Ubisoft Addresses Cancellation of Cozy Game Alterra

We haven't even had a chance to see it yet, but reports suggest that Alterra, a Ubisoft game featuring social, crafting, and gathering mechanics, is dead. According to Gaming Insider, there are no layoffs directly connected with the cancellation, and staff will instead be moved to other projects. IGN reached out to Ubisoft for a clarification, and while a spokesperson didn't comment directly on Alterra, they did give this statement.

“As part of our portfolio management approach and evolving creative house-led model, we continuously assess projects at every stage of development to ensure alignment with our strategic priorities, quality ambitions, and long-term market potential. Projects that no longer meet these expectations may be discontinued.”

Sources at Gaming Insider who saw the game made it sound like a mix of Animal Crossing and Minecraft with NPCs called Matterlings, who were described as resembling Funko Pops. Players could explore different biomes to find different types of materials and creatures. The creative director on the project was Patrick Redding (who has previously worked on Splinter Cell Blacklist and the Far Cry games), and the lead producer was Fabien Lhéraud.

In better news, yesterday Ubisoft revealed when it will officially unveil Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, its remake of the beloved pirate-flavored installment in the series. The Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced: Worldwide Reveal Showcase will be available to watch this Thursday, April 23 at 9am Pacific / 12pm Eastern / 5pm UK time.

Rachel Weber is the Head of Editorial Development at IGN and an elder millennial. She's been a professional nerd since 2006 when she got her start on Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK, and has since worked for GamesIndustry.Biz, Rolling Stone and GamesRadar. She loves horror, horror movies, horror games, Red Dead Redemption 2, and her Love and Deepspace boyfriends.