For little over 14 years now we’ve had the same Ubisoft logo that players have grown to love (or hate) until now. Looks like the company is tired of detail and is opting for a more minimalistic and basic design, which quite frankly, I’m conflicted on.
I mean, from afar, it looks like my 4-year-old nephew drew it, but up close I kinda see the appeal of the new design. I dunno, I’m pretty sure it won’t really matter in the long run but right now that it’s fresh and it has this new ideology – it’s kinda strange.
In my opinion, Ubisoft games have always been more fleshed out than anything, which made sense with the previous swirl which communicated that fact through its detail and shading. Now it feels like Ubisoft is some indie studio which focuses more on being an ‘Avant-garde’ studio/publisher than anything else. I understand the idea behind being this shapeless monochromatic entity that adapts, but Ubisoft has never been that kind of studio, it’s been one to pump out repackaged tactical content continuously (which to some, isn’t always a bad thing).
Maybe I’m just being a cynical asshole, but let’s not deny that Ubisoft is no Naughty Dog, it’s a conveyor belt of gaming.
“We are very excited to introduce you to the new Ubisoft swirl!
The new swirl is an evolution of our existing logo that marks a new era for Ubisoft, one with an increased focus on live and digital games as well as a player-centric approach to creating immersive worlds.
It all started in 1986 with this rad design – a look inspired by the distinct visual style of the ’80s. At the time, Ubisoft was a local distributor of video games.
Nine years later, Rayman was born and Ubisoft introduced the rainbow. This marked the company’s shift from distributor to creator, and highlighted the fact that Ubisoft was creating mainly family-oriented content.
In 2003, the swirl appeared on the scene and once again signaled a shift. It followed the acquisition of Red Storm and the creation of new Tom Clancy titles, marking a more mature and diversified approach.
Today, we create worlds – worlds that live as video games, comics, movies, TV shows, books, and amusement park rides. Our new logo is minimalist, modern and monochromatic. It’s a window into our worlds, giving a preview of what’s to come by highlighting the artistry that goes into creating them. The swirl and the letter O are both deliberately created to be reminiscent of hand-drawn shapes and represent our human qualities of enthusiasm, curiosity and the grain de folie that Ubisoft is known for.
With this new look, we proudly embrace our role as a creator of worlds and invite you, the players, to continue playing, engaging, and growing with us. As we move towards our most exciting time of the year (E3!), you will see this new emblem take on the colors and textures of our worlds, and we can’t wait to hear what you all think.”