Splinter Cell? Assassins Creed? Ghost Recon?
According to several job listings posted by Ubisoft Düsseldorf, the German-based studio is looking for a level designer, narrative designer, and character artist to assist in the development of a AAA VR game based on “one of Ubisoft’s greatest IPs which will be developed across multiple studios.”
For reference, here is the description for the “Narrative Designer” position as provided by Ubisoft:
“We are now accepting applications for Narrative Designer – VR [Unannounced Project]. We are building a brand-new team to work on an unannounced AAA VR project. You will work on cutting-edge VR technology, on one of Ubisoft’s greatest IP’s which will be developed across multiple studios. Join us today to shape the future of VR!”
“We are looking for an experienced Narrative Designer on an unannounced AAA VR project at Ubisoft Düsseldorf. You will work closely with the Narrative Director to create a consistent and believable narrative structure, great dialogue and believable characters. Your goal is to create a living and rich world filled with content and personality.”
As for what IP the company is referring to, Ubisoft has a pretty substantial lineup of popular franchises to choose from. Assassins Creed, Splinter Cell, Far Cry, Prince of Persia, Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six, The Division, Watch Dogs, the list goes on. Some of these titles have already received VR adaptations; back in 2018, Triotech released an Assassins Creed-inspired VR maze in multiple arcade locations and just last week the Ubisoft revealed an upcoming VR escape room based on Prince of Persia. In terms of original experiences, the publisher has released several smaller titles, such as Star Trek: Bridge Crew and Space Junkies, both of which solid immersive experiences.
No doubt many of the titles listed above would translate well to the VR format. I’d be particularly interested to see what they could do with a series like Splinter Cell or perhaps even Far Cry. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon would be especially interesting. After all, who wouldn’t love to grab the reigns of a 20-foot tyrannosaurus rex outfitted with head-mounted lasers and mow down waves of flesh-hungry zombies across a neon-lit landscape in VR?
Then again, I wouldn’t mind seeing Ubisoft dips their toes into VR esports with a competitive Rainbow Six experience. The strategic close-quarters combat featured in Rainbow Six: Siege could lend itself tremendously well to the VR format, allowing players to plan out their attack/defense before selecting a specific position on the map to start from; sort of like a game of chess, only instead of knocking over your opponent’s piece you shoot them into submission.
Honestly, I’d be happy to see any of the above-mentioned titles make their way to VR. Support from AAA publishers like Ubisoft is critical for the continued growth of the VR industry. Having a well-known title such as Assassins Creed or Splinter Cell on VR headsets could attract a whole new wave of players who’ve been on the fence about VR. With Half-Life: Alyx arriving on major headsets next month, it appears as though established developers and publishers are finally seeing the value in VR gaming.
Image Credit: Ubisoft
