In an investor report from Ubisoft last month, it was revealed that The Division would be coming in early 2016 as would a yet-unannounced AAA game.
The news of the unannounced game was somewhat lost in the shuffle, but it’s a very interesting tidbit. It’s becoming increasingly uncommon for a publisher to reveal a game and release it within a year, but that’s exactly what will happen with this game if the report is to believed. So what could that game be? Let’s postulate!
Watch Dogs 2
Let’s start with the most obvious option for an upcoming Ubisoft game, Watch Dogs 2. Ubisoft hasn’t shied away from the fact that there will be a sequel to the hugely successful Watch Dogs, with the dev discussing the flaws of the original and hopes for the sequel. Then they admitted that a sequel would take a lot less time to develop. And finally the sequel recently appeared on the CV of a Ubisoft employee. So it’s very obvious the game is on its way, and if Assassin’s Creed is the benchmark for Ubisoft series, then it could become annual.
Therefore, Watch Dogs 2 seems the most obvious choice for the unannounced game. The original was a good game with tons of potential, much like the original AC. Watch Dogs 2 could definitely be Ubisoft’s big surprise announcement at the close of the show.
Rayman Legends Sequel
A new Rayman is the second most likely choice. The sequel to the amazing reboot (Rayman Origins), Rayman Legends, was released in 2013. But not much has been said about the series since. Both games were critical and commercial smashes, reinvigorating the Rayman brand. So now seems like a good time for a sequel.
There’s no evidence to back this up, especially considering Rayman creator Michel Ancel is hard at work on PS4 exclusive WiLD and another game that you will read about later. That being said, I still think a third installment is likely and fits the quick turnaround between announcement and release.
Beyond Good and Evil 2
Which brings us to the other game Michel Ancel is toiling away on. Or so we think. Actually, at this point we have no idea.
The original Beyond Good and Evil came out in 2003, 12 years ago. The cult classic warranted a sequel that was finally revealed in 2008, but hasn’t been seen since. Rumors swirled that Ancel had left Ubisoft Montipelier and Beyond Good and Evil 2 was on-hold. And yet, as recently as 2013, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot told Kotaku:
“I don’t give comments anymore on BG&E2, because I think … the next time next time we communicate we have to have something new. Not specific to the PS4 or any other platform.
He went on to confirm the status of the game:
“It’s coming. Yep. I know some folks who are waiting.”
It seems likely that we will see the return of Jade and Pey’j, but whether or not that happens this year is anyone’s guess.
Prince of Persia Reboot
As much as I enjoyed Watch Dogs and Rayman, a rebooted Prince of Persia is the prospect that excites me most. It’s easy to forget how popular and successful this series was, but the original trilogy was fantastic and inspired a movie in 2010. Also, lest we forget that Assassin’s Creed was originally a Prince of Persia game. The last AAA Prince of Persia game came in 2010, so the series is ripe for a comeback.
The only evidence we have that Prince of Persia is even still alive, somewhere deep in the depths of Ubisoft, was a series of leaked images that were said to be a reboot of the franchise. Ubisoft has reportedly tried on a few occasions to start fresh with the series, which obviously never came to fruition, but maybe the game from which the above screenshot was taken will be the one. This one is the most left-field but also the most exciting.
Unknown IP
And of course, just to round out the bases, we have the potential for a brand new IP. When Watch Dogs was announced, it blew everyone away, due to the brand new concept and how amazing it looked. This started an E3 tradition for Ubisoft in which they now close out every show with a brand new game demo. They struck oil again when they showed Tom Clancy’s: The Division for the first time and melted minds. Then last year they revealed the next Rainbow Six game, which was somewhat expected, but still a surprising concept. So what they will show this year is back to being a mystery.
Watch_Dogs 2 seems the obvious, safe bet. A new Rayman is also a possibility, but whether that series is AAA is debatable. Then we have the more unlikely choices of Beyond Good and Evil 2 and Prince of Persia. However, Ubisoft could easily be working on something brand new altogether. They are one of the biggest developers in the industry and are constantly working on multiple diverse games, so it’s very easy to imagine another new IP being revealed and blowing our socks off.
So what do you think Ubisoft is going to unveil? What game do you want it to be? Will it be revealed at E3 or Gamescom? Let us know in the comments below!
Published: Jun 5, 2015 03:07 pm