E3 06: Mystery game, Wii Rayman, Red Steel lead Ubisoft's E3 lineup

Unnamed next-gen Free Radical to be unveiled in LA next week; joins Brothers in Arms sequel, Assassin's Creed, Dark Messiah, two Wii launch titles, and others.

With the Electronic Entertainment Expo now exactly one week away, the trickle of publishers announcing their game lineups for the event is fast becoming a deluge. French publisher Ubisoft was the latest to reveal which games it will be showing off at the event--and its roster has some surprises.

Ubisoft also used today's announcement to unveil the new Rayman game from King Kong and Beyond Good & Evil designer Michel Ancel. First revealed early last month, the game will sport the alliterative moniker Rayman Raving Rabbids and will be a launch title for the Nintendo Wii. Previously, Ubisoft had said only that the game was in development at Ubisoft's Montpellier studio for "current and next-generation consoles" and would ship this coming holiday season.

Besides promising that the Wii version of the game would use the platform's "innovative controller," Ubisoft dropped some plot details about Rayman Raving Rabbids. "When the world of Rayman is threatened by a devastating invasion of crazed, out-of-control bunnies Rayman must rise up against his furry foes to foil their wicked plans," the company said in a statement. The game will allow Rayman to "control various creatures such as sharks, eagles, rhinos, spiders" in large-scale free-roaming environments in his quest to defeat his carrot-addled foes.

Another major event that will go down at Ubisoft's booth is the unveiling of the new game from Free Radical, developer of the popular TimeSplitters series. Little is known about the project, which was first announced last November, other than that it will be an all-new intellectual property and will ship for next-generation consoles and PCs during Ubisoft's current financial year, which ends in March 2007.

Rounding out Ubisoft's E3 lineup is the Wii-only slasher-shooter Red Steel, and Enchanted Arms, the Japanese Xbox 360 role-playing game from From Software. The medieval action game Assassin's Creed, which was just reannounced for the PlayStation 3 after being previously shown off at the 2005 Tokyo Game Show.

There will also be forthcoming installments in several staple Ubisoft franchises, including Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent, and Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway. But while all three are being released for various platforms--including the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3--Ubisoft did not specify which versions of the games would be playable at the event. (Platforms mentioned below are for reference only.)

UBISOFT'S E3 2006 LINEUP
Assassin's Creed (PS3, Xbox 360 - 2007)
Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway (PC, PS3, Xbox 360 - Q4 2006)
Dark Messiah of Might & Magic (PC - Q3 2006)
Enchanted Arms (Xbox 360 - Q2 2006)
"Game to be Unveiled" (Free Radical's next-gen console/PC project - TBA)
Open Season (PC, PS2, PSP, Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube, DS, Game Boy Advance - September 2006)
Rayman Raving Rabbids (Wii and "current and next-gen consoles"- Holiday 2006)
Red Steel (Wii - Holiday 2006)
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Double Agent (PC, PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube - September 2006)
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas (PS3, Xbox 360 - Q4 2006)

92 Comments

  • ajacolorado

    Posted Oct 27, 2008 2:47 am PT

    hmmm i dont like the look of the new raymans i liked the one on 64 The Conduit looks like it will be ok

  • aceball69

    Posted Jun 26, 2008 10:25 am PT

    yeah, i used to play rayman alot on the PC. cant wait for AC 2!!!

  • cool_bananas92

    Posted May 23, 2006 7:53 pm PT

    Just wondering, why is everyone here so violent? all you x-box players only give the games where you shoot people and strangle guards and stuff a chance. I think they look fun, ya, but rayman is old school. good old school, not mc hammer old school. I would bet you all 10 cents that if the made a game where you strangled kittens and cheese grated old ladies, y'all would buy it

  • cool_bananas92

    Posted May 23, 2006 7:39 pm PT

    like 2 already, where is beyond good and evil sequel? and i REALLY think that assassins creed should come to wii. (pronounced wee) like hawaii. that's right, i like grammar

  • cajunXLVII

    Posted May 5, 2006 1:58 pm PT

    wii seems to lack any important 3rd party support. no brothers in arms, call of duty, ghost recon, nothing like that. its weak. so one red steal with no blood. great.

