Publisher Ubisoft has announced that the online-only, free-to-play shooter Ghost Recon has changed their redundant subtitle to now being Ghost Recon: Phantoms, as the team wanted to have a “fresh identity”. It will not be the original run-and-gun shooter gameplay, but more of a tactical and team player gameplay. It will launch on PC via steam on April 10th.
As the days lead up to the release in April, Phantoms will end the game’s 21-month-long beta phase, with a new visual flair. The beta enabled the game to have 5 million people to play the game. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Phantoms, will also feature new character designs for all three classes, fresh gear, and plans for additional content following the release. It will take both gear and skills of the player into consideration when matchmaking in the free-to-play shooter to have an equal experience, which Ubisoft said was among players’ “main concerns.”
The new name is related to the game’s story where not only is it what we see on the news everyday, but where new conflicts have a lot of gray area, it is not really led by the countries but by small factions. These small factions sometimes have only one motive, and that is to get money, according to producer Corey Facteau.
There are two factions, there are the Ghosts, which you already know them. They are the Special Forces that serve the United States, then there are the Phantoms who are ex-Ghosts, who didn’t agree with the purpose to fight, and their purpose was more about getting more money to help with leading war. Ghosts and Phantoms have a very thin border between each other.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Phantoms launched on Steam Early Access this January. It was released in open beta back in August 2012. Other major changes to be announced during a live event on Ubisoft’s and Ghost Recon Online’s Twitch channels on March 19th.