Ubisoft Details 'Ghost Recon: Wildlands' Post-Launch Plans

Ubisoft shared more information about how it plans to support Ghost Recon: Wildlands after its March 7 launch with a new trailer and blog post. The highlights include the addition of a player-versus-player mode, two paid expansion packs, and bonus content that beta players can access in April.

Wildlands is the first major entry in the Ghost Recon franchise since 2012--not counting 2014's multiplayer-centric Ghost Recon Phantoms--and it's said to be Ubisoft's largest open-world game. We first went hands-on with the game in January, and we found that despite some complaints about the game's vehicles and simplistic commands for AI teammates, Wildlands was shaping up to be a massive undertaking with no shortage of things to do.

That excitement continued through a closed beta in early February and an open beta several weeks later. Now it's clear that even though the main game is already said to be fairly large, Ubisoft has no plans to let Wildlands go fallow after its release. The company announced that a "Season of Challenges" will begin "a few weeks after launch" to offer players additional, well, challenges to overcome. More information should be revealed sooner than later.

Ubisoft also shared a few details about two expansion packs. The first is called "Narco Road" and here's how it was described in the announcement:

The game’s first major expansion will give you the full spectrum of narco life, as you tear through Bolivia using new vehicles in a series of fast-paced missions. Expect to face the most insane adversaries as you infiltrate three smuggling gangs and take out their leaders one by one until you reach the mastermind: El Invisible.Along with its more eccentric tone, this new adventure will include more than a dozen new missions across four provinces, new vehicles, new weapons skins, and side activities, with everything being entirely playable in solo and in four-player co-op. Season pass owners will be able to access this paid content one week early.

There was no word on when Narco Road or its followup, "Fallen Ghosts," will debut or how much they will cost. Fallen Ghosts offers even less info than Narco Road--Ubisoft said only that "new weapons and skills will help you and your friends find the strength to escape" an "elite group of ruthless mercenaries" called Los Extranjeros after your helicopter's shot down. Fallen Ghosts will also be made available to season pass owners a week early.

And, of course, there will be the expected DLC packs that seemingly every modern shooter is contractually obligated to include:

Throughout the life of the game, you’ll also be able to have access to exclusive weapons and even more customization options for your character, your gear, and your vehicles. This optional content can be purchased in the Store, in exchange for credit packs. Most of this new content is purely cosmetic, with new exotic weapons that will always be balanced with the gear that can be found in-game. Our goal with these items is to provide more options to players who wish to customize their experience further, both in solo and co-op.

Players of the closed and open betas who play the full game before March 31 will also get access to not-so-exclusive add-on content in April. "The Unidad Conspiracy" tasks players with hunting down a Unidad captain dubbed El Comandante in additional missions throughout the Media Luna province. We say "not-so-exclusive" because season pass owners will also get to access the Unidad Conspiracy expansion when it debuts some time next month.

Ghost Recon: Wildlands debuts on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 on March 7.