What was the original working concept that evolved into Assassin's Creed?

Assassin's Creed began as a Prince of Persia spin-off concept.

During development at Ubisoft Montreal, the team explored an idea called Prince of Persia: Assassins. The concept centered on a character connected to an elite group of assassins and emphasized freerunning, stealth, and historical adventure. As the project developed, it moved away from the Prince of Persia framework and became a separate franchise.

The resulting game retained design ideas that fit the new identity, including climbing, rooftop movement, social stealth, and a historical setting. It also introduced the science-fiction framing device of the Animus, which allows modern characters to experience ancestral memories.

The final Assassin's Creed game was released in 2007 and starred Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad during the Third Crusade. It is not a Prince of Persia game, although the shared development history explains why comparisons between the two series often focus on parkour and swordplay.