A masked, hooded torchbearer who moved through Paris during the 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony looked to many viewers like Arno Dorian from Assassin’s Creed Unity. NBC Sports even raised the comparison in its video title. But the available reports do not confirm that the performer was Arno, identify the person in costume, or establish an officially licensed cameo. The most accurate description is an apparent Assassin’s Creed reference.
What happened during the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony?
During the ceremony, a masked figure crossed Paris in a parkour-style sequence and helped deliver the Olympic torch. NBC Sports’ video, published on July 27, 2024, described the torchbearer’s journey through the city and asked in its title, “Was Arno from Assassin’s Creed the masked torchbearer at the Olympic Opening Ceremony?” Watch NBC Sports’ video.
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Assassin's Creed Unity Limited Edition - PlayStation 4 | $22.20 | Buy on Amazon |
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Assassins Creed Unity (PS4) | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Assassin's Creed Unity - Xbox One (Renewed) | $15.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Assassin's Creed Unity Limited Edition - Xbox One | $8.46 | Buy on Amazon |
TIME’s July 26 report described a dark outfit, fencing-style mask, and white hood, and said viewers compared the figure to Assassin’s Creed. TIME also reported that the person’s identity had not been revealed in its account. Read TIME’s report.
Was the torchbearer actually Arno?
That has not been established by the cited reporting. NBC Sports’ title presents the Arno connection as a question, not a confirmation. The reviewed sources do not name the performer, confirm that Ubisoft or Olympic organizers intended a licensed character appearance, or document Ubisoft’s participation in the segment.
#1 Best Overall
- UNIQUE CO-OP EXPERIENCE YOU MUST PLAY TO BELIEVE: In addition to an epic single-player campaign, join with up to three friends online and experience the open world of 18th-century Paris
- A RUTHLESS NEW HERO FOR A BRUTAL WORLD: Play as Arno, an entirely new breed of Assassin, and take down your prey with a range of new weapons such as the Phantom Blade, a hidden blade with crossbow capabilities
- BRAND-NEW PARKOUR, COMBAT, AND STEALTH GAMEPLAY: Enjoy an unprecedented degree of freedom and control over your Assassin. Full motion control with new parkour mechanics for free running up, across, and down city walls and buildings
- DEEP CUSTOMIZATION OF ARNO, THE MASTER ASSASSIN: Craft a unique play style by choosing weapons, gear, outfits, and specialized skills. Mix and match from hundreds of possible combinations and build your stealth, fighting, and navigation abilities
- DISCOVER REVOLUTIONARY PARIS, BROUGHT TO LIFE AS NEVER BEFORE: Carve through the stunning full-scale open world city, a feat only made possible through the power of an all-new game engine
So “Arno appeared at the Olympics” works as headline shorthand for the resemblance, but it should not be read as proof that the character—or an actor officially portraying him—was part of the ceremony. “An apparent Arno-like homage” is more precise.
Why viewers connected the costume to Assassin’s Creed Unity
Assassin’s Creed Unity is set in Paris in 1789, and Arno Dorian is its player character. Ubisoft describes the game as an open-world recreation of Paris and gives Arno a concealed phantom blade with hidden-blade and crossbow capabilities. The hooded, masked figure moving across Paris made the comparison easy to see, though visual resemblance alone does not prove an official cameo. See Ubisoft’s official game page.
Rank #2
- A RUTHLESS NEW HERO FOR A BRUTAL WORLD
- BRAND-NEW PARKOUR, COMBAT, AND STEALTH GAMEPLAY
- DEEP CUSTOMIZATION MECHANICS TO CRAFT YOUR OWN MASTER ASSASSIN
- DISCOVER REVOLUTIONARY PARIS, BROUGHT TO LIFE AS NEVER BEFORE
- A UNIQUE CO-OP EXPERIENCE YOU MUST PLAY TO BELIEVE
Ubisoft’s 2024 article about the game’s map calls Paris a central character and describes the map as a “1:1 re-creation” of central Paris as it was in the 18th century. That is Ubisoft’s description of the game map, not an independently verified measurement. Read Ubisoft’s map article.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to explore Unity’s Paris setting
Ubisoft’s 2024 article lists Assassin’s Creed Unity for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S through backward compatibility, PS4, and PS5 through backward compatibility. It also names Ubisoft+ Classics or Premium on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation as access routes. These are the options described in that article; they do not guarantee current pricing, regional availability, or subscription-catalog status. Check the relevant platform or Ubisoft store for current details.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- UNIQUE CO-OP EXPERIENCE YOU MUST PLAY TO BELIEVE: In addition to an epic single-player campaign, join with up to three friends online and experience the open world of 18th-century Paris
Rank #3
- UNIQUE CO-OP EXPERIENCE YOU MUST PLAY TO BELIEVE: In addition to an epic single-player campaign, join with up to three friends online and experience the open world of 18th-century Paris
- A RUTHLESS NEW HERO FOR A BRUTAL WORLD: Play as Arno, an entirely new breed of Assassin, and take down your prey with a range of new weapons such as the Phantom Blade, a hidden blade with crossbow capabilities
- BRAND-NEW PARKOUR, COMBAT, AND STEALTH GAMEPLAY: Enjoy an unprecedented degree of freedom and control over your Assassin. Full motion control with new parkour mechanics for free running up, across, and down city walls and buildings
- DEEP CUSTOMIZATION OF ARNO, THE MASTER ASSASSIN: Craft a unique play style by choosing weapons, gear, outfits, and specialized skills. Mix and match from hundreds of possible combinations and build your stealth, fighting, and navigation abilities
- DISCOVER REVOLUTIONARY PARIS, BROUGHT TO LIFE AS NEVER BEFORE: Carve through the stunning full-scale open world city, a feat only made possible through the power of an all-new game engine
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