Assassin’s Creed Before You Watch / Read / Play
Should You Play Assassin’s Creed Mirage Before Valhalla?
Mirage follows an earlier Basim, but Valhalla introduced him first. Choose between his life chronology, release-order reveals and a shorter stealth game.
The short answer
You can play Assassin’s Creed Mirage before Valhalla. Mirage is a standalone prequel about a younger Basim and takes place earlier in his life. If your priority is experiencing the reveals in release order, play Valhalla first, then Mirage. If you mainly want Baghdad and a more focused stealth adventure, start with Mirage and accept that the later connection will have a different effect.[1][2]
Describes the Basim connection and order trade-offs without explaining either game’s ending, identities or modern-day revelations.
How are the two games connected?
Ubisoft identifies Mirage as Basim’s coming-of-age story in ninth-century Baghdad. Basim was introduced to players in Valhalla; Mirage later returned to an earlier part of his life. The publisher’s announcement places Mirage about twenty years before Valhalla.[1]
That makes the pair a useful example of why historical order and release order can differ. Valhalla gives you one perspective on a person you meet there. Mirage gives you an origin story for that person. Which perspective comes first changes how you read the clues.
There is no need to know the explanation before playing. Searching for what Mirage’s ending means can answer a question you have not yet had a chance to ask.
Which order should you choose?
| Priority | Play first | What you accept |
|---|---|---|
| Experience Basim as audiences originally met him | Valhalla | A longer game before the prequel. |
| Follow Basim’s life forward | Mirage | Later revelations may land differently. |
| Explore Baghdad through a focused stealth story | Mirage | Some wider mythology can remain a question for later. |
These are editorial choices, not rival claims about which game happens first. The chronological answer is Mirage. The recommendation depends on what you want from your first playthrough.
If you already own Mirage and the setting is what attracted you, we would not add Valhalla as a compulsory purchase. Play the story you wanted, then decide whether its connections make you curious enough to continue.
Is Mirage a Valhalla expansion?
No. Ubisoft’s development interview explains that the project grew from an expansion idea into a standalone game. Its origins as a concept do not make the released title DLC that requires a Valhalla installation.[2]
The distinction also matters for your expectations. The same interview describes a smaller setting and a stronger stealth focus. Shared characters do not guarantee the same rhythm, scale or mechanics.
If your choice is about gameplay rather than story order, use that difference as the starting point. A timeline cannot tell you whether you want a concentrated city adventure or a broader open-world commitment.
What about the modern-day Assassin’s Creed story?
Assassin’s Creed has historical adventures inside a wider framework. Moving the historical setting earlier does not automatically move every revelation or framing assumption earlier for the player. That is why sorting games only by the date of their historical setting can give a misleading first-play plan.
For this pair, release order is our choice if you want to protect the way Basim’s significance is initially revealed. For a wider series playthrough, use the connected-games article to understand the historical and framing layers before designing your route.
You do not need to play the entire franchise between these two games just because they share a universe. Keep the decision focused on the story or play style you are actually following.
Understand how Assassin’s Creed’s historical and modern-day stories connect
Inside the chronology
Go straight to the story
Sources & verification
Reviewed on 7 October 2026. Sources establish the factual connections and formats; viewing, reading and optional-context recommendations are Story Order editorial judgments. Source pages may reveal more than this article.
- Ubisoft: Mirage takes players to ninth-century Baghdad
Basim’s origin, historical setting and relative placement before Valhalla.
Primary source · Checked - Ubisoft Bordeaux: How Mirage grew from DLC to full game
Developer interview on the standalone project, smaller setting and stealth focus.
Primary source · Checked