Specular Theory Exec Explains Opportunities In VR Storytelling

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In a pair of firsts, YouTuber MatPat has launched MatPat’s Game Lab, which drops viewers into a live-action parkour adventure inspired by Electronic Arts’ DICE-developed Mirror’s Edge Catalyst. Specular Theory worked in tandem with MatPat to create 360-degree gameplay experiences set inside Mirror’s Edge Catalyst. While Game Lab is available only to YouTube Red subscribers, the 360-degree videos are available for free.

Specular Theory has been immersed in 360-degree storytelling, having worked on projects including the Sundance hit Perspective Chapter 2: The Misdemeanor, the Jeep VR Surf Experience, and Terminator Genisys: The YouTube Chronicles 360. Specular Theory CEO and Game Lab VR series director Morris May talks about entering the 360-degree video game world in this exclusive interview.

How did you get involved with this project?

MatPat had seen some of our previous work and reached out to us to push the boundaries from both a technical and storytelling perspective on the 360 component of the series. The various first-person perspective and moving camera approaches in our previous work really attracted him, and he wanted to collaborate to explore that kind of variety in storytelling.

How does your 360 content tie into the MatPat series?

Each of the episodes follows MatPat and friends as they are thrown into real life situations based on video games to see how they perform. Each 360 companion video follows the same title and gives viewers the opportunity to be dropped into the world of the same game that MatPat has in that episode. However, the 360 episodes utilize a variety of approaches—at times using a scripted, narrative approach—to drop viewers in the middle of the action within the world of the game, and other times allowing viewers to have a front row seat to MatPat and his friends taking on the zany real-world versions of the game titles. The 360 episodes will be available for free to all viewers, while the remainder of the 2D episodes will be available only to YouTube Red subscribers.

What is 360-degree video opening up for exploration of existing game worlds?

It is a mind-blowingly exponential advancement. Viewers can be inside of the game and have the chance to explore on their own in a full 360-degree environment. They can be completely immersed and interact with the world of the game on their own cell phone, which opens it up to a massive audience.

Can you explain how you worked with Electronic Arts and DICE on this project?

The series’ executive producer, Dan Levitt, handled the coordination with the game companies, but since MatPat has such a massive following in the gaming space, we were given a lot of creative freedom with bringing the world of these game titles to life in live-action. MatPat really wanted to use the 360 experiences to allow his viewers to get a piece of the action and get a chance to take on the unique real-life game experiences that he was tackling in the series. We used a limited amount of gameplay clips for some of the episodes, but primarily re-created the game environments in live-action.

How much gameplay did you capture and how did you translate that into these shorter form experiences?

We shot over four hours of VR content for the series with many shoots involving multiple cameras, including drones and custom rigged cameras. We delivered over 45 minutes of VR footage, which was 40 terabytes of data.

Creatively, what does 360 open up for you?

Three-sixty really allows viewers to explore the space and be fully immersed in a unique environment and guided along on a journey. It’s an entirely new medium that we are navigating as the technology is continuing to develop. The possibilities are endless and it’s a really exciting time in filmmaking and storytelling.

How much interaction does the viewer have?

This particular series does now allow for as much interaction, as it was designed to be viewable on YouTube 360 and in Cardboard to allow as many viewers as possible. However, we designed the experiences to have a game-like feel with action constantly going on all around the viewer, encouraging them to explore the full space and really feel that they’re a part of the game and the adventure.

What do you see the launch of PlayStation VR and Google Daydream this fall adding to the VR ecosystem?

It is going to be game-changing and lead to a rapid mass adoption of the VR medium. All new Android phones will be equipped with Google Daydream and will allow people to get amazing VR experiences right on their phones. With PlayStation, there are already so many households with consoles, so adding a headset will be a natural upgrade for them. We are extremely excited to see how much the audience for VR content will open up with both of these launches.

What opportunities do you see for brands and sponsors of this type of 360 gameplay experiences?

