The Ubisoft E3 press conference began with a suite of melodies by the Assassin's Creed Symphony set against a video backdrop of moody Assassin's Creed video footage. The music was ushered in by a harmonic string section and set the tone for the theatrical show. The symphony's world tour begins at the end of this month.
After the music ceased, the show opened with a gameplay trailer for Watch Dogs Legion. A protagonist, Ian, is talking with a smarmy computer named Bagley as Ian scans the locals for a potential recruit to their cause. As he scans each person around him, their background information shows up for the player to see. Ian causes a scene by attacking a police officer and we can see the game's driving mechanics and the ability to surrender to the police. Instead of surrendering, Ian is shot to death and he is laid to rest as "permadeath" flashes onto the screen. The game's perspective switches to another member of the resistance. The next member we see is a sassy, grandmotherly figure named Helen who uses a robotic spider to break into a bank. The third, Naomi, uses stealth to break into a drug and human trafficking ring in order to get a new recruit.
Clint Hocking, Creative Director of Watch Dogs Legion, took to the stage to discuss the game. He praised the determination of Londoners as the backbone and inspiration behind the title. In Watch Dogs Legion, players can recruit and play as anyone they come across. That's right: any person in the game can be recruited, each one with unique abilities and personalities, fully voiced and animated. Watch Dogs Legion is coming March 6, 2020 for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, and Stadia.
Rob McElhenny of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia entered the stage next. McElhenny partnered with Ubisoft and created a TV show called Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet which follows the trials and tribulations of a fictional development team on the cusp of a major update to their wildly successful MMORPG. Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet will be available on Apple TV Plus.
Rainbow Six Seige took over the screen to promote the new season of Rainbow Six Siege, Operation Phantom Sight. The Bond-style trailer showed off two new operatives for the new season, Warden and Nokk, and the gadgets they'll bring for players to use.
Hit cartoon show Adventure Time made an appearance. Jake the Human, Finn the Dog, and Princess Bubblegum are coming to Brawlhalla, the free-to-play fighting game for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Mac. The free-to-play event ends June 25, so experience Adventure Time while you can! The event also introduces a new game mode, map, and KO effect that will stick around after the event ends.
A cinematic trailer for Ghost Recon: Breakpoint came next, pitting brother against brother as once-Ghosts prepared to fight their old comrades. The new soldiers call themselves Wolves. Actor Joe Berenthal introduced the Wolves alongside his adorable dog, who is the official Best Boy of E3 2019. Ghost Recon: Breakpoint will bring back AI teammates for solo players. It will also integrate Ghost Recon Delta Company, a community program that allows fanart, discussions, cosplay, and five detachments for players to express their love of the game. Ghost Recon: Breakpoint beta goes live on September 5, and the game releases fully on October 4 for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Beta registration is open now on the official Ghost Recon website. There was also a hint of a cross-over with the Terminator series.
The screen made way for a new free-to-play mobile military RPG that brings together weapons specialists including Splinter Cell protagonist Sam Fisher. In Tom Clancy's Elite Squad, players can deploy squads of five upgradable soldiers in story campaigns or PvP Arena. Elite Squad will release worldwide for iOS and Android devices. Players who pre-register for the game get Ghost Recon Breakpoint's Cole D. Walker as a playable character. You can register on the official game site.
Then came the moment everyone was waiting for: Just Dance 2020. A dance squad boogied on stage to High Hopes by Panic! At The Disco. The squad included an iconic panda bear, because what would this show be without a dancing panda? Just Dance 2020 brings back co-op mode and lets players customize their own Just Dance playlists. There's also Just Dance Unlimited, a subscription service with over 500 songs. Just Dance 2020 is coming this November to Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Stadia, and Wii.
The stage went quiet and a trailer of samurai warriors getting their souls sucked out took over. Shadows of the Hitokiri is a new event for For Honor. The event brings with it new modes and customization options for players, influenced by Japanese death gods. The new game mode has players harvesting each other's souls. Rather than trying to kill as many people as possible, players must take care not to lose the souls they've collected, which happens if they're downed or killed. For Honor is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Next, we have first-person shooter thriller Rainbow Six Quarantine, coming early 2020. The game builds on the Rainbow Six mechanics to create a PvE co-op experience. Players will fight against an "unknown and devastating" parasite and need to use all of their survival instincts to make it through.
The Division 2 entered the fray with a trailer thanking fans for their support and detailing their one-year plan. Creative Director Terry Spier of Red Storm Entertainment discussed the upcoming game. This week, between June 13 and 16, The Division 2 is free to play. A major content update is on the way. Episode 1, coming in July, delivers brand-new main missions and game experiences, venturing outside of Washington D.C. to the woods, the National Zoo, and a college. Episode 2, coming this fall, brings players to the Pentagon. Fallen to the Black Tusks, players must infiltrate the Pentagon. Episode 2 will also release the second of the game's eight-player raids. Episode 3 of the year one update will involve a manhunt of epic proportions. Finally, The Division movie will be made in collaboration with Netflix.
Ubisoft then discussed its new subscription service called UPlay Plus. It promises early access to new games and a catalog of over 100 games for unlimited use. Priced at $14.99 per month, players who sign up today will be granted free access at launch this September. In 2020, UPlay Plus will be available on Stadia.
Roller Champions glided on screen in a big way, putting players in the ultimate rollerblading sport. Roller Champions is a skill-based team PvP sports game. Combining roller derby and handball, it offers a new way to get competitive with friends. Roller Champions is available immediately in pre-alpha for free over the next few days.
A new mythological game teaser closed out the show. The creators of Assassin's Creed Odyssey took their mythology knowledge and put it into Gods and Monsters, a new game coming February 25, 2020. You play as Fenyx, a forgotten hero, to help the fallen Greek gods return to their posts on Mount Olympus. To do so, you'll have to navigate puzzles, dungeons, and quests involving the most dangerous mythological monsters of Greek lore in this open-world action-adventure. Gods and Monsters will be available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Uplay+, and Stadia.
What were you most excited about from Ubisoft's E3 show? If you want to know more about this and other announcements happening at E3 then be sure to check out our E3 2019 Coverage Hub.
