[Computer]

Guillemot (Ubi): "Very important that next gen arrives" Interview by Yukishiro - Thursday, 21/02/2013 at 13h 10 Kingmaker in the world of consoles for 5 years, Parisian publisher Ubisoft has naturally bonded with Sony around the PlayStation 4 as it did with Nintendo's Wii U First, what are your impressions on the PlayStation 4? We are extremely pleased that Sony took everything they could from social gaming, such as a connected machine that can receive data passively, and which includes all the elements the game has on PC or on the phone. In addition, the processor and the capabilities of the machine, which will allow us to make powerful and immersive games. You never missed an opportunity in the past two years, to emphasize the need for Sony and Microsoft to change generations. Your wish is granted, why was it so important to you? It is very important that the new machines arrive. We live in a rapidly changing world, technology is changing, and consoles have to keep up the pace. And instead of having a five-year cycle, as before, they now have seven or eight years of exploitation. And inevitably, the consumer ends up getting tired and believes that there is less creativity than before. I think these new consoles give creators creativity and consumers the opportunity to go to these new games. Sony claims to have developed its PS4 closely with developers. Has Ubisoft been consulted? What was your relationship with the manufacturer? We've been here for 26 years and Ubisoft has seen a number of cycles. So, we came to understand what manufacturers expected from the evolution. We went to them with all our wishes, and we held regular discussions around specs. Sony has incorporated elements they had not taken into account in the first place. It is a dialogue that leads to the best possible of what was invented before. Does a multiplatform publisher such as Ubisoft want for consoles to differ in terms of specs? Has uniformity between the PS4 and the future Xbox, in terms of architecture and power, been at the heart of your discussions? Yes, but this is a request that we have all the time. After, the manufacturer chooses to listen or not, because they want, of course, to be different. It is a natural demand. After that, if Sony thinks it can make a real difference and stay afloat financially, they'll do it. A word also on the PlayStation Vita. You have been particularly visible in 2012, with Assassin's Creed Liberation distributed to 600,000 pieces. What conclusions do you draw from this experience? Can the convergence logic with the PS4/PSV revive interest for Sony's handheld, in your opinion? What I liked about the presentation is that they use the power of the Vita to use it as a PS4 controller. If they could get enough PS Vita in the hands of consumers, we could use this double screen feature. It would be fabulous. Now we need to be able to do it, because the Vita has a fairly high cost. I'm waiting to see more on the subject. You mention dual screen. Could this mean that you could, for instance, only develop one Assassin's Creed game PS4 and Vita would show the same game, instead of creating a game specifically for the handheld? What is needed is for more Vitas to sell. The greater the install base, the more publishers will want to utilize it. Is cloud gaming the future? I compare cloud gaming to the Internet from a few years ago, where you could not make action games because it was not fast enough, etc. And developers have tended to favor the kinds of games that could afford to have a high latency. Cloud gaming has the same kind of situation: it addresses many issues, but it still does not work as well as what we want. Meanwhile, it should only be used for certain types of games, more analytical... Sony was able to rely on the copious presentation of Watch_Dogs, a Ubisoft game, during the conference. The game is also scheduled on PS3 and Xbox 360, for which generation was the game originally designed? PS4 to PS3, or the opposite? Today Watch_Dogs is a game created on next-gen consoles. It's then ported on other machines. We will seek the power of the new generation, then ask other teams to try to incorporate those elements in the current consoles. It is viable, financially, to work on two generations at once for a single game? It is known that PS3/Xbox 360 development require significant resources. Not to mention the PS4... These are indeed challenges for all companies who create. But we noticed that when you arrive early enough, with innovation, the games you launch sell for a long period of time. This is the challenge that we did with Watch_Dogs, with interesting sales the first year, which go on for two or three years. You will then continue to feed two generations of consoles at the same time with the same games? We won't be able to do it on the long term. The more you push the next generation towards its limits, the more you will have difficulty in adapting to the "old gen". So we are going, little by little, to migrate to the new generation of consoles. I think that by 2015 we will have completed this transition. Ubisoft has recently distinguished itself with its strong support for the Wii U, for which you gave several exclusives. Can you imagine such an exclusivity policy for the PS4, or do you rather stand as inseparable from the Xbox / PC? I think it's the second option. We are much closer to the games that will run on the PC and next-gen, than to pure exclusives on these machines. But to talk about the Wii U, you are aware that the abandonment of Rayman Legends' exclusivity made a lot of noise. Is there a problem between Ubisoft and that machine? No problem with the Wii U. In fact, we saw the opportunity, by giving more time, to have the best game ever made for the Wii U. Teams began to show what they made with the whole social aspect, which they will release in April. This makes it possible to make a social part which was impossible until now, and additional bosses. The goal is to make one of Ubisoft's best games. The team is fully on Wii U to do that, but it also works on other generations, to arrive on several generations at the same time. To rephrase: you have nothing to say about the current sales of the Wii U? We can not say we're satisfied with the sales of the Wii U. They were good in the United States in November / December, but did not go well in January 2013. We're waiting to see the evolution of things, we look at this closely. A recommendation as a publisher? Is a price drop necessary for you? I don't have a recommendation, Nintendo is big enough to analyze the different things to do. Many games are coming soon, which should help the machine to resume sales.

