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Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Marketing Campaign Breakdown
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Updated 20/1/21 By Colum Blackett Edited by Ashlea Buckley
Assassin's Creed Valhalla releases November 10th, and we here at TOWCB will be covering everything released to promote the game during the campaign:
Here you will find the highs and the lows, all in one place!
Back in 2018, we covered the campaign for Assassin's Creed Origins, arguably one of the best in recent times.
You can find the finished article here
This article will be updated regularly.
(Contains Amazon Affiliate links)
29/4/20 - The journey began with an announcement by Boss Logic, a concept artist teasing a big reveal on Twitter. Later that day, Ubisoft social media accounts announced that fans could tune in to a livestream to see the live reveal of the next Assassin's Creed game setting.
The reveal was in the form of an 8 hour long art demonstration, an innovative and creative way of showing fans the setting of the next Assassin's Creed game. For the project Ubisoft hired BossLogic to create something special, which he did exceptionally well.
Although the reveal took 8 hours to complete, it's fair to say that it was one of the most unusual game reveals of recent times, showing incredible initiative during lockdown.
The very end of the teaser revealed that fans could tune in the next day (30th April) at 5 CEST to see the World Premiere of Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
30/4/20: The World Premiere Cinematic Trailer for Assassin's Creed Valhalla dropped, and the response was generally positive. In the trailer, the new character Eivor (male version) was shown to be more than just a brutal warrior, as he leads his clan to the Kingdoms of England. New enemy types are seen, with Eivor exploiting weaknesses to defeat them. The new hidden blade was also revealed, this time being worn on the forearm rather than wrist. King Alfred of Wessex makes an appearance, signing a declaration of war against the Vikings.
After the trailer, Ubisoft updated the Assassin's Creed and Ubisoft websites to feature the game, where we got screenshots, keyart, merchandise and more! It was revealed that Eivor would be male and female, depending on player preference.
Magnus Bruun (The Last Kingdom) revealed on Twitter that he would be playing Male Eivor in the game, another announcement that was well received.
One issue that slightly tarnished the strong start was the fact that female Eivor did not get the same treatment as her counterpart, and was revealed through a figurine which the voice/mo-cap performer Cecilie Stenspil used to make her own announcement on Instagram.
Other than that though, it was a strong start to the campaign, and pre-orders began flooding in with fans eager to secure their copy.
2/5/20 - Several news outlets released articles and videos covering Assassin's Creed Valhalla, some of which featured members of the development team. You can find the articles below, but here is our round-up of the information released
A breakdown of the trailer was also released, featuring Creative Director Ashraf Ismail and Narrative Director Darby McDevitt.
Video by JorRaptor
We spoke to Assassin's Creed: Valhalla's Creative Director Ashraf Ismail and got all the new game details
3/5/20 - Secret code deciphered by fans:
It seems that the newly updated Assassin's Creed website was hiding a secret code, and members of the community managed to solve it!
Twitter user LaRedDeErudito and a friend translated the message using a set of runes!
It turns out that the secret message was actually a verse from a famous Norse poem: "Hávamál - sayings of the high one", a series of shorts poems attributed to Odin.
"Cows die, kinsmen die, so must die oneself the same. But I know one thing that never dies, each dead man's judgement"
Impressive work! Article
6/5/20 - Gameplay Trailer announced
The Ubisoft and Assassin's Creed social media accounts shared a video of Ashraf Ismail, announcing the release of the Gameplay Trailer during the Xbox Series X Gameplay first look livestream which would air on the 7th May.
After the announcement, expectations were set high, and fans were looking forward to seeing gameplay at the event. It was made clear by Ashraf on Twitter that the livestream would feature a teaser trailer, rather than a gameplay demo like some fans were expecting. Unfortunately, only a small number of fans saw the tweets.
7/5/20 - Xbox begin the stream:
"It’s time for your first look at next-gen gameplay from our global development partners with the Xbox Series X."
The stream started, and it featured trailer for new games using in-game footage rather than unedited gameplay. AC fans had to wait until the very end for the teaser, and it was similar to the other teasers: A first look, rather than actual gameplay, like Xbox and Ubisoft had promoted.
The backlash was seen immediately, as many felt that the event had not met their expectations. Downvoting the video started immediately, and it was clear from the online comments that fans were unhappy with the lack of actual gameplay.
Other fans also voiced their disappointment once more that Male Eivor had been the focus, when both versions of the character are canon.
ed using in-game
8/5/20 - Ashraf issues a statement in response to the Gameplay Trailer reception
8/5/20 - Aaron Greenberg (Xbox Marketing) admits that Xbox set the wrong expectations for the event, and that the feedback will be taken back to the team so that improvements can be made in future.
