Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Xbox One vs Xbox Series X: Release Date, Trailer, Graphics, Backwards Compatibility, Smart Delivery, FPS, Loading Speeds & More

The hugely anticipated title is arriving soon on 17 November, and to a ton of different platforms. Here’s our look at Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Xbox One vs Xbox Series X.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Xbox One vs Xbox Series X

First things first, it’s worth noting that both versions of the title could be subject to change ahead of release, and we’re going by the footage that has been officially released by Ubisoft to date. Now let’s get into it!

Release Date

While Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Xbox One has a release date, we still don’t officially know the Xbox Series X version’s. Much like the Xbox Series X, we know it will be Holiday 2020. For Xbox One owners, they will be able to get into the action from the moment it’s released. However, those who are dead-set on playing it on Xbox Series X will have to understandably wait until they acquire the next-gen console first! If you want to get your hands on the game ASAP – it may be wise to go for the title on Xbox One.

Ubisoft Forward

We saw a ton of new footage at Ubisoft Forward – however we don’t know just yet as to what system that was played on. You can check out the round up of Ubisoft forward below. READ MORE: What more did we learn about Assassin’s Creed Valhalla at Ubisoft Forward

Graphics

Now there are some obvious enhancements that will feature in the Xbox Series X. These will likely improve the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla gameplay experience.

Ray tracing

Xbox Series X is said to have ray-tracing capabilities. This means that titles will have much more realistic in-game lighting effects than those on Xbox One. Phil Spencer said at Ubisoft Forward that the game will use ray-tracing, but we don’t know to what extent as of yet with the Xbox Series X version of the game. READ MORE: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla PS4 vs PS5

Frames per second

Xbox One is said to be able to run games at 30 FPS at around 720p – 1080p. Xbox Series X is claimed to be able to achieve 60 FPS in 4K at launch, with the potential of 120 FPS and 8K readiness. At first, this would seem like a clear win for Xbox Series X. However a statement from Ubisoft appeared to manage expectations ahead of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s release. READ MORE: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla PS5 FPS In a statement to Eurogamer Portugal, they wrote that they could guarantee 30 FPS. This could obviously change ahead of release, and is by no means confirming that it will run at ‘only’ 30 FPS. However, if this were the case, then the title on Xbox Series X and Xbox One could be more evenly matched than anticipated.

Backwards Compatibility & Smart Delivery

An amazing feature of the Xbox Series X is backwards compatibility. The feature allows players to play their ‘old-gen’ games on next-gen consoles. So even if you do decide to go for the Xbox One title on disc, you’ll be able to experience it on Xbox Series X. On their official site, it reads that Xbox One games will ‘experience improvements in performance, including improved boot and load times, more stable frame rates, higher resolutions and improved quality on Xbox Series X.’ If you decide to go for the download, it won’t matter which generation of Xbox you get it for. Simply download the Xbox One version and you’ll be able to download it again for free, if you decide to upgrade to the Xbox Series X. Again, it appears that we could see the playing field levelled between the two iterations of the upcoming Viking RPG.

Loading Speeds

The Xbox Series X is a seriously powerful machine on paper, and this certainly extends to loading times. Loading times are set to be greatly reduced. This means more time playing in the world of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and less time waiting for the game and enormous map to load. The title on Xbox One will likely not have reduced loading times. It looks like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla on Xbox Series X takes the win here.

Opinion: Which should you buy?

In terms of sheer power, the Xbox Series X edition of the title looks to be the winner. However, the differences between the two versions do not appear to be as stark as expected. Sure, we may see better in-game lighting and the slash to loading times will be a welcome addition – but is it a vital one? Thinking back to playthroughs of previous AC titles on Xbox One, any desired areas of improvement were tied to the gameplay itself, rather than the graphics, fps and other features. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla looks to be one of the best instalments to date, with even more RPG elements than before, alongside the exclusion of seemingly unpopular gameplay mechanics concerned with levelling up. If you can get the game on Xbox Series X – great! But it is by no means Ragnorok if you’re set to experience the action on Xbox One.