Ubisoft Unveils 'Alterra': A Voxel-Based Social Sim Game Inspired by Minecraft and Animal Crossing

Ubisoft Montreal is crafting a new voxel-based game codenamed "Alterra," blending inspiration from Minecraft and Animal Crossing. Discover more about this innovative social sim experience!

Voxel-Based Game with Minecraft and Animal Crossing Vibes in the Works

Featuring Building and Social Interaction Elements

Ubisoft Montreal, known for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Far Cry 6, is working on a voxel-based game codenamed "Alterra," according to a November 26 report by Insider Gaming. This project emerged from a previously canceled voxel game that was in development for four years.

The report suggests that "Alterra" will feature a gameplay loop similar to Animal Crossing, focusing on cozy social interactions. Instead of friendly animal villagers, players will engage with "Matterlings" on a home island. Animal Crossing is celebrated for its relaxed vibe, allowing players to decorate homes, catch wildlife, and connect with others.

Players can venture beyond their home island to explore diverse biomes, gather materials, and interact with various Matterlings. The journey comes with challenges, as enemies may block the path. Minecraft-inspired mechanics allow players to collect biome-specific resources, like wood from forested areas, for building structures.

Matterlings are described as resembling Funko Pop figures, with oversized heads and designs inspired by mythical creatures like dragons or familiar animals like cats and dogs. Their appearance varies based on clothing and species type.

In development for over 18 months, "Alterra" is led by Fabien Lhéraud, a 24-year Ubisoft veteran, as lead producer. His LinkedIn profile mentions a "Next Gen Unannounced Project" started in December 2020. Patrick Redding, with credits on Gotham Knights, Splinter Cell Blacklist, and Far Cry 2, serves as creative director.

While exciting, this information should be approached cautiously, as "Alterra" is still in development and subject to changes.

Understanding Voxel Games

Voxel games create worlds using tiny 3D cubes or pixels, grouped to form complex objects, much like LEGO bricks. These games render objects with volume, unlike traditional polygon-based models.

A notable voxel game, Teardown, lets players execute heists by strategically interacting with destructible environments, breaking objects pixel by pixel. Contrary to popular belief, Minecraft isn’t a true voxel game; it uses a voxel-like aesthetic but relies on polygon-based rendering for its blocks.

Games like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 or Metaphor: ReFantazio use polygons, composed of millions of tiny triangles to form surfaces. This can result in empty spaces when clipping through objects. Voxel games, however, stack blocks to create solid, volumetric objects.

While polygon rendering is favored for efficiency, Ubisoft’s "Alterra" promises a fresh take with its voxel-based graphics, blending creativity and social engagement.