JAGEX PARTNERS SIGNS DEAL WITH OUTLIER GAMES TO PUBLISH ‘THIS MEANS WARP’

Jagex to support the launch of Outlier Games’ first title

The roguelike title is the third deal of the RuneScape creators’ third-party publishing initiative, following ‘Space Punks’ and ‘Melvor Idle’

LONDON, UK – Thursday, February 3, 2022. Jagex, the leader in developing and publishing deep, community-driven video games today announced that it has signed a deal with Irish/Canadian indie developer Outlier Games to publish the studio’s inaugural game – the spaceship management roguelike This Means Warp. The game is set to be released on PC via Steam Early Access on March 17th 2022.

Designed with multiplayer and replayability at its core, This Means Warp encourages players to cooperate and think tactically in hectic, real-time space battles, and adopt shrewd strategies as they guide their ship through a hostile, procedurally generated universe. Taking inspiration from roguelikes such as FTL and party games such as the Overcooked series, This Means Warp sees players control crew members onboard a ship, manning different systems, targeting weapons and conducting repairs, and ultimately charting a course through the treacherous void of space.

Check out the gameplay trailer for This Means Warp here

This Means Warp is the first game to be developed by Outlier Games, an independent studio founded by Paul Froggatt and Matt Rathbun in 2018, based in Dublin, Ireland, and Toronto, Canada. It will be the third game to be published by Jagex Partners, the publishing arm of the British game developer of deep, community-driven games and best known for the RuneScape franchise. Jagex Partners will be providing additional resources, marketing support and its extensive publishing experience throughout This Means Warp’s launch and commercial lifecycle.

Technical director and co-founder of Outlier Games Paul Froggatt said: “We’re incredibly excited to be working with Jagex Partners to bring This Means Warp to market. The scale of support that we’ve been able to draw on in the run up to our Early Access release has really impressed us, not just in terms of the specialised skill sets that the teams at Jagex bring to the table, but how much their support has allowed us to plan for the future of both This Means Warp and Outlier Games as a company. They’ve been nothing but responsive and professional throughout this entire process and we look forward to working closely with them moving forward.”

Phil Mansell, Jagex CEO, said: “When we were first introduced to Outlier Games, we were incredibly impressed with what they’d created in This Means Warp – it combines some of the best aspects of roguelikes with party games in a way that encourages cooperation and has endless replayability. What most stood out to us as a publisher was how Outlier has involved its community at every stage of development so far, putting player feedback at the centre of how the game is made, and influencing the direction its development has taken. As a publisher, it’s a rare pleasure to find a game that resonates with its player base, that can bring that appeal to the wider gaming audience, and that has serious long term commercial opportunity. We look forward to supporting the launch of This Means Warp later this year, and Outlier Games as a developer well into the future.”

More details about This Means Warp can be found on the official Steam Page here, where players can also enjoy a fully playable demo of the game prior to its launch on Steam Early Access later on March 17th 2022.

If you are interested in interviewing any of the Jagex or Outlier Games teams, then please drop me an email and I will be happy to set something up! Paul from Outlier Games has a great story about jumping ship from Google to pursue a career in game development, wherein his main goal is to create a game that allows others to have the most fun that Paul and Matt can possibly engineer!

###

Mark Allen PR Ltd – on behalf of Five in a Boat / Jagex 

About Jagex:
A leader in creating deep and engaging live games on PC and mobile, Jagex’s flagship MMORPG, RuneScape, has welcomed almost 300million player accounts to its world and is a $1billion lifetime revenue franchise. Today the RuneScape franchise exists beyond running games in live operations; our titles are living games that connect and inspire millions of players, with content and experiences both inside and outside of inexhaustible game worlds. Both RuneScape and Old School RuneScape, on PC and mobile, offer ever-evolving, highly active worlds and our community-focused development ethos empowers players to have a real say in how each game is shaped. Now we’re expanding and extending our portfolio via Jagex Partners with fresh franchise titles and new IP to bring life to the living games of the future. Jagex employs more than 450 people at its Cambridge headquarters. For more information about Jagex go to www.jagex.com

About Outlier Games:
Based in Dublin, Ireland, and Toronto, Canada, Outlier is an independent video game development studio focused on community-led multiplayer games. Founded in 2018 by experienced entrepreneurs from the tech and entertainment industries, Outlier develops strategic, replayable experiences for

32% of UK’s colleges set to compete in the British Esports Student Champs

February 3rd 2022, London: The British Esports Student Champs has once again returned, following the kick off of the Spring Divisions in January. Year-on-year the Student Champs has continued to grow significantly, but saw a rapid increase in participants since the addition of the popular first-person shooter title Valorant, in Winter 2021. 

