Screen Rant recently attended a preview presentation for the next installment in the Ghost Recon franchise, Ghost Recon: Frontline. This installment is going to be a massive, free-to-play PvP experience that the developers claim focuses on strategy and adaptability. Ghost Recon: Frontline is being developed by Ubisoft Bucharest and has been in production for the last three years in order to meet the release window for the franchise's 20th Anniversary.
Set on the island of Drakemoor, Ghost Recon: Frontline will pit over 100 players against one another in a variety of game modes. The one that the developers focused on, which seems to be Ghost Recon: Frontline's primary mode, is Expedition. The objective of Expedition Mode is for a team to make it to an extraction zone and call in an aircraft to get off the island. Doing so, however, will alert everyone on the island who can make the decision to storm the extraction zone head-on or play a more passive role until ultimately fighting for their place on the aircraft.
This is one of the ways that Ghost Recon: Frontline creates combat scenarios. Everything from the gameplay to character customization is designed to balance flexibility with strategy. For example, each Contractor cycles through a variety of nationalities in order to better represent its players, but the classes these Contractors choose from are highly specialized and designed to work together as a team. That said, the developers stated that there will be more casual game modes available that will hopefully support solo play.
Player progression in Ghost Recon: Frontline is challenge- and play-based, meaning the more that players use classes, guns, and complete challenges, the more they will improve. Like most free-to-play titles, the progression for the game itself will happen in seasons that will bring new content, game modes, and more. This model is likely nothing new to most players, and Ubisoft Bucharest seems to be embracing it rather than trying to change it and risk alienating the audiences of similar titles. The only thing absent from this part of the presentation was how prominent the in-game store will be and how exactly microtransactions will play into the experience, which remains a question mark heading into release.
With the recent Ghost Recon: Breakpoint receiving mixed impressions from fans and critics, Ghost Recon: Frontline is working to provide a better player experience by switching gears. To do so, Ubisoft Bucharest is allowing a select group of players to take part in its final stages of development. Ubisoft Bucharest will be allowing players to be part of a closed-beta and offer their insight as to what is and isn't working; however, this only applies to PC players based in Europe. For players that fit these criteria, they can register now at www.ghostreconfrontline.com.
Ghost Recon: Frontline has opened registration for an upcoming closed-beta, exclusive to European and PC players. Screen Rant invited to attend a private presentation for the purpose of this preview.