E3 2021: 9 Things We Know About Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora (So Far)

The Avatar franchise is set to return in a big way with James Cameron’s multiple sequels, the continued expansion of Pandora at Walt Disney Parks, and the release of a brand new video game titled Frontiers Of Pandora. This is really the first time fans have had the chance to revisit the IP on screen since the release of the original film in 2009.

While there’s a lot to look forward to, the details regarding the video game adaptation are still quite sparse. Thanks to E3 2021, there’s a few important pieces of information that have been released including the launch date, the developers of the game, the basic premise of the title as well as the gameplay engine being utilized.

9 The Developers

There had been a lot of speculation of an Avatar title in the works, with James Cameron’s property getting fully realized on next-gen consoles. However, it was unclear if the reported studio would be moving ahead with the project. At E3 2021, Ubisoft revealed that Frontiers Of Pandora is one of the many games they’re working on.

Interestingly, this is not the first time that Ubisoft has worked on a game in this world. They had previously released James Cameron’s Avatar: The Video Game in 2009 which was a third-person action-adventure. The title received mixed reviews and wasn’t considered a great expansion of the franchise, but Ubisoft would have learned a lot of lessons since.

8 In Canon

With the 20th Century Fox-owned franchise getting acquired by Disney alongside the rest of the studio’s properties, it’s likely the company will want to take a similar approach to this stunning sci-fi universe as they have with the MCU and Star Wars brands.

That means working with a consistent canon of mythology, with the theme parks, movies, and video games taking place in the same narrative. Based on what’s been seen from the project thus far, it’s clear that the story and portrayal of the world will continue to connect to everything audiences have seen from Avatar; even if it is a standalone story.

7 Set On Pandora

It would have been easy for the video game to be set primarily on Earth for budgetary issues to tell a slightly different story set in the world of Avatar. But it’s really the planet of Pandora which appeals most to audiences, with its lush landscapes and peculiar fauna and flora.

Drawing from the movies and the creative designs for Pandora at the Walt Disney Parks, the video game will be portraying the Na’vi home and its society in great detail. All of the visual cues for the project have demonstrated the richness of the breathtaking alien planet. Players will especially be visiting the Western Frontier, a largely unseen area of the planet.

6 The Villains

Considering the Avatar IP hasn’t been fleshed out much further than the initial movie, there’s not a great array of villains for the game to capitalize on. The means that the title largely plays into the conflict audiences have previously seen, between the Na’vi and humanity.

The invading military group known as the Resources Development Administration, or RDA, will be the key antagonists for players to face off against. They have state-of-the-art equipment, terrifying mechs, and lethal weaponry which will be a significant threat to the Na’vi’s more traditional gear.

5 First-Person Gameplay

As previously mentioned, the initial Avatar game took on a third-person perspective. For Frontiers Of Pandora Ubisoft noted at E3 that this newer title would actually be a first-person action-adventure. There’s likely a number of reasons for this.

Firstly, the first-person perspective has continued to be a popular one in the industry, with games that boast the feature still performing well. Secondly, with such an immersive world, it gives the player the chance to completely experience Pandora firsthand. What’s more, the title would likely play well in VR if the opportunity arises.

4 Snowdrop Engine

When rumors initially began back in 2017 that Ubisoft could be making an Avatar game, reports indicated that they would also be using the Snowdrop Engine. Fast-forwarding to the present day and it’s been confirmed that the Snowdrop engine will indeed be the backbone of this experience.

The description of the game went a little way to explain why that was the case, noting that “Built using the latest iteration of the Snowdrop engine, and developed exclusively for the new generation of consoles and PC, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora brings to life the alluring world of Pandora with all of its beauty and danger in an immersive, open-world experience.”

3 Platforms

Frontiers Of Pandora will be capitalizing on the shifting gaming generations and as such will exclusively release on next-gen consoles. The official list, therefore, includes the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC as well as digital platforms such as Stadia and Luna.

There are some interesting notes here, including the fact that the Nintendo Switch or upcoming Nintendo Switch Pro will not be getting some variant on the title. It does appear that the game will launch on all of these platforms at the same time though, meaning there are no delays for PC players.

2 Trailer

The original James Cameron film may be considered a bit of a sci-fi classic and Ubisoft knew that they had to go big when first announcing the video game title. The first major news of Frontiers Of Pandora, therefore, launched alongside a 4K trailer.

Available to watch right now, E3 2021 boasted the latest Avatar trailer, which took audiences through the Na’vi homeworld as they navigated past dangerous beasts and memorable vistas. The trailer gives a great look at the cinematography of this universe but doesn’t lean heavily on gameplay footage.

1 Release Date

The release date for Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora hasn’t been penciled in completely but has been confirmed to be at some point in 2022. The second film in James Cameron’s sci-fi saga will also be releasing in cinemas across the world in the same year.

Before the world had seen any footage from the game and before the details of the title had even been announced, it was reported that the development was experiencing a delay that would pitch its release in 2022. One of the reasons, besides the global situation, was so that the game could coincide with the launch of Avatar 2. 

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