http://www.gamekult.com/actu/guillem...e-A107532.html

[Dragon]

Interesting interview thanks Computer!

I liked how honest this guy was.

[CengizMan]

Nice interview! Very sharp questions, answers that appear to be honest.

[schuelma]

Good interview.

[ekim]

Today Watch_Dogs is a game created on next-gen consoles. It's then ported on other machines. We will seek the power of the new generation, then ask other teams to try to incorporate those elements in the current consoles.

phew

[Nirolak]

Today Watch_Dogs is a game created on next-gen consoles. It's then ported on other machines. We will seek the power of the new generation, then ask other teams to try to incorporate those elements in the current consoles.

Given how Ghost Recon turned out, I'm not overwhelmed with confidence in the current gen versions.

[miladesn]

so ps360 versions until at least end of 2014, sounds about as expected.

[Pai Pai Master]

Not in love with Ubisoft but I can always respect Yves. He's very honest and open about the company.

Good to hear that Watch_Dogs is designed for next-gen. For all cross-generation games coming up (and there will be a lot), this should be the case. I don't want to see Madden 2015 built for Xbox 360 and ported to everything else.

[Voice of Reason]

Agreed on the Vita. People shouldn't complain about remote play.

[Rollo Larson]

The transparency is refreshing. I know a lot of parties would have us believe cloud gaming is the bees knees at this point

Not a lot. Some, though.

[MikeE21286]

Good stuff in there

"....help the machine to resume"

That didn't sound very good

[Mael]

Well yeah it stand to reason he likes Vita remote, it means easier porting for him!

[solarus]

I think it's a mistake launching watch dogs on current gen consoles, why compromise, the end product if significantly worse could leave a bad impression on consumers of an ip that is completely new and will most likely become a big franchise for Ubi but then again, money.

[Sirius]

Lost exclusivity aside, he still has yet to come clean as to what exactly changed with management regarding Rayman. Hounding your Dev team with a 6 month deadline for a hardware-specific release, only to delay in favor of 'social aspects' and additional bosses for multiplatform is a surefire sign of dissent.

I wonder what Nintendo has to say.

[SolidSnakex]

I think it's a mistake launching watch dogs on current gen consoles, why compromise, the end product if significantly worse could leave a bad impression on consumers of an ip that is completely new and will most likely become a big franchise for Ubi but then again, money.

It doesn't sound like they are. They're building it for high end PC's, PS4 and the next Xbox. Then they're getting another developer to figure out how to get that to work on current gen consoles. This is probably going to be a common strategy at least for a few years until the new consoles build up a big userbase. There's no reason for them to dump the huge userbases that exist on the PS3 and 360.

[AranhaHunter]

Sony was able to rely on the copious presentation of Watch_Dogs, a Ubisoft game, during the conference. The game is also scheduled on PS3 and Xbox 360, for which generation was the game originally designed? PS4 to PS3, or the opposite? Today Watch_Dogs is a game created on next-gen consoles. It's then ported on other machines. We will seek the power of the new generation, then ask other teams to try to incorporate those elements in the current consoles.

Watch Dogs confirmed to be crap on PS3/360/WiiU

[casmith07]

Given how Ghost Recon turned out, I'm not overwhelmed with confidence in the current gen versions.

I love Future Soldier. I just think they handicapped the co-op experience on PS3/XBox by requiring you to play with friend list people rather than drop-in/out.

[shagg_187]

To rephrase: you have nothing to say about the current sales of the Wii U? We can not say we're satisfied with the sales of the Wii U. They were good in the United States in November / December, but did not go well in January 2013. We're waiting to see the evolution of things, we look at this closely.

And thus the reason why Rayman was delayed.

[stilgar]

I think it's a mistake launching watch dogs on current gen consoles, why compromise, the end product if significantly worse could leave a bad impression on consumers of an ip that is completely new and will most likely become a big franchise for Ubi but then again, money.

I don't get it at all. A bad impression? What would it ?

[Derrick01]

Given how Ghost Recon turned out, I'm not overwhelmed with confidence in the current gen versions.

