Assassin's Creed Valhalla fans were dealt a bit of disappointing news this morning when it was announced that the Wrath of the Druids DLC would be delayed for two weeks. Per the official Assassin's Creed Valhalla Twitter account, the upcoming release has been pushed back to May 13.
While Ubisoft remained tight-lipped on details surrounding the delay, it specified that the setback was to "deliver a more refined experience," and promised to release a forthcoming statement in the spirit of openness that would allow fans a look at the development process. The Wrath of the Druids DLC is slated to take place in Dublin, 40 years after the Viking invasions, and will prominently feature Irish folklore and mythology.
Reactions to the news were relatively mixed, with most fans applauding the company for putting quality first. Ever since the rushed release of Cyberpunk 2077, fans have tended to afford game developers more leniency, opting to remain patient and receive a quality offering rather than rush a company into putting out an unfinished product. However, some Twitter users were dissatisfied by the news and elected to take the opportunity to raise their criticisms about the core game, suggesting that it was riddled with bugs and glitches. Amid the complaints was a surprising amount of calls for new outfits and customization options, suggesting a fanbase desperate for new content.
The news also comes as the latest delay announced by Ubisoft. Just last year, after announcing Far Cry 6, Ubisoft began to flounder to nail down an official release date. The same could be said for the relatively slow development of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, which was couched in Greek mythology. With the development processes getting increasingly complicated along with rising expectations from fans, Ubisoft seems to be struggling to meet its ambitious release dates as of late. While the Wrath of the Druids DLC is only set to be delayed for two weeks, it's salt on the wound of loyal Ubisoft fans who have seen their favorite titles delayed again and again.
Still, many fans are looking at the delay through a positive lens, and looking forward to the increased effort Ubisoft is putting forward. After all, the Wrath of the Druids DLC gives Ubisoft a chance to right many of the wrongs associated with the initial game's release. With many players feeling that the franchise has strayed from its stealth origins, the Wrath of the Druids DLC has the opportunity to bring the game back to its roots.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.