Ubisoft’s Far Cry Primal, a bold venture into the prehistoric realm, invited players to abandon modern vehicles in favor of a more primitive existence. Set against the backdrop of the Mesolithic period, players navigated the rugged Carpathian mountains, wielding clubs and facing off against saber-toothed cats, all while embodying a character voiced by Adam Jensen from Deus Ex. However, within days of its release, a sense of déjà vu began to permeate the gaming community. Players quickly recognized the familiar contours of the waterways and the well-trodden paths of the Oros valley, which bore a striking resemblance to the map from Far Cry 4.
This revelation sparked frustration for Alex Hutchinson, the director of Far Cry 4, who was still part of Ubisoft during the development of Primal. He expressed his discontent, stating, “I kept saying to them, ‘Just announce it, because someone will figure it out. Just say it’s the same place 40,000 years ago. And then it’s cool.’ They didn’t say anything and then everyone was like, ‘Cheap developers!’, as always.”
In a similar vein, Activision faced scrutiny with the release of Call of Duty: Ghosts, where fans noted that its opening sequence mirrored the conclusion of Modern Warfare 2. This reuse of specific animations led to perceptions that the franchise had lost its innovative edge, tarnishing its reputation as a purveyor of high-octane experiences.
Asset reuse became synonymous with a lack of creativity, a sentiment echoed by many gamers. This posed a significant challenge for developers who relied on an iterative model, using the foundation laid by previous titles to elevate their sequels with new features and ideas.
Hutchinson elaborates on this trend, noting, “In Assassin’s Creed, animations move through multiple iterations. Black Flag reused like 80% of Assassin’s Creed 3. So there’s always some reuse, at least in the big studios.” However, a shift in perspective is evident today, particularly on platforms like YouTube, where discussions around asset reuse have evolved. Instead of condemnation, there are now arguments advocating for the necessity of reusing assets, with videos highlighting the creative merits of studios like FromSoftware.
Changing Perspectives on Asset Reuse
As Hutchinson observes, the landscape has transformed significantly. “We’re in a period where the Western devs are struggling and the Asian devs are thriving,” he remarks. This marks a stark contrast to a decade and a half ago when Western developers dominated the industry while their Japanese counterparts faced challenges. Historically, Japanese studios often relied on bespoke engines for each game, a practice that proved unsustainable. Now, they have embraced the use of shared engines and tools, leading to a renaissance in their creative output.
Titles like Dark Souls, Elden Ring, and Yakuza have normalized the practice of creatively recycling elements from previous games. Hutchinson highlights the brilliance of the Yakuza series, stating, “The genius of Yakuza was always for me that you’re revisiting the same place. So you kind of want to see the asset reuse in a way.” This approach transforms limitations into integral aspects of the gaming experience, akin to the fog in Silent Hill, which enhances the narrative rather than detracts from it.
Looking ahead, Hutchinson speculates on the potential role of AI in game development, suggesting that it could serve as a tool for prototyping. However, he remains skeptical about its ability to revolutionize the industry. “I was talking about it with the guys yesterday,” he shares. “I was like, ‘Alright, if we imagine what we would actually have to do to make an Assassin’s Creed, we have to somehow write the prompts to generate two and a half hours of story cinematics, with 22 kilometers of open world.’ Even if it did stuff, it would take years of prompts. Anything of any real complexity, imagining how to describe in words what you wanted would be so hard. At a certain point, you’d be like, ‘We should just get some people to do this.'”
