Ubisoft Scalar is a revolutionary new way to utilize the cloud and allow developers to focus on the development process without worrying about console constraints.
Cloud-based gaming has gotten a rough rap, mainly as a way to stream games with an always active internet connection, and some titles can function poorly under these conditions, such as the newly released Kingdom Hearts collection on Nintendo Switch. Simply putting the system in sleep mode boots the player from the game, and without a perfect internet connection, there are notable lag spikes and other issues. Ubisoft Scalar aims to turn those tables.
Scalar brings the capabilities of a game always running, instead of streams being interrupted, offering ease of updates and game fixes. The software ultimately allows Ubisoft to somehow build even BIGGER worlds (see Assassin’s Creed Valhalla). To be clear, Scalar is not a game engine, it is an alternative option for existing game engines to use, enhancing gameplay with the cloud.
The way Ubisoft Scalar works is to take components from traditional game systems and transform them into microservices in the cloud, allowing for migration of data from a single processor system, to a potentially limitless number of systems. A Herculean task indeed.
With such a task at hand, Ubisoft’s Stockholm branch was given a huge assignment, and it is seemingly in good hands with over 500 technical in-house experts working on Ubisoft Scalar, and over 85% of their teams dedicated to production utilizing the Scalar technology.
Another announcement given during the showcase was that Ubisoft Stockholm is also already well underway with development on a brand-new IP, with a focus on utilizing the Scalar technology, but of course, they kept ALL the details regarding the new title under wraps. The Ubisoft Scalar trailer detailed this info as well:
Technical Director at Ubisoft Stockholm, Christian Holmqvist said, “This is a major moment in
our careers as game developers. We feel that same inspiration and freedom as when we first
started using our home computers as teenagers – that feeling that you can do anything by fully
tapping into the power of cloud, for the first time in gaming,” regarding the ambitious Ubisoft Scalar.
Fans interested in reading more about the technological advancements of Ubisoft can visit their website for more information.
