Avatar Frontiers of Pandora release date, gameplay, and latest news

When is the Avatar Frontiers of Pandora release date? The upcoming Avatar game from Ubisoft is set to be extremely popular, thanks to the success of Avatar: The Way of Water, the sequel to 2009’s blockbuster film. However, it sets itself apart from what we’ve seen of the universe before with a whole new area to explore. Any hey, who could say no to flying around such a beautiful location on a Mountain Banshee? So, here’s all the latest news on Avatar Frontiers of Pandora, including the official Avatar Frontiers of Pandora release date set for later this year.

Ubisoft actually announced Avatar Frontiers of Pandora half a decade ago, before being properly showcased during an Ubisoft Forward livestream in 2021. It missed the original release window of 2022, but Avatar fans are excited to see the latest game set in the franchise and have it at the top of their upcoming Xbox Series X games and upcoming PS5 games lists. Here’s when you can expect the Avatar game release date to drop, as well as the overall receptions to what could be one of the best open world games, or even one of the best games, though we’ll have to wait and see.

Avatar Frontiers Of Pandora release date

The Avatar Frontiers of Pandora release date is Thursday, December 7, 2023 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, as revealed at the Ubisoft Forward 2023 event in June.

Originally the game was set to hit shelves in 2022, close to the release of the Avatar: The Way of Water movie. However, Ubisoft delayed the game, simply saying that it will be “coming soon”. At last, we now have a confirmed Avatar release date thanks to the Ubisoft Forward 2023 showcase back in June, which also revealed new gameplay.

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Though the Avatar franchise as a whole is certainly not new to delays (Avatar 2 was originally supposed to release in 2014, then 2020, before finally launching in December 2022) the delay of Avatar Frontiers of Pandora was to work on polishing the experience. With such a long delay, we can only hope that we’ll be greeted by a polished and great experience when the game does eventually launch.

Avatar Frontiers of Pandora release date: Gameplay showing a Na'vi looking straight at the camera at night.

Avatar Frontiers of Pandora gameplay

Interestingly, the Avatar Frontiers of Pandora is a first-person open-world action adventure, rather than a third-person game considering the size of many of the animals and structures you’ll come across. Nevertheless, this perspective makes Avatar Frontiers of Pandora an incredibly immersive game. Fans of the films will no doubt find a lot to love simply just walking through the world, especially as there’s a whole new region at your fingertips – the Western Frontier.

From the gameplay trailer revealed at Ubisoft Forward 2023 and preview events, you’ll be able to wield a variety of different weapons, from the Na’vi’s traditional bow, to high-powered rocket launchers and assault rifles. And with the RDA returning to Pandora in full-force, you’ll have no shortage of enemies to use this firepower on, including RDA mechs, helicopters, and standard foot soldiers.

Avatar Frontiers of Pandora gameplay: The player aiming a bow, looking at a factory.

Alongside this action, Avatar Frontiers of Pandora also features high mobility, from climbing vines to jumping on large leaves to bounce long distances, and even flying on the Na’vi’s iconic flying mounts known as Mountain Banshees. Furthermore, you can even customize your banshee after you’ve bonded with it and engage with the RDA in aerial combat.

Avatar Frontiers of Pandora: The player aiming their bow at a drone while riding their banshee.

By harvesting materials found around the world, you can craft, upgrade gear and cook food to improve your character as you journey through Pandora. In many ways, this is similar to the core gameplay loop of Ubisoft’s iconic Far Cry series, which also sees you scavenging for materials to craft and upgrade gear. Given how well this has worked in Far Cry, we expect it will be just as well implemented in Avatar Frontiers of Pandora.

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Avatar Frontiers of Pandora story

Avatar Frontiers of Pandora tells a completely new standalone story where you play as a Na’vi and “embark on a journey across the Western Frontier”, which is a never-before-seen section of Pandora. The game takes place during the events of the second film, Avatar The Way of Water, with the RDA having returned to Pandora after many years.

Avatar Frontiers of Pandora release date: A Na'vi with white face paint gesturing to the side.

Having been abducted by the RDA and trained to fit their needs, you begin the game as an outsider, despite being a Na’vi. Fifteen years later, you are free. As you progress through the game, you will learn more about the culture of the Na’vi as you grow closer to your allies.

New characters will populate the Western Frontier and you will need to push back the formidable RDA forces to protect the ecosystem and creatures.

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Avatar Frontiers of Pandora reception

The reception to Avatar Frontiers of Pandora has largely been positive following hands-on preview sessions, with the stunning visuals and rich sounds leading to an immersive world being highly praised. Likewise, the fluidity of exploration, with several movement abilities and the inclusion of flying mount makes exploring the world a joy.

However, it’s not all been positive. The largest point of contention is that Avatar Frontiers of Pandora is simply Far Cry with a different coat of paint. From gameplay, it’s clear that are similarities between the Avatar game and recent Far Cry entries, particularly bow combat and the crafting mechanics. However, there’s hope that the unique Avatar themes and world can distinguish it enough. In fact, IGN noted that Massive Entertainment “has made a jungle parkour system that feels like a cousin of the freerunning in Mirror’s Edge”, more reminiscent of Mirror’s Edge or PlayStation’s Horizon series.

On this note, the limited weapons selection has also been highlighted. Traditional Na’vi weaponry – largely bows with different arrows – are designed for stealth, while RDA weapons are meant for all-out action. Paired with generally weak AI, combat isn’t headlining the experience.

That covers everything we know about Ubisoft’s open-world Avatar game, including the Avatar Frontiers of Pandora release date. So far, it’s shaping up to be one of the most interesting new Xbox games and new PS5 games on the horizon. You can catch up on the Avatar series by finding out where to watch Avatar 2 before Frontiers of Pandora arrives.

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