In addition to creating memorable experiences through its games, Ubisoft also creates educational content and contributes content to cultural institutions around the world. Since 2021, Ubisoft has partnered with the Micro-Folie network which offers free cultural and artistic resources to school groups and populations who may not have easy access to them. The Micro-Folie initiative was launched in 2017 by the French Ministry of Culture and is coordinated by La Villette, a cultural institution located in Paris.
Image credit, header: MC-Didier Plowy
A Micro-Folie is a modular space offering access to the works of some of the world's greatest museums. These include cultural establishments such as the Centre Pompidou, the Palace of Versailles, the Cité de la Musique at the Paris Philharmonic, the Avignon Festival, and many more. The Micro-Folies offer activities such as a FabLab equipped with 3D printers, digital sewing machines, a virtual reality space, and a Café Folie, which functions as a café as well as a library for books and games.
There are currently over 400 Micro-Folie sites in operation worldwide, with close to 500 others in discussion and 40 new site inaugurations scheduled over the coming months. Nearly half of all sites actively use Ubisoft's educational content. The program offers an array of Ubisoft content that invites visitors to delve into history with Discovery Tours, enhance their coding skills with some zany assistants, and virtually explore the majestic Notre-Dame cathedral.
Discovery Tours
The Discovery Tours are especially popular, allowing visitors to explore the vast open worlds of different Assassin's Creed games in interactive tours developed by historians and experts. They serve as an excellent bridge between videogames and education by offering nonviolent experiences that let players discover information and insights about the history, architecture, religion, commerce, and daily life of the people who lived in the Viking Age, Ancient Greece, and Ancient Egypt.
Image credit, 2nd image: Nicolas Krief
Rabbids Coding
Rabbids Codingis a game that makes coding accessible and fun, thanks to the mischievous Rabbids. Players must use basic programming commands to clean up after the Rabbids after they invade a space station with predictably chaotic results. Simple and intuitive, Rabbids Coding helps players learn the basics of coding, including sequential programming, loops, and conditions without any teacher's supervision. (Sound fun? Play Rabbids Coding for free on your PC!)
Notre Dame: Journey Back in Time VR
For Assassin's Creed Unity, Ubisoft developers and historians poured almost 5,000 hours into creating a digital reconstruction of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral. This model was used in the development of Notre Dame: Journey Back in Time, a virtual reality tour that allows players to explore the cathedral from different vantage points, some of which are inaccessible to the public. The tour concludes with a spectacular balloon ride over the iconic landmark, set in the bustling Paris of the late 18th century.
Through their partnership with La Villette and the Micro-Folie program, Ubisoft contributes its educational content and its expertise to a meaningful collaboration that gives young visitors around the world easier access to education, served up with a little extra fun.