Ubisoft and the entire gaming industry have made their fair share of mistakes, but one studio head sees the path forward in narrative. Lisa Opie, who leads Ubisoft Reflections, says it’s time for developers to rethink the stories they want to tell in their games.

It’s no secret that Ubisoft isn’t having its best moment. In fact, it might be fair to say the French giant is going through the toughest period in its history. The company behind Assassin’s Creed has been stuck in a rut for years, with setbacks like the cancellation of XDefiant. And while Shadows had a decent launch, it wasn’t the major breakthrough Ubisoft needed. Meanwhile, the industry has shifted focus to games as a service, prioritizing player retention over offering a satisfying, complete experience. In this context, Lisa Opie, head of Ubisoft Reflections, believes the solution lies in rethinking narrative innovation.

In an interview with The Game Business, Opie revealed that she didn’t come to gaming through the usual path. She spent years in television before moving to the games industry in 2021—right during the pandemic-fueled boom and subsequent slump of cancellations, layoffs, and studio closures. Her television background, though unorthodox for gaming, has given her a fresh perspective on digital storytelling.

“The fundamental structure of a TV show hasn’t changed much over the decades,” Opie reflects. “We’ve seen innovation from a technology perspective, but much of that innovation comes from narrative. So I came [to games] with a focus on storytelling beyond what I was seeing around me.” She continues: “Of the games I played, The Last of Us: Part 2 blew me away narratively. It was a brilliant story. But I had to accept that it’s not the most important thing. It’s one of the important things. If you don’t have an incredibly compelling main loop, it doesn’t matter how good your story is. People won’t stick around, they won’t play.”

Narrative as a Tool for Innovation

Opie believes the gaming industry must rethink how it delivers experiences. “I know you’re going to say I’m obligated to say this because of my background, but I still believe there’s an opportunity to tell extraordinary and immersive stories,” she says. “I think we’ll see greater variety and that games will become more distinctive, more diverse, and more accessible in terms of time commitment. In short: richer experiences. That battle to hold people’s attention must be met with innovation—and part of that innovation is in the narrative.”

Whether Opie’s ideas will gain traction in the crowded gaming market is unclear. More and more companies are shifting to experiences that rely on systems and mechanics to keep players engaged, and Ubisoft is no exception, with live-service games like The Division 2 now part of a new division alongside Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry. Yet there are still games that put narrative front and center—and those are always worth paying attention to as the industry evolves in the years ahead.

Source: 3djuegos