Ubisoft to preview games at E3

Ryan Smythe ’15 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer

Is it too much of a stretch to call E3 the Christmas of the summer? It takes place six months before the most commercially driven holiday in America and companies fall all over themselves to throw their shiny new toys at the general public. The music is catchy, the weather is terrible, and hockey is still in season. E3, however, is a holiday exclusively for gamers, and Ubisoft hopes to showcase its best games following a disappointing first offering.

First on the list is Assassin’s Creed Unity, the seventh installment in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Set during the French Revolution, it will star a brand new protagonist. After failing to produce another lead as memorable as Ezio Auditore da Firenze since the second game, a charming French rogue could be just what the game needs to recapture his spirit. Very little has been showcased apart from a  single teaser. Considering Assassin’s Creed is Ubisoft’s biggest franchise, fans can expect a huge presentation, and maybe even the chance to play a sample of the game.

Far Cry 4 has already stirred up a surprising amount of controversy over its cover art depicting what looks to be a major villain. The only news of note is that multiplayer will take on much larger role than that of previous games. What this means in terms of gameplay is unclear, but chances are low that its competitive multiplayer will match Titanfall, Battlefield 4, or Call of Duty: Ghosts.

First revealed at last year’s E3, Tom Clancy’s The Division is next on the list for Ubisoft. Already facing delays that will push its release to 2015, this game will hopefully resurrect the incredible gameplay found in earlier Tom Clancy games. Because of its delayed release date, however, it’s hard to predict how much will actually be displayed at E3.

Last on the list is The Crew, an MMO racing game. The idea is to join a handful of friends to make a crew (get it?) with whom to pull off daring heists and to complete challenges. It’s set in the US, so being able to drive at top speed down Broadway in NYC or Canal Street in New Orleans is bound to be fun. Whether or not Ubisoft can translate the popular MMO format to a driving game will be something to watch.

Ubisoft is throwing everything possible at this E3 in an effort to create enough buzz to generate blockbuster-level sales. Unfortunately for the company, they’ve already limited their final numbers by failing to include a single Wii U title in the main list. Given Ubisoft’s poor treatment of Nintendo in recent years, it will be interesting to see when they release major titles on their system.