It's been a wonderful week, with the weather finally warming, and a plethora of Ubisoft news and game updates. Before you dive into the Ostara spring equinox celebration, check out the roundup of everything you may have missed this week at Ubisoft:

Employee Resource Group Spotlight: Salaam

April is Arab Heritage Month, and leading the celebration at Ubisoft is Salaam, the newest ERG supporting the people and cultures of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The group is organized and run entirely by employees, and Ubisoft News spoke to Salaam's leader, Kareem El-Baradie, about the group's formation and the types of programming it offers its members.

Far Cry 6: How AI Helped Animate Yara's Hero

Ubisoft La Forge is constantly working to further technological development. One of its more recent creations, Choreograph, was used to help animate Far Cry 6, using an AI-driven technique called motion matching. Ubisoft's Development Director Olivier Pomarez and Engine Programmer Raphael Saint-Pierre spoke to Ubisoft News about the team's work and how Choreograph enables more realistic animations in Far Cry 6.

How Ubisoft Activates Green Initiatives In Games

Ubisoft is committed to going green, in part by creating a number of in-game activations that aim to inspire players and move them to action. Director of Corporate Environmental Sustainability Nicolas Hunsinger sat down with Ubisoft News to talk about the work he and his team are doing to incorporate authentic green content into games.

Rainbow Six Siege Emerald Plains Map

On April 19, Rainbow Six Siege added its first new map in three years: Emerald Plains. The setting is an Irish country club and private ranch with two distinct floors for players to fight over - including features like a skylight access point, multi-story atrium, and three interior staircases. The ground floor features modern interior design, while the top floor represents a more historic, classic aesthetic. Emerald Plains is part of Demon Veil - Year 7 Season 1 - which also introduced Team Deathmatch and the new Operator Azami to Rainbow Six Siege.

Game Updates

Assassin's Creed Valhalla launched its 1.5.1 title update on April 19. The download is 1.41-12.33 GB in size, depending on platform, and brings back the Ostara Festival, as well as gameplay improvements and bug fixes. You can read the full patch notes here.

• The Ostara Festival, a limited-time event, runs from April 21 through May 12, and players can earn all-new rewards

• Mastery Challenge Pack 2 now available, introducing new combat tests, new shrines, and unique rewards

• Equipped Runes that disappeared after 1.5.01 have been returned

• Dual wielding two Atgeirs now deals more damage

Rainbow Six Siege's Y7S1.2 patch notes released on April 19 as well, ranging in 1.9-3.75GB in download size depending on platform. The update brings a new map and several gameplay improvements to the battlefield. Some of the changes are highlighted below, and you can read the full list here.

• Emerald Plains map now available

• Bandit can now attach multiple batteries to the same surface

• Added Field of View slider on console

The Crew 2 made a quick patch maintenance pitstop on April 20, updating a number of brand and bug fixes ahead of the LIVE Summit.