The Champs is an extracurricular, team-based activity that engages a wide demographic of young people; whilst providing an avenue to motivate and inspire students.

With an increased number of sign-ups, the Spring Divisions will see a total of 365 teams compete from across 124 schools and colleges. 90 of the 124 participating institutions are colleges, meaning that the British Esports Student Champs will see 32.4% of the UK’s colleges competing this spring. 

Schools and colleges can register teams to compete over the course of the academic year in four esports titles: Rocket League, Overwatch, League of Legends, and Valorant.

For more information, visit the British Esports Student Champs website. 

During the Winter qualifiers, which concluded at the end of December 2021, teams competed in each esports title to determine their division in Spring, based upon their position on the final Winter leaderboard. Each division in Spring will have its own group stage and playoffs, and the top finalists will battle it out at a live grand finals event.

Last year British Esports confirmed that the grand finals will be held in collaboration with the Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies – part of Nottingham Trent University in 2022. Due to conflicts with exam times, the event has been pushed back from original dates 18th-19th June to the 2nd-3rd July 2022 in Nottingham.  

The 2020/21 seasons’ events were summarised in an event aftermovie, which can be found here. 

Programme details for this year’s live finals are to be confirmed over the coming months.

About the British Esports Association

The British Esports Association is a not-for-profit organisation established in 2016 to support and promote esports in the UK.

As a national body, its aims are to foster future British talent, increase the awareness of esports and provide expertise and advice. It’s focused on the grassroots level of esports and is not a governing body.

The Association helps educate the masses – including parents, teachers, media and government – around what esports is and what its benefits are. Its three goals are to promote, improve and inspire.

Today’s State of Play showcase provided players with an in-depth look at the modes and features of Gran Turismo 7. The latest instalment launches Friday, 4 March and celebrates the idea of car culture in the modern-day. 

The unique episode featured 30 minutes of never-before-seen gameplay footage for Gran Turismo 7 captured directly on PlayStation 5, an insight into various modes, and much more. 

Let’s take a closer look at what players will experience when they first access the game…

Music Rally

Hop into a Porsche Carrera Speedster ‘56 and race through the Music Rally. On the surface, it’s an arcade-style race where players will enjoy some motivating, up-tempo tunes while trying to reach checkpoints before time runs out. 

Purchasing a car

The World Map is players’ home base in the resort-themed world of GT7. The first task to complete is using some provided in-game credits to purchase a used car.

Cafe

This comfy locale offers players “Menu Books” of activities to complete for new cars and other game-progression goodies. 

License Center

Unlock the License Center, featuring rigorous driving tests known to GT veterans all over the world. 

Tuning 

With a handful of cars now in players’ garage and new skills at their command, a Cafe menu will direct players to the newly opened Tuning Shop. This place is loaded with parts of all shapes and sizes, with even more to be unlocked. 

This is just the tip of the iceberg, as players progress through the game they will open many more features to explore. 

Players can pre-order Gran Turismo 7 on PlayStation Store and selected retailers for either PS4 or PS5. 

If you missed the showcase, be sure to check out the full State of Play episode here.

For more information on this morning’s State of Play, head to the PlayStation Blog.

For the latest PlayStation news, follow on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.  

WWE® 2K22 Ringside Report Unveils 9+ Minutes of Gameplay Footage with Developer Commentary 

Visual Concepts developers break down full match of new WWE 2K22 gameplay

2K today unveiled WWE® 2K22 Ringside Report #1, the first in an ongoing video series offering deep dives into the game’s features, mechanics, and more. The Ringside Report #1 video showcases WWE 2K22 gameplay and provides a closer look at some of the new advancements that make this iteration of the franchise Hit Different.

