Games meets art with Ubisoft Singapore

SINGAPORE — The game development process might be an arcane process filled with non-disclosure agreements and secrets, but if you’re a fan of having a behind-the-scenes look, game development company Ubisoft Singapore has the answer for you: Its own art exhibition, Art in Video Games, opened today (Nov 8).

The exhibition features concept art from the recently released Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (read our review here: http://tdy.sg/16BlwPG) and Ghost Recon: Online, both of which our local office of French game development house Ubisoft had a hand in developing.

“We’ve been in Singapore for five years now, we’ve shipped a lot of successful games, and today we show off the results of the great work done by our art team,” said Mr Olivier de Rotalier, Managing Director of Ubisoft Singapore at the opening reception.

“When we decided to come to Singapore five years ago we didn’t know exactly what we would find, and we found some very, very talented artists whose works are showcased today. What we want to show you is actually the process behind the video game, we want to show you how the artists are inspiring the team to produce the best visuals.”

Held at the FZD School of Design at Amoy Street, the exhibition has an extra significance for one concept artist at Ubisoft Singapore, Mr Jan Urschel, who was actually a student at the school.

“It makes me very proud to have my work exhibited as a professional, and it will be great to continue to support the video game industry and the entertainment design school industry in Singapore,” said Mr Urschel. “I’m really proud that I can contribute to the success of the Assassin’s Creed IV game.”

Mr Urschel worked on concepts for all the areas that the Singapore studio worked on for almost a year, having joined Ubisoft Singapore around the middle of the Assassin’s Creed IV development process. While he works exclusively in the digital medium, he’s happy that his art is now on canvas for all to see.

“It adds another dimension besides just working with a stylus on a computer, so it’s really great to see the artwork printed (and hung) on the walls.”

The exhibition will just be open for one more day, and will have various types of concept art of display, from the huge forts featured in Assassin’s Creed IV, and the Singapore’s Chinatown for Ghost Recon: Online. Even the design of icons used in these games will be featured. Up close, one can really see the detail put into the concept art by the various artists, and it’s a great way for fans to gain insight into game production right here in Singapore.

What: Art In Video Games

Where: FZD School of Design, 83 Amoy Street Singapore 069902

When: Till Nov 9, 2pm to 10pm