The Assassin’s Creed Valhalla gameplayer trailer that debuted on the Xbox 2020 event wasn’t, in fact, a gameplay trailer. What was billed as the next big reveal from Ubisoft on their newest title left quite a few gamers feeling a little cold about the situation.
It might make some feel a bit better than the game’s creative director, Ashraf Ismail understands what his team showed off on Thursday’s event fell short of what most expected. In a Twitter post not long after the presentation wrapped up, Ismail said there is a long campaign ahead and that people will get to see what they’re excited about in due time.
You rightfully expected to see more today. We have a long marketing campaign ahead of us, you will see in-depth gameplay and get a lot more info about the game. Thank you for your excitement and passion! Be patient with us and be kind. It will be worth it!
The Valhalla director seems to understand talking about all the things people will be able to do in the game and then not showing it, caused some backlash. It also seems like the team expected that backlash. Which further raises questions about just why the video they presented of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the one they chose.
The comment about people “rightfully” expecting to see more seems to indicate something happened behind the scenes. It’s possible someone above Ismail decided a cinematic trailer was better suited for Xbox2020. It’s also possible the coronavirus outbreak has shifted how much can be done in a short period of time.
Ismail can take solace in the fact that Valhalla wasn’t the only game that disappointed on Thursday. Electronic Arts announced Madden 21 would feature Smart Delivery on the Series X. After the event, EA clarified Smart Delivery would only be honored for a window of time.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is due to launch on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC, and Google Stadia this holiday season.