VR is a dream come true for brands. It gives them the opportunity to reach a fully captivated audience that is simply not possible with any other medium. In VR, audiences can’t be on their phone or have another conversation as a distraction. So for brands, VR really allows them to create fully immersive experiences. And from a brand storytelling perspective, the participatory factor really leaves a singular lasting impression and creates memories on a much more personal level.

Debut Of EA Play Event Amazes

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Every year, Electronic Arts has always been a staple of the E3 show floor, standing right in the middle of the South Hall with a number of big titles for users to try out. This year, the company opted to do “its own thing,” as it were, with a private showcase held just down the street at the Novo Theater in L.A. Live: EA Play.

A few folks found that to be a curious move, considering how effective E3 has been for the publisher over the past few years. However, it would also give it a chance to shine at its own venue.

The company kicked things off Sunday with its yearly press conference, where it showed off a number of its forthcoming products, including Titanfall 2, Battlefield 1, its sports line-up and its upcoming Star Wars games, in which it has a lot on the horizon.

Following that, EA divided the action between two floors. On the main floor of the Novo, fans could partake in sessions of Battlefield 1, as well as its numerous sports titles, including FIFA 17 and NHL 17. Meanwhile, the entire fifth floor was devoted to Titanfall 2, and both its single player campaign and multiplayer.

Overall, EA Play has gone off without much of a hitch, with a 64-player Battlefield 1 tournament that drew in thousands of fans (with a little help from celebrities like Jamie Foxx and Zac Efron), along with other live broadcasted interviews and gameplay videos.

Will EA likely repeat the show next year? Perhaps, and it’ll be even better, focusing on big sports titles, as well as sequels along the lines of Mass Effect: Andromeda.

The future is bright for EA Play, and that certainly will keep the players coming.

EA Play Connects With Players Across Continents

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The week of E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) is even more expansive than in years past, with Electronic Arts hosting EA Play—a three-day public event that features the publisher’s hottest games. The event kicked off on Sunday with two simultaneous keynote events in Los Angeles and London that worked in tandem to showcase upcoming titles.

The marketing impact of these press events is considerable, now that Twitch is providing streaming access to the world. Millions of people are watching the various E3 proceedings along with the full-day of shows featuring a variety of guests and the hottest games. It’s a terrific way to get lots of attention for each company’s top priorities for the fall season, and a way to get some insight on what each company is going to be focusing their marketing efforts towards for the next six months.

Previously, these events were designed exclusively for the press, retail buyers, and industry analysts to attend, and thus were oriented towards impressing those groups. The companies would rely on the journalists to communicate with the audience, though this often meant messages were often garbled or lost in the process. Now marketers can directly address the game players and make sure the message comes across as intended.

EA CEO Andrew Wilson took the stage at Sunday’s briefing to proclaim, “We’re inviting you in to play. Thousands of you will get hands-on with our games this week.” Peter Moore hosted a similar event from London at the Hammersmith Apollo Theatre, where 600 gamers were in attendance. The two events were joined live via satellite as the two hosts passed the presentation baton back-and-forth. It added some interesting energy to the event, underscoring the connection with gamers worldwide while playing to consumers at both locations.

One of the important things Wilson stressed was the strong support Electronic Arts is providing for its games, with over 300 content updates in the past year with more to come. EA wants to keep players coming back to their favorite games, even if (or especially if) there’s no new major release planned for the near future. Wilson also emphasized the focus on players, with free trials to help them discover and experience something new. To further drive the point, Wilson announced that games on EA Access and Origin Access on PC are free all week.

As you would expect, the events are focused mostly on games that are coming up for the fall, featuring the key titles Titanfall 2, Madden NFL 17, FIFA 17, Mass Effect Andromeda, and Battlefield 1.

