The game takes place in 1191. In the present time, 2012, bartender Desmond Miles, the main character, kidnapped by the Corporation "Abstergo industries", which with the help of a machine called "Animus" wants to find an artefact. He learns that he is a descendant of the assassin Altair, who discovered this artefact. They need Desmond to know the location of the treasure through him.