In Los Angeles, developers regularly present new video games in the summer. Ubisoft is relying on internationally known star games. The real surprise is a game that is being developed in Germany.
The year 2024 has started well for game developer Ubisoft, but it could get even better. The major attack will be launched at Ubisoft Forward in Los Angeles – with two triple-A titles and a classic game from Germany.
The French developers had a surprise success in the spring with “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown”. Surprising because the fan community had hoped for a different game genre, but the side-scroller with tricky obstacle courses, puzzles and challenging boss battles was still able to inspire. At the Ubisoft Forward in Los Angeles, however, fans of the Persian prince should get their money's worth: the classic game “Prince of Persia: Sands of Time” is being re-released.
Ubisoft is focusing on two heavyweights. With “Star Wars: Outlaws” they have the rights to a gigantic franchise, but they are not going down the usual route with Jedi knights and lightsaber fights. As the crook Kay Vess, gamers travel to the edge of the galaxy and want to pull off one big thing. ntv.de has already been able to test out the potential of this unusual approach in an open world in Los Angeles. “Outlaws” definitely has the necessary Star Wars charm.
With the new “Assassin's Creed: Shadows”, Ubisoft is also relying on an implementation that has actually always been a success in recent years. The new title in the series is set in feudal Japan. Titles such as “Ghost of Tsushima” or “Nioh” from other developers have already been successful in this territory, and Ubisoft is also looking a little to Hollywood for “Shadows”. With “Shogun”, streaming service FX has created a successful series in which Japanese tradition and culture meet Western influences in the form of missionaries and trading empires. And “Shadows” does something similar.
Everything for Roman peace
The game focuses on the classic AC approach: the millennia-old struggle between the Assassin Brotherhood, which fights for peace and freedom, and the Templar Order, which seeks peace through control. The protagonists are exciting to look at: Naoe, a female ninja, and Yasuke, an African samurai inspired by the historical figure of the same name. The two characters have a unique play style that allows the quests to be approached in different ways. Yasuke solves tasks with brute force, Naoe is a stealthy assassin.
But the real surprise comes from Mainz – or rather, from the Ubisoft studios based there. “Anno 117: Pax Romana” has been announced for 2025 and is being developed in the carnival stronghold. The first trailer was staged accordingly humorously and a la Monty Python:
The Anno series has been around for 26 years and is a popular economic simulation. The upcoming title is set in the Roman Empire. In “Anno 117” you become a governor and have to ensure the economic growth and prosperity of a province. Players can choose whether they want to rule over civilized Romans or one of the rough Celtic tribes.
The title also benefits greatly from games funding in Germany. The Ministry of Economic Affairs invested 5.7 million euros in the development of an as yet unknown game in 2023. “Project Placeholder” was the name back then. The Mainz location was known – and now it is clear that fans can look forward to a new Anno.
