Valheim devs offer a disappointing update on Xbox, PS4, and Switch ports

Valheim has become a sensation amongst PC gamers. After kicking off an early access period in February, the Viking game has torn up the Steam sales charts, surging in popularity. If you've got PC pals, you've likely heard them clamoring about the game. Assuming, you're anchored to a console like Nintendo Switch or an Xbox or PlayStation, you might be wondering when the Viking game will be playable on your favorite device.

Here's everything we know about a potential Valheim console port, which sadly isn't much given what the game's developers have said about it thus far.

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What is Valheim?

If you've been keeping your eye on PC sales reports, you might've noticed that a mysterious game called Valheim has been rocketing to the top of the charts. Since debuting as an early access game on February 2, Valheim has attracted over three million players.

The game asks you to work alongside other players in a group of up to 10 players. You play as Vikings that have been slain in battle and your soul has been brought to purgatory. If you can defeat enough enemies, you'll be accepted into the Norse afterlife, Valhalla. The road getting there is tough. To survive, you need to forge weapons, build ships, and construct strongholds for your team.

Each map is procedurally generated, meaning no two games will be the same. The map you play on is created as you load into the game for the first time. There will be some consistency between games like certain backdrops existing in every Valheim game, but their scale and placement will be different every time.

Valheim is a game for people who like Vikings and love venturing into the unknown.

When is the Valheim release date for PS4, PS5, Xbox, and Switch?

Developer Iron Gate AB has offer two vague answers to anyone wondering about console ports. question.

The first answer comes from the Valheim FAQ. "On which platforms will Valheim be released?" one question asks.

"Valheim will be released on Windows and Linux via Steam," the answer reads. "A Mac-version will be released if there is any significant demand for it. There are no plans to release on other platforms as of the time of writing but we won’t rule out console versions in the future." To say there is at least some significant demand already is an understatement, so we could take this to mean that the developers could be actively working on console ports already. It's still very early in the game's life, so a lot could change in the coming months.

Iron Gate AB provided a similar statement to a February 16, 2021 GameSpot report about a potential console port, saying that "everything is an option at this stage, but [there are] no plans we can confirm yet."

It seems like a console version of Valheim isn't currently on the cards, but their answer to GameSpot's inquiry seems hopeful. All things considered, it seems like it's only a matter of time before Valheim makes its way onto consoles, but where will it land first? It seems like a perfect candidate for Xbox Game Pass or as a PS Plus monthly free title like Fall Guys once was, but it remains to be seen whether it'll be Sony or Microsoft that scoops it up first.

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