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Ubisoft E3 2017 live report

Rabbids! Assassins! AND BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL 2! Ubi's outstanding conference as it happened.

Well, that was quite special. Mario x Rabbids is a thing, and while that's no big shock the real surprise is it's a very fine looking thing, a kind of weird XCOM hybrid with lots of character and heart. Elsewhere, Skull & Bones is an all-new pirate-themed IP (with the salty whiff of Black Flag to it) and - I almost can't believe I'm typing this - Beyond Good & Evil 2 lives on. Here's all the action as it happened.

Our live coverage of this event has finished.

Well hello there.

Martin Robinson

Just under one hour to go before Ubisoft kicks off, and I've got everything crossed that, in the absence of Aisha Tyler, Mister Caffeine will be making his long-awaited return.

Martin Robinson

It's been a good few months since Mister Caffeine - or Aaron Priceman, as he's known to fans such as myself - has tweeted, but I'm holding out hope.

Martin Robinson

Aaron's a man of many talents, and I'm hoping his performance as Mister Caffeine isn't all he's remembered for. Here's a showcase of his talents.

Martin Robinson

Don't we all! I'm curious how they're going to fill the void.

Martin Robinson

More importantly, the Brighton office is all tucking into some amazing pizzas from our sponsors at VIP Pizza just down the road.

Martin Robinson

Sucks to be in LA right now I guess.

Martin Robinson

pelican_: Thanks Martin. I just fell into the Aaron Priceman rabbit hole. That video you linked to, his webpage and finally his Twitter.

Sorry. I mean you're welcome.

Martin Robinson

Seriously, though, if Mister Caffeine comes back it'll be a bigger E3 moment than Shenmue 3 or Half-Life 3 or anything ever.

Martin Robinson

For me, anyway.

Martin Robinson

Less than 15 minutes to go, and I've already got a fair amount of pizza to get through.

Martin Robinson

Can I do it? Can I also make it through the next 30 minutes without collapsing into a cheese coma?

Martin Robinson

ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT! Stay tuned to www.youragamer.com for all the answers.

Martin Robinson

@pelican - my vote's with games journalists. Is that an option?

Martin Robinson

Oh I do love the Orpheum theatre, where Ubi traditionally holds its conferences.

Martin Robinson

[STARS]TyranT: Gonna be a long night this. After Twin Peaks at 2am last night - now tonight. Relying on my care package of doughnuts, crisps, chocolate, couple of Red Bulls and lots of coffee.

Beer, pizza and Mario Kart 8 to take us through the wait 'til Sony here. Ever the professionals at Eurogamer.

Martin Robinson

Hello from the Orpheum! It's very warm.

Tom Phillips

When did you start that bottle? And do you take days off for E3 - that's hardcore if so!

Martin Robinson

We're two minutes from kick-off.

Tom Phillips

How's the proscenium, Tom?

Martin Robinson

I love that ornate bastard.

Martin Robinson

Not calling Tom ornate. Though he obviously is. Where it matters. Oh god I'm going to put this beer to one side.

Martin Robinson

Robert Purchese

There he is!

Robert Purchese

It pre-emptively misses Aisha Tyler, and so do I.

Tom Phillips

pelican_: Yeah, I'm off until Thursday ;)

*salutes*

Martin Robinson

And here we go.

Martin Robinson

The most pizazz, flair and weirdness you'll see in any conference this year. It's the Ubisoft show!

Martin Robinson

Water! Space! Tarmac!

Martin Robinson

Cocking Rabbids.

Martin Robinson

Lol, I guess.

Martin Robinson

A Rabbids Mario game?! WHAT

Tom Phillips

Oh, and Rabbids.

Martin Robinson

That's not Mario. And that's not Aisha Tyler.

Martin Robinson

The dream is reality - and here's Miyamoto to tell us more.

Martin Robinson

Oh god they've given him a gun.

Martin Robinson

Miyamoto getting a standing ovation from fans.

Tom Phillips

Not like this.

Martin Robinson

Not... like... this...

Martin Robinson

That is already a gif.

Tom Phillips

Actually my heart just melted, because Miyamoto is happiness.

Martin Robinson

From the DS to Wii... to Switch! Poor Wii U.

Tom Phillips

Miyamoto is rocking some of Uniqlo's new range of Nintendo-themed t-shirts.

Martin Robinson

Don't want to speak out of turn, but... That's one of the less good ones. Sorry chap.

Martin Robinson

vert1go: Reminder: Miyamoto is not Link.

Might as well tell me Father Christmas isn't real next.

Martin Robinson

Beardy dude tearing up.

Tom Phillips

The director of the game, there, with tears in his eyes.

Martin Robinson

Oh it's hard to be cynical at times like this.

Martin Robinson

I think I want to play this game now, purely on the warmth of this reveal.

Martin Robinson

Robert Purchese

This has been in development for three years. You know a lot about it already, I'm sure, given the leaks.

Martin Robinson

A surprised 'oh' here in the office in Brighton, when it becomes clear this actually looks alright?

