Yves Guillemot described the sales of Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR as disappointing and indicated that the investment in VR will not increase.
During Ubisoft’s latest third quarter earnings presentation, the company’s CEO, Yves Guillemot, described the sales of Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR as disappointing and indicated that investment in VR will not increase.
And this is bad news for the industry, as it is one of the most powerful and demanding titles released in VR since the launch of the Meta Quest 3 glasses.
But, like everything in life, it’s about business. Something that Ubisoft has not been able to achieve with its virtual reality games, despite the effort they have made to succeed in this market niche.
Ubisoft has supported VR gaming more than any AAA publisher. But CEO Yves Guillemot just said that November's critically acclaimed Assassin's Creed Nexus VR (exclusive to Meta Quest) only "did okay," said company was "a bit disappointed" and won't increase investment in VR
Reasons why VR will not be an ambassador at Ubisoft
“We have been a little disappointed with what we have been able to achieve in VR with Assassin’s Creed, it did well, and it continues to sell, but we thought it would sell more, so we are not increasing our investment in VR at the moment, because it needs to take off,” explained Yves Guillemot, CEO of the company.
“We have been very impressed with what Apple has presented, and we believe it is fantastic hardware, but we still consider this VR business as something we need to pay attention to, but not invest too much in it until it grows enough,” concluded the company’s CEO in their financial results letter.
But this doesn’t mean saying goodbye to all the projects that Ubisoft had planned for virtual reality, but rather that the French company will not invest any more money than stipulated for this market niche.
It is understood, as Yves Guillemot explains, that investments related to VR will be few and very controlled, seeking to hit the nail on the head and understand what the audience wants.
Skull and Bones has been delayed six times since it was first announced at E3 2017. This February 2024 is supposed to be the one.
The long development of Skull And Bones, which started in 2013, when it was originally a multiplayer expansion of Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag, has caused production costs to skyrocket. And to avoid that, no one can withstand over 10 years of development.
A couple of years ago, Kotaku reported that development costs had reached the staggering amount of 120 million dollars. Now, and according to Insider Gaming, in just three years, Ubisoft has spent another 80 million dollars on development.
According to sources consulted by Insider Gaming, Ubisoft does not expect to make a profit with Skull and Bones, and blames its troubled development on “power-hungry executives” and constant direction changes. The reason it is still ongoing is supposedly an agreement with the Singaporean government.
?☠️ Skull and Bones sets sail on February 16th, 2024! ?
It was inevitably delayed to the fiscal year 2019/2020, and it was showcased more at E3 2018. However, Kotaku reported that the versions we saw at both E3 events were scrapped, leading to further delays.
It skipped E3 2019 and was delayed to 2022, preparing for release on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. But as we know, that didn’t happen. It was delayed again, this time to March 9, 2023, after a technical test in September went wrong. But that date passed and it was delayed again.
If everything goes according to plan this time, Skull and Bones should be here next month, after more than a decade of development and a total cost of about 200 million dollars.
The open-world action and adventure title from Massive Entertainment looks promising from what we’ve seen so far, and its release is scheduled for 2024, but in which exact year?
Before July 2024
In a report published on Insider Gaming, journalist Tom Henderson has stated that Star Wars Outlaws will be released sometime in the first half of the year, which means the game will be launched before July, if everything goes as planned.
Henderson also claims that Assassin’s Creed Codename Redwill be released in the second half of the year, which aligns with several previous leaks, and that the next two years will bring the announced Splinter Cell remake, a new Ghost Recon game, and much more.
Splinter Cell Remake & Next Ghost Recon scheduled for 2025-26 #Ubisoft
— HazzadorGamin, Dragon of Dojima (@HazzadorGamin) January 31, 2024
At the beginning of this month, Disney seemed to suggest that Star Wars Outlaws would be released in “late” 2024, although Ubisoft quickly stated in a press release that it was a mistake. Officially, the publisher has maintained the release date of 2024, but so far has refused to specify it.
When it goes on sale, Star Wars Outlaws will be available for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, that is, for the new generation of consoles, as has been the norm for the past couple of years.
A new Far Cry spin-off? It seems to have been leaked, and it will reportedly follow what we already saw in Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix, the animated series.
Ubisoft seems to be working on different projects. Assassin’s Creed has taken a slightly different direction, Far Cry has had an animation series with an unexpected style, and the new Prince of Persia is an excellent metroidvania. This leads us to think that maybe they are returning to a scenario where they are trying to work on different projects, instead of simply repeating the same pattern constantly. Something that a leak gives us hope that this may be what is happening.