To view the Gameplay Deep Dive click the image below

Creative Director Lynell Jinks, Art Producer Christina Diem Pham, Principal Designer Jason Vandiver, Senior Producer Jonathan Rivera, and Senior Designer Derek Donahue provide commentary as a full WWE 2K22 match plays out, pitting cover Superstar Rey Mysterio against emerging phenom Damian Priest in more than nine minutes of gameplay.

Throughout the match, the Visual Concepts team highlights:

• New dynamic animations, only possible through the redesigned gameplay engine, on display from both Superstars in the ring. The Superstars feel more responsive and easier to control, and each move connects smoother and more precisely. 
• An overhauled lighting engine that showcases the extreme details of the Superstars, making them look hyper realistic.
• Tweaked object physics allow for unexpected moments throughout the match. Kendo sticks fray with each hit, and tables and corner barricades break dynamically to create a more authentic match experience.
• Strategic defensive commands which include blocking, dodging, and breakers. 

For more details on the latest innovations coming to WWE 2K22, check out the full Ringside Report #1. WWE 2K22 will be available on March 11, 2022*.

For more information on WWE 2K22, visit the game’s official website, become a fan on Facebook, follow the game on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #WWE2K22 or subscribe on YouTube.

Visual Concepts is a 2K studio. 2K is a wholly owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

*WWE 2K22 Standard Edition and Cross-Gen Bundle will be available March 11, 2022. WWE 2K22 Deluxe Edition and nWo 4-Life Digital Edition will be available on March 8, 2022.

# # #

TUNE IN FOR THE START OF THE TOM CLANCY’S RAINBOW SIX^® INVITATIONAL 2022 ON FEBRUARY 8

The Six Invitational 2022 will see 20 of the world’s best teams compete for the title of World Champions and feature updates on the future of the game and its esports scene

Sydney, Australia – February 3, 2022 – Today, Ubisoft announced that the Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six^® Invitational 2022 will take place from February 8 to 20. After a season-long race, the top 20 teams worldwide are preparing for the most awaited event of the year in Rainbow Six Esports with hopes of claiming the title of World Champions and lifting the coveted hammer. Due to recent regulations and event restrictions in Quebec, Canada, where the Six Invitational 2022 was scheduled to take place, the event has been relocated to Stockholm, Sweden. With the health and safety of our pro players, fans, staff, and partners as our first priority, the event will be held in a LAN environment following strict sanitary measures and will not have any on-site audience.

More than just a tournament, the Six Invitational is a special moment for the entire Siege family, host to breathtaking matchups, community events, and exciting news as the game enters a new year. On top of the competition, the event will also feature reveal panels announcing details on the next season of Rainbow Six Siege on February 19 and updates on the future of the game and its esports scene during the Year 7 Roadmap on February 20.

Additionally, for its sixth edition, selected streamers and content creators will have the opportunity to provide an extra viewing experience of the Six Invitational on their own channels, as part of Ubisoft’s new online Watch Party Program. As a new opportunity opened for the Six Invitational 2022, the Watch Party program aims to offer more ways for the Rainbow Six community to enjoy some of their favourite esports content.

The competition will kick off with the Group Stage, where the 20 qualified teams will be divided into 4 groups of 5 teams, with the top 4 teams from each group advancing to the Playoffs.

• February 8 – 12: Group Stage.
• February 14 – 16 & February 18 – 19: Playoffs, with a rest day on February 17.
• February 20: Grand Final.

Here are the 20 teams that will compete during the Six Invitational 2022:

• Team oNe Esports (Latin America)
• Team BDS (Europe)
• Team Liquid (Latin America)
• Ninjas in Pyjamas (Latin America)
• Soniqs (North America)
• Oxygen Esports (North America)
• FaZe Clan (Latin America)
• Elevate (Asia-Pacific)
• Natus Vincere (Europe)
• Spacestation Gaming (North America)
• Team Empire (Europe)
• DarkZero Esports (North America)
• DWG KIA (Asia-Pacific)
• FURIA Esports (Latin America)
• SANDBOX GAMING (Asia-Pacific)
• Rogue (Europe)
• Cyclops athlete Gaming (Asia-Pacific Qualifier)
• MNM Gaming (European Qualifier)
• TSM FTX (North American Qualifier)
• MIBR (Latin American Qualifier)

In addition to the competition, the Six Invitational will also include a charity Showmatch featuring 10 of the finest content creators from the Rainbow Six Siege community, competing for a USD $50,000 prize pool to be fully donated to SpecialEffect. The match has been pre-recorded and will be broadcast live on stream on February 19 at 2:30AM AEDT.