Martin Robinson

Johnny Chiodini just laughed at the Rabbids.

Martin Robinson

What is even going on today.

Martin Robinson

So it's Mario XCOM.

Martin Robinson

How are we supposed to deal with all this at once?

Martin Robinson

IT'S XCOM.

Christian Donlan

IT'S MARIO XCOM.

Christian Donlan

I... I think I always wanted to play Mario XCOM and I didn't know until Ubisoft opened my eyes.

Martin Robinson

Roger Dodger.

Christian Donlan

I've had too many of my pills again haven't I?

Christian Donlan

Everyone here is questioning their very existence right now. My mind has genuinely been blown.

Martin Robinson

That tech tree... Those specials. Wow.

Martin Robinson

What the hell was in that pizza I just ate?

Martin Robinson

I really want this game.

Martin Robinson

I don't want to ruin anything, but well, Ubisoft just spoilt one of its big surprises over on YouTube.

Martin Robinson

Look away now if you want to keep it a surprise...... (It's a pirate game called Skull and Bones).

Martin Robinson

And now, Assassin's Creed Oranges, which we saw during the Microsoft presser last night and which looks very much like Assassin's Creed.

Martin Robinson

And good god it's the 10th anniversary of the series. Really?

Martin Robinson

Kami: It feels longer.

Haha, true.

Martin Robinson

Martin Robinson

I've just been told that Mario Rabbids is out the same day as the XCOM 2 expansion. Fine trolling there.

Martin Robinson

For a proper look at Assassin's Creed there's a 30 minute playthrough later.

Martin Robinson

For now, though, let's watch someone play it on a washed-out monitor.

Martin Robinson

Cor, would love the Digital Foundry verdict on that monitor.

Christian Donlan

The Crew 2 now.

Martin Robinson

I quite liked The Crew, but I never, ever expected a sequel.

Martin Robinson

There was a lot that needed fixing. But also a lot that was uniquely special.

Martin Robinson

Inception moratorium please.

Christian Donlan

Also I'm betting the actual game isn't like Inception with landscapes folding in on themselves, as this CG trailer suggests.

Martin Robinson

It does look like it'll have planes though!

Martin Robinson

Malek86: The Crew sounded cool on paper, but the handling was terribad. On the other hand, this means that if they fixed the terribad handling, it could be amazing.

Yeah, the handling always was a big problem, even after its big update.

Martin Robinson

And boats! It has boats!

Martin Robinson

Actually that was quite cool and now I feel bad.

Christian Donlan

Okay I'm looking forward to this too. More actual race tracks too - if I recall correctly, you could visit Laguna Seca in the original? I can't remember any other tracks.

Martin Robinson

After the relative slumps of EA, Bethesda and - to a degree - Microsoft, it's nice to have a conference with some flair and spark.

Martin Robinson

I appreciate I'm the only person here who's interested in The Crew 2, though. The rest of you go to the fridge and get a beer or something.

Martin Robinson

It has Porsches, because everything has Porsches these days.

Martin Robinson

They're probably even in Assassin's Creed now.

Martin Robinson

Spoiler warning.

Christian Donlan

Lol.

Christian Donlan

There were honestly spoilers on-screen when I typed that.

Christian Donlan

I'm surprised the original did well enough to warrant a sequel, given (perhaps this site aside) there was a lot of negativity around it.

Martin Robinson

Scimarad: Nope, I'm definitely interested too. Which makes 2 of us.

Woohoo! Let's be friends!

Martin Robinson

What a lovely man. He was a bit like Jeff Goldblum playing on half speed.

Christian Donlan

There was something weirdly ominous about that send off.

Martin Robinson

NEXT!

Martin Robinson

SOUTH PARK!

Martin Robinson

I have never seen a single episode of South Park.

Martin Robinson

I'm sorry.

Martin Robinson

iconld: Will we see WILD today?

Not a Ubisoft game, I'm afraid - though it is the work of Ubisoft's Michel Ancel. Confusing, I know...

Martin Robinson

It's weird, sitting here in the Orpheum Theatre, watching the end of Ubisoft's press conference on a 320p stream Ubisoft has itself posted.

Tom Phillips

AND NOW!

Martin Robinson

Mr. Frodo!

Tom Phillips

Elijah Wood?

Martin Robinson

This conference is full of surprises.

Martin Robinson

Neuroscience is the new "a wizard did it".

Christian Donlan

Is this an Elijah Wood simulator?

Martin Robinson

What it actually looks like is a very neat experimental VR game.

Martin Robinson

Transference. I have no idea what it is, but I am interested in it.

Martin Robinson

NOW! WATER!

Martin Robinson

mostro: Is it just me...or is this a really good conference?

It's great so far!

Martin Robinson

This is the 'surprise' they spoilt earlier.

Martin Robinson

"Transference. I have no idea what it is, but I am interested in it." It's when you fancy your psychiatrist.

Christian Donlan

Did you like Black Flag? Because here's more of it.

Martin Robinson

Or at least something very like it.