The European age rating organization, PEGI, has listed on its website a PC game by Ubisoft that has not been announced yet. Called Captain Laserhawk Niji Warrior, the game’s description says that “players engage in a laser deathmatch and compete to eliminate the most opponents”. It states that there is moderate violence against human characters with laser weapons, but no gore or injury details, and highlights a detail that doesn’t excite us: there are in-game purchases for cosmetic items.
By the name of the game and the premise, it also seems clear what we can expect. Most likely, the game would be an adaptation of the animated series Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix, which aired on Netflix last year, causing great interest among the audience. An interesting move, and it would be a resurrection of Blood Dragon, the Far Cry spinoff that appeared in 2013 and was based on being an expansion of Far Cry 3 and a parody of action movies, cartoons, and 80s video games.
However, it is not the only Far Cry that Ubisoft is working on. According to recent rumors, the company is working on Far Cry 7 and at the same time, on an independent multiplayer game of the franchise, which would be this Captain Laserhawk Niji Warrior.
If the rumor is true, we won’t know until the game is officially confirmed. Although we know that Far Cry 7 is in development and is being developed with Ubisoft Massive’s Snowdrop engine, we don’t have any more details about it. Therefore, if this leak is confirmed, it means that we are a little closer to Far Cry 7. Great news, twice over, as it means that Ubisoft may have learned that they can combine their usual games with doing some different things from time to time.
Now it comes with two more, Ubisoft+ Premium and Ubisoft+ Classics. The idea? Not necessarily bad. The execution? Frankly terrible.
Does Uplay ring a bell? Surely it does: it is the service that Ubisoft used for a while as the name of its online service. But then came Ubisoft Game Launcher, Ubisoft Connect, Uplay+, Uplay Passport, Ubisoft Club… And, among all these failed initiatives, now comes with two more, Ubisoft+ Premium and Ubisoft+ Classics. The idea? It’s not necessarily bad. The execution? Frankly terrible.
Ubí, Ubá, I love you more each day
Since Game Pass and PlayStation + Extra (or Premium) have offered many of their games in the catalog for a monthly fee, many others have wanted to do the same. The issue is that Ubisoft, initially, does not release enough games to justify such a high monthly price like 17.99 euros per month (7.99 euros for the classics catalog, which will include ‘Farcry 6’, ‘Watch Dogs: Legion’).
The good part is that all the releases will be available, like ‘Prince of Persia: The lost crown’ from day one, and it will also have extra benefits and the occasional monthly gift. If you are a big fan of ‘Assassin’s Creed’ or any of the developer’s sagas, it might be useful for you, but don’t rush to open your wallet with resignation: the good news is that if you already have PlayStation +, it is included in the catalog.
The downside is the aftertaste of the fact that Ubisoft is spending all its efforts on selling us something that most of us have seen as the lesser evil: not owning our games and therefore losing access to them the day they disappear from the service. Despite the company’s claim that “Consumers are comfortable not owning their collection of CDs or DVDs“, the truth is that it is more a matter of prices than preferences.
We have all experienced wanting to watch a movie and discovering that no streaming service includes it in their catalog. Now the same nightmare can happen with video games. Is there really an audience willing to risk that, after paying a monthly fee, their favorite titles disappear from the famous cloud? We’ll have to see. For now, Ubisoft is trying it, and they say it’s going much better than we all thought. We’ll have to see.
“Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown” is a game that can be a bit overwhelming at first, so we offer you some essential tips so you don’t feel overwhelmed while playing it.”
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is one of the first surprises of 2024. A game that is causing a sensation among critics, which seems to be one of the candidates for GOTY. And that’s without even finishing January. That doesn’t mean it’s not a challenging game that demands things from the player. And we’re going to give you some tips to make the experience as smooth and simple as possible from the first minute.
It’s easy to get carried away and just set the base difficulty, but trust us. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is highly customizable. In addition to various difficulty options, you can personalize your experience according to your needs. And furthermore, you can choose whether to play in Guided mode or Exploration mode. Do not underestimate the difficulty of the game, because the fights are tough and the exploration is demanding: there is no shame in playing in Guided mode and/or on easy difficulty.
Don’t skip the extra tutorials
When you advance a little in the game, you will encounter a character named Artaban. He will offer you a series of combat tutorials, completely optional. Okay: do them. For your life. They are brief, they give you small rewards and everything you learn here in combat you will take advantage of throughout the rest of the game.
