New Ghost Recon game rumoured to be in Production with a target release date of 2025

[Zeealex]

Scuttlebutt in the gaming community indicates that Ubisoft is struggling financially and they've had to cut off several of their IPs

However, it appears Ghost Recon has survived the cut for now and a new game is rumoured to be starting production with a release date of 2025. Of course, this is all rumor for now, nothing solid.

What's your wishlist for the new upcoming game?

[5timechamp]

I will keep my wishlist simple

 

Wildlands everything combined with the navigation/tumbling, snow effects, level of customization (both appearance and gameplay) of Breakpoint...

just add a better enemy QRF system and random/varied enemy patrols and I will play forever....

Also pay attention to GTA V as far as how to properly construct open world game missions while also seamlessly integrating scripted moments in mission

hopefully the monetization success of Rainbow Six and Breakpoint doesnt overwhelm whatever theyre making

Edited January 27, 2023 by 5timechamp

[101459]

I'm going to 'Negative Nelly' this rumor (which probably is an actual production track), and say the game will never be released, in fact Ubisoft will probably not even be around as a company by 2025 as we currently know it. There just isn't the revenue, as a function of the costs of the company's gaffs -- the scale and repetition of Ubisoft's erroneous approach is unprecedented in business. Even Tencent buying a massive amount of Ubisoft stock hasn't kept it from cratering, or management from burning everything in sight to the ground. Were this a decade ago, there might be hope of another government bail-out, but there just isn't the money for that kind of thing anymore...

It's not just that the company makes the same mistakes over and over trying to push game design that has been rejected by would-be fans across multiple game genres, multiple times; Ubisoft's approach to signing on to ESG is a death knell to reaching revenue targets when production schedules become 'racist and sexist', and employee's are told by HR to 'bring your true self to work' with all the other ESG commitments obviate results oriented production. The company is literally burning itself down from every direction, and openly hoping to be bought out -- but nobody will, as anything the company has that's worth anything will be available at fire sale prices when the company goes under.

My hope, and I think many might agree the best outcome may come when Ubisoft is finally sold off, hopefully piecemeal to various publishers and IP management companies -- that the RSE Clancy IP will be seen as it truly is 'untapped and unrealized in terms of real revenue potential', and something both old & new will be booted up, perhaps hiring some of the original talent to steer the direction of the design. You don't have to look far to see what Ubisoft has done with all the RSE/Clancy IP is widely held in poor regard across the industry.  If this were a one off aspirational 'pet wish' that has never happened in the industry before, hope for any of this would be thin, but that's not the case...

Edited February 3, 2023 by 101459

[Zeealex]

I'mma counter that by being cautiously optimistic, as I typically am to a fault these days. It seems the whole games industry is really struggling right now, I wouldn't be surprised if Ubisoft's days as a major game developer at the very least, are numbered.

However, I see the next generation of games they bring out as their "make or break" they'll know that, and while there was a lot wrong with Wildlands and a lot more wrong with Breakpoint, I'll give them one thing, in terms of gameplay, I think they've finally nailed down a formula for Ghost Recon that's accessible for new players while placating some of the older fans of the series. They've gotten their gameplay identity nailed down after 22 years, and as much as there's a lot I don't like about it as one of the "oldies" I can at the very least respect that. 

They've also quickly come to terms with NFT's not being viable. We also know they were working on a Splinter-Cell reboot that took it back to the roots with minor story adjustments to reflect the world as it is today.

I will get through the rest of this without hero-worshipping I promise.

If they sort out the major issues with the story and build upon the foundation of gameplay they set with Wildlands and the later versions of Breakpoint I think they'll have a shot.

They realised just how far they misstepped with Frontline and very quickly canned it. New players didn't want it, old players were disgusted by the notion. They may yet come around to the idea that the fanbase of Ghost Recon won't take kindly to quick cash-grabs. They can't do to Ghost Recon what they did with Rainbow Six, the fanbase just won't stand for it.

In my opinion though, Ghost Recon has found its gameplay identity at last but I think the story leaves a lot to be desired. I'm probably not in the minority here when I say the Michael Bay-esque big explosions and overtly bad bad guys doesn't play well into what Ghost Recon realistically should be. The story of breakpoint felt very much like that really bad fanfic I wrote when I was twelve or some sh**, except with more Addison Cain/ABO flare, and that is not a compliment. 

I'll be honest, as much as I love the gameplay of the original Ghost Recon games, it was the story and the backdrop that really sold it for me. Hell, the story was so grounded and accurate in the earlier games that the timings of real world political incidents in Georgia, Russia and North Korea matched almost perfectly. You were just a group of guys doing denied ops behind enemy territory, you weren't a living legened, literally likened to a god by your subordinates like Mitchell in the later games was. You didn't personally know the guys you were fighting in some contrived way of adding conflict to the plot like Nomad. You weren't a tech savant with a penchant for stupidity like Kozak, though I could see that being interesting. 

