Ubisoft unveils Teammates, its first playable generative AI project
Ubisoft is going through one of the most volatile periods in its history. After a financial crisis that almost wiped it off the map and a subsequent restructuring of all its assets into several subsidiaries, thanks to the agreement signed with Chinese giant Tencent, it has now announced its next steps by exploring the future of gaming. A future in which the company is exploring development through generative AI.
In fact, this isn't Ubisoft's first project to make use of the technology. Last year it presented a prototype called Neo NPC, which featured cognitive and language skills designed to create characters, but their environment remained static. From Neo NPC they took the model and have expanded it into a first-person shooter experience in a "playable" state. Teammates, as it is now called, is "a first-person shooter, with new advanced AI features that allow them to respond dynamically to voice commands in real time, adapting their behaviour to each situation and displaying distinct personalities in doing so". Or in other words, a game in which you can actually command an entire team under your command.
In fact, the press release states that Ubisoft's proprietary technology with which they developed Teammates is also capable of interpreting the intent and tone of voice of human players. "It's about experimenting with completely new ways of creating interactive stories," said Virginie Mosser, Narrative Director of the project at Ubisoft. "Our role is to give the AI meaning, narrative, making sure that logic doesn't replace the soul. We have designed Teammates to leave room for players' creativity, striking a balance between emotion and unpredictability.
For now, the Teammates prototype can only be played by a limited number of participants in a closed beta, who will give feedback on how these systems operate in real game scenarios.
Do you think Teammates could be the next step in the game development industry, and how do you see Ubisoft positioning itself in that future?
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