This is a surprise for sure. Ubisoft just announced via press release that Massive Entertainment, the studio known for Tom Clancy's The Division, is working side by side with Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox Interactive to create a game based on James Cameron's Avatar universe.
According to the press release, four movie sequels to Avatar, which is still the highest-grossing film of all time, are in development. Lighstorm, Fox and Massive will create a game with the goal of expanding and deepening the Avatar universe in "exciting and innovative ways".
David Polfeldt, Managing Director at Massive Entertainment, said:
James Cameron and Lightstorm Entertainment changed the way we think about immersive storytelling with the first Avatar. 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 honoured that they’ve entrusted us to create an experience worthy of the Avatar name.
Apparently, Cameron and his team entered the partnership after watching an early prototype prepared with the Snowdrop engine already seen in Tom Clancy's The Division. They were highly impressed by the engine, which according to the press release is the lead engine on a number of other unannounced projects. This is great news, as the Snowdrop engine is among the best in the industry.
James Cameron, the renowned movie director, said:
What impressed me about Massive were the group’s passion for this project and the power of its Snowdrop engine. I believe Ubisoft’s team at Massive Entertainment are absolutely the right partners to bring the beauty and danger of Pandora to life.
The Avatar game won't be launching anytime soon. Massive is still recruiting for "top talent" to be part of the game's development; if you are interested and have the necessary skillset, head over here.
Needless to say, we'll be monitoring the progress of this project closely. Stay tuned for all related news.