What’s missing from this fall is a big Star Wars release, but EA wasn’t going to let the franchise pass unmentioned. Jade Raymond, GM of EA’s Motive Studios, was careful to underscore that existing Star Wars games–Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes on mobile, the Star Wars: The Old Republic PC MMORPG, and the hit Star Wars: Battlefront–are all getting new content all year long, especially this fall. Raymond also talked about upcoming Star Wars games, and EA took the unusual step of showing games from multiple studios, even where some of the games aren’t going to be appearing until 2018. It was a bold move to underscore EA’s commitment to transparency and the Star Wars brand with a variety of gameplay, from strategy to first-person shooters to RPGs and more. The message was clear: EA the publisher you turn to for Star Wars gaming.

Peter Moore used Madden NFL 17 to talk about EA’s commitment to eSports, and how the company is taking a different tack than others. “ESports are absolutely electric,” Moore said. “EA is no stranger to the power of elite competition. It’s a select few that become pro gamers. We’re embracing a unique approach to competitive gaming–we want to make competition fun and meaningful to everyone, regardless of abilities.” There will be a challenger series of events, players can host and run their own tournaments as well. “The Premier series we’ll host with partners inside and outside of the game world,” Moore promised. As a prime example, the Madden NFL 17 Championship is happening this week in LA, with eight finalists competing for $50,000. It started with a million players competing online, now narrowed down to 8. The competition will be shown on ESPN 3, with the finals on EPSN 2. In other words, EA is wisely connecting its football eSport with the football audience on TV.

“For the Madden NFL 17 Championship Series, we’re putting up $1 million in total prize money,” Moore said. “We want to reward our elite players for their efforts. There will be four EA Major events and more to be announced later.”

EA is adopting a different approach than the past in its as it moves towards a closer relationship with its audience. The most important part of the dual event was the opportunity for all attendees to go hands-on with EA games. Then there’s the massive 64-person Battlefield 1 conflict livestreamed to the world, in pure fan service. That’s just one indicator of EA’s shift towards closer involvement with its audience.

More telling are some of the other announcements made during EA’s briefing. There’s now a challenge in multiple EA games for fans to take on. Once achieved, EA will donate $1 million to five charities chosen for their focus on increasing diversity and opportunity and helping youth. EA also launched another a new program, EA Originals, which will help chosen indie developers bring innovative games to market while letting them reap all the profits. Even EA’s approach to eSports has an egalitarian ring to it, not just in celebrating pro players but creating competitions that all players can be part of. This is an Electronic Arts that’s trying hard to connect with gamers and earn their loyalty for the long term.

EA’s overall approach to E3 shows the company’s move towards putting players first. There’s no booth on the E3 show floor; instead EA Play taking place in at the Nokia venue next door to the Los Angeles Convention Center, where E3 is held. Not incidentally, there is a whole lot of streaming going on to appeal to those that can’t make it to the events.

For a while now, Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson has been emphasizing the importance of moving games from a one or two-month event at retail to a brand that delivers content, engagement, and revenue 24/7/365. That was evident in Wilson’s speech, where he emphasized the over 300 content updates that Electronic Arts delivered in the past year for its games across all platforms. The company is on track to deliver even more this year. EA is committed to providing a continuing reason to engage with their game brands, in effect pushing towards providing games as a service (GaaS).

This can also be seen in the company’s more recent initiatives with Origin Access and EA Access on Xbox Live. It’s a subscription service that provides you with access to a number of EA games, and the list continues to grow. This is yet another way for people to try out EA games, and for some it may be a fine match for the way they tend to play games.

Make no mistake , EA has a strong lineup of titles coming for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, as well as mobile. What’s changed, is how EA will be creating and delivering those games and additional content for them all year long. Also changed is the way EA is reorienting itself to market and engage directly with fans, as evidenced by the move away from the E3 show floor to events open to everyone. Even EA’s eSports efforts are taking a much more inclusive path than many companies, seeking to involve players at all levels.

‘Pokémon Sun And Moon’ Accessible To New Trainers

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Pokémon turned 20 this year, and Nintendo’s new games—Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon—are designed with an expansion of the fan base in mind.

