Ubisoft Connect Wants To Make Cross-Progression A Standard Moving Forward

Ubisoft is making a big change to its main player services, Uplay and the Ubisoft Club. Going forward, they will live under the Ubisoft Connect umbrella, which is an ambitious platform from the French games publisher that aims to help players stay connected via things like cross-progression and cross-platform support.

Ubisoft Connect will debut on October 29 with the launch of Watch Dogs: Legion. Players who have a Ubisoft account can "play, progress, and stay in touch with friends anywhere."

Ubisoft said the new Connect service will "make cross-platform features a standard moving forward." This kicks off with Legion later this month, while games like Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Immortals Fenyx Rising, and Riders Republic will also support "full cross-progression," Ubisoft said.

The press release states that this cross-progression will be available on "all platforms and services," and this includes PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. Additionally, streaming services like Stadia, GeForce Now, and Amazon Luna will feature "some" Ubisoft Connect features this year. The press release did not mention any specifics about what features the cloud gaming/streaming services might be missing.

There is a Ubisoft Connect mobile app as well for iOS and Android. To get started right now, you can download the new Ubisoft Connect client here.

Also of note, the press release mentions "cross-progression" support, but not cross-play. There are only a few big titles that support cross-play right now, including Rocket League, Fortnite, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and Ubisoft's own Brawlhalla.

Similar to how it works now on Uplay and Ubisoft Club, players will be able to take part in cross-game challenges that encourage users to play a lot of Ubisoft games to earn rewards like weapons and outfits.

The new "universal interface" will feature a newsfeed that shows what your friends are up to, while a "Smart Intel" feature will show you tips for specific games. There is also stat-tracking and leaderboards, so players can see how they compare to the global playerbase.

To mark the announcement of Ubisoft Connect, the company is making more than 1,000 Ubisoft Club awards available to all players for free.

"Next-generation gaming goes beyond technological improvements and better graphics. To us, as a creator and publisher, it is about bringing more fluidity and versatility in the experience to have the freedom to play games on whatever device and with whoever you want," Ubisoft's Online Services vice president Stephanie Perotti said in a statement. "Ubisoft Connect is our take on a new seamless experience to not only ease the transition between generations and platforms, but also be the starting point for new services that further contribute to new, more player-centric ways of enjoying games."