Assassin's Creed: Valhalla - What We Know So Far

Ubisoft has made some promising reveals regarding the next installment in the Assassin's Creed franchise, including information about the story and a video preview. 

Set during the Viking era, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla features a protagonist named Eivor, a Viking raider leading a group of Norsemen away from their embattled home shores into an open world in the ninth century. The game allows you to explore a landscape filled with petty lords, fractured kingdoms, and untamed lands as you forge a new future in England. 

You'll experience a revamped combat system that allows characters to dual-wield weapons against the variety of enemies they will face. The large-scale adventure promises in-depth RPG mechanics that allow for varied strategies and plenty of choice. You can grow your settlement in sophisticated ways and create mercenary Vikings to share online. You can even recruit mercenaries other players have customized to bolster your own forces.

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla is being developed by Ubisoft Montreal in partnership with Epic Games. Here's what has been shared so far.

Although there isn't an exact release date for Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, Ubisoft says the title will arrive during the 2020 holiday season. If you'd prefer to snag a copy immediately, you can already pre-order through Ubisoft's website. You'll have to choose your platform, pick between digital and physical formats, and decide whether you want to spring for a special edition.

You won't be able to purchase the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 versions just yet. As you likely already know, those consoles are also slated for a Holiday 2020 launch. Steam users will also be disappointed. As you might expect from a partnership between Epic Games and Ubisoft, PC players will have to purchase Assassin's Creed: Valhalla through the Epic Games Store or Ubisoft's Uplay storefront. 

Check back for updates on when the title will actually launch.

The Cinematic World Premiere Trailer looks epic, with Viking ships coming out of the mist, plenty of beautiful scenery, and awesome battles set to an evocative soundtrack. The pacing is excellent, as is the overall atmosphere of the video. This is the type of visual storytelling the franchise excels at, and it does exactly what it's supposed to: whet the appetite for more Assassin's Creed.

While cinematics are great for establishing themes and tone, fans are still waiting to see what they can expect from the actual gameplay. Ubisoft released what it called a "First Look Gameplay Trailer" containing footage meant to represent the Xbox Series X version of the game. As commenters were quick to point out, this trailer doesn't actually seem to include any gameplay — just cutscenes. 

If you're hoping to catch a glimpse of what Assassin's Creed: Valhalla truly looks like for players making their way through the world, you're going to have to wait a bit longer. 

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla will launch on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Google's Stadia. When Microsoft and Sony's next-generation consoles come out, it will also be available for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X as well. Both systems offer differing amounts of backward compatibility, so you'll have to take that into account when deciding which to buy for. 

The next-generation versions of Valhalla have already caused a bit of controversy. Ubisoft has stated Valhalla will run at a minimum 4K resolution and 30 FPS — which isn't all that impressive for a title meant for a highly-anticipated gaming system. However, it's possible at this early stage that the news isn't definitive. There's still plenty of time between now and the holiday season for Ubisoft to change its tune and tell players 60 FPS is in the works. Here's hoping. 

If you're looking for extras, you have some options. The standard game and all other editions include a pre-order bonus if you buy ahead of time: an extra mission called "Way of the Berserker."

The Gold Edition includes the game plus a Season Pass for $99.99. The Ultimate Edition comes with the game, the Season Pass, and the Ultimate Pack, which offers some exclusive customization options such as the Berserker Gear Pack, the Berserker Settlement Pack, and the Berserker Longship Pack. You'll also receive a set of Runes that make weapons or gear more powerful, all for $119.99.

The Collector's Edition is available for Ubisoft Store customers only. It includes the game, the Season Pass, the Ultimate Pack, an Ubicollectibles replica of Eivor and their longship, a Collector's Case, a SteelBook with artwork, and a Viking statuette of Eivor with a raven and axe. You'll also receive a soundtrack and exclusive lithographs, along with a certificate of authenticity. This package will run you $199.99.

These editions are already available on Ubisoft's website, so you can buy immediately and rest assured that, come release time, you'll be among the first to experience Assassin's Creed: Valhalla.