You're up to date!
Let us know what you want to see next from the marketing campaign in the comments!
11/5/20 - Ubisoft announced 'UbiForward', a digital event taking place on July 12th. Fans can look forward to exclusive game news, reveals and more.
12/5/20 - 30 FPS concern
In an article with Eurogamer Portugal, a Ubisoft rep commented on the potential frame rate for Assassin's Creed Valhalla on Xbox Series X, stating that the game will run at a minimum of 30fps.
Ubisoft eleaborated on the comments to GamesRadar, stating that "Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will run at a minimum of 30. On Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, we are committed to offer the best experience to our players by immersing them in the most beautiful worlds and environments we could create, and leveraging not only the graphics enhancements offered by the next generation of consoles, but also faster loading times and the new architectures."
Numerous news outlets covered the topic, but focused on the fact that the company did not promise a dedicated 60 fps, most likely as the game is still in development.
Games Radar: Assassin's Creed Valhalla might only be 30 FPS on Xbox Series X, and that's not good enough
VG24: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is 30fps on Xbox Series X
Ars Technica: Some Xbox Series X games won’t hit 60fps “performance target
11/5/20 - Soundtrack Composers Leaked
The German Ubisoft Store listed the Assassin's Creed Valhalla Composers: Jesper Kyd, Sarah Shachner and Einar Selvik. The leaked information was covered by numerous news outlets and even other Assassin's Creed communities, despite a previous tweet by Ashraf Ismail that a proper announcement would be made.
The following day, 12/5/20, Ubisoft officially confirmed the news with a new article which can be found here.
The news was met with thunderous applause, as fans wee exited to see the return of two Assassins' Creed legends, and the introduction of Einar Selvic to the series, who worked on the soundtrack for the Vikings TV show.
13/5/20 - Launcher Live Interview
Assassin's Creed Valhalla Creative Director Ashraf Ismail joined Launcher Live (Washington Post) for an online video interview, which covered a range of topics.
Looking at the chat, it was clear to see the hype fans were feeling for the upcoming entry. #OdinIsWithUs
You can watch the full video here, and see a breakdown of the new information here.
14/5/20 - Valhalla breaks Ubisoft record
In an earnings call, Ubisoft chief financial officer Frédérick Duguet revealed that the Assassin's Creed Valhalla announcement trailer got 100 million views in its first 10 days across multiple platforms, making it the most viewed trailer in Ubisoft history!
Articles covering the news:
Assassin's Creed Valhalla trailer was Ubisoft's most watched ever
Assassin's Creed Valhalla Set New Records for Ubisoft
15/5/20 - Ubisoft begins Dev Diary videos
The first Dev Diary featured Creative Director Ashraf Ismail, and covered social stealth in the upcoming title. You can watch them all below.
22/6/20 - Female Eivor revealed via Ubisoft Store Stickers
New Assassin's Creed Valhalla stickers were added to the Ubisoft Store, including female Eivor, giving us the first clear look at her character!
24/6/20 - Creative Director Ashraf Ismail Steps Down.
Ashraf Ismail, game director of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, Assassin's Creed Origins and creative director of the upcoming Assassin's Creed Valhalla, has stepped down from his position at Ubisoft following allegations about his personal life. (Eurogamer)
He was later fired by the company (August) after an internal investigation.
Here is a statement issued by Ubisoft regarding the behaviour of multiple employees.
6/7/20 - The new line-up reveal trailer for #UbiForward officially revealed Eivor! (female)
12/7/20 - UbiForward saw the release of the Gameplay Overview Trailer, giving fans a first glimpse at female Eivor footage.
12/7/20 - The UbiForward event also saw the release of new concept art, screenshots and key art.
13/7/20 - Dark Horse comics announce new Assassin's Creed Valhalla Prequel Series.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Song of Glory is a three-part series, with the first issue arriving on October 21, 2020.
Issue 1 synopsis: Eivor, a Viking warrior, observes Aa village raided by a neighboring kingdom. Bloodshed and mayhem erupt as she seizes the attack in her own favor—but will her victory be a blessing to her clan or a terrible curse? Elsewhere, another Viking searches for a different kind of prize, one of crucible steel . . .
You can pre-order the Hardcover edition of the whole series here on Amazon UK
13/7/20 - Early Access
A number of Youtube channels, news outlets and community members were granted early access to a beta version of Assassin's Creed Valhalla,
Here is our round-up showcasing all the new gameplay videos.
