Which Assassin's Creed game first introduced playable naval battles?

Assassin's Creed III first introduced playable naval battles to the Assassin's Creed series.

Released in 2012, Assassin's Creed III includes naval missions in which Connor's ally and mentor, the privateer Captain Robert Faulkner, helps him command the ship Aquila. Players steer the vessel, maneuver around enemy ships, use cannons, and participate in battles set during the American Revolutionary War.

The naval system in Assassin's Creed III was more limited than the seafaring gameplay of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, which expanded ship travel into a major open-world feature. Because Black Flag is much more strongly identified with piracy and naval exploration, it is often incorrectly named as the first game with naval battles.

Assassin's Creed III is primarily set in the American colonies, with major locations including Boston and New York. Connor, whose Mohawk name is Ratonhnhaké:ton, is the main protagonist, while naval sequences form one part of his broader Revolutionary War campaign.