How to watch and what to expect from Ubisoft Forward 2020

In lieu of E3's cancelation earlier this year, Ubisoft is one of the many gaming companies digitizing its game reveals for the upcoming year and beyond, and it'll come in the form of Ubisoft Forward, a first-ever event for the company. Anyone who tunes in can also score a free copy of Watch Dogs 2!

Ubisoft Forward should resemble the company's traditional E3 conferences to an extent, minus the hype crowds and traditional E3 atmosphere. Ubisoft's E3 2019 livestream lasted more than 3 hours with the actual conference lasting a bit more than an hour. It included a title reveal for Watch Dogs 3, which we now know is Watch Dogs: Legion, along with announcements for Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Roller Champions, Rainbow Six Quarantine, and much more.

So what can Ubisoft fans expect from Forward in terms of major game reveals, and when/how can they tune in?

Here's all that and more.

When is Ubisoft Forward 2020?

The Ubisoft Forward stream will kick off at 2 p.m. Eastern on July 12, 2020 with an hour-long pre-show, but the main show won't begin until an hour later at 3 p.m. Eastern. The whole presentation is expected to last 45 minutes, based on official information from Ubisoft (visible above), and because the entire thing is probably pre-recorded we have no reason to doubt that. A "post-show" will happen afterwards, but there's no telling how long that might last.

Any Ubisoft mega-fans out there should carve out at least 2 hours from their weekend to tune in.

How to watch Ubisoft Forward 2020

Per Ubisoft's official blog, Ubisoft Forward will stream live at ubisoft.com/Forward, but it will also certainly be available to watch on Ubisoft's Twitch, YouTube, and Mixer channels. Ubisoft also promises that it'll be available on various social media platforms.

There will also likely be a stream via Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest, and IGN is also offering their own livestreams from virtually every app and service imaginable. The best place to watch is definitely directly on the Ubisoft website, but the Ubisoft News blog will also have "more exclusive content from the show."

Game reveals to expect from Ubisoft Forward 2020

The pre-show will feature live Trackmania gameplay, announcements about new AI teammates coming to Ghost Recon Breakpoint, an update on Just Dance 2020, and a "deep dive into a much-loved Easter egg from The Division 2."

Ubisoft promises that the main show will include updates on Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Watch Dogs: Legion, and Hyper Scape. The official blog post also promises that the post-show will include "a deep-dive walkthrough of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and a Hyper Scape show match."

Official information also notes "a few other surprises," but thanks to some leaked information, we do know a few things. A PSN store listing for Far Cry 6 leaked Friday morning, confirming actor Giancarlo Esposito for a key role, so Ubisoft Forward will probably include at least a trailer, especially because the leak notes a release date of February 18, 2021.

Other possible game announcements/trailers include Beyond Good and Evil 2, Gods & Monsters, and Rainbow Six Quarantine. Each of these three games still don't have a confirmed release date, but it's at least possible that they might launch with next-gen consoles later this year. We're bound to get some kind of update on each of them, though. The same goes for Skull & Bones, a tactical action game about pirates that won't be released until the middle of 2021.

It's also worth noting that the Apple TV+ workplace comedy series set in a video game development studio, Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet, was originally announced during Ubisoft's E3 2019 presentation. (Ubisoft Film & Television co-produces the series alongside 3 Arts Entertainment and RCG Productions.) A quarantine episode was produced via Zoom that aired in May, and while Season 2 production was halted in early March due to the coronavirus pandemic, it's entirely possible that we may get an update about the second season during Ubisoft Forward.

How to claim Watch Dogs 2 for free on PC

Perhaps the biggest draw of watching Ubisoft Forward live is that PC gamers can score a free copy of Watch Dogs 2 within a very limited window of time.

"Don't forget to log in with your Uplay account anytime after Trackmania and before the end of the main show to claim a free copy of Watch Dogs 2 on PC," a blog post reads. Trackmania is the opening segment of the pre-show and will probably conclude by about 2:20 p.m. Eastern. The "main show" ends at 3:45 p.m. Eastern, so that leaves a window of barely over an hour, and all you need to do is log into your Ubisoft account during that window to claim the freebie.

Ubisoft Forward 2020 will air July 12 at 3 p.m. Eastern.