13/7/20 - Northern Traveler's Set
Ubisoft release the patch notes for Assassin's Creed Odyssey v1.5.4, which gave a glimpse at an upcoming Northern Traveler’s set, featuring a new weapon, armour and possibly more!
17/7/20 - 'Out of the North' EP Released
The Assassin's Creed Valhalla 'Out of the North' EP by Jesper Kyd, Sarah Schachner and Einar Selvik released worldwide, giving fans an early taste of what the game will sound like.
Days before the release, several news outlets began releasing the EP one song at a time, so much hype was built up around its release with fans eager to listen.
You can purchase the album here on Amazon UK
16/7/20 - Eivor's Fate Character Trailer Released
17/7/20 - Charli Cohen T-shirts revealed
Check out these limited edition Assassin's Creed Valhalla T-shirts by Charli Cohen which are available exclusively online.
Each shirt is layered with an augmented reality experience, so get ready to activate your Odin's Sight!
22/7/20 - Eivor Statues Revealed
PureArts released the first images of the upcoming Eivor statues.
28/7/20 - Animal Petting Confirmed
Ubisoft announced on social media that players will be able to pet the cats and dogs you meet on your journey.
This would become a key point in the marketing campaign with several other short videos and screenshots to later follow.
In Assassin's Creed Odyssey, players could only pet tamed animals, meaning cat and dog petting was dropped.
31/7/20 - Video for Einar Selvik's song released
A new video containing Assassin's Creed Valhalla gameplay footage was released to promote recently released 'The Worlds of the Raven' by Einar Selvik which features on the 'Out of the North' EP.
7/8/20 - The Raven's Saga EP Released
The second Assassin's Creed Valhalla EP featuring seven new songs from the game including the main theme was released.
You can purchase it here on Amazon
The Raven's Sagas
7/8/20 - Official Soundtrack Cinematic Trailer
The release of the second Assassin's Creed Valhalla trailer also saw the re-release of the cinematic trailer, this time featuring new music and female Eivor!
27/8/20 - Zavvi announce exclusive Assassin's Creed Valhalla shoes
Zavvi listed Akedo high top trainers, which were available for just £50!
Unfortunately only limited numbers were produced leading to the shoes selling out in one hour!
28/8/20 - Gamescom 2020 footage released
New Assassin's Creed Valhalla gameplay footage was shown off at the Gamescom 2020 Future Games Show, showcasing battles against mythical beasts.
Watch it here
29/8/20 - New Promo Video Released
Ubisoft released a short promo video showing off the different enemies and environments players will encounter in the world of Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
3/9/20 - Greetings From England series ends.
Ubisoft ended their 'Greetings From England' series, which saw the release of new Assassin's Creed Valhalla screenshots taken at key locations and landmarks.
Here we have Lincoln, Kinder Downfall, Stonehenge and Eivor's settlement.
3/9/20 - Interview with Game Director Eric Baptizat released.
We here at The Ones Who Came Before released an exclusive interview with Assassin's Creed Valhalla's Game Director Eric Baptizat!
10/9/20 - New Release Date Announced
Ubisoft released a press release detailing the new worldwide release date of Assassin's Creed Valhalla, which was now to launch one week earlier than expected.
You can read more here.
15/9/20 - Exclusive competition launched
The Netherlands Ubisoft Store revealed a competition to win an exclusive promotional brazier made of solid steel, which could be won by pre-ordering the game.
25/9/20 - Assassin's Creed Sisterhood Tattoo revealed
The official Assassin's Creed social media channels announced that the AC Sisterhood movement's logo would be available at launch as a tattoo for Eivor for all players.
The collaboration signalled official acknowledgement of the movement's efforts, and provided recognition on a larger scale.
29/9/20 - Song of Glory pages revealed
IGN released a number of preview pages from the upcoming prequel comic book series, Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Song of Glory.
The Dark Horse summary of the series describes Eivor as a ''warrior and daughter of wise King Styrbjorn",
potentially indicating that Eivor is female in the Assassin's Creed canon.
29/9/20 - New promotional images released
Ubisoft revealed a number of new promotional images, featuring Basim, a member of The Hidden Ones!
Fans were quick to notice the robes which resemble those worn by Altair in AC1, and the similarity in his appearance to Revelations Ezio!
Could Basim be a Mentor?
3/10/20 - Assassin's Creed Valhalla Geirmund’s Saga novel cover revealed
Penguin have revealed the cover of the upcoming Assassin's Creed Valhalla Geirmund’s Saga novel by Matthew J Kirby.
The novel follows the journey of Geirmund Hel-hide to prove his worth as a Viking and a warrior.
