E3 2016: Ubisoft Annecy developing open-world extreme sports IP Steep

Ubisoft’s Annecy studio has been cooking up a brand new kind of sports game.

Steep was described by CEO Yves Guillemot as a ‘completely new genre’, combining an open-world environment based in the French Alps – which also happens to be Annecy’s home – with action sports gameplay.

Players will explore and race in challenges, and can choose from a mixture of extreme sports such as base jumping, skiing, snowboarding and wingsuit gliding.

The title has a heavy SSX vibe, as well as recalling the untitled multi-sports demo Burnout creator Criterion teased last E3.

A heavy focus is put on encouraging ‘shareable’ videos, with players able to edit the in-game camera angles to capture the most impressive jumps and horrific crashes.

Players will also be able to carve ‘trails’ to create custom challenges for friends.

Helping Annecy with development are Ubisoft’s studios in Montpellier and Kiev.