In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, players will have the option to choose between playing as a male or female character. But the main character, Eivor, is the same regardless of that decision. The idea that both versions of Eivor are canon was confusing to fans when it was announced several months back, and it's only gotten more confusing as news continues to trickle out leading up to the game's release.
In Assassin's Creed Odyssey, players could play as one of two siblings; Alexios or Kassandra, and the character not chosen took a designated place within the story. However, in spite of giving the player the freedom of choice, Kassandra was designated the canonical main character by the development team at Ubisoft Quebec. For players who wanted to experience the story the way it was envisioned, there was a concrete choice to do that. It was a bit confusing because Alexios was marketed as the main character as a result of a bunch of nonsense at Ubisoft, but Kassandra was the intended centerpiece of the story. Assassin's Creed Valhalla is giving players a similar choice, but it's not quite as clear cut this time around.
As early previews for Assassin's Creed Valhalla are being published, the gender selection screen has been officially revealed. When players enter the animus, they will be given the option to play as male Eivor, female Eivor or a third option; letting the animus choose between the two on its own. This third option, definitively labeled as the default choice, will swap between both genders based on what's described as the "stronger memory stream." What that means is anyone's guess, but the game will presumably swap back and forth between the two depending on the player's progress through the game. So both genders are actually simultaneously canon, apparently, and players will have the option to change between them as they wish.
Why Are Both Genders of Eivor Canon?
One possible explanation for why both genders can be canon at the same time ties directly to the usage of the term "memory stream." Theoretically, Eivor is a legendary Viking whose story the player is experiencing. But what if Eivor's story wasn't written anywhere and was passed down by word of mouth? It's possible that the legend of Eivor is one that was passed through time like a giant game of telephone, and the current state of the legend is one where their gender wasn't definitively one way or the other. A certain part of the story could be remembered with Eivor as a female, while another portion of Assassin's Creed Valhalla's story has been remembered with Eivor as a male. It's an explanation that would make sense in how Eivor's gender is explained.
It's a very interesting choice from Ubisoft, regardless of the reason why. There has been some allusion to the fact that players will discover why both genders are canon, but it could just as easily be a nonsensical explanation to allow players to choose one way or another. Regardless of the explanation, it's definitely a different approach to handling something like this in what is a prominent franchise with a ton of lore. Assassin's Creed Valhalla is shaping up to be one of the biggest games of the year, and its main character is shrouded in mystery.