Things have not been going smoothly for Ubisoft lately. Between company challenges, layoffs, and development issues, one of its biggest upcoming games, Ghost Recon: Project OVR, is now facing major changes behind the scenes. According to Insider-Gaming, Ubisoft has significantly reduced the scope of the next Ghost Recon after a difficult development period.
Sources familiar with the project say an internal Alpha test held this spring revealed serious problems. The build was described as being in a “terrible state and isn’t stable at all.” To keep development on track, Ubisoft has reportedly removed a large amount of planned content and scaled back several features. Sources did not reveal exactly what was cut, but they say the game is now much smaller than originally planned.
In an effort to get the project back on track, Ubisoft brought in Vice President of Production Jean-Baptiste Duval and Global Creative Vice President Julien Sansalone in mid-April. However, developers reportedly say their arrival has not changed daily operations or reduced pressure on the team. At the same time, Ubisoft Paris is said to have carried out “silent layoffs,” with several affected employees having worked on Project OVR. The developers who remain on the project are now expected to have a Beta version ready by November.
With fewer staff and a tight schedule, teams are reportedly preparing for long periods of “crunch” to meet that goal. Layoffs, reduced features, and aggressive deadlines have added even more pressure to an already challenging development process. As more information about the project becomes available, we’ll make sure to let you guys know here at GameObserver.
In other Ubisoft news, the company is reportedly developing a remake of the original Assassin’s Creed, which is expected to follow the release of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced.
