Abstergo Industries

"Abstergo's got some fucked-up interior decorators..."

- Desmond Miles to Lucy Stillman

Abstergo Industries is one of the largest companies in the world by the year 2012, and a front for the Templar Order. They are the employers of Dr.Warren Vidic and Lucy Stillman, captors of Desmond, as well as the company which funds the Animus. Even though on the outside Abstergo is labeled as a company working in the field of Medicine & Science, Dr. Vidic boasts of their accomplishments in more than just medical and scientific fields, but any huge progressive movement within last millennium.

Vidic claims that Abstergo is responsible for every scientific accomplishment for the last 1000 years, saying Abstergo chooses who gets credit for the accomplishments very carefully. Later, while being held at the laboratory, Desmond figures out that Abstergo is the modern-day embodiment of the Knights Templar. Also, in the e-mail in the conference room Alan Rikkin writes to Vidic: "May The Father of Understanding guide you to success". When Desmond asked who created the technology, Dr. Vidic mysteriously replies with "Those Who Came Before".

Abstergo has also been hunting the last of the Assassins left in the world, hoping to end their enemy's way of life, thus eliminating any chance of failure. Vidic's e-mail reveals Abstergo and Assassin presence in many events throughout history, such as the Tunguska event. The emails also discuss the Philadelphia Incident, in which the USS Eldridge (which was stationed in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard) was allegedly rendered invisible for several seconds, and sent forward in time. Experiments with the artifact related to this incident were halted, with Abstergo citing concern about paradoxes. Mitchell-Hedge's communicators are also mentioned, an abstract reference to the 13 Incan Crystal Skulls, supposedly discovered by the gentleman adventurer of the same name in the 1920's. New Age theorists state that the Crystal Skulls enable telepathy between their wielders, and therefore, the term communicators implies that Abstergo either:


 * has these skulls.
 * is able to communicate using them.
 * This communication is undetectable by any Modern-day Assassins.

Through the e-mails we learn that Abstergo is being investigated for something called "New Fluoride", which they tested on an isolated community, were caught, and are currently being investigated for. This is the reason behind the Dec 21, 2012 launch of their Eye-Abstergo communications satellite, as afterword they risk being immobilized by having their assets frozen. The 12/21/2012 launch is also significant as it marks the end of the Mayan Long Count, 12th baktun cycle, (and the date set by many to be the end of the world).

Abstergo was also involved in an accident under Denver International Airport, at Abstergo's satellite manufacture [and possibly launch] facility. E-mails show that a member of the project apparently went insane, using the Apple present to kill almost everyone at the facility, and ultimately himself and the Piece. This loss caused Abstergo to capture Desmond Miles, in the search for a replacement Piece.

Products
It is stated by Lucy that they produce anti-depressants. Vidic also mentioned that Abstergo invents everything to enhance everyday life. Henry Ford and Thomas Edison were past Abstergo employees, making Abstergo responsible for popularizing the assembly line and electricity. During World War II, the Atomic Bomb's creation was directly linked to Abstergo, with "O"(J. Robert Oppenheimer) being given the go ahead by an unnamed Abstergo employee.

Current employees

 * Alan Rikkin - C.E.O. at Abstergo.
 * Warren Vidic - Head of Research for Genetic memory and the Animus project.
 * Nancy Nilop - Unknown position, possibly Leila's (former) boss.
 * Jane Birkam - Unknown position, friend of Warren Vidic.
 * Audrey Jacobs - Alan Rikkin's assistant.
 * Richard - One of the three men that threatened to kill Lucy Stillman, but Vidic stopped them.

Former employees

 * Thomas Edison (deceased)
 * Henry Ford (deceased)
 * Lucy Stillman
 * Leila Marino (deceased)

Trivia

 * Abstergo is also a Latin verb, meaning "I cleanse."
 * In the truth file regarding Apollo, scanning the symbol on the shuttle shows the Abstergo logo, suggesting that Abstergo Industries was behind the moon landings. Similarly, scanning the American flag planted on the moon reveals the Templar cross.
 * During Ezio's visit to The Vault, the Abstergo logo can be seen on several images projected by Minerva.
 * In the concept art for The Vault, what looks like the Abstergo logo can be seen on the floor of the circular room Ezio fights Rodrigo in.
 * I you look at the photo of the animi room the wall has a window in the shape of the Templar cross