The Ghost Recon franchise has been around for almost 7 years now, and based on new information it doesn’t look like the next game – allegedly called Project OVR internally – will be coming out anytime soon.
Insider Gaming has the inside track on all things Ubisoft. Indeed, it sometimes seems as if the site has more knowledge of what goes on inside Ubisoft than Ubisoft’s leadership itself. A few months ago, Insider Gaming reported that the next Ghost Recon was struggling due to poor leadership, unrealistic deadlines and a lack of planning.
Now, Insider Gaming has more to share. According to their sources, Ghost Recon failed the alpha test in early Spring. Sources also said this was not a surprise, describing it as “in a bad shape” and “not stable at all.”
Because of this, the scope of the game was “cut and reduced significantly, with many features removed from the project”.
The game is scheduled to enter beta testing in November. Insider Gaming’s sources are concerned that this tight deadline could lead to pressure to get the game ready.
The Ghost Recon IP currently falls under the jurisdiction of Creative House 2, one of Ubisoft’s many new ventures. Other productions under its control include Splinter Cell and The Division.
To try to stop the bleeding, Ubisoft has recently reorganized around five “Creative Houses”, each focusing on different types of games. Vantage Studios, the most high-profile of the group and the one backed by Tencent, is now looking at Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry and Rainbow Six.
On paper, that makes sense. Basically, it means that Ghost Recon sits in one of the most unusual parts of Ubisoft’s entire business. Tom Clancy’s label used to be one of the company’s gems, but these days it feels like a dusty box of old lips that Ubisoft looks at from time to time before deciding to do some more research on a live service.
The general condition of the company is not very good. As part of its restructuring, Ubisoft canceled six games, delayed seven others and closed several studios. The most notable victim was Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake, a game that was already a joke thanks to years of delays, reboots and radio silence before Ubisoft finally put it out of its misery.
And that’s the problem hanging over Project OVR. Ubisoft is trying to cut costs, narrow its focus and somehow restore confidence at a time when one of its so-called important franchises is reportedly unstable, reduced in scope and headed for a beta deadline.
Maybe Project OVR can still be held accountable. The games have recovered from previously poor internal design, and Ghost Recon is still a name with enough weight behind it to be relevant. But right now, this feels less like the triumphant return of Ubisoft’s biggest franchise and more like another example of a company still trying to figure out what the hell it really wants to be.
