Recognized for its lavish depiction of historical settings, Assassin’s Creed is frequently mentioned in the literature on video games and social education (Chapman, 2013; Metzger & Paxton, 2016; Wainwright, 2014; Young et al., 2012). However, in contrast with Sid Meier’s Civilization series, which has garnered frequent in-depth exploration (Chapman, 2013; Lee & Probert, 2010; McCall, 2011; Squire, 2005; Wainwright, 2014), references to Assassin’s Creed often amount to a general sense that the series ought to be useful when teaching about history, but no one seems quite sure how to go about using it. One reason for this disconnect may be that Assassin’s Creed is distinct from other games whose mechanisms are readily harnessed toward more easily recognized learning goals. Whereas simulation games like Civilization offer a history-themed model in which players’ actions allow for experimentation with material factors and their results, Assassin’s Creed mixes a science-fiction plotline with real historical moments which players explore but whose actions do not change outcomes. For some, the historical content in Assassin’s Creed amounts to an “appropriation of history”(Stuart, 2010) for commercial purposes. Indeed, McCall (2011) entirely dismissed the educational potential of Assassin’s Creed on the basis that its historical content is “simply a backdrop for the action”(p. 28).