoft

The Assassin’s Creed and Magic: The Gathering collaboration is perfect for fans of both IPs, though I also think it’ll do wonders for people like me who haven’t had a deep dive into the TCG yet, and need something to hook us in and give it a go. Whether you want to duel with friends or just collect the cards because they look pretty, these are definitely worth your attention. The cards will be released later this week, on 5 July.