GDC 2022: Ubisoft Scalar is the next big thing to take game development to the next level

Video game giant Ubisoft Entertainment has just shared the details around its next big thing for in-house games, Ubisoft Scalar. The game publisher and developer unveiled Scalar just hours before the kick-off of the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2022. As part of a virtual announcement event, the company showcased everything new that Scalar will bring for game development. Scalar is currently a work in progress and Sweden-based game studio, Ubisoft Stockholm is leading the development. Let’s check everything you need to know about Ubisoft Scalar and its potential impact on future Ubisoft games here.

Ubisoft Scalar aims at making game development easier with a distributed model, details

Diving into the details of Scalar, Ubisoft stated that it is “a new foundational technology” that uses cloud computing. Cloud computing will allow game developers to make use of a “virtually unlimited amount of computing power”. This means that they can add more computing resources to the system to scale up the power of the system. This increasing scale of power will allow developers to create massive virtual worlds full of depth and “unprecedented scale”. Ubisoft showed a video to explain the scale of the game worlds Scalar can create in the future. The developer also claimed that such detailed virtual worlds “wouldn’t be possible otherwise”.

To create the distributed model of computing for Ubisoft Scalar, the company independently placed “microservices” in the cloud. This allows game developers to improve and update any service within the game world without impacting other services. In fact, this distributed model will also allow game makers to add new features and game components “without interrupting play sessions”. Scalar aims at ensuring that game developers focus on the creativity and design of the game instead of dealing with technical dependencies.

Ubisoft Production Technology, a newly created department at the company, is working to develop Scalar. This department includes more than 500 in-house technical experts with a focus on making the best technologies and tools to help game developers. Ubisoft also confirmed that its Stockholm division is working on a new IP that uses Scalar technology. However, the game publisher will share more details about the IP “at a later date”. Going over the trailer, it looks like Scalar will enable the company to effectively create, maintain and update live-service games. Rumors indicate that Ubisoft will switch to live-service games for its popular IPs like Assassin's Creed. Some of the examples of live service games include Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Destiny 2.