Ubisoft to no longer pursue FPS game titles...

[August]

Geez, just a couple years ago FPS's were supposed to be the only ones making a profit.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by August

Geez, just a couple years ago FPS's were supposed to be the only ones making a profit.

The way I see it, it hasnt changed. Ubi just havent made any "great" FPS's lately.

[skwasjer]

To be honest, I think the FPS market is not a paying customer (enough). Family games, simulation, RTS and overall console games are more likely to sell (older audience likely to pay, or as gifts to youngsters, and console games are harder to copy).

Besides, hardcore FPS on a console is a big 'no' so that limits the target platform to PC, so to me the decision makes alot of sense.

And yea, I really can't wait for Hell's Highway. It's my number one WWII-title.

[August]

Originally Posted by Dowly

The way I see it, it hasnt changed. Ubi just havent made any "great" FPS's lately.

Really? I figured that the consoles have pretty much hijacked the FPS market. I was hoping we'd see more RTS's from computer game companies.

[kiwi_2005]

FPS games i thought were the most popular titles on the market:hmm:

Playing a FPS on a console is the most shocking thing in gaming ever! The target system moves for you, no need to aim. LAME

[Blacklight]

The market is so oversaturated with First Person Shooters and Real Time Stratagies that the genera's have been pretty boring for YEARS. There's only so many ways to package them without all of them eventually looking alike. I for one would like to see some kind of new genera that focuses on creativity rather than simple arcade action.

[bradclark1]

Just the cost of the graphucs alone must be 3/4 of the game. The more detailed the graphics can become the more the FPS will cost to produce.
Maybe they'll start producing rewrites of past games like SSG did with Carriers at War. A lot of good old games out there waiting to be reborn.

[d@rk51d3]

HARDCORE is the keyword here. From another report I read the other day, it was in reference to the Tom Clancey style shooters, ie: no healthpacks, one shot kills - real life kinda stuff.

They just want to keep a mainstream / casual gamer market.

[peterloo]

Originally Posted by Blacklight

The market is so oversaturated with First Person Shooters and Real Time Stratagies that the genera's have been pretty boring for YEARS. There's only so many ways to package them without all of them eventually looking alike. I for one would like to see some kind of new genera that focuses on creativity rather than simple arcade action.

Agreed. The market now is full of FPS and RTS titles that the game play is soooo boring.

They need something new. Improving graphics is just futile. Physics engines or other stuff improves nothing but make the game resource heavy

They need to create more stuff. Leave the WWII frame please. There is already many games which is set on WWII, on every major sides. Only by releasing new creative titles can they earn money.

[CCIP]

Personally I wouldn't count on Ubisoft of making great leaps in innovation. There's always a chance, but I think big companies like that are much better at making money than putting out new ideas.

However a number of smaller studios have been showing practical examples of how to make innovative games and not lose money. It's to them we should look and support them the most, in hopes that the "big money" takes notice and perhaps throws in their promotional weight behind them!

The real problem with "hardcore" games is not their "hardcoreness" these days. It's a marketing issue. Small companies can't afford to publicize and advertise them extensively, big companies don't know how to do it properly (SH3/4 stand as a testament to that).

[goldorak]

edit : bad post

[goldorak]

Originally Posted by peterloo

Agreed. The market now is full of FPS and RTS titles that the game play is soooo boring.

They need something new. Improving graphics is just futile. Physics engines or other stuff improves nothing but make the game resource heavy

They need to create more stuff. Leave the WWII frame please. There is already many games which is set on WWII, on every major sides. Only by releasing new creative titles can they earn money.

The point is that Ubisoft won't improve anything, they will toss aside the hardcore games and concentrate on wii like games such as cooking mama, nintendogs, etc...
Now tell me how is that pushing the envelope in ai, interactive envirnments, co-op play etc... ?
If Ubisoft ditches the SH series for being too hardcore (and you can bet that simulations are hardcore enough not only for pc but also not in the least portable to consoles) no major publisher is going to carry on the torch.
No major simulations and that means no WWI,WWII, Cold War, Fictional Scenarios etc...

Originally Posted by Blacklight

The market is so oversaturated with First Person Shooters and Real Time Stratagies that the genera's have been pretty boring for YEARS. There's only so many ways to package them without all of them eventually looking alike. I for one would like to see some kind of new genera that focuses on creativity rather than simple arcade action.

Clearly what needs to happen is to put them together. Maneuver Germany to WWII, then play as a squad shooting polish duc- troops.

[danlisa]

Ubisoft 'making' First Person Shooters is a bit of a stretch of the imagination.

UBI don't make them, they swallow up the smaller development studios and then only publish the FPS title.

So, UBI never 'made' a FPS but did market/promote them.

However, if they are cutting all ties with FPS titles, that a really stupid business decision, as rightly already stated the FPS market makes up about 70-80% of the game market.

Originally Posted by Dowly

The way I see it, it hasn't changed. Ubi just haven't made any "great" FPS's lately.

True, but they'll publish this soon. - http://hazegame.uk.ubi.com/index.php