Ubisoft is once again partnering with Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox Interactive to make a video game based on James Cameron’s Avatar series, the publisher has announced. Whether this new project will have any connection to Ubisoft’s previous use of the license with 2009’s James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game has yet to be confirmed, but considering the general lack of enthusiasm that title received, don’t be surprised to see this venture purposefully distanced from what came before.
Development duties this time around are being handled by none other than The Division studio Ubisoft Massive, which will be building the game in its Snowdrop engine. So for now, at least, you can rest assured that the project is in good and talented hands.
Perhaps more interesting is the fact that the announcement follows yesterday’s revelation that Avatar 2 has finally secured a date to start filming, that being at some point in August, so it’s looking likely that Massive’s crack at making an Avatar video game will tie in with the release of Cameron’s highly anticipated film sequel. As per Screen Rant, Cameron said of the announcement that he believes Massive are the “right partners to bring the beauty and danger of Pandora to life,” adding that he was impressed by the developer’s “passion” for the project.
Massive’s managing director David Polfeldt had an equally complementary sentiment to share in regards to Cameron’s talent:
James Cameron and Lightstorm Entertainment changed the way we think about immersive storytelling with the first Avatar, and the ambition that they have for the forthcoming films and this game is really inspiring. It’s a privilege to work with them and we’re honored that they’ve entrusted us to create an experience worthy of the Avatar name.
Indeed, in combining Cameron’s dangerous but beautiful Pandora with Massive’s talent for crafting open worlds, this could prove to be a marriage made in heaven, but we’ll have to wait for the arrival of some gameplay before any firmer opinions can be formed. For now, though, color us intrigued.