  • rafaelszpo

    Posted May 5, 2006 12:38 pm PT

    Ubisoft disappoints me deeply... No interesting titles for E3. I guess we´ll see nothing worth of attention beyond Zelda in this E3.

  • Torvus14

    Posted May 5, 2006 8:45 am PT

    Can't wait to see what Red Steel is.

  • Lupus64

    Posted May 5, 2006 6:12 am PT

    Yay, another crazy Rayman game. I'm also interested to see what Red Steel will be like.

  • jagwrestler130

    Posted May 4, 2006 7:21 pm PT

    Wii!

  • Lost2017

    Posted May 4, 2006 3:31 pm PT

    Good News for the ps3,Xbox 360 but red steel still rules no matter the nintendo Wii's launch kiddie games (beside the first party title)

  • thunderground2

    Posted May 4, 2006 11:41 am PT

    ?????????

  • FourSwordsx4

    Posted May 4, 2006 10:28 am PT

    That Rayman Raving Rabbids game looks completely retarded.

  • sabru8

    Posted May 4, 2006 10:14 am PT

    sweetness!

  • edhc44

    Posted May 4, 2006 9:52 am PT

    Wii exclusives are nice, but it worries me that it isn't getting the multiplatform games like Rainbow Six and Splinter Cell (I don't give a crap to those games, but it can't be good for the system sales)

  • ZhangFei500

    Posted May 4, 2006 9:37 am PT

    WHERES BG&E!!!!!!!!!

  • nhlkoho

    Posted May 4, 2006 8:52 am PT

    Wiiiiiiiiii!

  • manhunt1001

    Posted May 4, 2006 7:55 am PT

    Both the Tom Clancy games seem to be shaping up well...heres hoping Las Vegas improves greatly over the much flawed prequal Lockdown.

  • snarple_basic

    Posted May 4, 2006 6:22 am PT

    rayman should be cool, the 2nd game for the n64 was one of the best n64 games. Cant wait, hope its a good 1.

  • Splintersixcell

    Posted May 4, 2006 6:10 am PT

    mommy, that rabbit is scaring me (Sceen shot of rayman for Wiie)

  • chrisdojo

    Posted May 4, 2006 5:15 am PT

    sweet another Wii game!!

  • GKBeetle

    Posted May 4, 2006 5:11 am PT

    Poor PS3. It seems to be getting almost no exclusive titles. Where are my PS3 exclusives? Xbox 360 and Wii have exclusives, why not the PS3.

  • ZeoVGM

    Posted May 4, 2006 3:46 am PT

    xbox_gamer1
    The Wii, hahahahahahaha. The only games ill get will be Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Double Agent on Xbox 360.

    -------------

    So you've decided that based on about 5 screen shots (which are probably touched up/CGI) released for both? And laugh at Wii for no reason?

    You're an idiot.

  • metdevthegamer

    Posted May 4, 2006 1:34 am PT

    I'm optimistic about the Rayman title, and really looking forward to Red Steel.

  • samekila

    Posted May 4, 2006 1:03 am PT

    red steel and all the 360 lineup I cant wait !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • KiLLer_ba

    Posted May 4, 2006 12:03 am PT

    That's a great E3 line up, I hope they will show us more on Red Steel (videos).

  • Kwiksilva

    Posted May 3, 2006 10:09 pm PT

    Wii just migth change the entire console market

  • troakun

    Posted May 3, 2006 9:15 pm PT

    I've heard good things about the Rayman series, but I've only played a short Dreamcast demo of Ray 2 though. It will be interesting to compare the Wii version to the other next and current gen platforms.

  • OsiriasGuy

    Posted May 3, 2006 9:01 pm PT

    The Wii is awesome, maybe the name is not really good, but is different, not like PS1,PS2,PS3, will they continue till PS 285? And RED STEEL is going to be and awesome game!!!, I mean, wii can really break an enemy neck with our hands!!!

