The Notre-Dame de Paris has been a hallmark of faith and steadfastness for nearly a millennium. France’s Lady of Paris was erected during the 12th century and has stood as one of the most notable points of interest in Paris since that time. It has featured in many TV Series, films and games alike. On 15 April 2019, however, renovations on the ancient building went awry, causing the now infamous Notre Dame fire. It resulted in millions of people worldwide witnessing how the cathedral was burning down.

Fortunately, its walls and foundations are still standing tall. Unfortunately, the cathedral sustained millions of Euros in damage and will take years to repair. Once gamers caught wind of there Notre Dame fire, the community starting buzzing. First, theories appeared on Reddit and social media about how Ubisoft’s fifth main Assassin’s Creed title, Assassin’s Creed: Unity, could be used as an elaborate 3D model during repairs. While this may sound like an amazing idea, a Ubisoft representative told Forbes that the model of Notre Dame found in the video game is an artistic creation, not a scientific one. Regardless, it did get people talking, and for the better. Ubisoft picked up on the chatter and decided to contribute to the cause.

The France-based company announced that it will be donating €500 000 to the rebuilding efforts to fix the damage caused by the Notre Dame fire. In addition, Ubisoft is giving away free copies of Assassin’s Creed: Unity on UPlay. This is to allow all gamers and fans of the cathedral alike, to see and experience Notre Dame in one of the more realistic (yet still very artistic) digital representations currently available.

Anyone interested in this Notre Dame fire offer can redeem the game on their UPlay accounts for free, but only for the next week. Assassin’s Creed: Unity revolves around the French Revolution, where players get to play through a number of years that depict the rise and fall of the powers that govern France, both from the shadows and otherwise. The narrative puts heavy emphasis on family and love, as it depicts Arno Dorian moving through the ranks of the Brotherhood. All in an effort to find out more information about the death of his father.

Notre Dame features prominently throughout the game. Not only as a beautiful point of interest, but also as a location where certain missions take place. This kind gesture by Ubisoft serves as a beautiful tribute to everything the cathedral stands for. It also offers a glimpse of hope for a ‘Notre Dame fire’ day that will never be forgotten.

[Sources: Engadget, Forbes, Twitter, YouTube(1)(2)]

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Junior Editor at Vamers. From Superman to Ironman; Bill Rizer to Sam Fisher and everything in-between, Edward loves it all. He is a Bachelor of Arts student and English Major specialising in Language and Literature. He is an avid writer and casual social networker with a flare for all things tech related.