Despite its battle royale blunders, Ubisoft is reportedly making an Apex Legends rival
Ubisoft appears to be venturing once again into the battle royale arena, this time drawing significant inspiration from the renowned Apex Legends. This move comes despite the company’s checkered history with the genre.
Ubisoft’s journey in the world of competitive multiplayer games has been a mixed bag. While Rainbow Six Siege stands out as a shining success story with a dedicated fanbase, the company has also faced notable failures. Titles like Hyper Scape and recent entries like XDefiant didn’t exactly set the gaming world ablaze. Add to these a string of canceled projects—such as Ghost Recon Frontline and The Division Heartland—and the tales of rumored multiplayer concepts that ranged from promising to head-scratching. Yet, even with this backdrop, Ubisoft seems prepared to take another leap into the battle royale category with a game that insiders describe as “highly inspired” by Apex Legends.
The late 2010s and early 2020s saw Battle Royale games reaching new heights, with titles like PUBG, Fortnite, Call of Duty Warzone, and Apex Legends drawing massive audiences. Ubisoft, charmed by the trend, reportedly embarked on numerous BR ventures. However, only Hyper Scape made it to a full release, surviving just under two years before its servers went dark.
The enthusiasm surrounding battle royale titles has seemingly cooled down somewhat. Games like Warzone saw a decline before updates tried to reinvigorate players’ interest. Apex Legends, too, has experienced a downward trajectory in player numbers over the past year. Contrarily, Ubisoft seems to view this dip as a strategic opening rather than a caution signal.
Among its many shelved and altered projects, one reportedly persists, taking considerable cues from Apex Legends. Sources suggest striking resemblances with characters akin to Pathfinder, Wraith, and Lifeline, known from Apex’s roster. Reportedly codenamed ‘Scout,’ the project even allegedly used Apex Legends’ artwork internally.
The notion is that Ubisoft seeks to tap into the void left by Apex’s dwindling player base, theorizing there’s room for a fresh hero battle royale. Yet, skepticism looms. Considering Ubisoft’s track record of audits and brutal cutbacks, many might find it hard to believe that launching a similar game is advisable or timely. Concerns arise about this vision being in development for a couple of years, long before Apex’s player number decline became a significant issue. If Apex Legends faces challenges, what makes Ubisoft think a similar battle royale could capture those lost players?
There’s a certain allure in dreaming that Ubisoft might introduce a groundbreaking battle royale experience, reinvigorating the genre and drawing in new audiences. However, with attention pivoting towards games focused on extraction and cooperative PvE experiences, this seems like a tall challenge.
As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, with trends and player preferences shifting, the real test will be whether Ubisoft can successfully create a unique and compelling game experience that stands out in a crowded battlefield, both metaphorically and literally. The coming months may tell if Ubisoft’s next venture can break its streak of missteps in the competitive multiplayer space, or if it’ll become another tale of ambition unmet.
