Ubisoft has released a new video celebrating the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. The video, titled “Assassin’s Creed Unity Tribute: Explore Notre Dame with Arno,” showcases the detailed recreation of the iconic landmark within the game. Notre Dame was devastated by a fire on April 15, 2019, and remained closed until December 7, 2024.
In the video, Ubisoft invites players to join Arno, the game’s protagonist, on a tour of the meticulously recreated cathedral during the French Revolution. The video features side-by-side gameplay captures and video clips from the actual Notre Dame, highlighting the extensive work that went into recreating the structure. Ubisoft emphasizes that it took its developers more than two years to recreate Notre Dame to a true one-to-one scale, including the innovative technology of the time that allowed seamless transitions between outdoor and indoor environments.
Ubisoft honors Notre Dame in Unity
Ubisoft acknowledges one significant historical inaccuracy in AC Unity: the inclusion of the cathedral’s famous spire, which was completed decades after the French Revolution. The company explains that the decision to include it was made to honor the modern iconic design of Notre Dame and to provide players with an impressive vantage point within the game.
This video serves a dual purpose for Ubisoft: celebrating Notre Dame’s rebirth and reminding players of the impressive achievements in Assassin’s Creed Unity. Despite the game’s rocky launch marred by numerous bugs, it remains a favorite for its focus on stealth and dense environment design. Ubisoft’s reflection on its past work with AC Unity is a reminder of the company’s ability to create historically rich and immersive game worlds, even if they take creative liberties.
This nod to the past is especially meaningful as Notre Dame once again becomes a symbol of resilience and restoration.
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