Hands-On with March of Giants: How a Compact Multiplayer Game Delivers Outsized Impact
A journalist's experience playing Ubisoft Montréal's March of Giants highlighted how smaller-scale games can create memorable and emotionally engaging moments through thoughtful design and compelling gameplay. The 4v4 tactical experience features innovative mechanics including commandable soldiers and destructible map elements that create dynamic competitive matches. Despite losing against a highly skilled opponent, the game's design and depth left a lasting impression during hands-on playtime at the studio.
March of Giants is a 4v4 tactical multiplayer title developed by Ubisoft Montréal, led by Xavier Marquis, a veteran designer previously associated with Rainbow Six Siege who was brought back to the studio from Amazon. The game features distinctive mechanics including deployable structures called Battleworks and commandable soldier units, with matches concluding when two structures called Bastions are destroyed. The competitive design emphasizes map destruction and dynamic positioning throughout gameplay.
This hands-on preview may influence player expectations around smaller competitive games and their capacity for strategic depth. Readers interested in multiplayer gaming—particularly those seeking alternatives to established esports titles—could find the article's emphasis on tactical design relevant to purchasing decisions. The narrative's focus on emotional investment during competitive loss might resonate with the broader gaming community's ongoing conversations about what makes games engaging beyond winning, potentially shaping how developers approach player retention and satisfaction metrics in future titles.