Japanese game developers, Junichi Masuda and Shigeru Ohmori joined Nintendo for its annual, E3 Treehouse presentation today, offering insight into the themes and features of the game, as audiences watched an on-screen demo. Set on a tropical island chain called the Alola Region, Masuda explained that Pokémon Sun and Moon convey a theme of “life force overflowing.” This applies to the locale, the diversity of Pokémon and the elemental power of the Earth’s sun and moon.

This also applies to the existing, passionate fan base and those trying their hand at training “pocket monsters” for the first time.

Attracting New Trainers

The most significant addition to the franchise is localization for Chinese, currently the largest gaming market for mobile. Although this demographic covers mobile devices like phones and tablets, the Nintendo 2DS and 3DS are certainly handheld devices. Masuda explained that a lot of fans from China had expressed a desire to play, which led to their decision. This is the first time in the franchise that Chinese will be available, in addition to the existing seven language options.

While experienced players will understand the more intricate nature of collecting, trading and battling Pokémon, Sun and Moon offers newcomers a little help. An upgraded interface uses universally recognizable colors, symbols and movements that transcend language and age groups. There are other touches as well, to help keep track of stats and the effectiveness of attacks against specific opponents. Normally, trainers would keep track of this information in their heads, so being able to access the data with a simple tap of the touch screen will assist in formulating strategies.

Pokemon trainers

Honoring Veteran Trainers

When revitalizing a brand for a new generation, it’s imperative to honor the legacy that made said brand a success to begin with. For Pokémon Sun and Moon, veteran trainers will be treated to additional features to keep them coming back for more. Customization of trainer appearance, as well as improved proportions as they relate to trainer and Pokémon encourages immersion into the game world. The new Pokédex indicates when there are more creatures to collect, encouraging players to keep searching to collect them all. The E3 demo revealed three new Pokémon native to the Alola Region, as well as existing ones from outside the region to add to players’ collections.

Bringing All Trainers Together

Nintendo introduced “Battle Royale,” a 4-person multiplayer mode that pitches trainers against each other in a free-for-all battle. Each trainer can enter the arena with up to three Pokémon in their arsenal. The first trainer to lose all their Pokémon loses, and at the end of the battle, points are tallied to determine the winner. This new element, along with new players joining from China, will encourage trainers worldwide to interact.

Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon will be released for Nintendo 2DS and 3DS on November 18 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the franchise.

Nintendo Unveils Massive ‘The Legend Of Zelda’ E3 Experience

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This morning, Reggie Fils-Aimé, president and COO of Nintendo of America, appeared on a livestream directly from the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) show floor to present viewers with a first look at what’s in store for The Legend of Zelda franchise. Nintendo has prided itself on making each year’s E3 presentation unique, and it is going the extra mile this year by dedicating almost 30,000 square feet to immerse visitors in a single game.

Fils-Aimé points stated, “three decades ago, the first Zelda changed the way millions of people thought about video games. And this week, you’ll discover a game that could change that thinking again.” Then a reveal trailer was shown, revealing the full title of the new game: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Breath of the Wild is an entirely new format for a Zelda game, featuring a vibrant open world where getting from place-to-place may become an adventure of a lifetime. As Fils-Aimé explains, “this is easily one of the biggest experiences ever created by Nintendo,” and E3 attendees will be exploring “a wide-ranging plateau” environment on the show floor. The highlighted portion of the game may seem immense—in fact, Fils-Aimé claims that, “no one here this week will be able to explore all of it”—the show floor booth only represents a small portion of the full game map.

Almost the entire day of Nintendo Treehouse coverage will be dedicated to the one environment. In future, fans will learn more about the story, characters and “the way the boundaries of all previous Zelda titles are being broken.”

The Nintendo Treehouse livestream was then handed to Breath of the Wild game designer, Eiji Aonuma, who commentates on a gameplay demonstration before the doors open to the Zelda E3 experience. Presenters also remind viewers that special Zelda-themed items will become available in Miitomo today.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is expected to release sometime next year for the Nintendo Wii U and NX console systems.