More details about the Six Invitational 2022 such as competitive format details, schedules, online Watch Party program, health and safety measures, Twitch Drops, merchandising and more, are available in the Event Guide: https://rainbow6.com/SI2022EventGuide

For more information about Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Esports, please visit http://www.rainbow6.com/esports and follow us at https://twitter.com/R6esports and https://instagram.com/R6esports.

###

About the Rainbow Six Esports Global Program
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege’s Esports includes 4 main regions, Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. All four regions run in parallel their own dedicated regional leagues, all feeding into one unique and global race towards a qualification for the Six Invitational, the pinnacle of the Rainbow Six Siege competitive year. As teams across the four regions face off in regional and global competitions, featuring 3 Majors and regional leagues, they will be ranked based on an in-depth point system that rewards sustained performance. Each competitive Season runs for nearly a year, from March through the following February. Each Season will be divided into 4 quarters. The first three quarters correspond to the 3 “Stages” of the regional leagues and conclude with a Six Major bringing together 16 of the world’s best teams – four per region across the four regions. Each stage awards prize money and points for the Global Standings. The Global Standings determine the sixteen teams earning a spot to the annual Six Invitational. Following the 3 stages, the last quarter of the season will be dedicated to regional finals and relegations. The season will then conclude with the Six Invitational that will crown the world’s best team. Four additional teams will also have a chance to qualify for the Six Invitational through Regional Open Qualifiers, making the Six invitational a 20-team competition.

About Ubisoft 

Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, For Honor, Just Dance, Watch Dogs, and Tom Clancy’s video game series including Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six and The Division. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2020-21 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €2,241 million. To learn more, please visit: http://www.ubisoftgroup.com. 

© 2022 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are registered trademarks in the US and/or other countries. 

Highly Anticipated Instalment to Original Award-Winning Series Launches for PC and Mobile Devices on March 1st, 2022

CALABASAS, Calif. – February 2nd, 2022 – Global video game publisher 505 Games today announced that Puzzle Quest 3 (PQ3), an all-new instalment to the ground-breaking puzzle-RPG franchise, will launch on March 1, 2022 and be free-to-play on Steam, App Store and Google Play Stores worldwide. PQ3 is the long-awaited sequel to the original Puzzle Quest series featuring an evolved 1-versus-1 battle system now realized in a 3D game world. Today also marks the beginning of the pre-registration campaign where fans can unlock rewards through community engagement and kickstart their puzzle adventure.

Puzzle Quest 3 modernizes the globally popular series, offering a new take on the puzzle combat system. Players will enjoy the signature 1-versus-1 battles and new puzzle mechanics, including timed back-to-back 8-directional gem matching to help build mana and cast spells on enemies, opening up new strategic possibilities with every battle. The game takes place 500 years after the original Puzzle Quest, in the familiar lands of Etheria where heroes are called to save the realm from a new evil threatening all of dragon kind. 

The newly released gameplay trailer showcases five hero classes launching this March. Players can choose to play as a Paladin, Berzerker, Shaman, Necromancer or Assassin to unleash powerful spells and defeat enemies in puzzle battles across the world of Etheria. The game recalls its popular deep RPG mechanics and fantasy-based storylines that made the original a standout hit, with plans to continue introducing new classes and game content over time.

“Over a decade ago, we introduced Puzzle Quest to gamers, innovating a new puzzle-RPG hybrid genre, and created a franchise that is still going strong today with millions of players globally,” said Steve Fawkner, CEO and Creative Lead at Infinity Plus Two. “I am thrilled for the opportunity to finally continue the series and globally debut Puzzle Quest 3 this coming March. We have a big roadmap ahead with some big surprises that I’m sure will excite fans, both old and new.”

