Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla Gets in the Longboat With Vinland Saga Manga

In a crossover that smacks of the wisdom of Odin himself, Viking open-world game Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla has announced a special collaboration with Viking manga Vinland Saga. [Thanks, 4Gamer!]

According to a press release from Ubisoft in Japan, the idea to cross-collaborate came from the realization that both Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and Vinland Saga share a focus on the adventures of Vikings in Dark Ages Europe. The main difference between the two stories is in temporal placement. Whereas Vinland Saga takes place in the 11th century and draws inspiration from the rise of historical figures like King Cnut the Great and explorer Thorfinn Karlsefni, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla takes place around 873 AD, a much earlier point during the Viking Expansion into England.

This century-long separation won’t stop the two brands from crossing over though. As part of the campaign, a special crossover chapter of Vinland Saga is available to read (in Japanese) on the game’s official website. The chapter, illustrated by Vinland Saga creator Makoto Yukimura, features protagonist Thorfinn having a brief encounter with Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla player character Eivor (and Eivor’s bladed gauntlet). The chapter will also run in the December 2020 issue of Monthly Afternoon, Vinland Saga‘s home publication.

Ubisoft Montreal will also produce a special collaboration image to be released in November, closer to the game’s release. Lastly, Yukimura will also appear during Ubisoft’s UBIDAY 2020 livestream on October 24th, 2020, to talk about the collaboration, Vikings, and play the game ahead of release.

Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla will be available on the PS4, Xbox One. PC, Xbox Series X, and Google Stadia on November 10, 2020. A PS5 version is also on the way.