8/10/20 - Ubisoft announced an upcoming collaboration between Reebok and Assassin's Creed, bringing a new series of footwear to life!
11/10/20 - New screenshot released:
Check out this new Assassin's Creed Valhalla screenshot, coming from Xbox!
Here we see some of the wildlife you will encounter in the game!
12/10/20 - The new Xbox Series X|S Power Your Dreams Launch Trailer featured an #AssassinsCreedValhalla scene!
13/10/20 - Ubisoft released three episodes of a new series exploring the adventures of aspiring Vikings on a journey of self-discovery as they learn the ways of Eivor.
According to the new Unleash Your Inner Viking series by Ubisoft and IGN, you can let the Animus choose which perspective to view the memory stream from depending on its strength!
This is a clear attempt by the game to have you play as both characters, rather than as just one.
14/10/20 - Ubisoft released the PC specifications for Assassin's Creed Valhalla!
14/10/20 - An exciting new 'Deep Dive Trailer' has been released by Ubisoft!
15/10/20 - Ubisoft teamed up with graphic designer Gabz to create new Assassin's Creed Valhalla posters!
16/10/20 - Ubisoft announced that Assassin's Creed Valhalla has officially gone gold!
This is confirmation that the game is ready to launch November 10th!
17/10/20 - Ubisoft Netherlands released a new promo video for #AssassinsCreedValhalla featuring Rick Boer from RBF-Productions!
20/10/20 - Ubisoft released the Post-Launch & Season Pass Trailer for Assassin's Creed Valhalla, outlining future expansions.
23/10/20 - Ubisoft launched a special seven page Viking collaboration between “Assassin’s Creed” and Makato Yukimura’s “Vinland Saga” manga series to mark the upcoming release of #AssassinsCreedValhalla in Japan!
26/10/20 - Check out this landscape version of the #AssassinsCreedValhalla box-art coming directly from Ubisoft.
A female version of the landscape variant was never released.
26/10/20 - Here are two new pieces of #AssassinsCreedValhalla concept art coming from the UBIDAY 2020 event held by Ubisoft Japan
27/10/20 - Here are four new pieces of #AssassinsCreedValhalla concept art by Raphael Lacoste, Martin Deschambault and Donglu Yu, showcasing the range of environments fans will soon be able to explore in the game.
29/10/20 - Ubisoft released a new promotional image for Ivar the Boneless!
29/10/20 - Comic Book Resources gave us a first look at some of the concept art from the upcoming book by Dark Horse titled The Art of #AssassinsCreedValhalla
30/10/20 - Ubisoft released a new CGI TV advert for Assassin's Creed Valhalla!
In this new trailer, Eivor’s mission is to settle in the fertile kingdoms of England on a permanent basis, whatever the cost.
War will rage. Kingdoms will fall. For such is the time of the Vikings. Better than anyone else, they know that you do not get a second chance to make a good first impression.
2/11/20 - Here's a first look at the cover of Japanese gaming magazine Weekly Famitsu, featuring concept art for the #AssassinsCreedValhalla/ Vinland Saga crossover project.
2/11/20 - Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Cinematic TV Spot Trailer released.
4/11/20 - IGN reported that Los Angeles Dodgers' Cody Bellinger Will Cameo in Assassin's Creed Valhalla
5/11/20 - The official Assassin's Creed social media accounts announced that Photo Mode would be returning to the series, and would be available at launch!
6/11/20 - Xbox released a new gameplay walkthrough showcasing Asgard!
6/11/20 - Xbox, IGN and Ubisoft hosted an Assassin's Creed Valhalla promo event called 'Odin's Hootenany', hosted by Danny Wallace!
Participants took part in numerous challenges such as axe throwing to test their Viking abilities!
New footage from the game, and a sneak peak at Shaun Hastings were also revealed!
Launch Week: Many members of the AC Community, including our admin team were given early access to Assassin's Creed Valhalla!
Here are some of our screenshots!
10/11/20 - Assassin's Creed Valhalla officially launches!
Concluding Remarks:
- Majority of the campaign focussed on Viking elements such as raiding and combat, rather than Assassin iconography linked to the franchise. Stealth barely got a mention.
- Female Eivor didn't feature in many of the trailers / marketing materials. Why was this the case when she is the Canon version of the character?
- Some great merchandise was released during the campaign.
- Upon playing, the campaign didn't do a great job at showcasing Eivor's charisma and personality.
- Highlight of the Campaign: Reveal of Basim // Hidden One promo images
- Valhalla had the biggest launch of an Assassin's Creed game in the history of the series
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