The Assassin’s Creed Sisterhood was started on July 31, 2020, and has done incredible things during its time as an organization. Though the AC Sisterhood has only been around for a year, the attention it has garnered toward important causes hasn’t gone unnoticed. From fundraisers to social campaigns to forging a community, the AC Sisterhood has been an inclusive, celebratory space for other Assassin’s Creed players to share their love of the game. AC Sisterhood started in the wake of the Ubisoft sexual abuse and misconduct allegations last summer as a way to show support for women in the games industry, both workers and consumers alike.
Prior to the allegations coming to light, Ubisoft allowed a toxic workplace to thrive and flourish with little done to stop the misogyny that pervaded its work environment. AC Sisterhood seeks to empower women and encourage Ubisoft to take abusers out of power to create a better workplace environment. Now a whole year has passed for the AC Sisterhood, so people can look back at all the good it’s achieved and what ideology the organization was founded upon.
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AC Sisterhood wants Ubisoft to take accountability for its past toxic workplace and make meaningful change for the future, but it also wants better for the women of Assassin’s Creed. Different reports have shed light on the fact that women in the Assassin’s Creed universe have not only been given the short end of the stick, but that it was done so intentionally because some higher-ups thought “women don’t sell.” This idea was said about Kassandra from Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, because even though she’s the canon protagonist she was left out of a vast chunk of the game’s marketing.
Another character whose role was continually diminished was Amunet, or Aya, from Assassin’s Creed Origins. She was meant to be the main playable character, but this idea was scrapped in favor of her husband, Bayek. AC Sisterhood’s logo is actually inspired by Aya, one of the first AAA women of Assassin’s Creed failed by some of Ubisoft’s executives. Snakes also symbolize “rebirth, transformation, and healing,” which AC Sisterhood has said fits its message quite well. Above all, AC Sisterhood seeks to uplift the voices of women and create a safe space for those who are fans or part of the development of Assassin’s Creed titles. It also wants women who work for Ubisoft to be treated better, as well as better representation of women within the Assassin’s Creed universe.
Though it’s only been a year since its inception, the AC Sisterhood has brought Assassin’s Creed fans together and advocated for meaningful change at Ubisoft. AC Sisterhood has a podcast called AC Sisterhood Speaks! that acts as a platform to give voice to those who don’t typically get the same opportunities to speak about their work and their own possible experiences with discrimination.
AC Sisterhood also has its own Discord server dedicated to fans of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, as well as those who seek change within Ubisoft and beyond. There are different community events that help connect the Discord members together, but the AC Sisterhood has also hosted a few different charity events as well. It raised money for Girls Make Games by selling exclusive AC Sisterhood pins, and raised money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). The organization was able to donate over $2,500 to Girls Make Games and over $15,000 to the BCRF – with a $6,000 donation from Ubisoft for the latter.
Perhaps most exciting about AC Sisterhood isn’t just its cause, but how well-received it was by Assassin’s Creed devs. Numerous devs of the franchise have expressed their support of the AC Sisterhood movement and what it stands for, which is important. It means the AC Sisterhood is being acknowledged by members of Ubisoft. While it may not mean that its message is reaching the executives, it’s comforting to know AC Sisterhood has support at the production level of Assassin’s Creed. This support from the devs of Assassin’s Creed is clearly on display in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, where one unlockable tattoo is the AC Sisterhood symbol.
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In a blog post commemorating the one-year anniversary of the start of AC Sisterhood, the organization notes it has lots of plans for the future. It’s already done a great job of introducing and uniting Assassin’s Creed players for a common cause, but it hopes to do even more as time goes on. AC Sisterhood hopes to continue growing and creating its community, even having a more international audience with its content translated into different languages.
AC Sisterhood also hopes to see real change come from within Ubisoft for its employees and the women of the Assassin’s Creed universe. The organization has never called for a boycott of Ubisoft’s products, as noted in the blog post, instead taking the stance that “supporting the work of women and minorities is the way forward.” The post says boycotting is a personal decision for each player to make, but AC Sisterhood believes “games should not be overshadowed by the abusers.”
More than anything, the AC Sisterhood will remain dedicated to uplifting the voices of women and minorities within the gaming sphere. It aims to make sure the space it has created is safe for members of all communities, and helps them feel seen in an industry that often doesn’t spotlight them the way it should. It’s been a strong first year for AC Sisterhood, and if this is any indication of the future of the organization, odds are it’ll be full of advocacy for meaningful change at Ubisoft and beyond, well past the Assassin's Creed series.
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