The first Assassin's Creed game was released in 2007.
Ubisoft released the game in November 2007 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, with a Windows version following in April 2008. It introduced the series' central conflict between the Assassins and the Templars, framed through the modern character Desmond Miles.
The game was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and directed by Patrice Désilets. Its historical story takes place mainly during the Third Crusade in the late 12th century, with Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad as the playable assassin.
A common mix-up is to identify 2008 as the original release year because that was when the Windows edition appeared. The first console release, and the debut of the franchise itself, belongs to 2007.