Starting today, players can join the countdown to launch by visiting the game website at www.PuzzleQuest3.com to participate in the pre-registration campaign and learn how to unlock free rewards at launch. Reward milestones are based on completing “quests” such as wishlisting on Steam, pre-registering on Google Play, signing up for the newsletter or following PQ3 on social media (Facebook and Twitter @puzzlequest3).  With each milestone completed, all players will receive greater in-game rewards to help kick start their journey into Etheria, from valuable resources like gems and gold, to powerful gear like the Dragonguard Ring.

About 505 Games
505 Games, a Digital Bros’ subsidiary, is a global publisher focused on offering a broad selection of video games for players of all ages and skill levels. The company publishes and distributes premium and free-to-play games on console and PC platforms as well as mobile devices.

Publishing highlights include DEATH STRANDING (PC), Control, Assetto Corsa Competizione, Ghostrunner, Gems of War, Journey to the Savage Planet, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons.

505 Games has offices in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, China and Japan.

For more information on 505 Games and its products please visit 505games.com

About Puzzle Quest
Puzzle Quest is a critically acclaimed franchise that has generated over $200 million in revenue and an estimated 32 million users globally. The original Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords launched in 2007 and defined the puzzle-RPG genre by merging match-3 puzzles and fantasy role-playing gameplay. In 2010, the highly successful sequel Puzzle Quest 2 continued the story and further refined the gameplay. The franchise has since expanded into multiple sequels and spin-offs, now with the newly announced Puzzle Quest 3 as the latest multiplatform instalment in the franchise.

# # #

Three special events in Habbo celebrate family, relationships, new beginnings and adventure with heaps of limited-edition rares, furnis and more!

Helsinki, Finland, February 2nd 2021 – Love is in the air in Habbo! Starting today players can celebrate Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year festivities with returning and new limited-edition rares, furnis, clothing items and bundles. Additionally this month, say hello to van life the Habbo way with the charming Van Life event!

The year of the Tiger roars into Habbo with tiger statues and accessories, while the more amorously-minded Habbos can stock up on special Valentine’s Day items. And for those of you craving a bit more adventure to break up your winter, hop into one of 4 collectible vans and see where the road takes you! Whether you’re a beach lover dying to catch some sun and waves, a rockstar touring the world, or just a vacation diehard chasing as many holidays as possible, there’s a van to suit your needs this month in Habbo. Start by mending a Rusty Van using the hammer effect in-game and unlock one of 4 stylish vans. Collect all 4 and get a bonus 5th “Bling Bling” van to experience your cross-country adventure in ultimate style.

For more information, visit: https://www.habbo.com/

About Habbo & Sulake

Sulake is a social entertainment company focused on providing a safe and fun online service for self-expression through its games, Habbo and Hotel Hideaway. Sulake was founded in 2000 by a small team of passionate people and now after 20 years, Habbo is still one of the largest virtual communities in the world, reaching players all over the world each month. With paying customers in over 115 countries and over 850,000 active users a month, Habbo continues to be a hugely popular and globally recognised brand.

Sulake’s mission is to enable its users to meet new people, make friends and give them a place to create and share their user-generated content in fun virtual surroundings. Sulake is a leader in ensuring online safety for children and was acquired in 2020 by Dutch media and technology company Azerion. www.sulake.com

Invisible Walls Celebrates Lunar New Year With Themed Accessories and New Free Content

Denver, CO – Feb 2nd, 2021 – Independent developer Invisible Walls ApS and game publisher Versus Evil are pleased to announce its latest content pack celebrating the Lunar New Year for multiplayer social deduction game First Class Trouble, available to buy now on Steam for PC and the PlayStation store for console.

Residents onboard the Alithea can celebrate with a wide selection of Lunar New Year inspired outfits invoking the traditional spirits of Asia that they left behind long ago. Players can customize their character wardrobe with a variety of New Year party accessories including hand fans, Chinese dragon mask, New Year dress, Two piece suit, shoes and more.

Even the Vruumbas have been decorated as dragons to roam the halls and instill wonderment upon the ship’s residents. Players will also notice areas decorated for Lunar New Year in the Gardens, Resort, Casino, Restaurant and even the Main Menu! 