Sony E3 Press Conference: The New, The Remastered And The VR

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Sony’s PlayStation E3 Press Conference started strong with a live orchestra playing a majestic, but unknown theme. Those in attendance (or watching from afar) soon learned that the music was for a much-requested game from Sony’s Santa Monica Studio…

God Of War

Fans cheered as a grizzled warrior stepped into the light and revealed his tattoos. In God of War, Kratos teaches his son to hunt in a hostile, Nordic wasteland and along the way, proves to audiences that he’s “still got it.” The soundtrack we heard at the start of the conference was written by famed composer, Bear McGreary (The Walking Dead). God of War is currently in development exclusively for PlayStation 4.

Days Gone

https://youtu.be/qkpE8neKrJU

This open-world, post-apocalyptic adventure game by Bend Studio follows the story of Deacon St. John (Sam Witwer), a “drifter and bounty hunter who rides the broken road, fighting to survive while searching for a reason to live.” In addition to the above announce trailer, viewers were treated to a demonstration of anxiety-inducing gameplay in which Deacon battles swarms of creatures that resemble Golem from The Lord of the Rings. Days Gone is currently in development exclusively for PlayStation 4.

The Last Guardian

The Last Guardian is the story of a young boy who befriends a giant griffin-like creature, Trico, and the two work together to evade guards that are after them both. Controlling the boy, players work with Trico by calling it or luring it with food to assist in navigating the terrain or solving puzzles. The game has been stuck in “development hell” since its announcement at E3 2011, but will finally see a release date of October 25.

Horizon: Zero Dawn

Revealed at E3 2015, Horizon: Zero Dawn tells the story of a young hunter named Aloy who must leave her tribe to learn the truth about her world of mechanical creatures. This open-world action role playing title is being developed by Guerrilla Games (Killzone) and is scheduled for release on February 28, 2017.

Detroit: Become Human

Heavy Rain developer, Quantum Dream revealed additional gameplay for their previously-announced tite, Detroit: Become Human. Set in a futuristic Detroit where androids have no rights, a self-aware droid named Connor must make the hard decisions in each choose-your-own-adventure scenario. This game is currently in development and is schedule to release sometime next year.

Resident Evil 7: biohazard

Capcom’s iconic survival horror brand returns to its suspenseful roots in this VR experience coming to PlayStation 4 on January 24, 2017.

Death Stranding

Hideo Kojima took to the stage with thunderous applause. “I’m back!,” he smiled. Following the cancellation of Silent Hills, Kojima continued working with Norman Reedus on a new game: Death Stranding. No release date or additional details have been announced.

Farpoint

Farpoint is a space thriller coming soon to PlayStation VR.

Spiderman

Marvel’s web-slinging hero returns in his own game, currently in development for PlayStation 4.

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The latest Star Wars film gets a LEGO parody for PS3 and PS4 in the coming weeks.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare

Fans were treated to some gameplay from the upcoming Call of Duty: Infinited Warfare.

Remastered Classics

Crash Bandicoot 1, 2 and Warp are being fully-remastered for PlayStation 4. Additionally, Crash will make an appearance as a playable character in the upcoming Skylanders: Imaginators. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will also receive the remastered treatment for next-gen consoles.

Coming Soon To Virtual Reality

PlayStation VR already has over 50 games lined up for its launch, and Sony showed off a few of those games, including Batman: Arkham VR, Star Wars Battlefront: X-Wing Mission and Final Fantasy XV VR Experience.

“PlayStation’s heritage has been built around innovation and ground-breaking gaming experiences, and today’s reveals of new PS4 and PS VR content speaks to our continued commitment to this evolution of gaming,” said Shawn Layden, President of SIEA and Chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios. “From the reimagining of God of War to the brand new world of Days Gone, this E3 marks one of the best content line-ups in PlayStation history. With the launch of PS VR on the horizon, innovation also has never been stronger at PlayStation, as developers, from smaller independent teams to larger studios, have been able to quickly leverage the technology and create unique experiences that truly embody VR’s potential.”

