‘Riders Republic’ aims to be the ultimate extreme sports video game

Riders Republic, the new open-world extreme sports game from Ubisoft, has been given a September 2 release date at Saturday’s Ubisoft Forward. Boasting an array of sporting disciplines, numerous real-world locations, and events that are familiar to fans of extreme sports games, as well as something we’ve never seen before in the genre.

The spiritual successor to 2016’s Steep, which focused on snow spots in the Alps. Riders Republic heads to the U.S., blending events in snow, dirts, rocks and forests. An advanced look at the game by SB Nation showed off some of the new environments the game is taking place in, including Bryce Canyon, Yosemite Valley, Grand Teton, and Sequoia National Park.

Hundreds of players will be populating a massive open world, all taking part in their own events and challenges. Riders Republic has the same array of race, and trick challenges previously seen in Steep, but with more integration with real-world events. The video Ubisoft showed included the X Games, and the Red Bull Rampage, both of which has been licensed and fully recreated.

The biggest difference other than the larger scope is the tone Ubisoft is taking with the game. Steep tended to be a stoic, almost spiritual experience highlighting the national beauty of Europe’s most famous mountains. Riders Republic is about brash, in your face tricks and attitude — including the mode most exciting for the genre: Mass race.

Randomly appearing on the open world map in 30 minute intervals, players will gather at the start line for these massive events to begin. More than 50 players will compete in each mass race, tearing down mountains on bikes, rocketing through the sky in jet packs, or carving through powder on snowboards. Essentially marrying extreme sports with a battle royale, Ubisoft told SB Nation there would be significant rewards, as well as bragging rights for winners of these giants races.

In addition there are 6v6 trick battles, similar to “graffiti” from the Tony Hawk: Pro Skater franchise, as well as free riding, and a fully-fleshed out career mode that has players progressing through event to earn sponsorships from some of the world’s top extreme sports brands.

The game looks very promising so far for anyone a fan of extreme sports or open world games. Players will get a chance to see if Riders Republic live up to their lofty goals in betas scheduled to begin soon.