Michael Beckwith 
Ubisoft announced it is partnering with the NFL on a fantasy football game titled NFL Primetime Fantasy, but is it worth playing and how can players register to start?
The game is in development at Ubisoft’s Saguenay studio, though it will be collaborating with Ubisoft Montreal as well. Ubisoft Saguenay has primarily served as a support studio for Ubisoft’s AAA titles, like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Rainbow Six Extraction. NFL Primetime Fantasy marks the studio’s first time spearheading a project.
While Ubisoft as a whole has tackled sports titles like Riders Republic and Steep, this is a rare instance of the company getting involved in the increasingly competitive field of major licensed games. But what exactly is this and does it warrant interest from football fans?
What is NFL Primetime Fantasy?
NFL Primetime Fantasy is a fantasy football game being developed by Ubisoft. Unlike traditional fantasy football, the game incorporates mechanics from live-service video games.
According to Ubisoft’s announcement, NFL Primetime Fantasy is a mobile game that the publisher describes as “an innovative, social, and free fantasy football experience.” Don’t expect it to be another football sim akin to EA’s Madden NFL games.
As such, the game will see players manage and cultivate their lineup, acquiring real-life NFL stars, and sending them out to play and win matches. It’s not all watching or setting-and-forgetting rosters, though.
Players will also need to make snap decisions in real-time during matches to rack up points and climb the NFL Primetime Fantasy leaderboard. Content director Eric Gallant has said players will be able to play during any real-world NFL match, including the NFL playoffs. He also confirmed there will be some co-op functionality, allowing friends to team up and compete.
Since it’s free-to-play, expect there to be a copious amount of microtransactions. No information has been shared yet on how NFL Primetime Fantasy will be monetized, but the announcement trailer does make mention of modifiers. Judging by the trailer, these modifiers can be used to boost the stats of the in-game NFL players. Time will tell if this will result in players who drop money on the game having more of an advantage than those who don’t.
How to register for NFL Primetime Fantasy
Players can pre-register for NFL Primetime Fantasy through Ubisoft’s official website, with pre-registrants receiving bonus rewards.
Early adopters pre-register for the game on either the Apple Store or the Google Play Store via Ubisoft’s website. Anyone who does will receive an early access bundle when the game launches. This bundle comes with one classic card pack cards, 100 Adrenaline for activating modifiers during games, and a guaranteed dynasty premium card.
There’s no confirmed launch date for NFL Primetime Fantasy. Ubisoft has said the game will debut during the 2024 NFL regular season, which begins on September 5 and runs until January 5, 2025. So, it’s probably safe to assume the game will be out before the end of 2024.
