Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Should you play as male or female Eivor?
Does your choice for Eivor's gender make a difference in Assassin's Creed Valhalla?
The first choice in Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a tough one: should you play as the male or female Eivor? Unlike in previous games in the Assassin's Creed series that posed a similar choice, the answer is relatively simple: whichever one you want.
This is in contrast to the events of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, where your choice of Alexios or Kassandra had a direct impact on the story of the game. In this latest entry however, you're free to choose and even change your gender without it having an impact.
However, according to developers working on Assassin's Creed Valhalla, the male and female versions of Eivor are technically exactly the same character. And - as explained by the circumstances of the story are both canon.
Should you play as male or female Eivor in Assassin's Creed Valhalla?
At the beginning of Valhalla, the game gives you three options: to play as female Eivor, male Eivor, or to "let the Animus choose" (the latter being the default option).
Sticking with the default will place you in the role of a female Eivor initially, although as you progress through the story, you'll switch to male Eivor for certain key sections. Trust us, it makes sense in context, but to say more would be a spoiler.
Regardless of your choice, both versions of the character are functionally identical beyond their appearance and voice, with the sole exception being that female Eivor can't sport facial hair. Other than that, all cosmetics are available regardless of Eivor's gender, as are all romance options, and both Eivors behave exactly the same in combat.
The male version of Eivor is played by Danish actor Magnus Bruun, who has pedigree portraying Vikings after appearing as King Cnut in The Last Kingdom on TV. Meanwhile, the female Eivor is played by another Danish actor, Cecilie Stenspil, who has most often appeared in Danish language roles, including theatre and dubs of Disney films.
If you need any more help making your decision, it's worth knowing that letting the animus decide is considered the canon choice, and is reflected in the game's tie-in comics and novels, which all star female Eivor.
How to switch Eivor's gender in Assassin's Creed Valhalla
However, as is expressed on the selection screen, if you fancy trying out a different gender for Eivor, you can change between the male and female versions of the character at any time.
Swapping between the male and female versions of Eivor is simple. All you need to go is go into your inventory screen and select the option labelled Animus (accessed by pressing up on the D-Pad if you're playing on controller).
From here, you'll be given the option to change Eivor's appearance, which brings you back to the character select screen you saw at the start of the game.
Now that you're up and running, check out our guides to the best skills in Assassin's Creed Valhalla and the best starting weapons in Assassin's Creed Valhalla.