Assassin's Creed Valhalla will let you choose to play as a male or female Viking leader

Assassin's Creed Valhalla will let you play as a male or female protagonist once again, though you won't choose between two canonical characters like in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey.

Ubisoft finally gave Valhalla a proper debut with a CGI trailer today, and the four-minute video follows a male protagonist as he helps build up a Norse settlement in England. You'll also be able to play as a female version of the same character - either way, they'll be a leader of their clan named Eivor. You'll be able to customize your own Eivor to suit your tastes with a selection of hair options, tattoos, war paint, and gear.

Thierry Noël, who served as a historian and inspirational content advisor for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, explained why it was important to let players embody either a male or female Norse hero on the game's official site.

"The archaeological sources are highly debated on [whether women warriors were common in Viking culture]," Noël said. "But the fact is, and I think what’s really important, is that it was part of their conception of the world. Sagas and myths from Norse society are full of tough female characters and warriors. It was part of their idea of the world, that women and men are equally formidable in battle, and that’s something that Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will reflect."

Customizing your preferred version of Eivor will be the first of many important decisions you make in Valhalla. Ubisoft says "political alliances, combat decisions, and dialogue choices" will influence the world of the game, so you'll always need to be ready to show leadership for your clan. Heavy is the head that wears the warpaint and braids.

The Assassin's Creed Valhalla release date isn't too far off - and you'll be able to play it on both current-gen and next-gen consoles. We've started to round up the latest details on how to pre-order Assassin's Creed Valhalla too.