This Week at Ubisoft: OddBallers Available Now, For Honor Announces New Hero

This week at Ubisoft, OddBallers launched, For Honor announced a new Hero, Ubisoft+ added new indie titles to its library, and Rocksmith+ added songs by Jack White and The White Stripes. Plus, team members from Ubisoft shared how they celebrated Lunar New Year, and the company got a new vice president of Editorial. Check it all out and more in this week's roundup of Ubisoft News.

OddBallers Available Now

OddBallers, the new dodgeball-inspired party game, is available now, inviting you and your friends to compete in a variety of wacky minigames. Throw, dash, and push your way to victory in a dodgeball free-for-all, team up to destroy a car with fish, keep away from lava pools, and more. OddBallers features three environments, each with 30 themed arenas. Players can use these arenas to their advantage by hiding behind obstacles, pushing opponents into quicksand or lava, and throwing objects for a KO.

For Honor's Newest Hero, the Afeera, Coming on February 2

During the Warrior's Den livestream on January 26, the For Honor team announced the Afeera, a new class of Hero heading to Heathmoor on February 2. Coming from Arabia, the Afeera wield a Mace and Shield in battle, and are trained to be quick and precise with their attacks.

How Ubisoft Is Celebrating Lunar New Year 2023

The Lunar New Year began on January 22, ushering in the Year of the Rabbit for most cultures (Vietnam will celebrate the Year of the Cat this year). Ubisoft is celebrating with a special Rabbid figurine, designed by three artists from Ubisoft Chengdu. Ubisoft News spoke with Junior Concept Artist Wang Lan Jin, Lead Artist Zhang Xi Peng, and Senior Level Designer Zhang Man Di to learn more about the custom Rabbid design, how they celebrate Lunar New Year, and what the holiday means to them.

Rocksmith+ Adds New Songs From Jack White and The White Stripes

On January 25, Rocksmith+ added new tracks from Jack White and The White Stripes to its library. The songs include "Sixteen Saltines," "Taking Me Back," and "Blue Orchid," among others. With a library of over 6,000 songs, the Rocksmith+ music-learning service teaches you how to play acoustic, electric, and bass guitar with songs by popular artists.

Ubisoft+ Adds New Indie Games to Library

Ubisoft+ offers a cache of third-party indie titles to its subscribers, including Lake, Astrologaster, and Iris and the Giant. While A Normal Lost Phone and The Last Friend are leaving the platform on January 28, three new indie titles have joined the lineup: Deadly Days, The Lion's Song, and Orbital Bullet.

Ubisoft Names Bernd Diemer As New Vice President of Editorial - Social Experience

Bernd Diemer has joined the Ubisoft Global Creative Office as the Vice President of Editorial - Social Experience. With 20 years of experience in the games industry, Diemer will drive and enhance social experiences within Ubisoft games, working with teams around the world to foster inclusive, positive, and engaging play spaces.

Brawlhalla Esports Season Announced

Ubisoft announced Brawlhalla Esports Season 2023 on January 23, outlining in-person and virtual events throughout the year where players can compete for prize pools that total $1 million. The first event, the Winter Championship, starts on February 3, which will be followed by online Championships as well as in-person LAN events. The esports season will culminate in the Brawlhalla Word Championship, which is an open sign-up tournament for pros and amateurs alike and will take place in November 2023.

Ubisoft+ Spotlight - OddBallers

(Editorial note: This is a series of quick weekly highlights written by Ubisoft News team writers that feature games available with a Ubisoft+ subscription. We hope you'll enjoy reminiscing with us, or perhaps discover something new.)

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1719111209

Brittany Spurlin, Writer/Editor: There's no other way to say it: OddBallers is a blast. It's easy and fun to learn the controls, making it a great party game for people of all ages. The minigames are unique and filled with variables (whether its introducing cacti to throw, fish to slap, or beehives to push), so even when you're playing Last One Standing for the third time in a round, it feels like a new experience. It also has a nice mix of team matches, boss fights, and everyone-for-themselves rounds, changing up the pace of the game.

The game also has a fun way of keeping KO'd players engaged by allowing them to place obstacles in the arena. Want to get revenge on the person who eliminated you, or help a friend knock out another opponent? Send some toxic gas, crabs, or supercharged tennis balls their way. There are also some Mutators that allow you to respawn in the game as an animal, offering yet another way to wreak havoc even after losing your chance at victory.

OddBallers' arenas have so many fun obstacles, they almost feel like an additional player, something you can use to your advantage. Dodge behind a hay bale to avoid an incoming shot, push an opponent into a pool of lava, or run someone down with a lawnmower. You can also push other players into barriers like electric fences or TNT crates to your benefit, or you can destroy boundary fences to push them off a ledge. The gameplay possibilities feel endless, and its up to you to take advantage of your surroundings.

Ubisoft+ offers day one access to new releases, so you can play OddBallers today with a subscription.

Game Updates

Rainbow Six Siege launched the Y7S4.2 patch on January 24, which includes Operator balancing, weapon balancing, and game improvements.

• Twitch's regular drones were increased from one to two
• Extended-barrel weapon damage is increased by 15%
• Advanced Controller Options allow PC and console players to customize aim controls

Brawlhalla kicked off Battle Pass Season 7: Valhallaquest on January 25, bringing patch 7.03 with it and introducing new items, missions, and challenges to the game, as well as balancing updates.

• New Battle Pass items include Owl Bard Hugin, Hero's Quest Podium, Drago the Dragon Sidekick, and a special Avatar for players who complete all 85 tiers
• New Challenges system including Cannon Zero to KO Variation 1 and Orb Bread 'n Butter String 1
• The Axe Neutral Air's Stun is now 26 (up from 25) and has a decreased recover time on a miss