The new concept is proof of the power of Babylon.js

May 20, 2014 07:49 GMT  ·  By

Video game publisher Ubisoft and Microsoft are announcing that they are launching a new web-based demo version of Assassin’s Creed: Pirates, which has been created by a small development team using the new Babylon.js, an open-source 3D game engine that can make titles using HTML5 and WebGL.

All gamers can try it out on the official website and the two companies are saying that the project is intended as a proof of concept, showing what the technology can achieve and how easy it is to deliver an experience that runs in a browser for a major franchise.

The Babylon.JS open source framework was first announced in June of 2013 and Microsoft has big long-term plans for it.

Only four people have worked to create the demo for Assassin’s Creed: Pirates.

The two companies add, “New gameplay based on the popular app Assassin's Creed Pirates (ACP) game allows you to step into the shoes of Alonzo Batilla, a young captain, racing his ship through the Caribbean seas, evading mines and other hurdles, amidst searching for treasure. This is also the first web game developed using the Babylon.JS open source framework.”

Ubisoft has not said whether it currently has any kind of long-term plans to launch a web-based version of Assassin’s Creed Pirates or if it is aiming to create an entirely separate game experience that uses the medium.

At the moment, there are two core titles in the series that are set to be launched before the end of the year, both of them set to push forward the core story and add some interesting gameplay tweaks.

Unity is the high-profile title that will be offered on the PC, the PlayStation 4 from Sony and the Xbox One, designed to use the extensive computing power of these platforms to significantly enhance the player experience.

A companion title will only be offered on the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 and might be known as Comet.

More than ten studios from Ubisoft are working on the two titles as the company seeks to maintain the momentum of the Assassin’s Creed series.

A web-based video game, even if it does not manage to offer all the core gameplay mechanics of the franchise, could serve to advertise the titles that are coming in the fall and enhance the visibility of the brand.

Ubisoft might make an official announcement about the future of Assassin’s Creed during E3 2014.