Ubisoft’s next Assassin’s Creed title, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, is set to launch this coming holiday season.
After teasing the title’s ninth century Dark Ages setting earlier this week, Ubisoft has released the game’s launch trailer. While it’s still not totallyn clear, the game’s launch trailer seems to consist of CG cinematics and not actual gameplay.
Valhalla focuses on a Viking raider named Eivor, with players once again being able to play as a man or a woman, much like 2018’s Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. Players will be able to customize Eivor’s hair, tattoos, clothing, war paint and gear, according to Ubisoft.
Similar to every main title in the Assassin’s Creed series, Valhalla will once again feature open-world action-oriented gameplay. The game features raids, settlement building and political influence mechanics, according to Ubisoft’s press release.
“Being in Eivor’s boots as both a Viking raider and a clan leader, players will face the conflicts of establishing a new home in the midst of a power struggle for control of England,” said Ashraf Ismail, the creative director of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, a press release.
Valhalla’s development is being led by Ubisoft Montreal, the same studio that developed Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag and Assassin’s Creed Origins. Given Black Flag remains my favourite Assassin’s Creed because it features two of my favourite things, pirates and boats, I’m excited for the studio’s take on Viking lore.
Below is how Ubisoft describes the game’s plot in a recent press release:
“Driven from Norway by endless wars and dwindling resources in ninth century AD, players will lead Eivor’s clan of Norsemen across the icy North Sea to the rich lands of England’s broken kingdoms. Players must carve out a new future for their clan, reliving the ruthless fighting style of Viking warriors with a revamped combat system that includes the ability to dual-wield weapons against a greater variety of enemies than ever before. To secure resources, players can lead raids to select locations using their longship to earn much-needed riches and supplies. As the Vikings begin to settle in their new home, they encounter resistance from the Saxons, including King Aelfred of Wessex, who denounces them as heathens and looks to be the sole ruler of a civilized England. Against all odds, Eivor must do what is necessary to keep Valhalla within reach.”
At this point, it’s unclear exactly how much of a role ships will play in the game given naval combat was only briefly featured in the reveal trailer. In several ways, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla seems to take significant inspiration from the History Channel’s long-running Vikings TV series, both in terms of its setting and character design.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is coming to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Stadia and PC. It’s worth noting that Valhalla seems to be one of the first big releases to hit Stadia, Google’s streaming video game platform. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla also supports Microsoft’s ‘Smart Delivery’ technology that allows consumers to buy one copy of the game and have it work across Xbox One consoles and the upcoming Xbox Series X.
Similar to every Ubisoft game released in the last few years, Valhalla is dropping in several versions, including a ‘Gold Edition,’ which includes the bass game and a Season Pass. The ‘Ultimate Edition’ includes the base game, the Season Pass and an Ultimate Pack that gives players “access to exclusive customization content. On the other hand, the ‘Collector’s Edition’ features the base game, the Season Pass, the Ultimate Pack and a “high-end Ubicollectibles replica of Eivor and her longship,” a collector’s case, a steelbook and unique artwork.
Update 04/30/2020 12:44pm ET: The story has been updated with information regarding Assassin’s Creed Valhalla supporting Microsoft’s Xbox ‘Smart Delivery’ technology.
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