This week, PureArts partnered with Ubisoft to launch the Assassin's Creed Valhalla Orlog Dice Game on Kickstarter.
The crowdfunding campaign’s goal is to make Orlog, the beloved dice game from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, a real-life board game. Transcending the console and adapting Orlog to the physical realm has been a challenging, yet overwhelmingly exciting project for our team, and we’re beyond grateful for our Kickstarter backers’ support.
Let’s dive into why we decided to zone in on Orlog and create this campaign.
What makes Orlog a compelling mini-game?
Dynamic, challenging gameplay.
What makes the Orlog mini-game from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla so addictive? If you’re passionate about Assassin’s Creed or RPGs in general, chances are that you appreciate great world-building too. In the high-pressure world of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla - where popular activities include dual-wielding weapons against attackers and leveraging kills for alliances - the simple game of Orlog provides a far less intense exercise in wits and strength for central protagonist Eivor.
When you get to a new village/city, it may become increasingly tempting to find an Orlog player and acquire a new God Favor. As you journey from Ravensthorpe to East Anglia and beyond, the Orlog dice game follows. Wherever you/Eivor are, the possibility of dipping into a tavern and playing a couple rounds of Orlog exists.
That’s what makes the game so compelling - it’s deceptively simple, which makes being a beginner at Orlog unthreatening. Getting started is easy, leaving is hard. The game is challenging enough to hold a beginner’s attention, suck them in, and keep them so invested that they eventually become pro-Orloggers .
Consistent winners of the Orlog mini-game have tactical strength, problem-solving skills, and perhaps a touch of luck. But novices have to be invested in Eivor’s story, its characters, and the world of Valhalla to muster up the dedication needed to master the dice game.
Assassin’s Creed as a series champions world-building in its artistry, plot, and atmosphere. Its instalments are for and about human beings - it's based off of the real world, after all. Its various protagonists emerge into the game from moments in our own history.
As you journey through the game as Eivor the Viking in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the feeling of immersion is completed by little details like Orlog: a simple dice game. It offers respite from Eivor’s torrid world yet challenges players to keep improving, which makes it a world-class mini-game worthy of its reputation for being addictive.
Is the Orlog Dice Game different from the mini-game?
Yes, but no.
“Since Orlog is so simple, you’d think a board game similar to it already exists. But it doesn’t. The closest thing to it is Yahtzee! This made adapting Orlog special, because our team was actually creating something quite new by bringing the Orlog mini-game to life.”
- Dan Richard, Marketing Director of PureArts
Though the rules of Orlog are essentially the same, there are a few differences between the IRL and in-game versions worth talking about.
The option to play tournament-style is only available in our version of Orlog. Just two days ago, our legendary backers smashed through the 400K Stretch Goal and unlocked the Orlog Champion Coin and Tournament Bracket Cards, making this more inclusive form of gameplay available to all of our pledgers!
Another significant difference is the myriad collection of game pieces. Through unlocking Stretch Goals and Add-Ons, Kickstarter backers can collect incredible new items which don’t exist in the original, virtual version of Orlog. It’s worth noting that for those who wish for the game to stay as true to its source materials as possible, the majority of these special features are optional. As backers can see in our Kickstarter Updates, we’re listening to your comments closely to create an Orlog with something for everyone!
Our Stretch Goals and Add-Ons include treasures like metal game coins, glow-in-the-dark dice sets, wooden god favors, real stones to use as health counters, and more! As the Assassin's Creed Valhalla Orlog Dice Game Kickstarter campaign continues to grow, we’ll be adding even more epic items to collect. Our social media accounts on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit are the best places to stay informed on the campaign’s developments. You can also subscribe to our newsletter for in-mail updates!
Why did PureArts choose to release the Assassin's Creed Valhalla Orlog Dice Game via Kickstarter?
We want to make an affordable Orlog dice game available worldwide.
“We're so lucky that video games, the nature of the language of video games is international.”
- Patrice Désilets, Creative Director of Assassin’s Creed, Founder of Panache Digital Games
At PureArts, our mission is to make quality collectibles. Once our statues, articulated figures, or various other creations are out of the prototyping stage and ready to be manufactured, we do our best to make them accessible on a global scale. Despite obstacles like COVID-19 shipping delays and licensing specifications, we strive to deliver on this goal to the best of our ability.
The Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Orlog Dice Game on Kickstarter is a unique opportunity to distribute an exclusive PureArts project to the world. On top of that, those who choose to pledge get access to one-of-a-kind Add-Ons, making the final product customizable according to your favourite aspects of Orlog! Our backers are part of a unique community of people with a shared goal: working together to make Orlog into a real game.
You can learn more about how the Kickstarter campaign works on our page.
This is just the beginning - there are still 6 more days until the campaign closes!
The PureArts team extends a huge thank you to our backers for making this project so successful.
In just two days, we surpassed our funding goal by hundreds of thousands of dollars and became the #1 campaign on Kickstarter’s site. Special thanks to the team at Ubisoft and Assassin’s Creed for their support and creativity. This game wouldn’t exist without the brilliant minds behind Eivor’s story.
Stay tuned in to our blog for more stories and updates about the Assassin's Creed Valhalla Orlog Dice Game.
In just two days, we surpassed our funding goal by hundreds of thousands of dollars and became the #1 campaign on Kickstarter’s site. Special thanks to the team at Ubisoft and Assassin’s Creed for their support and creativity. This game wouldn’t exist without the brilliant minds behind Eivor’s story.
Stay tuned in to our blog for more stories and updates about the Assassin's Creed Valhalla Orlog Dice Game.