And on the other hand that pleases me immensely because GRAW on 360 was great for its time. So I fully expect WD to be as impressive as it has looked so far on ps4.

People on the current gen need to get left behind sometime. May as well be now.

[Computer]

Good stuff in there "....help the machine to resume" That didn't sound very good

That was a lazy correction on my part (I used Google Translate). I should have written 'resume sales' or something similar, sorry.

I think it's a mistake launching watch dogs on current gen consoles, why compromise, the end product if significantly worse could leave a bad impression on consumers of an ip that is completely new and will most likely become a big franchise for Ubi but then again, money.

Watch Dogs looks like the new Assassin's Creed budget-wise, so they might as well ship it on platforms which have a big install base.

[Xater]

Today Watch_Dogs is a game created on next-gen consoles. It's then ported on other machines. We will seek the power of the new generation, then ask other teams to try to incorporate those elements in the current consoles.

I think playing this game on the current gen system including WiiU will not be a pleasant experience.

[Smiles and Cries]

I think playing this game on the current gen system including WiiU will not be a pleasant experience.

depends on who this outside resource is... we don't even know

[Insane Metal]

Wow, I really liked his opinions. Specially when they asked for a recommendation for Nintendo.

[R0nn]

Always liked Yves. He's upfront and honest. Still think he's kinda swerving around the issues concerning Rayman though.

[Nirolak]

I love Future Soldier. I just think they handicapped the co-op experience on PS3/XBox by requiring you to play with friend list people rather than drop-in/out.

I mean the PS2/Xbox 1 versions of GRAW 1.

And on the other hand that pleases me immensely because GRAW on 360 was great for its time. So I fully expect WD to be as impressive as it has looked so far on ps4. People on the current gen need to get left behind sometime. May as well be now.

Oh I'm not complaining, just noting.

[MikeE21286]

That was a lazy correction on my part (I used Google Translate). I should have written 'resume sales' or something similar, sorry.

oh ok, changes up the meaning there :p

thanks!

[miladesn]

I think playing this game on the current gen system including WiiU will not be a pleasant experience.

I don't think it will be that 'extreme' like GRAW, Nirolak mentions, it will still be the same game with probably same features but it would look like poo in comparison, I didn't see anything gameplay wise which they couldn't make it into current gen, except probably animations, physics, crowd, draw distance and some other stuff. so I think they can make it into current still as a pop in galore game with horrible frame rate ala AC3 last year. I imagine it depends how much they want to invest, bulk of sales this year will probably still come from current gen, so I think it's worthwhile to provide a decent experience to make their new brand look good.

GRAW games were entirely different games between consoles, so was Splinter Cell Double Agent.

GRAW for 360 was made in Ubisoft Paris and Red Storm. Other versions in Shanghai. Splinter Cell was split between Shanghai and Montreal. Ubi Shanghai hasn't been doing much since I Am Alive, so maybe they are busy again.

[Derrick01]

Oh I'm not complaining, just noting.

Yeah I remember you posting the picture of graw on ps2. I had never seen it before because when it came out I already had a 360, but holy hell it was hideous. I'll echo everyone else here that current gen owners, including wii u since it's likely to just be the 360 version ported over, are not in for a good surprise.

[Sho_Nuff82]

I think it's a mistake launching watch dogs on current gen consoles, why compromise, the end product if significantly worse could leave a bad impression on consumers of an ip that is completely new and will most likely become a big franchise for Ubi but then again, money.

It will probably be like Far Cry 3 or AC3, awesome PC and next gen versions, 20fps with tearing on PS360 just to get a version on shelves.

[farnham]

I think it's a mistake launching watch dogs on current gen consoles, why compromise, the end product if significantly worse could leave a bad impression on consumers of an ip that is completely new and will most likely become a big franchise for Ubi but then again, money.

Simply because of this

[Hero of Legend]

It'd be nice to know who's doing WD on Wii U and how they're treating it.

Montreal is behind the game, clearly focused on PC and PS4, but will they also do the Wii U version and other studios do the PS360 versions?

Hopefully someone asks.

[Computer]

It'd be nice to know who's doing WD on Wii U and how they're treating it.

I'm afraid the end credits will be too long to ever find the answer.

[The Dutch Slayer]

WOW game kult that was an actual interview with real questions and fantastic write up!

Awesome information.

[Hero of Legend]

I'm afraid the end credits will be too long to ever find the answer.

They usually announce it pre-release, like we knew Ubi Quebec did AC3 on Wii U.

[Computer]

WOW game kult that was an acuall interview with real questions and fantastic write up! Awesome information.

Apart from the PS4 rumors (which were clearly labeled as such) that were posted some days ago, Gamekult is a serious, reliable website.

