The Ubisoft Forward in June will put a spotlight on the publisher's forthcoming titles as it hosts the promotional material that would have normally been reserved for the cancelled E3. Most of what will be shown has already premiered and given glimpes into what it will entail, but Massive Entertainment's previously announced open-world Star Wars game could provide an ace in the hole for Ubisoft as it seeks to stoke the collective hype of the internet with something that is highly anticipated while remaining an unknown quantity.
Now that most large publishers have splintered away from the collective game reveal showcases, late spring into early summer is littered with smaller-scale events all jockeying for fans' time and interest. The PlayStation Showcase in late May set the pace with some incredibly exciting announcements, including a Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater remake and Bungie's next title, Marathon. Early June will herald the Summer Game Fest, which should also generate a high level of excitement as it pulls back the curtain on 2023's holiday release schedule, on into teasers for games coming over the following years, with the Ubisoft Forward following in its wake on June 12.
Ubisoft Should Put its Full Backing Into Massive for the Publisher's Future Success
Almost assured are appearances from one or multiple titles in the Assassin's Creed franchise, as well as more information on the perennially Skull and Bones, and Ubisoft's new free-to-play shooter XDefiant. There are also hints to suggest that Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and the Splinter Cell remake will show up in some capacity, but Ubisoft will still need a touchstone reveal to dominate headlines on the day of its event. There is no upcoming title more apt to fill this role that Massive Entertainment's open-world Star Wars game, especially since it is rumored to launch in early 2024.
Ubisoft and Massive have done a good job at shrouding the new Star Wars game in mystery, with its early 2021 announcement still representing the largest peak under the curtain. It will be among the first Star Wars game to release outside the 10-year exclusivity deal Lucasarts signed with EA back in 2013, so fans are understandably elated at the prospect. EA has been a dutiful caretaker of the IP, especially more recently with Respawn's Jedi: Survivor and the short-lived but well-designed space shooter Squadrons, but many still feel as though the end of the decade-spanning partnership represents a breaking of the chains for Star Wars.
The Time is Right for Ubisoft's Grand Unveiling of its Star Wars Game
Massive Entertainment has risen to prominence with The Division franchise, and some have drawn parallels to its gameplay and how an open-world Star Wars game from the studio might handle. It is unconfirmed how the third-person cover-based shooter will inform the Star Wars game, but one certainty is that Massive has demonstrated an adept ability to create intricately-detailed game spaces that feel believable and lived-in. The studio appears comfortable going outside its wheelhouse, with Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora also on its slate of upcoming games, so a The Division game with players shooting Storm Troopers with blasters in place of Cleaners with modern military firearms seems unlikely.
Assassin's Creed: Mirage made an appearance at the PlayStation Showcase, so Ubisoft will have to have something else up its sleeve as the Ubisoft Forward's heavy hitter. While Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is poised to release before the open-world Star Wars game, the time is nigh for the publisher to show what Massive has been cooking up with one of the world's most popular IPs. Word of an early 2024 release may eventually prove unfounded, but it has been two years since the initial reveal of its open-world Star Wars game, and Ubisoft will surely have to give fans a glimpse sooner rather than later.