Ubisoft today announced the development of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Online, a new multiplayer, third-person, cover-based tactical shooter that will be offered free-to-play online. Ghost Recon Online is being developed by Ubisoft Singapore as a downloadable PC-based online game.

A closed-beta is slated to launch this summer. You can apply for the beta now, although you'll need a Ubisoft account. Requirements to run the game are still unknown. Nonetheless, the gaming giant has already released the Announcement Trailer for the game:

With Ghost Recon Online, Ubisoft is hoping to delivering a more social and customizable Ghost Recon experience. Players can choose between three different classes of Ghost, customize their weapons, deploy cutting-edge military technology, and share intel with their team. Ubisoft will back the game with a full set of services, including regular events and game content updates, customized content based on community feedback, and live support.

The online features complement Ghost Recon Online's rich graphical environments and maps, which rival the quality of those traditionally seen only in retail games. While the game is free for anyone to play, players will also be able to purchase premium items and fully personalize their experience. Ubisoft's revenue for the game will thus come exclusively from the in-game items.

Ghost Recon Online is one of many games that Ubisoft plans to offer as a service. This means creating an online experience that allows gamers to stay connected to their favorite brands and to continually receive new content and gameplay.

"Ghost Recon Online takes the best attributes of the Ghost Recon game franchise and brings them online, making the experience of being a Ghost accessible to millions of new players and fans," Hugues Ricour, senior producer at Ubisoft, said in a statement. "This game was designed from the start to be a free-to-play experience. Our development teams are dedicated to making Ghost Recon Online a truly unique, top-quality online title."