Later today, Ubisoft will be showing arguably some of the most anticipated titles to be seen at this year's E3, the new Splinter Cell, Assassin's Creed, and Watch Dogs perhaps chief among them. As tends to be the case, E3 is a media only event, and the number of people to attend is no doubt dwarfed by the amount of people who'd like to, or cannot attend (yours truly is among the guilty).
Thankfully, it's a brave new world where digital media reigns triumphant, meaning that such a petty thing as physical location cannot limit our experience. Long story short, Ubisoft will be streaming their media briefing so that all those who can't be there at E3 can still enjoy watching all the beautiful new games get shown off.
The media briefing kicks off at 3 PM, PDT, or 6 PM for you east coasters.
"This is a pivotal moment for the video game industry, and E3 is the opportunity for us to share our vision for the future," said Yves Guillemot, co-founder and CEO, Ubisoft, in a recent announcement to the press. "We have many incredible games in development, and we're especially excited to share more on our next-gen titles, which will deliver more connected, immersive and interactive experiences to our fans."
Pre-show coverage can be seen at Uplay, and you can watch the entire media briefing in the YouTube clip at the bottom of this article.
The company revealed their E3 line up a few days ago. In case you missed it, here's everything we know about all of the titles they'll be bringing to E3. And be sure to expect a few surprises as well.
Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag - Ironically, the first prequel in a game franchise that's based in the past, Black Flag sees players controlling AC3 protagonist Connor's grandfather, Edward Kenway, a former Royal Navy man for the British crown turned pirating privateer in the blue waters of the Caribbean. The game takes place somewhere around 1713, long before the last time we saw any vestige of the assassins, the American Revolution. The colonial frontier of the new world is traded in for the warm waterfronts of Nassau, Havana and Kingston, and historical figures such as the infamous pirate Blackbeard. A departure, AC4 will be the first game in the main series not to feature Desmond. But whoever Abstergo has under the animus, and what connection he or she has to the Miles name remains to be seen. Maybe Ubisfot will shed some light on this mystery at this year's E3. The game has been confirmed to arrive for both Microsoft and Sony's next-gen systems. Check the links below for more details.
* Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag Pre-Order Bonus Offers Mystery Island, Additional Outfit
* First Look At Gameplay for Assassin's Creed: Black Flag
* Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag: Scriptwriter Explains The Sexual Seduction Gameplay
Rayman Legends - Even after being hit with buckets of delays, the no-armed Rayman is still on the way, even if it's a bit later then everyone thought. There is some good news as a result of the delays, however. Ubisoft has promised fans' more levels, and additional costumes based on other company characters in an attempt to curry some fan favor. Not much is known about the game, apart from what Ubisoft has revealed in an official statement: "Rayman Legends retains the fantasy appeal of its predecessor while adding a multitude of clever and entertaining gaming modes, new characters, new environments and a new soundtrack. The award-winning team of artists, designers and composers from Origins has also returned with an advanced UbiArt engine to include multi-dimension gameplay elements, an improved lighting system and updated game rendering that elevate Rayman's graphics to the next level." Legends is headed to the Wii U, PS3, Xbox 360, and more recently, the PS Vita. Both the PS Vita and Wii U version are planned to implement each of the system's unique features, like the Vita and Wii U's touch screen controls.
South Park: The Stick of Truth - Here's one we haven't heard about for a while, and understandably so, as it was one of the titles divvied up after the THQ shutdown. After putting the no souled ginger Scott Tennerman in his place, the foul mouthed fourth graders return with a new kid in town, you. South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker have been overseeing the project to ensure it remains faithful in humor and appearance to the series.Here is a synopsis of the game's plot from the official site before Ubisoft's purchase:
"From the perilous battlefields of the fourth-grade playground, a young hero will rise, destined to be South Park's savior. From the creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, comes an epic quest to become... cool. Introducing South Park: The Stick of Truth.
You begin as the new kid in town facing a harrowing challenge: making friends. As you start your quest the children of South Park are embroiled in a city-wide, live-action-role-playing game, casting imaginary spells and swinging fake swords. Over time the simple children's game escalates into a battle of good and evil that threatens to consume the world.
Arm yourself with weapons of legend to defeat crabpeople, underpants gnomes, hippies and other forces of evil. Discover the lost Stick of Truth and earn your place at the side of Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny as their new friend. Succeed, and you shall be South Park's savior, cementing your social status in South Park Elementary. Fail, and you will forever be known... as a loser."
You can check out the trailer here.
Splinter Cell: Blacklist - Tom Clancy's stealthy super spy Sam Fisher's returns for his eighth outing with his trademark tri-focal goggles and gravel throated charm provided my Michael Ironside. Despite getting up there in years, Fisher is more agile than ever with a new "Killing in Motion" feature, allowing for Sam to mark, and quickly take out multiple enemies in one precise movement. As requested by the fans, Blacklist is a return to the series' roots with thought-provoking stealth tactics like hiding bodies, taking enemies out from the shadows, and the usual array of high-tech gadgetry. Fisher will need all his tactics and gear now more than ever, as another group has risen to take the US head on. The titular Blacklist has been causing ever escalating terrorist attacks on US interests, and Sam and the rest of the Fourth Echelon are the only ones who can take them out. Blacklist hits PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 this August 2013. A Wii U edition has also been announced, but no release date given.
Watch Dogs - Here's what could easily be the highlight from Ubisoft, possibly even a show stealer for all of E3. There's a lot to take in, but here's a quick to the point summation - An open world sandbox game where players can hack into a city's network and control everything from security cameras to traffic lights. Ever watch Hackers? Well, it should play out a lot better than that, just none of Angelina Jolie's boobs (so maybe not that good). If that's not enough of a description for you, here's something a bit more comprehensive.
Aisha Tyler returns for the role of hostess.