Free content in the form of two new items also arrives in the game. The padlock is a new mechanic that allows all players with the item to lock syringe stands so they will take significantly longer to open. Additionally, the Proximity Scanner aims to bring some more deception and investigation into the game. A spiritual reimagination of the earlier Corpse Scanner of sorts, this new item can be used on a corpse and will detect smells to identify the two people who were closest to the person that died.

First Class Trouble has a vast array of cosmetic options available from eight other DLC packs, providing players with a huge selection of outfits such as uniforms, evening gowns, hats, tuxedos, swimwear and Winter gear to customize their player characters with.

First Class Trouble is a multiplayer social deduction game where six players must work together to shut down C.A.I.N., the rogue A.I. of a failing luxury space cruise-liner that is trying to kill them. Two of the six players are chosen at random to secretly play as Personoids, killer humanoids sent by C.A.I.N. to betray the other players. 

For more details on the latest update check out the full release notes here.

First Class Trouble main website: https://www.firstclasstrouble.com
Versus Evil First Class Trouble page: https://versusevil.com/fct/
First Class Trouble Steam page:  here.
Sony PlayStation Store page: here
Stay up to date with First Class Trouble via Twitter here.

About Invisible Walls
Invisible Walls is an award winning indie studio established in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2017. Their focus is to create games with a strong emphasis on the social experience as well as making games that are as fun to watch as they are to play – underlining their ambition to embrace both players and audiences. 

About Versus Evil
Founded in 2013, Versus Evil, LLC is the US based video game publisher behind critically acclaimed video games First Class Trouble, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire and The Banner Saga trilogy. Publishing games on all major mobile, PC and console platforms, Versus Evil works with independent development studios from around the world. The corporate philosophy is to champion for the independent game developer. For more information visit versusevil.com

UBISOFT ANNOUNCES NEW GLOBAL “ESPORTS AND COMPETITIVE GAMING” DIVISION

Starting January 2022, the Esports and Competitive Gaming division will operate as a consolidated global team, shaping the future of Ubisoft’s portfolio of existing and future competitive games.

Sydney, Australia — February 2, 2022 — Today, Ubisoft announced the reshape of its internal esports teams into one “Esports and Competitive Gaming” division, a newly consolidated global team which, while continuously developing Ubisoft’s competitive gaming activity in local territories through regional and local experts, will work towards one common objective, shaping the future of esports and competitive gaming at Ubisoft, and deliver on the company’s mission: enrich players’ lives by creating memorable and meaningful experience, on all levels of competition.

“Building upon six years of experience drawn from our competitive gaming activities on titles such Tom Clancy’s^® Rainbow Six Siege, Brawlhalla^®, Trackmania^® or For Honor^®, and looking at the evolution of our industry across the board, the revamp of our internal structure will give us the adequate tools to enter the next chapter of our journey and shape the future of esports and competitive gaming at Ubisoft.”, shared Geoffroy Sardin, Senior Vice President, Executive Publishing at Ubisoft.

François-Xavier Deniele, at the forefront of all strategic topics since the early days of esports at Ubisoft and orchestrating the company’s esports operations in the EMEA region for the past 6 years, has been appointed Senior Director, Esports and Competitive Gaming. He will now oversee all aspects of esports and competitive gaming at Ubisoft and lead the team as it takes on current and upcoming challenges and opportunities across all esports and competitive gaming strategic topics. 

“We are proud of what our teams have accomplished over the past years in all regions, and of the milestones we have reached on our competitive portfolio in such a short time.” said François-Xavier Deniele, Senior Director, Esports and Competitive Gaming at Ubisoft. “Now our focus turns to 2022 and beyond. Strengthening esports and competitive gaming as a key pillar of Ubisoft’s culture, our streamlined internal organization will allow us to gain in agility, ultimately benefiting all our competitive ecosystems across Ubisoft’s portfolio of brands.”  

