Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: a definitive next gen title?

A leap of faith 

Ubisoft has been bold in its marketing of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, with it becoming the first AAA third party title to align itself with one of the next gen consoles. The gruesome trailer reveal already piqued my interest, but once I saw it was bookended by the Xbox Series X logo, I had to immediately glean everything I could about Valhalla from podcasts and insider blogs online.

While it has to be established now that the game will sell (and sell big) on the PS5, Ubisoft has made a point of affiliating itself with the Xbox Series X because they’re both pushing the same message. Up to this point, Sony has kept its cards relatively close to its chest regarding the PS5 and its exclusives despite a projected 2020 release, while Microsoft has made a point of constantly hammering home its company ethos of growth and innovation in promotional materials. 

Now, this could very well be Sony resting on its laurels a little due to being so far ahead in terms of ‘company, consumer trust’, and perhaps Microsoft needing to show its mettle a little more than its direct rival, but the point remains: Microsoft is beating Sony in the messaging game atm. And, as we previously established, Ubisoft is pushing Valhalla as a flagship next-gen title and this bold affiliation stamps that message. With 14 dev studios on board, this is the biggest undertaking in Ubisoft history and after two years out you’d best believe it’s banking heavy on success with the return of its best-selling franchise. One’s eyes water at the thought of the GB download.

Any news on release?

Ubisoft spokesperson Youssef Maguid has announced that Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will be released on PS4, Xbox One, and Windows 10, for those who can’t stump up what will inevitably be hefty fees for the Xbox Series X and PS5, but currently we only have a vague release date of ‘Holiday 2020’. 

If we’re going by the timescale of the previous three entries (Odyssey, Origins, and Syndicate), Ubisoft will probably be looking to drop Valhalla in October – barring any unforeseen delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with all this talk of next-gen technology, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Ubisoft is waiting on Microsoft and Sony to announce the official launch days for the Xbox Series X and PS5, as Black Flag was previously released alongside the Xbox One Day 1 edition in 2013. 

Based on everything we’re hearing, it seems we’re probably looking at the best Assassin’s Creed experience yet, but best hold fire on pre-orders and such until we see some delicious gameplay. 

We shouldn’t have to wait very long at all on that front either. Inside Xbox is hosting a livestream on May 7th which will show off first ever gameplay of Valhalla. Let’s see if all the hype is justified.