Ubisoft is Reinventing Ghost Recon With a Tactical First-Person Game and New AI Technology

Ubisoft appears to be preparing a major change for the Ghost Recon franchise, with its next mainline game reportedly taking the series in a very different direction. The new Ghost Recon is said to be a tactical first-person shooter inspired by games such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Ready or Not. 

It is still unclear whether the new game will maintain the large open-world structure used by the last two entries or move toward a mission-based format similar to Ready or Not. However, one detail that has emerged is that Ubisoft is developing the game using Unreal Engine 5. 

The reported shift toward a first-person tactical shooter could represent something of a return to Ghost Recon's older identity. 

Instead of just cruising around in a massive open world and tackling missions from different angles, the new game could focus on careful planning, realistic combat, and squad tactics. That would give the mainline series its own identity while still leaving Ubisoft room to keep exploring the open-world formula elsewhere.

But Ubisoft is reportedly experimenting with new artificial intelligence technology that could play a big role in its future games. One of the most compelling examples is a generative AI teammate system that could make AI-controlled squad members more interactive. 

It’s a concept that suits Ghost Recon specifically well. A squad-based mission tactical shooter could be improved even more by the use of AI teammates that respond directly to your voice, not just set commands. 

You could tell a teammate to go to a certain position, tell another squadmate to attack an enemy, or coordinate an attack without constantly navigating menus. The technology could make your squad feel more involved in the actual gameplay.

Ubisoft is reportedly testing this AI teammate technology within Far Cry 7. According to the reported information, however, that does not necessarily mean the feature will actually appear in the final game. 

Instead, Ubisoft is said to be testing the technology in a playable version of Far Cry 7 primarily for research and development purposes. The experiments could therefore be helping the company determine how the system works before it is eventually introduced into a larger project.

Ghost Recon would arguably be one of the better places for Ubisoft to use the technology.

Imagine moving through a stealth mission where you have to give your squad quiet commands to avoid alerting nearby enemies. During a larger firefight, you could potentially raise your voice and issue urgent orders while your teammates react to what you are saying. 

That could also create a more personal relationship between players and their AI teammates. Instead of having squad members that simply follow a handful of basic commands, Ubisoft could make them feel like actual members of your team. 

Your interactions with them, the orders you give, and the way you approach missions could potentially change how those characters behave throughout the game. For a franchise built around military squads, that is one of the more compelling possibilities surrounding Ubisoft's AI experiments.

The more controversial part of Ubisoft's AI plans involves generative AI itself. The company is reportedly exploring technology that could potentially be used to create playable games or experiences, as well as generate large amounts of game content through AI-generated assets, 3D models, and other material.

It’s raised concerns about how such tools could disrupt game development. The obvious fear is that publishers will eventually use AI to reduce the number of staff needed to make games, meaning companies can produce more content faster with smaller teams. 

For Ubisoft, which operates on a large scale and has several major franchises, the difference is particularly important. If these technologies prove useful, they could eventually roll out to titles like Ghost Recon, Far Cry, and Assassin's Creed. That could fundamentally change how Ubisoft approaches development over the next several years. 

There is still a strong argument for using AI in limited ways, especially when it improves gameplay rather than replacing creative work. 

AI teammates are a particularly relevant example because they could add something directly to the player's experience. Generative systems designed primarily to produce large amounts of content, however, raise different questions about quality, originality, and the role of human developers.

But the new Ghost Recon is reportedly heading in a direction that could be a good change for the franchise. Moving back toward a tactical first-person experience would separate the mainline series from Wildlands and Breakpoint. 

That approach could effectively give players two different versions of Ghost Recon. One side could continue the large open-world formula, complete with exploration, vehicles, and third-person combat, while the mainline games could focus on tighter missions, tactical decision-making, and first-person combat. 

For now, the biggest question surrounding the project is how much of this reported information will actually make it into the finished game. 

The transcript does not officially confirm the tactical first-person direction, Unreal Engine 5 development, or potential 2026 release window. Ubisoft's AI experiments are also still part of a broader development process, meaning there is no guarantee that every technology currently being tested will appear in a future Ghost Recon game.

Still, the reported plans point toward a franchise entering a major transition. After Wildlands and Breakpoint established Ghost Recon as an open-world tactical series, Ubisoft now appears interested in taking the mainline games back toward a more focused tactical experience. 

Combined with experiments involving AI teammates and generative technology, the next Ghost Recon could end up changing both how the series plays and how Ubisoft approaches its development.