Ubisoft Forward is the company's annual showcase, where media-trained developers and other high-ranking presenters with heavy French accents climb up on stage to amaze the world with their latest projects. It might sound ironic, but it isn't. Ubisoft has done a fine job with their releases, even though a major controversial one has more or less flopped recently.
Regarding the near future of Ubi's titles, expect a great deal to show up during Ubisoft Forward on June 10, which, by the way, takes place during the same week as Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest. The latter is the biggest gaming show of the summer, virtually replacing the defunct E3.
Star Wars Outlaws, Ubi's latest intergalactic endeavor, is expected to be at the showcase. Last June, we got to see quite a bit of the game, which looked out of this galaxy (pun intended).
The period is set between the events of "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi." It's made by Massive Entertainment and led by creative director Julian Gerighty. Julian was also the creative lead on the first Crew game and Tom Clancy's The Division 2.
Ubisoft brags about Outlaws being the "first-ever first-ever open world Star Wars game." While not creating chaos in dive bars, you'll get from place to place by riding the typical flying vehicles. Of course, you'll also be battling Stormtroopers Wild West-style like in an Uncharted game.
Photo: Ubisoft
Even more exciting, you'll pilot spaceships and fight off imperial starships like the TIE Bomber, TIE Interceptor, TIE Advanced x1, and maybe even Imperial Star Destroyers. Luckily, we'll see the iconic Death Star in all its glory and get a sense of how much of a moon it is not, as ol' Ben Kenobi once said to Han Solo.
The graphics and animations look nothing short of pristine, either, so even if the game looks 80% as good as the gameplay trailer, we're still in for a treat. PC players with high-end rigs can look forward to DLSS 3, Ray Tracing, and Nvidia Reflex. An uncapped framerate wouldn't hurt either, unlike in The Crew Motorfest, which's still locked at 60 fps.
Hopefully, the story will tie everything together in a pretty gift-wrapped package and be worthy of remembering. The formula seems ironclad with Julian Gerighty at the helm, and the gaming community desperately needs a great Star Wars video game.
Recently, Outlaws has been rated "19+" in Korea, "M" for Mature in Australia, and Brazil gave it a "T" for Teen. Usually, when a title gets rated in multiple countries in a short amount of time, it means release is imminent.
Photo: Ubisoft
Some have connected the dots and said that past Ubisoft titles like The Division 2 were released as soon as 63 days after getting rated in South Korea. It's not a rule, but there is a pattern. While a late May/June release window is likely, it wouldn't be a huge surprise if it ends up getting pushed until fall.
Ubisoft has been doing a fine job recently with releases like The Crew Motorfest, Assassin's Creed Mirage, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Skull & Bones didn't hit its mark, but the lack of success didn't come out of left field for everyone keeping up with Ubisoft-related industry news.
Skull & Bones went through numerous production restarts and major internal shifts, so aside from a miracle, the wooden warship simulator couldn't have made such a big splash. It's the odd one out in Ubisoft's recent lineup because the other titles I mentioned are excellent for their design and scope.
That aside, there's still much to expect from Ubisoft in 2024. The Crew Motorfest continues to deliver fresh content with each new Season and new vehicle rewards and bundles every week. It certainly wouldn't be out of the question if future content will show up on June 10 regarding collaborations, future vehicles, and even DLCs or expansions.
Photo: Ubisoft
Details about the unofficially named Far Cry 7 have leaked for quite a while, so there's hope we'll get a first look during the presentation. For better or worse, Far Cry doesn't deviate from its tried and true formula, but a more mature or grounded tone wouldn't be out of the question. Or is that reserved and better suited for the Ghost Recon series?
Assassin's Creed Red, set in Japan, is also expected to show up at Ubisoft Forward, albeit with an uncertain release date. Rumors of a Splinter Cell remake are also up and about, especially now that Ubisoft Toronto has changed their Facebook profile picture into something that resembles old Sam Fisher's Multi-Vision Goggles or trinoculars. With any luck, we'll hear Michael Ironside at least one more time in his iconic role.
The Prince of Persia remake has been stuck in development hell for years, but maybe 2024 is the year we'll finally see at least a 1-minute 30-second gameplay video featuring current-gen graphics. Luckily, we will know everything Ubi's planning in a short while.
Codrin just loves American classics, from the 1940s and ‘50s, all the way to the muscle cars of the '60s and '70s. In his perfect world, we'll still see Hudsons and Road Runners roaming the streets for years to come (even in EV form, if that's what it takes to keep the aesthetic alive). Full profile
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