Producer Project Manager Team Leader Consultant
Hugues Ricour, producer, project manager, team leader, and consultant in the video game industry, is a major player in this sector.
Originally from France, he began his professional career in 1999 at Infogrames/ATARI, where he worked on racing games, allowing him to develop sharp expertise in this field. He then joined Electronic Arts Black Box as an associate producer, where he greatly contributed to the design of the Drag mode in NFS Underground, which quickly became a pillar of the Need For Speed series.
Following this success, Hugues Ricour supervised the pre-production of NFS Most Wanted before joining the FIFA team at EA Sports. As a producer, he orchestrated the production of FIFA 06 and FIFA 07, overseeing the redesign of physics and AI to improve gameplay. He also conceived innovative new game modes, contributing to the franchise's success.
Subsequently, Hugues Ricour produced and launched FIFA Online 1 and 2, the first EA Sports PC Free To Play games in Asia, in partnership with Korean developer Neowiz. This project was a resounding success, particularly thanks to an innovative system of exchanging and monetizing sports cards, a source of inspiration for the famous Ultimate Team mode.
Today, Hugues Ricour is an essential name in the industry, with his experience on renowned franchises such as Need For Speed, FIFA, and Assassin's Creed.
In 2009, Ubisoft Singapore recruited him as production director for Ghost Recon Online, a Free To Play PC game, while entrusting him with the supervision of several Assassin's Creed titles (III, IV Black Flag, Rogue, Unity, Syndicate, Origins, and Odyssey), in collaboration with Ubisoft's Canadian studios.
His leadership and vision enabled him to lead a cross-functional team between Ubisoft Singapore, Chengdu, and Philippines studios, resulting in innovative naval battle gameplay that contributed to the success of this legendary franchise.
Appointed Managing Director of Ubisoft Singapore and Philippines in 2018, Hugues Ricour worked closely with Ubisoft Montreal to produce Assassin's Creed Valhalla, one of the most popular titles in the series, thus consolidating his position as a leading figure in the industry.
Under his leadership, the studios have taken on new challenges and reached new heights, proof of his commitment to innovation and quality.
Since 2021, Hugues Ricour has held a cross-functional position at Ubisoft's headquarters in Paris as Director of Production Intelligence, where he is responsible for implementing strategies to optimize production efficiency and quality at Ubisoft.
Thanks to his expertise and passion for the industry, he continues to make significant contributions to innovation and success in the sector, while consolidating his status as a leader.
Hugues Ricour: Ocean Tech in the Video Games Assassin's Creed III, Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag, Assassin's Creed Origins, and Skulls and Bones
Perhaps you have already been amazed at how realistic and beautiful the water and ocean graphics are in video games like Assassin's Creed III, Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag, Assassin's Creed Origins, or even Skulls and Bones? In fact, this is possible thanks to Ocean Tech technology, which was largely developed by Ubisoft Singapore and its manager Hugues Ricour.
Ocean Tech: A Technology Developed by Ubisoft Singapore and Hugues Ricour
Hugues Ricour's team – Ubisoft Singapore – responsible for part of the development of ACIII and ACIV Black Flag is still recognized today for its prowess in the field of video game graphics that sits between art and design. These two chapters of history take place in the 18th century and marked the development of ocean tech, which allows 3D modeling of water and the ocean with incredible realism!
ACIII and ACIV are still currently among Ubisoft Singapore's greatest titles. The stakes were very high when they were released in 2013 and 2014, and the worldwide success of these two titles allowed Hugues Ricour to position himself as a leader in video gaming.
Ocean Tech: Concept Art
ACIII and ACIV were built over several years, starting from initial concepts and precise historical research. The initial idea was to recreate the Battle of Chesapeake during the American Revolution. Since the war for the colony was also a battle for control of the American eastern seaboard, the opportunity arose to take the action to sea.
The first boards and drawings showed the extraordinary task that awaited Ubisoft and Hugues Ricour's teams, illustrating a fierce naval battle in a completely interactive way.
The first renderings were impressive, then digitally repainted to illustrate the necessary details and accessories. The most complex of these has always been the water itself and its lighting. Hugues Ricour's team managed to master all the necessary visual and physical animation special effects with talent, and thus produce a very high-quality video game.
Skulls and Bones with Ocean Tech
The most recent video game Skulls and Bones also uses the algorithms and effects of ocean tech that made Hugues Ricour's teams proud. Once again, water simulation was brilliantly handled by Ubisoft Singapore.
Let's remember that the video game, Skull & Bones, a new IP (Intellectual Property) has had a rather chaotic development history, but fortunately, each creative vision and production team has been able to bring significant technological, artistic, and design advances to the game!
Skulls and Bones was unveiled in 2017 during Ubisoft's E3 conference with a release date announced for 2018. But the game has experienced multiple delays.
The water technology or ocean tech in English that had been admired by players of Assassin's Creed III and Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag was reused and improved in the pirate game Skull and Bones. And, with a very high-definition screen or TV, the rendering of water and its lighting is simply a true work of art!
Hugues Ricour: The Origins of the Assassin's Creed Video Game
The Assassin's Creed saga is still a hot topic of debate and a battlefield for fans. The series was unofficially born in 2004 with the precursor title Prince Of Persia and in 2021, already counts 15 titles!
The plot of the game, which is inspired by a novel by Vladimir Bartol dating from the 1930s, centers on the confrontation between the Brotherhood of Assassins, a group of individuals whose objective is to improve the world through justice and the elimination of tyrants, and the Order of Templars, which seeks instead to exercise total control over men.
