Ubisoft had one of the more popular showings of this year’s E3, as they sought to pair old series with new ideas. Opening the presentation with a guest appearance from Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto, first up was a cover-based real-time strategy game: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. Ubisoft have swapped out Rayman with Mario for this particular Rabbid-infested spin-off.

Sequels were a recurring theme. The Crew 2 raised its head, introducing planes and boats as modes of transport, with a focus on how they would interact with the game’s existing bikes and cars. Far Cry 5 also made a flamboyant appearance, presenting pre-planning and guerrilla tactics in the fictional setting of Hope County, Montana.

A perpetual sequel returned after last year’s absence, with Assassin’s Creed: Origins going even further back in time to ancient Egypt. It features a pared-back concept combined with decreased technology, while placing greater emphasis on the gamer’s ability to improve gear and search fallen enemies for more powerful armaments. A number of changes such as the return of horseback transport and a greater focus on archery were announced. Ubisoft also revealed they’re returning to Assassin’s Creed IV’s setting – the golden age of piracy – with Skull and Bones. This is a new title in which the sailing from Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag is expanded upon with competitive modes and a slight supernatural element.

Other announcements included Starlink, a space combat game which uses a physical model to modify your chosen ship. An intriguing VR project named Transference was unveiled, while Steep is now a licensed winter Olympics product with the announcement of a ‘Road to the Olympics’ expansion. Ubisoft will continue their South Park partnership with South Park: The Fractured But Whole and Phone Destroyer. As ever, the company reminded attendees that Just Dance is still an annual release, reaching far beyond the normal realm of sequel numbering with Just Dance 2018.

To finish, Michel Ancel appeared on stage after the re-surfacing of Beyond Good and Evil 2 in the form of a prequel. Hopefully this time it sees the light of day.

Ubisoft appear to have impressed most sections of its fanbase despite showing nothing massively outlandish. Instead, they banked on pre-existing adoration for ongoing series. With Ancel’s tears on stage, that might just work in the long run.