Ubisoft is stepping into the future of gaming with their latest innovation, Teammates, a short playable experience harnessed by generative AI. Developed by the same creative minds behind 2024’s Neo NPC demo, Teammates places Non-Playable Characters (NPCs) in a dynamic first-person shooter environment. The NPCs are equipped with advanced AI features that allow them to respond to voice commands, adapt to real-time situations, and showcase their unique personalities.
Ubisoft’s Teammates is a groundbreaking experiment that enhances immersion with adaptive AI, allowing NPCs to naturally respond to player strategies and moods.
Revolutionizing Player Interaction
In Teammates, mission briefings and battlefield commands are no longer one-way streets. The AI-driven NPCs interpret player intent, tone, and environmental cues, creating fluid reactions that elevate player immersion and agency. Narrative Director Virginie Mosser emphasizes that the project is about exploring new interactive storytelling possibilities, ensuring AI does not overshadow the narrative soul of the game. Teammates is designed to balance emotion and unpredictability, offering players creative freedom within the game’s framework.
Introducing Jaspar: Your In-Game Ally
Ubisoft also introduces Jaspar, an in-game companion that aids players by recognizing them by name, assisting with game onboarding, and understanding the lore. Jaspar can highlight threats, suggest next steps, manage HUD elements, and act as a tactical guide, enhancing player experience by providing support and guidance throughout missions.
The Future of Adaptive Gameplay
Teammates serves as an exploration into the potential of adaptive gameplay, offering a glimpse of how future games might evolve. Director of Gameplay GenAI, Xavier Manzanares, explains that this experiment is about laying a strong technology foundation for the future. With an API to manage generative systems, Ubisoft aims to control and utilize AI’s power to enhance human creativity and gameplay experiences. CEO Yves Guillemot insists that while AI tools offer new creative avenues, creativity will remain inherently human.
Although it’s anticipated that this technology won’t be integrated into games immediately, Teammates has already been playtested by a limited group of players. The team intends to gather feedback and refine the systems further, with plans to release an explainer video soon to showcase the innovation in action.