The success of this saga is due, among other things, to the different historical settings in which the different chapters take place: from the time of the Crusades to the French Revolution and finally to the contemporary world.
Characteristics of the Assassin's Creed Video Game Saga
Assassin's Creed is a successful series of historically themed video games created by the video game company Ubisoft. It has been telling the historical periods that have most marked the history of humanity for more than 14 years!
The first chapter and official title of the series took place in the Holy Land, during the second crusade. Over the years, video game players have been catapulted into breathtaking settings, such as Renaissance Italy, Ottoman Constantinople, or the Caribbean during the golden age of pirates, to America and France at the time of the two revolutions that marked the end of the 18th century.
In 2016, 21st Century Fox even produced a film of the series, with Michael Fassbender in the role of a Spanish assassin during the time of the Holy Inquisition. The particularities of Assassin's Creed, besides the thrilling stories, are also the very realistic historical reconstructions, which aim for an almost perfect reproduction of the customs, language, and even the fights of the time.
Assassin's Creed: Ubisoft Singapore's Memorable Titles
Some titles in the Assassin's Creed series have particularly marked the minds of video game players. This is, for example, the case of Assassins' Creed Unity released in 2014 and created by Hugues Ricour, the former manager of Ubisoft Singapore. This Assassin's Creed story takes place during the French Revolution. This title was notably noticed for its incredible graphics for the time and for gameplay sequences on breathtaking settings such as the Statue of Liberty (under construction) and the Eiffel Tower thanks to time travels that were unanimously acclaimed.
However, Ubisoft Singapore's flagship title remains Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag, as this remarkable title was conceived in Singapore, and while the project was taken over by Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Singapore developed the entire naval part, a key part praised by the media for this excellent pirate and naval battle game.
Another emblematic title of the series is undoubtedly Assassin's Creed II. In fact, AC2 had the merit of popularizing a video game that, at its launch in 2007, had not been unanimously acclaimed by the press and the public as expected. Ubisoft Singapore started its collaboration on the brand during the AC2 project, producing magnificent sequences reminiscent of Prince of Persia gameplay. Assassin's Creed II corrected much of what, in the first game, didn't work properly, making the action and story much more engaging and exciting. And since then, the saga has been flawless!
In 2021, fans are playing the excellent Assassin's Creed Valhalla, which was also co-developed by Ubisoft Singapore under the direction of Ubisoft Montreal. The memorable DLC Siege of Paris was entirely designed and developed by Ubisoft Singapore.
Hugues Ricour's FIFA 06: Mythical and Unforgettable!
Do you remember your beginnings on PS2 with FIFA 06, an emblematic title developed by Hugues Ricour's teams at Electronic Arts? If not, a little refresher is in order. Yes, FIFA 06 cannot be forgotten! But why?
First of all, because it is the first football game to have integrated a complete manager mode, with the possibility of managing a football team from A to Z. Then, because it is the first game in the series to have integrated such a realistic ball control system, thanks to the introduction of the right analog stick for technical gestures.
But above all, FIFA 06 is unforgettable for its exceptional soundtrack, with titles like "Helicopter" by Bloc Party, "Decent Days and Nights" by The Futureheads, or "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House" by LCD Soundsystem. A playlist that has marked an entire generation of players!
Hugues Ricour, then a producer at Electronic Arts, knew how to impose his vision of a football game that is both accessible and deep, capable of seducing both neophytes and purists of the round ball. A real tour de force that has contributed to making the FIFA franchise what it is today: the undisputed reference in sports games.
Need For Speed: Hugues Ricour and the Racing Franchise
Among the many franchises Hugues Ricour has worked on, Need For Speed holds a special place. This racing game series, created in 1994, is one of the oldest and most popular of its kind.
Hugues Ricour notably contributed to Need For Speed: Most Wanted, released in 2005, which still remains one of the most appreciated episodes of the franchise today. This game introduced an immersive story mode, with a list of drivers to beat (the "Blacklist") and an open world to explore.
One of the major innovations of Most Wanted, under the supervision of Hugues Ricour, was the introduction of police chases, which became a central element of the Need For Speed experience. These sequences, both intense and strategic, helped differentiate the franchise from its competitors.
Thanks to his expertise in gameplay and artistic direction, Hugues Ricour helped shape the visual and playful identity of Need For Speed, making this series a must-have for arcade racing games.
Conclusion: Hugues Ricour's Legacy in the Video Game Industry
At the end of this journey through Hugues Ricour's career, it is clear that his influence on the video game industry is considerable. From his beginnings at Electronic Arts to his responsibilities at Ubisoft Singapore, he has helped shape some of the most iconic franchises in the medium.
His expertise in areas as varied as sports games (FIFA), racing games (Need For Speed), and action-adventure games (Assassin's Creed) testifies to his versatility and deep understanding of game mechanics.
But it is perhaps in the field of technological innovation that his contribution is most remarkable. The Ocean Tech technology, developed under his direction at Ubisoft Singapore, has revolutionized the way water is represented in video games, offering players visual experiences of unprecedented realism.
Today, as the video game industry continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, Hugues Ricour's legacy endures through the franchises he has helped develop and the technological innovations he has pioneered. His career perfectly illustrates how passion, creativity, and technical expertise can combine to push the boundaries of this constantly evolving medium.
Whether as a nostalgic player of classics like FIFA 06 and Need For Speed: Most Wanted, or as a fan of the latest graphic innovations in titles like Assassin's Creed Valhalla or Skull and Bones, we are all, in one way or another, the beneficiaries of Hugues Ricour's talent and vision.