During their latest financial earnings call – the same one that revealed a Division delay – Ubisoft explained a little about the direction it was headed in, and gave a glimpse of what we might expect from the company in the future. And what can you expect? The same sort of open world experiences that you already get from them.
According to Ubiboss Yves Guillemot, 30% of 2014’s console games were open world – double what estimates in 2008 had placed them at. Five of the top ten-selling games last year happened to be open world too, which Guillemot believes “confirms players’ appetite for more freedom and the possibility to define their own experience.”
It means you can expect a lot more open-world shenanigans from Ubi – which I’m not quite sold on, to be honest. I think the biggest problem is that Ubisoft seems to have created an “open-world template” and all of its games’ ideas are bleeding into each other. Far Cry’s becoming more like Assassin’s Creed, Assassin’s Creed is becoming more like Far Cry, and everything is padded out with meaningless collectathon fluff. Even open-world racer The Crew had you “unlocking” towers to open up parts of the map.
If Ubisoft’s going to stick to making open world games, they’re definitely going to need to start doing things a little differently. Judging by what we’ve seen from Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate so far, it’s a lesson they’ve not learned yet. Yes, I disagree with Zoe about syndicate.
Ubisoft has also pledged itself to Virtual Reality, which makes quite a turn-around from its initial stance.
“First we believe a lot in virtual reality because we see that it’s giving gamers a chance to be more immersed in worlds. We are developing a certain number of games that are going to take advantage of those possibilities,” said Guillemot. “We are very bullish about the potential, and we think it’s going to bring more players to the universe of video games.”
It’s not entirely surprising, giving how Ubisoft is one of the first publishers to jump on any new platform or technology, sometimes to their detriment. I just hope that their VR games work; having one’s virtual body fall through the floor in a glitch might cause a real-world brain disconnect.
Last Updated: May 13, 2015
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
May 13, 2015 at 11:06
I’m quite amazed that you didn’t add _dogs in the header…
Geoffrey Tim
May 13, 2015 at 11:29
As of now, there’s still only one of those. ;P
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
May 13, 2015 at 11:34
Good point! But we know what’s coming right?
Dutch-Trevor Matrix
May 13, 2015 at 11:30
Just because Geoffrey is Asian does not mean he consumes the flesh of dogs, you know?
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
May 13, 2015 at 11:35
I know, but the dogs I’m referring to have underscores in front of them…
Dutch-Trevor Matrix
May 13, 2015 at 11:37
Dog meat is dog meat!
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
May 13, 2015 at 11:40
Hahaha!
Dutch-Trevor Matrix
May 13, 2015 at 11:07
Disqus fail (refresh)
Dutch-Trevor Matrix
May 13, 2015 at 11:08
And I just tried clicking the Show One New Comment in my comment…
The Sten
May 13, 2015 at 11:19
me too……….twice
Matthew Holliday
May 13, 2015 at 11:39
clicking your own image for a new comment is a whole new level of trevor.
Ranting Raptor
May 13, 2015 at 11:43
Yeah I did too…..
Dutch-Trevor Matrix
May 13, 2015 at 11:46
Wow! You still talking to me after my rants from yesterday? Mister, you are a better man than I! 🙂
Ranting Raptor
May 13, 2015 at 12:08
I don’t hold grudges over debates mate. As long as you don’t outright insult me and become vile, I’m pretty chilled (Except while debating of course 😛 )
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 13, 2015 at 11:08
I’ll call it now: We’re going to be buying an open world engine, then total conversion mods for it. AC, FC, SC, all the same basic game with a different skin. Kinda like BF and its upcoming SW mod. ;P
RinceTriss
May 13, 2015 at 11:56
Why are you such a negative Nancy?!
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 13, 2015 at 12:03
Because positive Nancy doesn’t alliterate.
Hammersteyn
May 13, 2015 at 11:12
The Crew : Syndicate. Preorder now for limited edition racing stripes on your carriage
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oFEi5BukyhI/TdK_3g8GVzI/AAAAAAAAHlk/Pg73wZooJTI/s1600/imagesCABDTRID.jpg
Dutch-Trevor Matrix
May 13, 2015 at 11:12
That horse/ass needs feeding…
Krabby Paddy
May 13, 2015 at 11:24
Loved how in the video the guy said this will make travelling around the city faster while in-game footage shows the carriage moving as slow as hell.
Matthew Holliday
May 13, 2015 at 11:37
they didnt run when walking around, so im assuming they didnt hit the go faster button and was just the base movement speed on the carriage.
carriages cant climb over buildings though, so i dont think it will be much of a muchness anyway.
Krabby Paddy
May 13, 2015 at 11:42
Good point, guess they have to try show off the setting and pretty graphics.
HelenKWalter
May 13, 2015 at 15:09
???Creat profit with Google at Home@nx23:::
,
???http://Home-InsiderChampionDesign.org/Pro/star…
Jac7
May 13, 2015 at 11:16
I’m really enjoying Far Cry 4 at the moment. After Botched Hogs and a broken Ass-as-sin Creed, I feel Far Cry offers a little redemption for the mishaps. Syndicate looks far better than Unity, but my Creed backlog is far bigger than my Steam backlog. Pfff, why am I still talking, The Witcher 3 will quench any open world thirst.
Krabby Paddy
May 13, 2015 at 11:30
I never played Far Cry 4, because it just look like a Far Cry 3 expansion pack. Is it actually better than Far Cry 3 or much different? I grew tired of Far Cry 3 (too repetitive for my liking) and had to kinda force myself to finish it.
Dutch-Trevor Matrix
May 13, 2015 at 11:32
Yeah. Like how many camps can I take from the enemy? And also, why those bastards that occupy the camp minutes after I clear it out… Why they no help pew-pew them bad guys???
Matthew Holliday
May 13, 2015 at 11:34
very much the same, just a little bit shinier.
same cars, same boats, same hang gliders etc.
bigger map that takes even longer to clear and explore, more really average DLC, not enough blood dragon a less exciting antagonist and a just as boring protagonist.
Krabby Paddy
May 13, 2015 at 11:39
Thanks. Now a Blood dragon 2 announcement would be worth hearing about!
Matthew Holliday
May 13, 2015 at 11:33
keep in mind that farcry 4s launch was almost as disaterous as the AC unity launch.
CuddlesaurusRex
May 13, 2015 at 11:38
Far Cry just feels like the AC first person version.
40 Insane Frogs
May 13, 2015 at 11:17
What can we expect? Same as last year, lots of hilarious bugs, graphics downgrade and a large selection of unnecessary & overpriced special editions.
Hammersteyn
May 13, 2015 at 11:23
Also games being locked on both consoles at 30fps and 900p because the cinematic experience is so good
WitWolfy
May 13, 2015 at 11:17
I predict at least another 5 AC games, and 3 more Watch Dogs games and at least another 4 more Far cry games. AT LEAST!
Dutch-Trevor Matrix
May 13, 2015 at 11:23
I predict VaalCry
Kromas,powered by windows 10.
May 13, 2015 at 11:30
Expecting anything from Ubisoft is like expecting Eskom to tell you they are about to loadshed more than 5 mins before they actually do.
CuddlesaurusRex
May 13, 2015 at 11:37
Yep. All Ubisofts games have a “I have seen and done this before.” vibe to them now.
Mossel
May 13, 2015 at 15:26
The header could’ve been Far Creed with a picture off Creed standing very far away. Opportunity missed.