‘Assassin’s Creed’ Movie Will Combine New And Familiar Elements

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Historically, video game movies are not well received by fans, but the Assassin’s Creed franchise is all about changing history. As an interactive medium, it’s not just video game characters and stories that filmmakers adapt—it is how the game made each player feel. Since this experience is greatly varied from person to person, fan reception is not always kind.

Producing the Assassin’s Creed film is Frank Marshall, who has worked on such films as Raiders of the Lost Ark and Back To The Future. “I’m always looking for a good story,” he said during the Sony E3 press conference today. “I thought that the Assassin’s Creed universe really had all the elements that could make a great movie.”

For those not familiar with the franchise, Assassin’s Creed involves the eternal struggle between Assassins and Templars, with gameplay involving both historical and modern times. Using an interface called Animus, descendants of Assassins are kidnapped by Abstergo Industries (modern-day Templars) and forced to relive their genetic memories. While this concept remains intact for the upcoming big-screen adaptation, the writers didn’t want to “repeat history,” as it were.

“It was our goal as filmmakers to stay respectful to the DNA of the brand, and bring something new to the franchise that can be experienced in movie theaters,” said Marshall. “We have a new story, we have a new hero, dynamic supporting players and characters, we mixed a little bit of the old and the familiar up with a new element.”

He added, “It’s the multi-layered mythology that we have that comes from the game and putting you into the story. We have a real story and it has an arc that goes all the way util the end. [It’s] being able to have the same wish fulfillment as you have in the game.”

While the Assassin’s Creed movie tells an all-new story set in Ubisoft’s world of parkour and stealth, fans of the game franchise should keep an eye out for a plethora of easter eggs throughout the film, which premieres December 21.

PlayStation VR Has Over 50 Games Lined Up And Counting

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Live from the PlayStation E3 2016 press conference, Sony Chairman Sean Layden declared that 2016 is a seminal year for virtual reality. “The time has finally come for everyone to enjoy VR in their own home,” Layden stated. “At PlayStation, we have a combination of the necessary processing and graphics power already built into 40 million PS4s that have been sold worldwide.” That’s a huge installed base, and Layton announced that the official US launch date for the PlayStation VR (which costs $399) is October 13, giving millions of PS4 owners a chance to experience VR.

One of the more stunning VR announcements of the evening included how Resident Evil 7 will be playable from beginning to end in PlayStation VR when it releases on January 24. There will be over 50 games releasing for PlayStation VR this year, with some being exclusive originals. A few more games were added to the list tonight, and they include:

  • Farpoint
  • Star Wars Battlefront X-Wing VR Mission
  • Batman Arkham VR
  • Final Fantasy XV VR Experience

It’s clear that the PlayStation VR has an incredible line-up of games to support its release this fall, making it a major contender among the premium VR headsets.

All Ubisoft E3 2016 Press Conference Announcements

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Ubisoft is famous for pushing the boundaries of entertainment, and that includes being among the first developers to take on virtual reality and developing games that others might consider strange. Of course, not everything is experimental, and huge AAA productions like Ghost Recon Wildlands make up some of the main highlights of the Ubisoft E3 Press Conference. This is an especially big year for the publisher, since it marks its 30-year anniversary. To celebrate, Ubisoft is giving away a free game every month until the end of the year.

This year’s press conference included six new game announcements, which are:

Just Dance 2017

The Just Dance series has been an annual release since the first game launched in 2009. Today’s press conference kicked-off with an elaborate dance number, complete with a variety of costumes and props to announce Just Dance 2017. The game will come to all consoles and the PC in October, and is the first Ubisoft game to be announced for Nintendo’s NX console.

Star Trek: Bridge Crew

Ubisoft is developing the very first Star Trek-themed VR game, Star Trek: Bridge Crew. To announce the milestone game, the developers gathered actors Levar Burton, Jeri Ryan and Karl Urban—who have all starred in Star Trek shows and movies—to team up and play the game for themselves. All the actors were blown away by the experience, and got viewers psyched for the game’s release this fall for all major virtual reality platforms.

