Players learn each inch of games they play but only if they're invested. Countless speedrunners and completionists scrub each phase of a game to unlock its deepest secrets. Assassin's Creed Valhalla offered boundless puzzles and hidden tricks for players to find but some dedicated players may have cracked the code on a bigger puzzle, one that transcends the game itself. Ubisoft intended to keep the secret well hidden but that couldn't stop a group of dedicated fans.

A Viking's journey

 

Initially, one Reddit user shared his account of finding the coveted Noden's Arc bow in-game using several exploits. As a result, Valhalla's Narrative Director, Darby McDevitt responded to the solution by claiming it was a “brute force” method. However, this response implied that a proper solution existed within the game. Ultimately, Access the Animus set out to unravel it.

Access the Animus noticed the discovery of the bow and worked tirelessly on their own discovered in-game language. Apparently, one clue to the location of the bow existed on the physical box of the game's Collector's Edition. One incomplete sentence lay in wait in plain view, waiting for ultra-dedicated fans to crack the code. Fortunately, Access the Animus not only held the cipher for the special game language, they had the dedication to unearth every mystery the game had to offer.

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The secret codes and numbers lifted and translated from the special box helped the secret hunters extrapolate the non-brute force method of getting the bow. Fans solved the intricate puzzle within months of the game's release. It could have just as easily been buried in obscurity leaving players only with the brute force method. Ubisoft tried to stump its Assassin's Creed Valhalla players but the players cracked the code.

Access the Animus shared their discovered method of accessing the special weapon in-game. Fortunately, fans looking to get their hands on the Noden's Arc bow don't need to solve the mystery anymore.