The Esports and Competitive Gaming division is dedicated to:

• Building thriving and inclusive competitive ecosystems for Ubisoft’s portfolio of competitive games, for fans to engage and take part in, and for organizations and sponsors to grow in. Whether looking at our most mature esports scenes such as Rainbow Six Siege’s, Brawlhalla’s and Trackmania’s, or other existing and future competitive games, we are dedicated to grow each competitive ecosystem into reaching its full potential.
• Creating a multi-year plan with competitive activities, tournaments and leagues adapted to all, and a clear path from amateur to professional play, that inspires and engages players across the world.  
• Providing superior entertainment value and service to Ubisoft’s audience, through a diverse esports product offer, premium broadcast and event production, entertaining content, and a strong local presence allowing local communities to enjoy activities and content tailored for them.
• Leveraging new opportunities by accompanying early on Ubisoft’s development and editorial teams across Ubisoft’s worldwide network of development studios, to collaborate on competitive games’ vision, scope and features, as well as revenue-sharing in-game items strategies. 
• Implementing, in collaboration with partners and organizations, healthy and sustainable esports business models and revenue streams, that contribute to create a mature and virtuous environment for all. 

Within the perimeter of the aforementioned strategic mission and objectives, some of the team’s key areas of focus in the coming months and years will be to work their way towards going back to international esports events with live audience whenever the situation allows it, and to keep on investing in the growth of Ubisoft’s existing esports titles. Ubisoft has recently announced exciting plans for the Year 7 of Brawlhalla Esports and will make much anticipated reveals for the Year 7 of Rainbow Six Siege, for the game and its esports scene, during the upcoming Six Invitational.

In addition to the existing competitive activities on the company’s esports titles, the Esports and Competitive Gaming division is also looking to broaden the portfolio of games offering competitive experience to fans. Already in discussion with the development teams of some of Ubisoft’s upcoming games, the team is looking to build competitive ecosystems across a diverse range of game genres, and to build upon their success and experience with the R6 SHARE program on Rainbow Six Siege to create revenue sharing strategies for other projects.

Alongside broadening its portfolio, a key development axis will be to make competitive gaming more easily accessible to players, by embedding competitive gaming at the core of their regular gaming routine. To achieve this, Ubisoft will accompany platforms to offer direct ‘plug and play’ competitive experience on its games, whether it’s playing or watching, directly embedded in their platform.

“Our partnership with PlayStation to have Rainbow Six Siege be part of their native Open Series Tournaments is a great success and a great showcase of the ultimate grassroot activity.” explained François-Xavier Deniele. “It allows a different audience than the one taking part in our professional and semi-professional circuits to engage in competitive gaming and we are looking forward to multiply similar opportunities.”

And finally, the broadcast studios in Sao Paulo, Paris and Las Vegas, will also play a pivotal role as the showcases of Ubisoft’s competitive activities.

####

Please visit Ubisoft News for the in-depth interview of François-Xavier Deniele and more details on the creation of Ubisoft’s global Esports and Competitive Gaming division.

About Ubisoft 

Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, For Honor, Just Dance, Watch Dogs, and Tom Clancy’s video game series including Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six and The Division. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2020-21 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €2,241 million. To learn more, please visit: http://www.ubisoftgroup.com. 

© 2022 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are registered trademarks in the US and/or other countries. 

A Spotlight on Trader Bonuses in Red Dead Online this Month – Plus 2X RDO$ on Free Roam Missions, Call to Arms, and More

In the months ahead, Red Dead Online will continue to showcase the opportunities for players to chart their adventures across the game’s vast frontier, with special events featuring bonuses on Specialist Roles, fan-favorite Showdown Modes, and all manner of unique experiences added to the game since launch.

Monthlong Trader Bonuses

With increased demand for furs during the winter months, trappers and merchants of all sorts (Butchers and Gus Macmillan included) will pay out an extra 50% RDO$ bonus for all Pelts delivered to them all month long. Pelts turned in as Materials to Cripps will also have an increased value, while all Trader Sales completed throughout the month of February will pay out double RDO$.

Experienced Traders who band together to protect a haul of goods from attackers in the Trade Route Free Roam Event will receive 2X Character and Role XP for their efforts. And all Traders who play Red Dead Online this month will also receive 10 Predator Bait, while Naturalists will receive 10 Blending Tonics.

2X RDO$ on Free Roam Missions

Keep an eye out for strangers and familiar faces offering Free Roam Missions while out and about on your travels — including the likes of Jake and Sadie Adler, Bonnie MacFarlane, Josiah Trelawny, Sean Macguire, and many more. These adventures are paying out 2X RDO$ as well, regardless of your nobility or notoriety.