Trials of the Dragon Blood

Two Ubisoft developers took to the stage wearing very loud pink tracksuits with tiger stripes to announce that the popular stunt/puzzle game Trials Fusion and the trippy ’80s sci-fi action shooter, Far Cry Dragon Blood, were having a baby together. That child is Trials of the Dragon Blood, a game full of bright and crazy stunt tracks for players to master. Best of all, the game launched for consoles and the PC on the same day it was announced.

Grow Up

The charming game featuring a wobbly red robot riding giant plant vines, Grow Home, is getting a sequel called Grow Up. Developed by Ubisoft Reflections, the game will feature the return of the robot named B.U.D., who will make his way all the way to moon, but this time without the guidance of a mothership computer. The game will release for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in August.

Watch Dogs 2

First revealed last week in a livestreaming event, Watch Dogs 2 is one of the biggest game announcements of the Ubisoft press conference. The sequel takes the gameplay features introduced with the original Watch Dogs to a whole new level, this time turning the city of San Francisco to a hacker’s playground. Related announcements included a reminder from Sony VP of marketing that a Watch Dogs movie was in the works, and that Ubisoft was strengthening its partnership with the PlayStation 4 by releasing all Watch Dogs 2 DLC content 30 days before it comes to other consoles. If that’s not enough incentive to pick up the game, then maybe the collector’s edition might sway you. It’ll come with its very own toy remote controlled robot.

Steep

Always pushing the boundaries of entertainment, Ubisoft announced Steep at its E3 press conference. It is the first open world extreme sports game, where players can snowboard, flying using wingsuits, and traverse a mountainside however they like. Inspired by the Alps, the game will feature hundreds of activities and challenges. Steep will release later this year for consoles and PC.

‘Watch Dogs 2’ Hacks Ubisoft’s E3 2016 Press Conference

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Watch Dogs 2 was officially unveiled last week when Ubisoft livestreamed an extensive gameplay demonstration, showing how the sequel will take place in San Francisco, and players will be able to hack and control virtually everything. That includes people’s personal devices and taking remote control of cars.

Audiences got an even deeper look at the game at Ubisoft’s E3 2016 press event. Host Aisha Tyler’s introduction is suddenly interrupted when the screens behind her start to glitch before showing the Dedsec hacker group logo. Then the lights go out as Tyler leaves the stage, and a hacker activist character takes over the screen. The character talks about how big corporations have taken control of a popular social media network, and is manipulating feeds so that its users will be tricked into voting for their puppet politician, Congressman Mark Thruss. The character even calls the social network, “the most powerful population control tool ever created,” and urges viewers to join Dedsec to take back their democracy.

The hacker takeover transitions straight into a gameplay video, and that’s when Ubisoft Montreal’s creative director, Jonathan Morin, takes to the stage to present the game’s features and how San Francisco will become the player’s new hacker playground. Players will take the role of Marcus Holloway, a brilliant hacker who is on a mission to take control back from the establishment.

Watch Dog 2‘s demonstration switches to a mission, where the player must find a way to break into Congressman Thruss’ heavily guarded apartment to steal evidence using a variety of tools, including drones and a zapper the incapacitates guards. Of course, the stealthy approach doesn’t last forever, and the Marcus soon finds himself in a gun fight, showcasing the high-action gameplay, before making a daring escape.

Once the gameplay demonstration was concluded, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot was welcomed to the stage, and he talked about how the success of 2012’s Watch Dogs was largely due to the partnership the company had with Sony. Ubisoft is continuing that partnership with the sequel by inviting Sony’s president of global sales and marketing, Jim Ryan, onto the stage to state how there is a Watch Dogs 2 movie in the works. Given the hype behind the upcoming Assassin’s Creed movie, Ubisoft’s second major motion picture could end up making a huge impression too. Additionally, as a show of how deep this partnership goes, PlayStation 4 owners will have access to all Watch Dogs 2 DLC content 30-days before they are released on any other platform.

Watch Dogs 2 releases on November 15, and the collector’s edition includes a remote controlled model of the security robot that’s seen in the game.