The developer behind the next instalment in the Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon franchise has confirmed it is working with the Bolivian army in order to gain a first-hand look at the country and its culture.
Speaking at the 2016 DICE Summit (via GameSpot), Tommy Francois, Ubisoft’s Vice President of Editorial, confirmed that the company dispatched a dedicated research unit to Bolivia, where they trained with one of the country’s elite forces.
"When you create a world, I think it’s actually a trap to only read books," he said. "It needs to start with our own immersion. How do we do this? We go smell the grass. We have to get out from behind our computers."
Ubisoft wasn’t exaggerating when the studio said the team was going hands-on with Bolivian forces. The unit spent a week out in the jungle, and in particular, the company was keen to learn the importance that cocoa plants serve in Bolivian culture, as many grow it for religious purposes among others.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands is the first open-world entry in the franchise, and is among the biggest worlds that Ubisoft has crafted to date. The game has been in development for three years for PlayStation 4, PC, and Xbox One, and allows players to explore a vast sandbox by air, land, or sea.
The game is currently pencilled in for release in Ubisoft’s upcoming financial year, putting it out at some point by March 31, 2017.