[The Dutch Slayer]

Apart from the PS4 rumors (which were clearly labeled as such) that were posted some days ago, Gamekult is a serious, reliable website.

Yeah I can see that now :O

[jmizzal]

It'd be nice to know who's doing WD on Wii U and how they're treating it. Montreal is behind the game, clearly focused on PC and PS4, but will they also do the Wii U version and other studios do the PS360 versions? Hopefully someone asks.

I would assume the AC3 WiiU team from UBi Quebec will be doing it

I think its not far to compare Ghost Recon PS2 to 360 to this, PS2 was not HD

Its more like people have said Far Cry 3 PC to 360 then that

[sacrificengineer]

He's a very nice person.

Full transition to next-gen will last few years - we are gonna get a lot more cross-gen titles than ever before (likely, because of high development costs).

[MrGreencastle]

I've always liked Yves. Good stuff, and I respect that Ubisoft have always been one of the first publishers to show their stuff off on new platforms. Watch Dogs on Wii U really surprised me, actually.

[shinobi602]

Sony was able to rely on the copious presentation of Watch_Dogs, a Ubisoft game, during the conference. The game is also scheduled on PS3 and Xbox 360, for which generation was the game originally designed? PS4 to PS3, or the opposite? Today Watch_Dogs is a game created on next-gen consoles. It's then ported on other machines. We will seek the power of the new generation, then ask other teams to try to incorporate those elements in the current consoles.

I knew it.

[Hero of Legend]

I would assume the AC3 WiiU team from UBi Quebec will be doing it I think its not far to compare Ghost Recon PS2 to 360 to this, PS2 was not HD Its more like people have said Far Cry 3 PC to 360 then that

That's what I suspect, and it's not a bad thing as they're the closest to Montreal, almost a sister studio (both are in QC after all).

The other teams mentioned are:

Ubisoft's Bucharest, Paris, Quebec and Reflections studios.

Reflections (Driver folks) usually just help out others, Paris (Red Steel, Rabbids) could be behind the PS360 versions for all we know, not sure about Bucharest.

[MrCookiepants]

Man. Watch Dogs is gonna suck on current consoles, isn't it? Looks like I'll be going next gen sooner rather than later.

[walking fiend]

A recommendation as a publisher? Is a price drop necessary for you? I don't have a recommendation, Nintendo is big enough to analyze the different things to do. Many games are coming soon, which should help the machine to resume sales.

But every journalists says they are doomed and should abandon the ship and go 3rd party and then die?

[UberTag]

Man. Watch Dogs is gonna suck on current consoles, isn't it? Looks like I'll be going next gen sooner rather than later.

This is all just speculation based on how much games developed for X360/PS3 sucked when they were cheaply ported to PS2/Wii.
We really don't know how cross-gen games will play on the legacy platforms until they come out.
I suspect the opposite phenomenon will prove true... they'll play and look so good (at least for the initial wave of software) that gamers will be content to wait on taking the next-gen leap for quite a while.

After that initial wave of software - once developers really start to mine the benefits of these high-end platforms - I think that will change.

[Cryo]

Wow, what a great interview and he was very honest.
Nice job.

[Derrick01]

This is all just speculation based on how much games developed for X360/PS3 sucked when they were cheaply ported to PS2/Wii. We really don't know how cross-gen games will play on the legacy platforms until they come out. I suspect the opposite phenomenon will prove true... they'll play and look so good (at least for the initial wave of software) that gamers will be content to wait on taking the next-gen leap for quite a while. After that initial wave of software once developers really start to mine the benefits of these high-end platforms, I think that will change.

Judging by recent Ubi games like AC3 and Far Cry 3, you can almost guarantee that the ps3/360 versions of this game will be "horrible". And by horrible I mean likely sub HD, running at 20fps or worse in many cases and have lots of downgraded graphics options.

Now we don't think a game like that looks horrible now (generally speaking. I personally think performance like those 2 Ubi games is unacceptable), but when you'll have a drastically superior next gen version to compare it to it will look horrible in comparison.

[KePoW]

Man. Watch Dogs is gonna suck on current consoles, isn't it? Looks like I'll be going next gen sooner rather than later.

If you have a current gen PC it will be fine.

[Mikey Jr.]

You will then continue to feed two generations of consoles at the same time with the same games? We won't be able to do it on the long term. The more you push the next generation towards its limits, the more you will have difficulty in adapting to the "old gen". So we are going, little by little, to migrate to the new generation of consoles. I think that by 2015 we will have completed this transition.

This doesn't seem good for the WiiU....

[BD1]

This doesn't seem good for the WiiU....

I don't see that. Yves has often called Wii U next gen, so by his definition, Wii U would be in that transition.