Use memory fragments
One of the most original additions to the game are Memory Fragments. These allow you to take a screenshot of where you are, associating it with the point on the map where you are. This will allow you to know where places are that you cannot access yet, making your life much easier. So don’t hesitate to use them as much as you can.
Follow the golden leaves
To save, heal, and change talismans, you will have to find Soma Trees. The easiest way to find them will be to follow a method that other games have already taught us in the past: follow the wind. In this case, the golden leaves will indicate where the nearest soma tree is. Something that will make your life much easier when it comes to progressing.
Explore the scenarios thoroughly
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a metroidvania. That means you have to explore well. Some walls hide objects, many side quests give very good rewards, and that’s why investing a little time in exploring will help you a lot with this game.
It is the first major installment in the Prince of Persia series since 2010. Ubisoft’s new adventure is a gem that we will analyze in the magazine.
Despite being able to boast of having some gray hair (although not many), Prince of Persia is a saga that is a couple of years older than me, since the first adventure of the Prince of Persia dates back to 1989, when Jordan Mechner developed the first game for the Apple II.
From there, and despite not being a sales success at launch, Prince of Persia ended up becoming a franchise with a lot of sequels and reboots. And while some worked, not all the games were a success.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (in English) is an action-adventure game developed and published by Ubisoft. It is the first major installment in the Prince of Persia series since Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time in 2010.
In this new adventure we have to live as one of the Immortals, a truly powerful order of warriors dedicated to defending Persia from invaders and monsters.
After rejecting the last major attack on the city of Persepolis, the Immortals have to set out to rescue the prince of the kingdom, who seems to have been a victim of a great betrayal.
This will take us to Mount Qaf, where really crazy things will start happening, related to space / time. To avoid spoiling too much, we will not continue developing the story. What I can say is that, despite being a two-dimensional action and adventure game, the story is well developed and with care. It is a pleasure to progress in the game to discover how the story unfolds.
A very fun and fresh gameplay
I have memories of playing Prince of Persia on a school computer in the late 90s. And memory, which is a wonderful filter that allows us to remember everything with better resolution and details, makes me believe that the new Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a title that could have been released back then… if it weren’t for the gameplay being a delight impossible for that time.
Truly, it is a really fun metroidvania, where the acrobatics, combat, platforms, and environment are challenging. It’s a blast to play for 10 minutes, half an hour, or two hours. Because you learn the combat with each playthrough.
Explore Mount Qaf early ⚔ #PrinceOfPersia The Lost Crown's demo is available NOW on: Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC pic.twitter.com/3QHI3ypTs6
For those who are afraid to enter a metroidvania game because it’s not their style, this release is worth playing, regardless of your preferences. The story will convince the most reluctant, the art will enamor the most skeptical, and the action will satisfy the demanding.
In addition, the game starts from the very basics, making it very easy to get into, and then gradually growing. And the feeling of growing as a player and Immortal warrior is delightful. Very important: exploration is more difficult than the final bosses themselves.
Few games show as much love as this Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, something rare to see, especially when its publisher is a giant like Ubisoft. It is a rare bird within the industry.
A game that is a graphic… and technical wonder
And if the gameplay and art weren’t enough, the game runs even on a toaster. Seriously, the game is so well optimized that it even runs on the Nintendo Switch in Full HD and 60 FPS.
At Ubisoft, they have made sure that no one is left behind, not even that player who hasn’t updated their PC since 2010… it’s not a joke. According to what we have seen in Digital Foundry’s technical analysis, The Lost Crown is one of the best ports of the decade.
And this is remarkable, because the new Prince of Persia is visually powerful, both in the art and the details of the environments, as well as in the animations, lighting, and depth play. It is a 2D game with a 3D environment.
In other words, it not only looks beautiful on your monitor/TV, it also works at maximum resolution and fps without straining your console/computer. In a time when all releases come out broken, it is appreciated and recognized when one arrives in good condition.
As a conclusion and after more than 12 hours of gameplay (and the ones I have left), this Prince of Persia is the game that the franchise needed after being lost in limbo for years. Hopefully, Ubisoft will give us more in the future of this fun, fresh, and challenging approach to the Prince of Persia.
Ubisoft calls for calm: the remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time continues its course, ensuring that it has reached one of its internal milestones
Prince of Persia is one of the biggest cult franchises in video game history. It’s also one of the most mistreated over the last decade and a half. Unfortunately, all the progress it made from the 8-bit era until PlayStation 2 was lost over the last three generations, leaving it as one of those franchises that have a huge cult following and importance within the industry but haven’t withstood the test of time.
