Was Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla a Success? An In-Depth Look at the Record-Breaking Viking RPG

Without a doubt, Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla has been a massive success for Ubisoft. The ambitious Viking-themed action RPG has broken franchise sales records, won awards and received widespread critical acclaim from reviewers and players alike since its November 2020 release. But what specifically enabled Valhalla to reach such heights of popularity and esteem among fans? Let‘s break down the key factors behind its triumph.

Monumental Sales Surpassing All Previous Entries

Within the first week, Valhalla sold a staggering 1.7 million copies – the highest ever for an Assassin‘s Creed title. For comparison, 2018‘s Odyssey sold 1.4 million in its first week and Origins managed 1.12 million in 2017. This immediate commercial success speaks to the anticipation surrounding Valhalla and signaled a bright future.

According to Ubisoft‘s latest earnings report, Valhalla has now sold over 15 million copies worldwide across all platforms. This makes it the second best-selling entry in the franchise behind 2013‘s Black Flag at over 22 million units.

But Valhalla isn‘t done yet. Unlike many single-player games, it has demonstrated incredible longevity thanks to Ubisoft‘s live service approach. It‘s primed to catch up to Black Flag‘s numbers over time.

The legions of fans who invested in Valhalla were richly rewarded with meaningful long-term support…

Post-Launch Support Kept Players Immersed in the Open World

Ubisoft adopted a games-as-a-service approach for Valhalla, treating it as an evolving platform through major expansions and frequent content updates. This strategy paid off, keeping players engaged far beyond the initial playthrough.

In the two years since launch, Valhalla has received:

• 3 Paid Story Expansions
  • Wrath of the Druids
  • Siege of Paris
  • Dawn of Ragnarök
• Free Seasonal Festivals like Yule and Ostara
• New Game Modes (River Raids, Mastery Challenge)
• Gear/Weapon Sets + Abilities
• Tons of tweaks and QOL improvements

This steady stream of new adventures allowed fans to continue exploring the world long after the credits rolled. Ubisoft supported the game well beyond expectations.

According to players on the AC Valhalla subreddit, the post-launch content additions solved many of their issues with the base game. It demonstrated Ubisoft‘s commitment to improving the experience over time.

Strong Critical Reception Among Reviewers

Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla received generally favorable reviews at launch, earning a Metacritic score of 84 on PS5 and PC. Many critics praised the stunning visuals, satisfying combat and greater emphasis on grounded assassin/Templar ideological warfare.

Here‘s a sample of what reviewers had to say:

• "A majestic open world adventure through the Viking Age." – IGN (91/100)

• "Valhalla is another strong evolution for the iconic assassin‘s series." – GameSpot (80/100)

• "This breathtaking Viking epic brings some of the biggest and richest Assassin‘s Creed playgrounds to date." – GamesRadar+ (4.5/5)

There were some complaints around repetitive side content and pacing issues. However, most agreed Valhalla delivered a strong core experience. Post-launch support ironed out many of the kinks.

Notably, Valhalla won ‘Best Action/Adventure Game‘ at The Game Awards 2020. This confirmed its status as one of the top titles of the year among industry leaders.

Cultural Relevance – The Viking Era Resonated Strongly with Fans

The rich Viking setting proved incredibly popular with casual and hardcore fans alike. Valhalla provided the perfect opportunity for Ubisoft to leverage the iconic imagery and lore of Norse culture. Players loved the ability to raid Saxon villages, build their settlement and forge political alliances across England.

Comparatively, the Victorian London setting of Syndicate and ancient Greece in Odyssey didn‘t capture the public‘s imagination to the same degree. The medieval Viking period simply tapped into the current pop culture zeitgeist around shows like Vikings.

Social media engagement and content creation surrounding Valhalla remains incredibly high years after launch. Fans can‘t get enough of the rugged Norse aesthetic. Ubisoft cleverly capitalized on this demand and crafted an experience that appealed to those Viking fantasies.

Innovations That Reinvigorated the Franchise

While rooted in what makes Assassin‘s Creed great, Valhalla also took some chances and evolved the formula in important ways:

The Ability Tree and Gear System

Rather than a level-gating system, Valhalla implemented a Power Level mechanic and revamped ability tree. This gave players flexibility to customize Eivor‘s build and rewarded skillful play over tedious grinding. The streamlined gear system maintained progression without overwhelming loot.

Raids and Settlement Building

These new mechanics allowed you to amass resources by pillaging monasteries and construct your own Viking town. Raids encouraged revisiting regions. The settlement reflected your clan‘s influence and provided necessary services.

Alliances and Territory Control

By allying with kings, jarls and others, you could gain territory across England‘s fractured kingdoms. This vying for control made regions feel reactive to your actions.

Modern Day Story Integration

Past games often sidelined the modern day elements, but Valhalla wove the two narratives together more cohesively. Layla‘s story finally continued after Origins.

These refinements modernized player progression, world interactions and narrative delivery in meaningful ways that improved the overall experience.

Still Evolving Two Years Later

Even in 2022, Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla managed to achieve the highest revenue numbers in franchise history – a remarkable accomplishment given its November 2020 release window. This shows incredible longevity buoyed by consistent content drops.

June 2022 marked Valhalla‘s 19th major title update along with the ‘Dawn of Ragnarök‘ expansion focusing on Norse deities. And Ubisoft recently confirmed a new "Last Chapter" expansion is slated for Spring 2023.

Almost all past AC titles never received support this extensive. Ubisoft‘s continued investment highlights Valhalla‘s rampant success and the developer‘s desire to build on that momentum.

Conclusion – A Triumphant Success and Franchise-Defining Entry

Without question, Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla stands out as one of the most successful entries in the long-running AC franchise. The Viking epic broke sales records, earned strong review scores, captured fans‘ imaginations with its Norse setting and delivered meaningful quality-of-life improvements over past games.

Ubisoft‘s live service approach for Valhalla paid dividends thanks to consistent content updates that kept players engaged. In doing so, it became the highest-grossing title in AC history.

Two years later, Valhalla shows no signs of slowing down. The game‘s resounding success cements it as a defining chapter in the Assassin‘s Creed saga – one that will be remembered fondly by fans for years to come. Its triumph validates Ubisoft‘s ambitious vision to bring the Viking Age to life and promises exciting things to come for the franchise.