The original Assassin's Creed video game was released worldwide in 2007.
Ubisoft developed the game for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, with a Windows version following in 2008. It introduced players to Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, an Assassin operating during the Third Crusade, and Desmond Miles, whose genetic memories are explored through the Animus.
The game grew out of ideas developed for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Its open-ended assassination missions, parkour movement, social stealth, and historical settings established the series' central identity. Although later games expanded the role-playing and exploration systems, the 2007 title focused more narrowly on investigation and assassination contracts.
A common mix-up is confusing the original game's release year with the year of its Windows edition. The console release came first in 2007, while Assassin's Creed: Director's Cut Edition reached Windows in 2008. The game launched the long-running Assassin's Creed franchise.