2X RDO$ and XP on Plunder

Seize and steal supplies from a central location and deliver them safely back to your home base in Plunder, this month’s featured Showdown Mode. Be on the lookout for thieves from the opposing team or pilfer from their stash. Whichever team is sitting atop the most loot wins. PlayingPlunder will result in 2X RDO$ and XP for the next month.

2X RDO$ and XP on Call to Arms

Grab your weapons, place your allies at strategic positions around the perimeter, and batten down the hatches against wave after wave of ruthless attack. This month the fan-favorite Call to Arms mode is also paying out 2X RDO$ and XP.

Free Morning Tail Coat

Tumbleweed’s sheriff Sam Freeman needs help tracking down an abducted woman. Completing the A Land of Opportunities Mission “Love and Honor” anytime this month will earn you a red Morning Tail Coat.

Replay any A Land of Opportunities Missions by pulling up the Pause menu, selecting Progress, then Story Missions.

Featured Series Calendar

Here’s a rundown of all this month’s Featured Series bonuses in Red Dead Online. You can hop right into the Featured Series anytime directly from the main Red Dead Online menu. All Rewards and Offers will be delivered within 72 hours of completion.

February 1-7: Hardcore Elimination Series

• Create a custom Outfit to receive an Offer for 50% off any Camp Dog.
• Visit your Camp’s Stew Pot to see Cripps’ Special Stew recipe and make it anytime this week to receive a free The Hobo Life 1 Outfit for Cripps to wear.

February 8-14: New Hanover Series

• Craft an Item while at your Campfire to receive the Pink Camp Flag.
• Track down, find, and hunt any Legendary Animal to receive a red version of the Cornhill Hat.
• Protect the town of Valentine from attackers in Call to Arms this week and reach Wave 3 to receive a red Chuparosa Poncho.

• Play anytime this week to receive 5 Fine Brandies and 10 Chocolate Bars to spoil your beloved with — or enjoy them all by yourself… no judgment here!
• Win any Featured Series to receive an Offer for 5 Gold Bars off the Butcher’s Table.

February 15-21: Sport of Kings and Last Stand Series

• Owners of a Large Camp will receive an Offer for 50% off a Camp Tent.
• Complete a Trader Sell Mission and completely fill up your Trader Materials to receive an additional 2,000 Trader XP.

February 22-28: Tumbleweed Series

• Play this week’s Featured Series to receive an Offer for 30% off a Deluxe Campfire.
• Craft any item at Gus’ store to receive a red pair of Mountfleet Gloves.

Discounts

We can’t all be fighters all the time. This Valentine’s Day is dedicated to the lovers amongst us, and local salespeople are getting in the spirit of things by offering half off all Corsets, Top Hats, Ties, Dresses, and all Barber services for those looking to spiff things up for a night out on the town.

Naturalists can visit Harriet Davenport and purchase the Sample Kit for 5 Gold Bars off and Legendary Animal Pheromones for 70% off, while legendary trapper Gus Macmillan is offering his Ram Horn Trinket for 40% off. Those just cutting their milk teeth as budding Naturalists can get the Varmint Rifle for 75% off at all Gunsmiths or via the Catalogue, while the Carcano Rifle is going for 40% off. Stylish entrepreneurs can take 40% off Trader Role Outfits this month. All Stables, meanwhile, are offering 40% off Missouri Fox Trotter horse breeds.

Wanderlust is a familiar feeling on the frontier, that’s why all Camp upkeep, setup, and relocation fees are waived this month. Travel, see the world, don’t be afraid to pitch your tent in different locales.

Tailors are also offering discounts on select clothing and accessories this month — see the full list below:

• 50% off Brass Spectacles
• 60% off Flixton Hat
• 40% off Glenwood Coat
• 40% off all Boots

Prime Gaming Benefits

Red Dead Online players who connect their Rockstar Games Social Club account to Prime Gaming through February 28 will receive Reward for a free pair of Pants and an Offer for 30% off an Arabian Horse.

Check Rockstar Support for details and limitations.