  • spd39th

    Posted May 3, 2006 6:41 pm PT

    the "Game to be Unveiled" from Free Radical wound't be the FPS they announced for Wii but this time, it'll come out on other consoles?

  • nintendogamer64

    Posted May 3, 2006 6:27 pm PT

    Hmmmm its about time for another compony to make a consol and ubisoft is making games left AND RIGHT. HMMMMMM

  • SCARFACELP

    Posted May 3, 2006 6:20 pm PT

    michael ancel, cool. this guy has been putting some real good games out there. A sequel to Beyond Good and Evil would fit the Wii perfectly. Assasin's Creed sounds like it has potential. Ubisoft is an all around capable dev. can't wait to see what the mistery game is. I agree with Zeldasboy_12 on the first page in that the revolution is getting some crappy games , but lets face it we will see a whole bunch oc crap , but we will also get some outstanding games .
    There has never been a system with a perfect lauch lineup. That would be impossible , its up to the respective devs to make sure the games are of high standards. At least we can be sure that the first party titles will be great . After devs get the hang of the new control we should see some cool stuff... or at least a whole bunch of fps's .

  • FuguNabe

    Posted May 3, 2006 6:14 pm PT

    Great All-round line-up for Ubisoft. Most excited about their the two original titles, Assasin's Creed for PS3 and Red Steel for Wii.

  • fro

    Posted May 3, 2006 6:04 pm PT

    Rayman fighting evil rabbits!? I liked fighting robot pirates was a lot better. I agree with you Faridmon, I want to see a sequel to BG&E as well.

  • LordGamer0001

    Posted May 3, 2006 5:45 pm PT

    looks like they have a pretty solid line up for the Wii.

  • crazy590

    Posted May 3, 2006 5:37 pm PT

    i LOVE rayman but that was back in the day

  • Shingo

    Posted May 3, 2006 5:29 pm PT

    AWESOME

  • chicken008

    Posted May 3, 2006 4:04 pm PT

    Eww Rayman..

  • mestizoman

    Posted May 3, 2006 3:50 pm PT

    i sorta see this new rayman as a bad sign, seeing that the rev needs completely new,fresh titles that would only be possible on the rev; this is presumably multiplat?

  • Orasion_Seiz

    Posted May 3, 2006 3:49 pm PT

    amazing lineups for Ubisoft though i doubt i'll be getting a Wii...

  • drangel_jam

    Posted May 3, 2006 2:55 pm PT

    GREAT LINEUP!

  • cesarotromundo

    Posted May 3, 2006 2:35 pm PT

    I HATE RAYMAN! so stupid, I can't believe they keep making those games!

  • Goze

    Posted May 3, 2006 2:33 pm PT

    solid... homm5 is gonna be here soon... they might just have a little booth for it

  • stevenbee

    Posted May 3, 2006 2:30 pm PT

    Glad to see a new Rayman is in the works. Smashing up some evil rabbits, can't be bad!

  • Aludia

    Posted May 3, 2006 2:24 pm PT

    Looking good.
    Im really looking forward to Wii , despite it's name.
    Its really promising that it seems to get alot of third party support.

  • MarcoSnow06

    Posted May 3, 2006 2:11 pm PT

    Much as I hate to admit it, Wii is shaping up to be the underdog of the next generation consoles, despite showing promise early on. Nintendo really needs to rack up the third party support in this coming generation of game consoles or face flagging sales in the coming years. After all, a console is only as good as its software.

  • kriptonzz

    Posted May 3, 2006 2:04 pm PT

    Ubisoft sure has its hands full.

    Oh, by the way, EVERY system out always gets one or two "stupid video game tie in garbage games". The Wii getting one is expected.

  • gamepunk86

    Posted May 3, 2006 1:58 pm PT

    ubisoft is one you can count on.

  • RedG375

    Posted May 3, 2006 1:56 pm PT

    Rayman Raving Rabbids... sounds like this could be a hilarious game.

  • Tranceplant

    Posted May 3, 2006 1:46 pm PT

    Fantastic!! More games for the Wii.

  • santiagochile

    Posted May 3, 2006 1:33 pm PT

    53rd post WOot!

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