Every few decades we see major trends and patterns emerge with mass media. We went through this with detective noir and westerns, and more recently, we’ve experienced it with the resurgence of vampires. Not to be outdone, the 2010s and 2020s have also seen increasing attention paid to the realm of Vikings. From gritty and realistic to silly and fictionalized, Vikings as a target for modern media has seen hugely successful releases. So, what forms have these taken exactly, and what accounts for this change in momentum?
In Television and Film
Arguably the most influential step in bringing Viking into its current place in the zeitgeist is owed to the work performed by the 2013 series simply called Vikings. Inspired by the legendary tales of Ragnar Lodbrok, this story follows the idea that Lodbrok came from a simple life and fought his way to a place as king.
In 2019, Vikings was followed by the sequel Vikings: Valhalla. Set hundreds of years after the original, this series continued to similarly positive reviews, yet both weren’t hugely visible in the public eye. Like Netflix’s The Last Kingdom, however, the reputation of these shows would grow over time, continuing to receive praise from longtime fans and newcomers both. Thanks to this trajectory, the Vikings found even greater success in the landscape of video games.
Video Game Adaptations
In the video game space, the most famous mainstream example of the Viking genre has to be Ubisoft’s Assassins Creed: Valhalla. The twelfth mainline entry in the series, AC: Valhalla was released in 2020 and blends genuine history with the game’s long-running internal lore. Making over $1 billion in revenue, this title was the second most profitable in series history.
Just as important, it also illustrated how flexible the title could be over different platforms. Releasing on the PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Stadia, AC: Valhalla shows what could be the most core feature that makes Vikings popular. Other examples of this flexibility are also found among the best free iOS games, as well as games on Android systems. With handhelds also covered, players have a way to get engaged with Vikings in the interactive space no matter how they choose to play. And it’s this flexibility that could be key.
A New Form of Exploration
Whether looking at the Viking television series or the Vikings: War of Clans game on mobile systems, the stories told and the way we engage takes a wide scope. Instead of revolving entirely around the hard and cold lives of these historic soldiers, the genre instead imbues each take with a different perspective of humanity. In this way, Vikings are used as a type of sounding board from which we reflect and challenge contemporary views of history, fairness, honor, and fun.
The modern success of Vikings still owes a lot to the natural beauty of Scandinavia, and its important place as a historical artifact, but thanks also have to go to its unexplored status. Zombies are played out, as traditional macho action movies have been for some time, but this topic remains fresh.
Vikings as a theme gives us something new to explore, and so far, we’re yet to tap the depths of what’s on offer. Does this mean that the setting might become stale after another couple of decades? Perhaps, but that’s still a long way off. For now, and for years to come, Vikings give us something new.
