The French video game company Ubisoft is collaborating with Pathé to create a virtual reality firefighting escape game based on the Notre-Dame blaze incident. The title is also associated with French director Jacques Annaud’s upcoming IMAX-shot docudrama, ‘Notre-Dame on Fire.’
The game, reportedly, will be a one-hour experience that puts players into the boots and uniforms of the Parisian firefighters. They would have to douse the flames that engulfed the church in April 2019.
The company had also created an immersive 360 video in mid-2020 based on the subject. It can be viewed or played for free using an inexpensive VR cardboard. It features intuitive controls that enable players to peer into the church and its surroundings from different angles.
The discussions for creating the title began in early 2021, with Annaud and Ubisoft exploring different formats for the game. The film’s release date was finalized for March 2022, which didn’t leave enough time to develop a full-fledged game. Therefore, they settled for a one-hour interactive experience filled with ample puzzles.
“Like any escape game, it’s a question of puzzles and co-operating with your teammates,” said Deborah Papiernik, Ubisoft Senior VP of Business and Strategic Alliances. “The idea is to make your way through the cathedral to find relics and to fight the fire because you have to save Notre Dame [before the clock runs out].”
Annaud worked closely with Ubisoft and provided them with the movie script that helped develop a general setup for the adaptation. The title will be produced and distributed by the French company, Pathé, to be launched coinciding with the movie’s release.
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