The impression wasn’t helped by the fact that the remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time had to be restarted, taken away from its original studio, and handed over to the Ubisoft Montreal team. With the company stating last May that players shouldn’t expect any new updates on the game this year, any news indeed gives us hope for the game.
Even though the news might not be spectacular, on November 21, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time turned 20 years old. This was something that the official Twitter account took advantage of, stating that “we are happy to announce that the project has reached a significant internal milestone.”
As you know, the passionate team at @UbisoftMTL is reimagining this legendary story, and we are glad to announce today that the project has passed an important internal milestone and development is progressing.
The development of this game has been turbulent and unfortunately, it has seen many setbacks over the years. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake was announced in September 2020, initially being developed by Ubisoft Pune and Ubisoft Mumbai, with a release date set for January 2021. However, due to a negative reaction to the trailer, its release was postponed multiple times until last year when it was announced that the development was taken away from them and handed over to Ubisoft Montreal, the original developers of The Sands of Time.
As of today, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake doesn’t have a release date. Nevertheless, it seems that, for the first time in years, Prince of Persia appears to have a clear direction in which it’s heading.
If you are waiting for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, we have very good news about its future, because it will be supported, at least, throughout 2024
“Avatar” is one of the highest-grossing films in the history of cinema. Although the reasons might not be entirely clear, as its influence on subsequent culture hasn’t been particularly radical, it’s undeniable that it holds something. It manages to connect with a part of the audience. That’s why we’re looking forward to the next Avatar game, still in development today. And today, we’ve had some fantastic news for its fans.
“Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora” is a game developed by Ubisoft based on James Cameron’s famous cinematic work. Set to release on December 7 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Amazon Luna, and PC, the initial impressions from those who have had the chance to try it have been positive. And now, Ubisoft has confirmed what the game’s season pass will contain.
The season pass, in addition to the usual cosmetics, will include some extra missions for the main story, for those seeking more content for the game. But the most significant aspect is that it will feature two story expansions. Named “The Sky Breaker” and “Secrets of the Spires,” the first will be released in the summer of 2024 and the second in the fall, giving us more than enough time to explore and deeply familiarize ourselves with everything Pandora has to offer.
Additionally, we know some details about these expansions. In “The Sky Breaker,” we’ll uncover a mysterious shadow in the sky that terrifies the Na’vi, and we’ll have to protect ourselves from it. On the other hand, “Secrets of the Spires” will focus entirely on aerial combat, giving more emphasis to that aspect of the game.
How much these two expansions will contribute to the game is something yet to be seen. What we do know is that both are included in the season pass, which comes with the Gold and Ultimate editions of the game but can also be purchased separately.
Ubisoft has delayed several of its games, but everything indicates that the most important of them is the new Star Wars game
Game development is difficult, and delays are often inevitable. Especially when we’re talking about large multinational companies where release dates are set from places far removed from the day-to-day realities of production. This is something we’ve seen todaywith the wave of delays announced by Ubisoftfor their games. However, one of these delays has caught our attention, and not without good reason.
Ubisoft has announced that a “major game,” previously planned to release before the end of March 2024, has been delayed. How long? Until sometime before the end of March 2025. While they haven’t mentioned any specific name, everyone quickly assumed which game it is. Because with only a few months left until that hypothetical release, there’s only one announced game on the horizon: Star Wars Outlaw.
This may seem like a long shot because the game is announced but doesn’t have a release date yet, but nothing could be further from the truth. As early as May last year, even before Star Wars Outlaws was announced, multiple sources confirmed that Ubisoft was planning to release an open-world Star Wars game. And its release date was scheduled for early 2024. Furthermore, two different sources have informed Kotaku that the intention was, or is, to publish the game before the end of the current fiscal year. That is, before March 31, 2024.
In addition to all of this, the statements from Kotaku’s sources and what Ubisoft has said also seem to align perfectly. While Ubisoft has stated that they had a major game planned to be released before the end of the current fiscal year, the extraordinarily positive fiscal balance has led them to delay it to maximize the value of their creation. On the other hand, Kotaku’s sources claim that the game may be too ambitious and could ultimately be delayed until the next fiscal year to ensure its final quality.
In other words, while we can’t confirm that the delayed game is Star Wars: Outlaws, all signs point to it being the most likely candidate. The only date we have is a vague 2024, and even with delays, they could still make it. They have nine months of the fiscal year to meet it. And if that helps the game to be released in its best possible version, it’s undoubtedly good news.
