UBISOFT'S NEW SOCIAL-SIM 'ALTERRA' LEAKED: ANIMAL CROSSING WITH A VOXEL TWIST AND PROBABLY MICROTRANSACTIONS
What happens when you take Animal Crossing, stuff it full of voxels, sprinkle some Minecraft DNA on top, and hand it to Ubisoft Montreal? Apparently, something called 'Alterra', a project that's been cooking in the Great White North for about 18 months. (Via InsiderGaming)
Ubisoft it’s previous nintendo inspired game: Immortals
WHAT'S IN THE FRENCH-CANADIAN COOKING POT?
According to sources who apparently couldn't keep this particular cat in the bag, Alterra is Ubisoft's take on the social-sim genre, born from the ashes of another voxel-based project that got the axe after four years. Because nothing says "fresh start" like building on the corpse of a canceled game.
MEET THE MATTERLINGS: FUNKO POPS' DISTANT COUSINS
The game will feature creatures called "Matterlings" – think Funko Pops that escaped the factory and gained sentience. These adorable (or possibly terrifying) creatures come in both real-world and fictional flavors, from polar bears to dragons, presumably all with heads larger than their life choices. And yes, they'll have different outfits because Ubisoft needs something to sell in the inevitable cosmetic shop.
MINECRAFT MEETS ISLAND LIFE
Players will start on their home island (no word yet on whether Tom Nook has a voxel cousin waiting to put us in debt), but can venture out to other biome-specific worlds. Want to build an ice palace? Better trek to the snow world and make friends with the local frost-Matterlings. It's like Minecraft's building system had a baby with Animal Crossing's town management, and that baby really likes to travel.
THE TEAM BEHIND THE BLOCKS
At the helm is Patrick Redding, fresh from his stint directing Gotham Knights (make of that what you will), along with Ubisoft veteran Fabien Lhéraud as lead producer. With 24 years at Ubisoft under his belt, Lhéraud has probably seen enough game development cycles to know exactly how many voxels it takes to screw in a lightbulb.
WHEN CAN WE PLAY IT?
Don't hold your breath – this one's apparently still years away. Lhéraud's LinkedIn calls it a "next-gen project," though whether that's outdated info or a hint that we'll all need new consoles to play it remains to be seen. Given Ubisoft's track record, expect at least three delays and a reveal trailer that looks nothing like the final game.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOUR FUTURE
If this leak proves accurate, we're looking at an ambitious mashup of beloved gaming formulas. It could be the next big thing in social gaming, or it could be another Ubisoft game where you climb towers to reveal more Matterlings on your map. Either way, it'll probably have a battle pass.