Ubisoft is in a rather enviable place this year. I mean, it probably is every year. The company regularly releases AAA games that always find an audience, even when they aren’t very good. But 2016 in particular could prove especially lovely for Ubisoft, thanks to a few games in particular.
The biggest one is Far Cry Primal . Which naturally will do well, in-part, due to that Far Cry name. People expect all sorts of open-world adventures and mayhem when they see that. But Far Cry Primal is going to be important for other reasons. It’s sounding like a very story-focused installment that really relies on building ambiance to make it more inviting to players.
We won’t get to play it until February 23, and its solo campaign means no beta sneak peeks, but what we do know about the story seems enticing. A man whose tribe has been destroyed sets out to create a new one. Ubisoft even created an original language with linguists at the University of Kentucky so people would be more immersed in the era. I normally don’t play Far Cry games, but hearing how much effort is being put into authenticity is encouraging.
So is The Division , by the way. Multiplayer betas have been held for this new entry in the Tom Clancy series and initial buzz is very good. People are getting an open world to explore while tackling a virus and, in multiplayer, other players. It looks good, has an open area, and there are plenty of people who religiously follow this franchise based on Clancy’s novels. Yes, the multiplayer betas made it rather easy to game the system, but that doesn’t mean the potential isn’t there. We’ll know for sure on March 8.
Finally, there’s the wild card. I’m talking about South Park: The Fractured but Whole . It’s the next South Park RPG and sequel to The Stick of Truth . We don’t know when it’ll be released in 2016, or if that will even happen. The original did get delayed, after all. It also has Ubisoft San Francisco and South Park Digital Studios developing it, instead of RPG-extraordinaries Obsidian Entertainment. It certainly looks the part, though, and could help Ubisoft dominate this year, with enough effort.
Ubisoft certainly seems to be shining in 2016. At least, at the outset it is. The company could have three major releases that will win over fans, giving it a lead over its competitors. We’ll have to see if it holds out by the year’s end.