A closed beta for For Honor will be available in January 2017, Ubisoft announced. It will allow players to step onto the war-torn lands of Ashfeld, Valkenheim, and Myre in multiplayer battles that showcase the war between the Vikings, Samurai, and Knights.
Ubisoft will also launch a pre-launch limited time event called “War of the Factions” alongside the closed beta. It will track all multiplayer activity across all platforms and answer the question, “When the might Vikings, Samurai and Knights finally collide on the same battlefield, who will reign supreme?” Rewards will be given to players participating in the beta, as well as the winning faction.
For Honor will let players become one of 12 heroes across three factions. Ubisoft showcased two new “Heavy” heroes today, the Samurai Shugoki and Viking Warlord, and a new “Assassin” hero, the Knight Peacekeeper:
- Peacekeeper: Selected from the desperate, the humbled or the devoted, they are sworn to secrecy by unbreakable oaths. Quick and lethal, they fight with a short sword in one hand and a dagger in the other. Peacekeepers are the deadliest duelists of all Assassins, capable of winning a fight before their enemy even knows they are here.
- Shugoki: Once the guardians of the Samurai, they have become as family. Massive and fierce, their weapon of choice is the kanabo, a huge stick that they only can wield efficiently. The Shugoki might not have the same agility as the other Samurai, but their rock-like resistance and demon-like strength make them an unavoidable force on the battlefield.
- Warlord: Warlord is a name from an ancient Viking tradition, a name that is earned by only the true leaders in combat, those who are ready to spend their whole life servicing all who need it. Warlords’ shields are as versatile as they are strong and their sword, while simple in design, is sharp and deadly.
Finally, Ubisoft debuted a new meta-game called “Faction War,” which is the persistent cross-platform conflict between the Knights, Vikings, and Samurai. Players will choose a faction, and every multiplayer battle will impact the world as players earn “War Assets” based on their performance in matches. These War Assets can be deployed and spent helping players conquer and defend territories. There will be 10-week-long competitive multiplayer seasons, and players will receive rewards based on the rank of their faction when the season ends. After that, the Faction War will reset and resume after an off-season period.
For Honor will launch for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on February 14.
Watch a set of trailers highlighting the story, Peacekeeper, Shugoki, and Warlord below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.
