Ubisoft sees virtual reality and AI as the future of gaming

2023-06-14 12:58:26

For French video game giant Ubisoft, the future of the sector lies in virtual reality (VR) headsets and generative artificial intelligence (AI), its CEO has said, especially with the arrival of Apple in the metaverse using a “mixed” headset combining VR and augmented reality.

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Ubisoft has long been known for taking risks when it comes to innovation. The company was, for example, an early partner of Nintendo, on the Wii consoles, before they became all the rage in the 2000s.

Now, with the upcoming release of Apple’s Vision Pro headset, Ubisoft boss Yves Guillemot believes in an interview with AFP that the future of video games will go through VR.

After a decade marked by the rise of free games on smartphones and the advent of cloud gaming (games hosted remotely, accessible from any screen), “VR will eventually arrive,” said Mr. Guillemot.

“Apple is investing heavily in this area, which is fantastic for all of us,” he added.

Apple’s Vision Pro devices will be available next year starting at $3,500, a prohibitive price for the general public. But the funds poured by the manufacturer of the iPhone into this technology will help it see the light of day, projects Mr. Guillemot.

Meta (Facebook, Instagram) has been a driving force behind video games in VR so far, pressuring studios to produce versions of their hit titles for its Quest headsets.

“Apple’s commitment and investment will take this industry to the next level,” assured Mr. Guillemot, and Ubisoft “certainly” plans to one day create games for the Vision Pro.

“It will come,” promised Mr. Guillemot, as soon as a sufficient number of these helmets are in the hands of consumers.

TV shows

Designing games for new devices “doesn’t always work perfectly,” comments Mat Piscatella, video game analyst at Circana.

“But by supporting new market entrants, Ubisoft is generally well positioned should this new type of product or service succeed, and making many bets seems to have generally worked well for the company over the years,” he points out.

And in this period of consolidation of the video game industry, Ubisoft has every interest in diversifying, according to the analyst.

The company has indeed dabbled in content for television, including a hit comedy series on AppleTV+, Mythic Quest, which takes place – naturally – in a video game studio.

On Monday, Ubisoft announced that an anime series titled Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix will premiere on Netflix later this year.

It takes place in “a dystopian and cyberpunk version of 1992” and features versions of characters from Ubisoft games.

“The goal is to ensure that our brands can reach more players around the world,” said Yves Guillemot.

During a marketing event in Los Angeles, Ubisoft also announced a free mobile version of its hit franchise. Assassin’s Creedas well as a VR version of the game for Quest headsets.

Ubisoft also plans to release a video game derived from the hit films. Avatarand a title Star Wars Outlaws produced in collaboration with LucasFilm.

Smart Games

What regarding generative AI, which has generated worldwide enthusiasm, but also concerns, since the release of ChatGPT at the end of last year? It’s a “fantastic opportunity”, for Yves Guillemot.

“It’s like the invention of the mouse for the personal computer, it changed everything,” he said.

“Games will get smarter and smarter. As game makers, we need to see how close we can get to what exists in real life,” he detailed.

For example, combined with the computing power of the cloud, generative AI might allow characters more freedom to act in unexpected ways, such as when real people meet strangers on the street.

“Video games are a $200 billion industry today because we’ve always surprised gamers with new things,” Guillemot noted.

“AI, VR and the cloud will make the industry even more attractive and fun. »

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