I think Ghost Recon really needs an injection of that grounded story and crew mixed with the gameplay style that Wildlands/Breakpoint brought to the table. The Ghost Recon 2 crew were a perfect example of that "group of guys" all had their own unique personalities, drivers and backstories but they weren't played up or totally unrelatable. I don't think the tech was quite there for the Ghost Recon 1 crew to shine through in the same way, but they were set up in a similar way, just unfortunately not reflected in game due to lack of tech at the time.

So imo, if they hard reset back to the roots in terms of story and start again with the Ghost Recon 2 version of Mitchell and his crew, hell, reset Mitchell and make them a customisable character. Add the new gameplay style, I frankly wouldn't be mad at that.

It wouldn't be the absolute perfect rendition of Ghost Recon 1 replicated play for play on a shiny new engine, I've come to terms with the fact that that's just not happening. Nor would it be my absolute dream hero-worshipping game centered around you-know-who, because I realise I'm in a niche minority of the old guard who still even remember her. 

but, it would certainly get me interested.

[101459]

I think anyone that loved Ghost Recon, and enjoyed Wildlands agrees with you Alex; that this is what we'd all love to see, heck even just a reboot of Wildlands would be a step in the right direction that would thrill me. And if Ubisoft could get it done, that would just mean it would come to market sooner, rather than much, much later with something along the lines of what I think will happen. 

But I'm French, and I can tell you that the stubborn hubris of the people that run Ubisoft, is virtually unsurpassed -- you don't have to look farther than the rinse/repeat downward spiral of unmitigated reckless spending, complete tone deafness and even abuse of their customers, the stock price, the bail-outs -- this has gone on for decades -- it's an icky company that oozes cordial hypocrisy...

But I sincerely hope you're as right as you are up-beat, charming, attractive, as positive force here on these forums and in the world! It sure needs a lot more of everything you've got!

 

 

Edited February 9, 2023 by 101459

[Zeealex]

Thanks for the kind words, 101 ❤️

In terms of the many sins of Ubisoft, yeah it was actually hearing the horror stories of friends working for them (Montreal mainly) and experiencing the unfair, sexist and frankly xenophobic hiring practices of them first hand that made me quit my pursuit of a career in the games industry. That plus the general nepotism problem in the industry as a whole. My dream was to work for Ubisoft on a Ghost Recon game, so when it came to put myself out there and I got absolutely smacked down, It really shattered my worldview. In the end I just couldn't face 3dsMax anymore. I regret letting it hit me so hard, but I don't regret cutting losses and getting out while I could. I enjoy cybersecurity way more, bit more of a thrill-ride way more of a reward, especially with everything going on right now.

In terms of Ghost Recon, I think it really stands to be seen, I unfortunately don't have a magic 8 ball in front of me that can tell the future, as much as I wish I did lol. My optimistic side wants to say that they'll pull something good off, but I'm certainly not going to jump on the hype train early unless some very specific, yet unlikely conditions are met.

I dunno, maybe some narrative director at Ubi read my rants lmao.

 

[AlexKimov]

Quote

experiencing the unfair, sexist and frankly xenophobic hiring practices

Cmon, i see it everywhere, don't get me wrong Zee, but look for your chief/director/boss/whatever and ask him "hey, whats up, iamok, yes, we are family, we are the one, one great company, will overcome all difficulties together, but what about my payment, i worked for years here, i think it kinda fg low" and result will not take long )
But of course, it' because of a name, it has nothing with socio-economic relations, they need to rename it to CoolSoft and everything we'll changed immidiately just like that. Microsoft to KindWordsSoft and EA to GoodE, Tesla to Edison. Ups to many companies to rename, but we'll manage.

As for me i don't wait for GR, The year is 2023 and GR is here already somehow. It's only a beginning 😉

[Oracleas]

We'll wait☺️ Although I wish it had come out much sooner.

[wombat50]

Another pie in the sky article hoping that GR returns to its roots or at least takes something from them in Ghost Recon's next iteration.
The article is dated, March 2020 but I had not seen it before.

https://www.vg247.com/ghost-recon-original-design

Edited April 7, 2023 by wombat50

[Zeealex]

It's an interesting look into why Ghost Recon 1's formula worked so well. And I really hope that Ubi begin to see that Ghost Recon is best served as a shooter that brings something unique to the table, rather than being "cookie cutter" and trying to cash in on trends in the industry, it is better for Ghost Recon to be the rebellious runt of the litter. 

 

I think with their refinement of their TPS mechanics they're starting to get that nailed. 

 

I'm cautiously optimistic the next game will do something good.

[demcanes23]

On 27/01/2023 at 06:27, Zeealex said:

Scuttlebutt in the gaming community indicates that Ubisoft is struggling financially and they've had to cut off several of their IPs

However, it appears Ghost Recon has survived the cut for now and a new game is rumoured to be starting production with a release date of 2025. Of course, this is all rumor for now, nothing solid.

What's your wishlist for the new upcoming game?

Oh God please! 

[GhostLeader_]

*Edited: Enough negativity here* So I decided to redact my whole post.

Edited January 22 by GhostLeader_