Leaks Bite Ubisoft Yet Again
With presumably no big tentpole franchise games like Assassin’s Creed or Watchdogs to announce this year and Far Cry 6 just around the corner, it was always going to be interesting to see what Ubisoft had to show during Ubisoft Forward as part of E3 2021. And while many of the games on offer were easily predicted, such as Rainbow Six, or leaked (thanks, Nintendo!), Ubisoft Forward still had a few surprises up its sleeve.
So for those who didn’t wake up at 5 am on a Sunday morning to watch it live, here is a rundown of everything we saw at Ubisoft Forward 2021
Rainbow Six: Extraction
September 16th, 2021
While not a far cry (jokes are starting early this time!) from the tactical terrorist takedowns I always associated the Rainbow Six series with, the recently renamed Rainbow Six: Extraction adds a new sci-fi twist to the franchise, and you know what? I am in! Now facing off against a multitude of alien baddies, from zombies that shoot bio-organic spikes at you to humanoid creatures pulsating with explosive gas pockets, Operators will need to use all the class abilities and tools at their disposal to save each other from being absorbed into the alien mess. Just watch out for the Predator-lite Apex Archean.
If you’re a big Rainbow Six Siege fan, though, don’t stress too much about these changes. The core Extraction is a 1-3 player experience is still there, with your favourites such as Ash, Mira and Thermite all getting involved. Better yet, Rainbow Six Extraction will be cross-play at launch so that you can enjoy it with all your mates.
Rocksmith+
I am so happy to see Rocksmith alive and kicking. An excellent tool for learning guitar, or the superior bass guitar, the original Rocksmith didn’t quite get the love I think it deserved. It was probably because it wasn’t as ‘fun’ as Guitar Hero, and a real guitar is a little bit more pricey than a plastic controller with five-coloured buttons on the neck. Now a subscription service, Rocksmith+, an “interactive music learning app”, will be more accessible than ever, with players (students?) only needing a smartphone microphone to get feedback and direction from the software. Ubisoft is touting the “most diverse” catalogue seen in a music learning program, so I am sure Guitar Pro Ultimate is shacking in its boots.
I am looking forward to getting my calluses back playing this. A closed beta will go live on June 12th.
Rider’s Republic
September 2nd, 2021
Ubisoft is mad for some high-energy technicolour smoke, giant neon animal masks and sugar-pop soundtracks. Is that what they think millennials are into? I don’t have the energy for all that nonsense in real life, but in a video game, sure. Rider’s Republic is a caffeine-fuelled, multiplayer extreme sports game, first announced late last year. Imagine Steep but like, more. Players will compete in snowboarding trick comps, downhill mountain bike time trials, rocket-powered hang gliding races and a slew of other death-defying pursuits. Winning events will allow players to customize their look with new cosmetics, stickers and vehicles. The game is just around the corner, so keep an eye on this one.
Rainbow Six: Siege
Don’t worry, Siege players, you weren’t forgotten here. But you may be slightly disappointed with the timeline if you were waiting on cross-play and cross-progression, with both to be implemented in 2022. In the meantime, you will get to spend some time getting to know the newest Operator, Thunderbird, who was revealed in a fantastic little cinematic trailer.
Live Service Updates
A brief montage roll showed off the many updates Ubisoft will bring to its existing games, such as Watch Dogs: Legion DLC starring Aiden Pearce and Wrench, and more content for Ghost Recon Breakpoint. The highlight was 100% the addition of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in Brawlhalla!
Just Dance 2022
November 4th, 2021
In a DMCA strike just waiting to happen, the Just Dance 2022 trailer showed more of what we expect from the beloved party game. This time players will be guided by choreographer and YouTube personality Todrick Hall, who showed off some of the sweet moves players will be pulling off later this year.
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla
Can a game have TOO MUCH content? That’s certainly a question Ubisoft is willing to ignore, with even more content coming to the already massive Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla later this year. Future updates will introduce several fan-requested additions, such as one-handed swords and the return of Black Box missions. Your Viking horde will also be making its way to the city of love in the Siege of Paris expansion, which will introduce new enemies, weapons, and gear along with additional narrative content.
A Bunch Of TV and Movie Content
Keen to make a splash through its other content channels, Ubisoft showcased the trailer for Mythic Quest season 2 and its new feature film, Werewolves Within, which debuts June 25th.
Far Cry 6 Season Pass Details
Fuck, Giancarlo Esposito is going to make for a terrifying villain in his turn as Anton Castillo in Far Cry 6. In a short cinematic, we see Esposito absolutely eat the role up, going from methodical to merciless in the blink of an eye when Castillo finds his son hiding amongst a group of revolutionaries. If this is anything to go by, I think we have yet another stand-out Fra Cry villain on our hands.
Speaking of Far Cry villains, we had a revelation of what the Far Cry 6 Season Pass entails, and I LOST MY FUCKING MIND ABOUT IT! For the first time in the history of the franchise, players will take control of its iconic villains, Vaas, Pagan Min and Joseph Seed. The DLC will give context to their actions in past games; however, if Joseph snapping a man’s jaw with a bible is anything to go by, I don’t think I’ll quite come around to their way of thinking. We also had a brief tease of Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, but it is unclear if it is a sequel, remake or just comes as part of the Season Pass.
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks Of Hope
2022
I am kinda glad Nintendo leaked this because my excited squeal would’ve woken the entire street up. Mario + Rabbids: Sparks Of Hope, the long-awaited sequel to 2017’s fantastic Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, will see everyone’s favourite gun-totting plumber and his slightly horny Rabbid friends take on a mysterious new threat named Cursa. The XCOM-style turn-based tactical combat returns but now offers players more freedom, with the grid system becoming less restrictive and the world less linear. We will also see the introduction of Sparks, small elemental sprites that look to give our characters massive attacks, and a new Rabbid Rosalina!
Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora
2022
The long-rumoured video-game adaptation of James Cameron’s world of 12-foot long lizard-jaguars, wi-fi trees and ponytail-fucking dragons is finally coming to fruition. Powered by the Snowdrop Engine, the trailer looks brilliant, showcasing the lush biomes of Pandora, colourful wildlife and combat between Na’vi and humans. Beyond that, we don’t know anything else about the game except it will be available in 2022 and only on current-gen hardware.