Martin Robinson

MrTomFTW: Why are they making another pirate game? Cos they YARRRRRRRRRRRR!

Well done 10/10 have a biscuit.

Martin Robinson

Do please stop this shitty pop cover nonsense though please.

Martin Robinson

The new John Lewis Christmas ad is a bit extreme.

Christian Donlan

Skull & Bones. Now, some gameplay would be lovely.

Martin Robinson

Which funnily enough you can find on the front page of Eurogamer right now thanks to Ubisoft's leak.

Martin Robinson

SteveMsater: Damn it was great until they said it was MP

Took the wind out of their sails a bit. SAILS! PIRATE SHIPS HAVE SAILS!

Martin Robinson

I'm going to be honest, this is everything I had hoped Sea of Thieves would be x 1000

Tom Phillips

This does look like reheated Black Flag assets. Not that I'm complaining. Too much.

Martin Robinson

Pirates are this year's space marines.

Martin Robinson

'Drown you soggy nutmegs' is my soundbite of the show so far.

Martin Robinson

Everything was pirates.

Martin Robinson

silents: I don't have any friends so it's no good to me.

Same.

Martin Robinson

Shanties and ships and lovely water and kraken!

Martin Robinson

I'll be playing that.

Martin Robinson

NOW!

Martin Robinson

Just Dance! A Jamiraquai special edition.

Martin Robinson

I'm waiting for the year they finally admit they haven't actually made a Just Dance game in years - they just like dancing at E3.

Christian Donlan

It is with some pride that I say I have no idea how to spell Jamiraquoai.

Martin Robinson

Jamiraquoi

Martin Robinson

This is hard.

Martin Robinson

By the time I've figured it out this conference will have wrapped up.

Martin Robinson

And I totally missed a dancing panda bear during my efforts.

Martin Robinson

I do like that they insist on live singing for these annual dance interludes.

Martin Robinson

Even if the results aren't always flattering.

Martin Robinson

Anyway here's a South Park game for mobile.

Martin Robinson

Here's that space game they teased in Watch Dogs 2 perhaps?

Martin Robinson

It's a Switch game.

Martin Robinson

No one told Ubi toys to life was dead.

Tom Phillips

And it's a toys to life game too.

Martin Robinson

Oh.

Martin Robinson

That's a very different 'oh' to the one that met the Rabbids gameplay earlier, by the way.

Martin Robinson

Do you remember that time when Ubisoft did laser tag?

Martin Robinson

That was Starlink, a toys to life game for PS4, Xbox One and Switch.

Martin Robinson

How odd.

Martin Robinson

This might be a couple of years too late I'm afraid Ubisoft.

Martin Robinson

Or maybe it's a couple of years too early!

Christian Donlan

AND THEN!

Martin Robinson

Oh, Steep. Maybe this is an update on the Switch version.

Martin Robinson

STEEEEEEP!

Christian Donlan

I bloody love Steep.

Christian Donlan

consignia: Wake up, Steeple.

I get this joke.

Christian Donlan

This is the first expansion for Steep. No word on that Switch version, though. Was it cancelled while I was looking the other way?

Martin Robinson

It's an Olympics-themed expansion featuring multiple disciplines, tied into next year's Winter Olympics.

Martin Robinson

AND SO!

Martin Robinson

Far Cry 5.

Martin Robinson

Or Father Trump, as we'll always call it here at Eurogamer.

Martin Robinson

There's swearing.

Martin Robinson

And then there's smiling like a naughty five-year-old after doing a swear.

Martin Robinson

This is our first look at Far Cry 5 gameplay.

Martin Robinson

Airplanes, 18 wheelers, co-op, muscle cars and plenty of hicks.

Martin Robinson

That all sounds like quite a fun mix?

Martin Robinson

AND THUSLY!

Martin Robinson

This, everyone, is Beyond Good & Evil 2.

Martin Robinson

What an absolute corker of a press conference.

Martin Robinson

Ubisoft has just won this year's E3. Probably next year's, and we may as well give them 2016 too.

Martin Robinson

This is big gallic sci-fi and I absolutely love it.

Martin Robinson

But yes, gameplay would be lovely please.

Martin Robinson

I am actually crying too.

Tom Phillips

Here's Ancel on-stage, and he wipes back a tear.

Martin Robinson

I've waited so very long for this.

Tom Phillips

As do a few people in the audience. Bless you Tom!

Martin Robinson

It's a prequel, set before Jade was born.

Martin Robinson

When is it out - and also what actually is it?

Martin Robinson

Anyway, it is very much a thing. Beyond Good & Evil 2 is real, whatever form it'll eventually take.

Martin Robinson

A storming press conference from Ubisoft - as ever, really.

Martin Robinson

You're up next, Sony. We'll all be back from 2am BST to see what the future of PlayStation holds.

Martin Robinson

Thanks for joining us. And don't drink too many beers before 2am!

Martin Robinson

That's as much a reminder for me as it is for you all. See you later!

Martin Robinson

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