Last month, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint released Title Update 2.1.0. In addition to Resistance, an in-game event, this update added something huge: AI teammates. This addition offered up new possibilities for solo players, who can now activate or deactivate them via the menu at any time. The AI Teammates retained their gameplay features and abilities present with teammates in Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands, including the ability to execute given orders, the sync shot and the possibility to get revived. The update also introduced a new Ghost War PvP content including the observer mode and item drop functionality, as well as a wealth of improvements based on community requests, including enhancements to the Gunsmith.
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We got the chance to speak with Ubisoft’s Grace Orlady (Community Developer) and Nouredine Abboud (Executive Producer) about the Resistance, community thoughts, AI Teammates and more.
BWT: Why add teammates to Breakpoint? Was this based on player feedback, quality of life improvements, something like that?
UBISOFT: Adding AI Teammates in Ghost Recon Breakpoint was one of the biggest points of feedback from our community since we announced the game. We want to deliver the best Ghost Recon experience, so with the feedback from the community, we decided to fine-tune our game experience with this new parameter.
BWT: While it eases play for solo players, this seems like a big change that impacts more than just experience, so on the dev side, what was the process of adding teammates to Breakpoint?
UBISOFT: Since the launch of the game, Ghost Recon Breakpoint production teams’ top priority has been to enhance the experience and polish the game. Additionally, the team delivered new content such as Raid, Terminator Live Event and Sam Fisher’s adventure. Adding AI Teammates to the game was a major undertaking that required a lot of time and resources, and we are excited to bring them into Breakpoint!
BWT: In the release from Ubisoft, there was also the announcement that players would be able to customize their AI teammates. It seems like a small detail, but as someone who spent way too much time deciding on a tactical vest to wear and was excited to color my gun pink, this is a welcome addition. How did you arrive at the decision to add it?
UBISOFT: We decided to include AI Teammate customization because some Ghost Recon players like to role play in the open-world and it was also based on the feedback of the AI teammates in Ghost Recon Wildlands. It was essential for us to push the AI teammates further in Ghost Recon Breakpoint. They are fully customizable, from their physical attributes to their equipment and weapons. Players are able to use any customization items or costumes they own to create a cohesive squad aesthetic or highlight a unique look.
BWT: Can you talk a little about how players will command their AI teammates? Do they adapt to the players’ playstyles? Have specific roles? Is there a ping system that players will need to use to command in every encounter or can the AI be trusted to enter the thick of it alone without becoming liabilities?
UBISOFT: In Ghost Recon Breakpoint, the AI Teammates will be great allies for all solo players, as they are able to support players in firefights, revive them, shoot from moving vehicles etc.
The AI teammates are fully customizable, from head to toe. Players can choose their teammates’ primary weapon, which effects how they interact with the enemy. Additionally, the AI Teammate’s engagement rules adapt depending on the primary weapon they have equipped.
BWT: How much of area difficulty needed to be adjusted to accommodate the new teammates and how did the team balance keeping the challenge of the game with making it more easily played?
UBISOFT: AI Teammates do not affect the enemies’ difficulty settings in any way.
BWT: Tell us a little about Resistance. What does it add to the worldbuilding of Breakpoint and what are some of your favorite unlockable rewards?
UBISOFT: The Outcasts have recruited massive amounts of civilians and Trey Stone wants to stop the new wave of Resistance, so he orders an attack on an Outcast location (not the Main camp), resulting in a lot of destruction. Harui Ito, leader of the Outcasts, wants to counter-attack to show to that the Outcasts are still alive.
In the new Live Event, Resistance, Nomad will assist the Outcasts in their effort to save prisoners, attack sentinel outposts and stop convoys looking for survivors. By completing the Live Event’s missions, the player will have a direct impact on the systemic presence of Rebels throughout Auroa. This will result in an opportunity to develop their power and spark faction warfare between the Rebels, Sentinel forces or with the Wolves.
BWT: Moving into the new PvP, what kind of community feedback went into this addition from the Title 2.1.0 update? More specifically the new observer mode? Is this something you all thought about from the streaming end of things?
UBISOFT: The Item Drop feature has been a request since launch and something that we were excited to be able to introduce into Ghost War. This allows players to share their consumable items (e.g. syringes, grenades, etc.) between teammates by dropping them for their friends to pick up.
The ability to redistribute resources can add a lot more dynamism in tactical situations. Have a friend that’s low on health? You can give them an extra syringe to get back into fighting shape without running into a potentially deadly situation.
If you have extra grenades, you can share those with your teammates too, allowing more versatility and coordination in skirmishes!
For Observer Mode, we knew it was a popular post-launch addition to Ghost Recon Wildlands and wanted to include it in Ghost Recon Breakpoint. Our aim is to give our community members who host tournaments and competitions a more streamlined and engaging way to observe matches.
Ubisoft’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint has been one of the funnest experiences for co-op play, and now with the Title Update 2.1.0, even more people are getting to play both with and without friends to co-op with it. With episode 3 still to come this year for Ghost Recon Breakpoint, we’re excited to see how the game keeps improving with quality of life updates but most importantly, incorporating community feedback.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint is available now, pick up your copy with our Ubisoft Affiliate Link.
