Ubisoft Forward, Ubisoft's E3 2021 presentation, offered us a look at some of the publisher's upcoming games, including Far Cry 6 and Rainbow Six Extraction, but as the presentation closed, we got one final surprise announcement — the long-rumored Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora was finally revealed. While there wasn't any gameplay in the trailer, we did get a good, albeit brief look at what's to come from the cinematic first-person adventure. Here's everything we know so far about Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.
What is Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora?
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is an upcoming first-person adventure set on the planet of Pandora, a world which first debuted in James Cameron's 2009 movie Avatar — you know, the highest-grossing movie of all time. It's making use of an updated version of Ubisoft's Snowdrop Engine, which powered games like The Division 2. Ubisoft's Massive studio is partnering with Fox Interactive and Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment to bring the game to life.
You play as one of the Na'vi, the race of 10-foot-tall blue aliens from the movie. While the trailer shows no gameplay, Ubisoft has confirmed that it will be a first-person adventure, and there will be tons of exploration and action as you contend with the human military or the Resources Development Administration (RDA) who have touched down on Pandora.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora: What's the story?
We don't have much information on the story, only that it is a new, standalone story in which you play as a Na'vi and embark on a journey across the Western Frontier, a never-before-seen part of Pandora. Explore a living and reactive world inhabited by unique creatures and new characters, and push back the formidable RDA forces that threaten it.
Will Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora tie in with the movies?
Ubisoft has said that this is a new, standalone story that takes place in a new part of Pandora, so chances are it won't tie in with the 2009 movie. The game may release aside Avatar 2, currently set to release on Dec. 16, 2022. There are a number of Avatar sequels in development, so it's possible there might be some overlap, but for now there's no confirmed tie-ins with the movies.
Didn't Ubisoft already make an Avatar game?
Believe it or not, this isn't the first time that Ubisoft has worked with the Avatar franchise. Way back in 2009, Ubisoft released James Cameron's Avatar: The Game for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. While ambitious, it received a lukewarm reception from critics and fans alike. Hopefully, whatever lessons Ubisoft learned from it affect Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora for the better.
Will there be multiplayer?
No word from Ubisoft on multiplayer right now. In the Ubisoft Forward first look, two Na'vi's help one another takedown an RDA chopper. Maybe the final game will feature co-op? Only time will tell.
When will Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora release?
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is being developed exclusively for the new generation of consoles and PC, and will release on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC, Stadia, and Amazon Luna sometime in 2022. We'll update you once we have more info, but we're hoping this becomes one of the best Xbox games when it comes out.
