Despite multiple failed attempts in the battle royale space, Ubisoft appears undeterred as reports emerge of a new hero-based battle royale game codenamed Scout that draws heavy inspiration from Apex Legends. This development comes at a curious time when the battle royale genre is showing signs of declining popularity, raising questions about Ubisoft's strategy in the competitive free-to-play market.
The Apex Legends Clone
According to reliable industry insider Tom Henderson of Insider Gaming, Ubisoft is developing a new battle royale game that is heavily inspired by Apex Legends. The project, codenamed Scout, reportedly features characters that are very similar to Apex Legends heroes, with designs reminiscent of Pathfinder, Wraith, and Lifeline. Sources claim that Apex Legends artwork was even used internally as a thumbnail for the project, highlighting just how closely this new game might mimic Respawn Entertainment's battle royale.
Project Details:
- Codename: Scout
- Type: Hero-based battle royale
- Inspiration: Apex Legends
- Development time: At least 2 years (according to reports)
- Characters: Reportedly similar to Apex Legends heroes like Pathfinder, Wraith, and Lifeline
Questionable Market Timing
What makes this development particularly puzzling is the timing. Battle royale games have been showing signs of fatigue in the market, with even established titles like Apex Legends experiencing significant player count drops on Steam over the past 12 months. Despite this downward trend, Ubisoft executives reportedly see this as an opportunity rather than a warning sign. One source told Henderson, I think the goal is to capitalize on the player count of Apex dropping and them [Ubisoft higher-ups] thinking there's room in the market for another hero battle royale.
Ubisoft's Troubled History with Battle Royales
The French publisher's track record with battle royale games doesn't inspire confidence. Hyper Scape, Ubisoft's previous foray into the genre, lasted less than two years before being shut down. Other multiplayer projects like Ghost Recon Frontline and The Division Heartland were canceled before release, while XDefiant—though not a battle royale—recently became another casualty in Ubisoft's growing list of failed live service games, with its shutdown scheduled for June 2025.
Ubisoft's Recent Failed Live Service Games:
- XDefiant (shutting down June 2025)
- Hyper Scape (lasted less than 2 years)
- Ghost Recon Frontline (canceled before release)
- The Division Heartland (canceled before release)
A Pattern of Live Service Struggles
Outside of Rainbow Six Siege, which remains a paid title rather than free-to-play, Ubisoft has struggled to establish successful free-to-play live service games. While Brawlhalla performs reasonably well, other titles like Battle Core Arena, Roller Champions, and Trackmania haven't generated significant buzz or revenue. This pattern raises serious questions about whether Ubisoft has the expertise or market understanding to successfully launch and maintain a battle royale game in today's competitive landscape.
Development Timeline Inconsistencies
Interestingly, Henderson's report mentions that Scout has been in development for at least a couple of years, which doesn't align perfectly with the stated strategy of capitalizing on Apex Legends' recent decline. This timeline discrepancy suggests the project may have originated during the height of battle royale popularity and has continued despite changing market conditions.
Industry Trend Shifts
As player interest shifts away from battle royales toward extraction-based multiplayer games and PvE co-op experiences, Ubisoft's decision to pursue another battle royale seems increasingly out of touch with current trends. With established giants like Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and PUBG maintaining their dominance in the space, the window for new entrants appears to be narrowing rather than expanding.
Lessons from XDefiant
The recent failure of XDefiant might offer valuable lessons for Ubisoft. Some industry observers suggest that had Ubisoft supported XDefiant differently and given it at least a full year to find its footing, the game might have recovered from its post-launch decline. Whether Ubisoft will apply these lessons to Scout, assuming it makes it to market, remains to be seen.