Is it a good combination? Time will tell.
Riders Republic is on track (get it?) for a 2 September release date, and ahead of Ubisoft Forward Stevivor was able to sit down and discuss the title with Lead Game Designer Manfred Neber and Project Manager Agnès Ruiz.
“Riders Republic is a massive multiplayer playground where players get to connect, compete and slate tricks through outdoor sports such as bikes, ski, snowboard, wingsuit and rocket wings,” Neber told us. “Players will experience the thrill of the Riders fantasy in a constantly evolving and surprising open-world.”
Visually, Republic has a lot in common with massive open-world titles like Fortnite, though Ubisoft’s over-the-top title is obviously going for something a little more realistic than Epic Games. Its structure seems to borrow liberally from titles including Playground Games’ Forza Horizon alongside Activision’s Tony Hawk‘s franchise. Players will share servers, zipping about spaces and travelling from one event to the next. Should players wish, they can also head to an in-game hub called Riders Ridge for proper multiplayer.
“Upon completing the introduction of the game, players are introduced to the vibrant heart of the Republic: The Riders Ridge, Neber confirmed. “Riders Ridge is the social hub where players will connect, interact and meet other players. Here, riders will discover weekly challenges, set up their sponsor contracts and visit the shop to check out the latest trip.”
Multiplayer modes include a versus mode called Free-for-All in addition to what Ubisoft Annecy is calling a “truly unique team competition” in Tricks Battle.
“The Republic’s Tricks Battle mode is the ultimate team competition,” Neber told us. “Two teams of six face off and crazy arenas and try to outscore each other using teamwork, strategy, tactics and, of course, tricks.”
It’s here that Tony Hawk‘s influence is the most felt.
“Riders can capture areas of the map, called districts, to unlock huge scoring multipliers and push their score beyond epic,” Neber continued. “In the end, it’s all about the best team winning.”
Free-for-All is more like a potpourri with playlists that dip into each of Riders Republic‘s extreme sports and events.
“Free-for-all is the place players can go to improve, compete and go head to head with riders from all around the world,” Neber said. “With private PvP, you can group up with other riders and play any of the career content offered in the Republic. So whether it be a friendly rivalry or intense competition, together you and your friends can progress your careers, gain stars, complete challenges, and unlock tons of new gear.”
Finally, Riders Republic once again borrows from Forza Horizon with its own take on the Forzathon event.
“The biggest party in the Republic, the Mass Race is a giant event that occurs every hour in different locations around the map,” Neber affirmed.
“The race begins at predefined locations and players need to arrive at the meeting point to sign up for the event. The recipe for this madness is to take huge, multi-terrain race tracks, add multisport switches, and combine this with 50 plus players — on next-gen — and let it rip in the most chaotic, fun and unexpected event we have to offer.”
For those looking for a solo experience, players will have the chance to progress through a number of careers, each separate from the other. Do well enough and you’ll be able to rise through the ranks and get invited to digital versions of real sporting events including Red Bull Rampage, the premiere freeride mountain biking competition.
“These competitions are based off real outdoor action sporting events organized by brands including Burton, Santa Cruz, Rossignol… or Solomon,” Ruiz told Stevivor.
“The world of Riders Republic features lots of epic scenery and breathtaking views for the players to enjoy along the way,” Ruiz continued. “We want to celebrate that by offering them many opportunities to leave tracks and explore the world to find its hidden jewels and relics.
Riders Republic heads to Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series S, PS4, PS5 and Stadia from 2 September 2021. We also previewed the title back in September of last year.
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Riders Republic28 October 2021PC PS4 PS5 Xbox One Xbox Series S & X |
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