The thing that makes E3 conferences great is their duality. There are the big reveals tempered with longer gameplay segments of games you (very probably) know are coming. People willingly sit through a few minutes of gameplay, or an extended trailer, of something they might not be interested in purely because what might follow is an announcement that will get them up off their seat. It’s a necessary formula – just announcements would be quick (and probably gameplay light), just extended gameplay would get pretty tiring as you sit through 10 minutes of something you’re not interested in with little incentive.
Well, Ubisoft apparently disagrees with me. Factors beyond their control meant that Ubisoft Forward was very light on announcements (I can’t think of learning anything I didn’t know), but heavy on detail. If you weren’t interested in Watch Dogs: Legion, then the first 15 minutes were a bit of a loss. There was huge amount of detail, gameplay segments with added story, character and world building. It’s a game I’m hugely excited about, and details that I enjoyed, but it was a large chunk of the presentation. From the outset it was obvious they weren’t going to be in full-blown announcement mode.
While Watch Dogs: Legion was the longest segment it was by no means the only game that received a detailed overview. Hyper Scape received a background trailer (Ready Player One – the game!) and some more gameplay. Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla also received a detailed trailer and background video, and then some hefty gameplay (and even more followed in the post-show). Other games were shown too, but in slightly shorter spots. This really was the presentation of Watch Dogs, Hyper Scape and the new Assassin’s Creed.
Now, in an ideal world, they’d have closed off with a Far Cry 6 reveal and that gorgeous cinematic trailer. But of course, the game was leaked earlier this week. So, after Ubisoft’s confirmation of its existence a few days ago, that lost all of its wow factor. You have to feel for the team behind the event, as it would have changed the response massively. I mean, it’s not a new Splinter Cell, but it’s a popular franchise and an impressive starring figure. However it was not to be. The only big reveal destroyed by leaks, the crowning finale tempered massively.
So overall, I’ve come away feeling slightly disappointed. It’s a strange reaction, as I’m excited about most of the games shown. Watch Dogs: Legion looks interesting, and is set in a city I’ve spent a large portion of my life in. Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla seems to be a solid evolution of the franchise (and also set in my home country!). I’m looking forward to building up my settlement, and making my way around the historic sites I can see in real life. Hyper Scape isn’t my personal cup of tea but looks interesting and well put together. These are games that I will play, enjoy, and want to learn more about and this conference gave me gameplay and details to get me excited for them. And I am excited for them, honest! But I’m also a little disappointed.
Responses to these events are going to be hugely tied to expectation and what has come before. Part of the reason I found the PS5 reveal so impressive is because it came on the back of an underwhelming Xbox conference. So, after Sony’s conference that was chock-a-block with announcements and reveals this one felt a little… flat. I mean, since 2017 I’ve always gone into Ubisoft announcement events praying for Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle 2. So, any event without that announcement is always disappointing. But on a less selfish note, an event without any – well that just seems plain strange.
All of what was presented makes sense – of course it does. The three main focusses are arguably Ubisoft’s most important games – it just so happens we already knew about them. They needed to focus on these, to drive up interest and to give more details – including release dates. It’s what I imagined could have happened at E3, except over the course of a number of days with previews, interviews and longer gameplay segments (some of which is still managing to happen). But what also would have, should have, been present is at least some reveals. Maybe Ubisoft really do only have Far Cry 6 which they want to reveal. More likely I think they are holding some back, wanting the attention to be on these tentpoles.
To close things off, they announced a second Ubisoft Forward for later this year. Maybe this will be the announcement heavy event I’m after? Or maybe it will be further detail on these games not released until the autumn or next year. Or maybe, just possibly, it will be a nice mix of details and announcement. And maybe, just maybe… a plumber and his rabbid friends will turn up.
