Ubisoft Gets Massive!

Ubisoft has gobbled up World in Conflict developer - Massive Entertainment. Perhaps Massive Entertainment will helpout Ubisoft porting Tom Clancy’s EndWar on PCs? Perhaps.

“We are delighted to welcome the talented team of creators at Massive into the Ubisoft family,” says Christine Burgess-Quemard, Ubisoft’s executive director of worldwide production studios.

Far Cry 2 - v1.1 Patch Released

Ubisoft has released the first patch for Far Cry 2. The patch fixes numerous bugs and adds 5.1ch sound support for most sound cards. Full info after the jump. Read more

FarCry 2 Steam Version Now Available in Europe/Australia/New Zealand

If you’re from EU/AUS/NZ, good news -Steam version of Far Cry 2 is now available in your territory. Well, atleast Steam shows it so. One of our readers sent this in:

Update: It’s official. If you’re from Australia, New Zealand and Europe, you can get FarCry 2 on Steam now.

Deus Ex Developer Hates Consolization

What do Eido’s Jean-Francois Dugas and PC Gamers have in common? Well, both of them hate consolization! Jean-Francois Dugas, in an Interview with EDGE, has expounded on “dumbing down” features and how they plan to keep the game to it’s roots while still tweaking the gameplay and design.

But he said developer Eidos Montreal would not attempt to dumb down the much-loved RPG-shooter franchise. “At this point we don’t know exactly which platforms we’re going to be out on. The PC, we’ll be there for sure. But for us, console-isation isn’t about dumbing down features. If we’re to go console we will want to keep the complexity alive. We want the menu interface and controller to feel simple without risking any of their potential”

FarCry 2 Better, Call of Duty 4 Not

FarCry 2 will be really super awesome says Ubisoft. According to the publisher, FarCry 2 will be much more fun than Call of Duty 4, mostly so because of the open-world and non-linearity. Amusingly, this makes me say “No shit”. A non-linear game is obviously more fun to play than a linear/scripted one. Ubisoft is stating the obvious with these remarks - but whatever works for them, I guess.

I think our game will be compared to Call of Duty 4, even if it’s really quite different,” he told VideoGamer.com in an interview to be published early next week. “I think what we bring is, I would say, the crudeness or the wildness of Africa. This is what we feel, with the dynamic world, the dynamic environment… it’s really different. Call of Duty is more military, clean cut: you learn your maps and it’s always the same, the sniper is always in the same place on the map. In our game it won’t be like that because your sniping spot could be set on fire and then you have to move and find somewhere else. So it’s a lot more dynamic than Call of Duty 4.

Far Cry 2 gone Wild!

Catchy title, eh? Ubisoft’s upcoming shooter Far Cry 2 (Which got a big thumbs up from PCGamer) will get more vicious animals via a downloadable update after the game goes retail, revealed PCGamer’s latest issue:

The game will be released with only herbivores,” reads PCG’s The Spy column. “But there’s a real chance that the game could end up with more vicious animals in DLC,” such as lions, tigers and hopefully hungry, hungry hippos.

Yes, we can hear PETA’s whining already…..

Ubisoft Screwing Regular Far Cry 2 Customers?

It appears that Ubisoft is screwing the regular Far Cry 2 customers. Apparently if you want more butter with your bread, be ready to pre-order super-duper-extra-crispy-special edition from GameStop, as it’ll pack 6 more missions totaling 3 hours more gameplay. More details after the jump. Read more

Hybride Technologies Acquired by Ubisoft

Ubisoft, the french games publisher/developer has acquired canadian based visual effects studio; Hybride Technologies. Hybride Technologies’s portfolio includes blockbuster movies like 300, Sin City. Hybride is notable for giving movies almost a video game look by using unique visuals. Ubisoft plans to use Hybride’s technology in their games. Ubisoft did not disclose the amount of the buyout.

Press Release:
Today Ubisoft announced the acquisition of Hybride Technologies, a Montreal-based studio renowned for its expertise in the creation of visual effects for cinema, television and advertising.

Created over 15 years ago, Hybride employs 80 team members. The studio’s many projects include such innovative films as 300, Frank Miller’s Sin City and the Spy Kids series. Read more

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction delayed till 2009/2010? [Updated]

According to the Xbox World 360 magazine, Ubisoft Montreal’s upcoming stealth-action title has supposedly gone “back to the drawing board”.

The reason behind it is Ubisoft’s own Assassin’s Creed title; since the company feels the design & gameplay of Assassin’s Creed outdate Splinter Cell: Conviction’s design. Read more

Far Cry 2 - Introduction trailer

Ubisoft Montreal has released a new trailer for their FPS Far Cry 2. The new trailer shows some in-game footage as well as commentary from the designers of the game. The trailer also features french subtitles for the commentary. The ending of the trailer suggests Ubisoft Montreal will reveal more information during their Ubidays 08 Press event.

Interesting thing to note: During the gameplay segments, the frame rate looks to be in teens.

High definition 720p version after the jump.

Read more

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