Assassin's Creed Valhalla – Release Date, Story, And Everything Else We Know

As we're less than a month away from the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, we've decided to compile everything we know about the game. So if you're looking to educate yourself on the next entry in one of Ubisoft's flagship series, you've come to the right place.

The 12th mainline game in the franchise, Assassin's Creed Valhalla continues the story of Layla Hassan, first introduced as the new modern day protagonist of the franchise in 2017's Assassin's Creed Origins. We still don't know what the modern day storyline for Valhalla is yet, only that it follows the fairly elaborate series of events that occurred during the The Fate of Atlantis DLC expansion.

In Origins, Layla relived the life of Egyptians Bayek and Aya, the latter of whom became the first Mentor of the Hidden Ones, the precursors to the Assassin Brotherhood. Layla's story continued in 2018's Assassin's Creed Odyssey, where she relived the life of Kassandra/Alexios, a mercenary in Ancient Greece whose powerful bloodline lives on in their descendants, most notably Aya. Now, in Valhalla, Layla will relive the life of Eivor, a Viking looking for a new home.

Release Date & Preorder

Assassin's Creed Valhalla has gone gold and is scheduled to launch for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Google Stadia on November 10. The game will also release for PS5 on November 12.

If you haven't already, you can preorder Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Doing so unlocks a bonus mission in the game, The Way of the Berserker. Like previous entries in the franchise, there are several editions available for preorder--in this case, five.

PC Specs

If you're planning to play Assassin's Creed Valhalla on PC, you'll need to know whether your machine can run the game. Below, we've listed out the minimum and required PC specs. Check out the full PC spec breakdown for the 4K requirements.

Minimum: Low preset - 1080p, 30 FPS

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 3 1200 - 3.1 GHz/Intel i5-4460 - 3.2 GHz
• RAM: 8 GB (Dual-channel mode)
• Video Card: AMD R9 380 - 4GB/GeForce GTX 960 - 4GB
• Storage: 50 GB HDD (SSD Recommended)
• Operating system: Windows 10 (64-bit only)
• DirectX Version: DirectX 12
• Additional note: Requires GPU with DirectX 12 (Feature Level 12_0) support

Recommended: High preset - 1080p, 30 FPS

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 1600 - 3.2 GHz/Intel i7-4790 - 3.6 GHz
• RAM: 8 GB (Dual-channel mode)
• Video Card: AMD RX 570 - 8GB/GeForce GTX 1060 - 6GB
• Storage: SSD (50 GB)
• Operating system: Windows 10 (64-bit only)
• DirectX Version: DirectX 12
• Additional note: Requires GPU with DirectX 12 (Feature Level 12_0) support

Recommended: High preset - 1080p, 60 FPS

• Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 1700 - 3.0 GHz/Intel i7-6700 - 3.4 GHz
• RAM: 8 GB (Dual-channel mode)
• Video Card: AMD Vega 64 - 8GB/GeForce GTX 1080 - 8GB
• Storage: SSD (50 GB)
• Operating system: Windows 10 (64-bit only)
• DirectX Version: DirectX 12
• Additional note: Requires GPU with DirectX 12 (Feature Level 12_0) support

Story

In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, you once again play as Layla, who is now reliving the life of Eivor, a Viking raider. The crux of the story takes place in Anglo-Saxon England in late 800 A.D. Eivor's clan has left Norway in search of a new home, settling in England. As history dictates, Vikings weren't exactly welcome in England at this time, and so Eivor will have to travel from kingdom to kingdom to make alliances with the country's existing rulers in order to ensure their clan remains safe.

From the start, you can choose for Eivor to be male or female. Or, with the default option, Eivor will intermittently switch back and forth between male and female at random points in the game. Don't worry, apparently there's a good reason for that. Ubisoft has also stated that it will tell Eivor's story with a measured hand, balancing their role as video game hero and villainous invader of someone else's home.

It wouldn't be an Assassin's Creed game without the Assassin Brotherhood--or, in this case, the Hidden Ones (the group still hasn't quite transformed into the Brotherhood we see in most of the other games). The Hidden Ones will set up a bureau in Eivor's settlement, drawing the Viking raider into the conflict against the Order of Ancients (the precursors to the Templar Order). As opposed to one long narrative, Valhalla is divided into self-contained sagas, sort of like a slice-of-life TV show. There is a throughline that becomes more apparent the further you go in the game, but Valhalla is the first Assassin's Creed that will be told in distinct chapters, each with its own separate story arc.

Gameplay

Like Origins and Odyssey, Assassin's Creed Valhalla is an open-world action RPG. However, there are a few key differences. For one, Valhalla really leans into the RPG elements this time, utilizing the settlement to create a gameplay loop where you select a mission, head out, return home, talk to allies and upgrade equipment, select a new mission, and repeat. Additionally, the new skill tree is huge, providing you with agency in the minute developments of Eivor's melee combat, health, defense, archery skills, special abilities, and proficiency for stealth.

Speaking of stealth, social stealth returns in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, after being absent in the last two games. Combat is getting some notable adjustments as well, with a new focus on all-out aggression. Eivor is the franchise's first true dual-wielder, allowing you to select which weapons they hold in both their dominant and off-hand. Want to fight with two shields? You can!

The franchise's traditional side quests are pretty much gone too. Instead, Valhalla features quick but memorable world events that pop up when you discover them, like recruiting a cat to your crew. This means there's less chasing of waypoints and more time spent exploring the world. You can travel across England by foot or horse, or by the canals via your trusty longboat. You and your longboat crew can attack encampments as well--the new "raid" mechanic allows you to steal resources and treasure from outposts and castles to then bring back to your settlement. There are also plenty of optional activities to pursue, such as Viking rap battles or romances.

Post-Launch Content

For $40 USD, you can buy the Season Pass for Assassin's Creed Valhalla (the pass also comes included with select editions). At launch, the Season Pass gives you access to a quest titled The Legend of Beowulf. However, the main point of the pass is to get access to the two major pieces of post-launch DLC.

The first, Wrath of the Druids, is scheduled to release in Spring 2021. The expansion sees Eivor travel to Ireland to unravel the mystery surrounding a druidic cult, explore haunted forests, and earn the allegiance of Gaelic kings. The second, The Siege of Paris, is currently scheduled for Summer 2021. This second expansion takes place during the titular battle, another key moment from history that Eivor apparently took part in.

Valhalla will also get free seasonal content in-between these major expansions--everyone can access this content, regardless of whether they've paid for the Season Pass. Ubisoft has promised even more post-launch content beyond this, including a Discovery mode (where you're allowed to explore the in-game world and get detailed real-world historical recaps of characters, locations, and events). So it sounds like Valhalla will be a lot like Odyssey, with the year following its release filled with DLC and extra content. This could mean that the next Assassin's Creed may not come out until 2022.