Ubisoft revamps editorial board to combat the stagnation of its games

A report from Video Game Chronicle indicates that the body which governed what exactly went into a Ubisoft game is being split up so as to provide a broader range of games.

What used to be looked upon as a formula that was utterly enthralling and groundbreaking has slowly stagnated over the years, and I’m not talking about Steer’s chips. “Ubisoft Game” has become less of a title and more of a genre unto itself, with so many of their games following an almost identical gameplay loop. Massive open world, an abundance of collectable items dished out randomly, massive skill trees and apolitical stories that actually have an abundance of politics at their core, no matter what anyone says.

Hell, when Assassin’s Creed: Origins attempted to switch the formula with loot and RPG elements every game that followed it took exactly the same path. Many of Ubisoft’s single-player offerings have become somewhat tired, possibly why so many of their upcoming titles were delayed by months following the poor reception of Ghost Recon: Breakpoint. In an effort to curb this rapidly spreading staleness, Ubisoft is totally re-organising the company’s editorial board.

See, it used to be that a board of very qualified and special game designers and producers sat around a table in France and decided what would be sprinkled into every game, but clearly Ubisoft isn’t happy that all the drinks and chips they provide for these meetings isn’t resulting in the blockbuster games they’re used to. To modernise the whole system, Ubisoft has split the board up, giving seven vice presidents control over specific franchises like some video game equivalent of The Templars, as ironic as that is. All of these vice presidents will still need to check in with CEO Yves Guillemot but will be able to run their franchise however they want.

An anonymous source told Video Game Chronicle, “In the previous system that editorial we had, there were often the ideas of just one or two people getting put into every game. That’s why you tended to see such similarity, because it’s the same taste and opinion being replicated.” This will hopefully bring some red back into the slowly paling cheeks of Ubisoft’s originality and maybe, hopefully, spell the eventual return of Splinter Cell. That’s just a wing and pray from me though; I just want Sam Fisher sneaking back into my life, the deadly rascal.

Last Updated: January 20, 2020