The legacy of Michel Ancel (also known for Rayman), who retired from the games industry amidst sexual harassment, could still be a long way from Ubisoft publishing it!

Trusted insider Tom Henderson wrote on Exputer about what he’s heard about Beyond Good & Evil 2. He had a chance to view some images and footage taken during the external playtesting, and from that, he didn’t have a good overall picture. As he sees it, the game is still in an unrefined, rough state and could be years away from being released by Ubisoft. Game testers also reportedly say that the current incarnation of Beyond Good & Evil 2 lacks a clear direction.

Let’s recall that Ubisoft announced the game at E3 2017. At the time, the French publisher described Ancel’s project as follows: “Journey to System 3 for the prequel to one of Ubisoft’s most beloved games! Fight alongside unforgettable characters in a stunning new solar system as you struggle for freedom and the right to determine your fate among the stars. Play the adventure yourself or with friends in a vast, seamless online playground. In this Action-Adventure, you can play alone or with friends. Everyone will participate in the intense action and drama found throughout System 3’s planets, moons and space. Beyond Good & Evil 2 is being developed on Voyager, a new proprietary engine and set of tools the team at Ubisoft Montpellier spent three years building. This breakthrough technology can generate vast worlds, tailor-made territories with rich, gorgeous environments, and robust online systems.

Beyond Good & Evil 2 is the spiritual successor to the cult classic, a prequel that will transport players into a profoundly multicultural world, capturing the spirit of the original with grandiose decors and intense dramas that play out across a vast universe. Through the Space Monkey Program, Ubisoft Montpellier will be developing the game alongside its community of fans. System 3 has become the centre of interstellar trade and colonization in the Milky Way in the 24th century, thanks to the creation of Hybrid slaves. While private enterprises fight over resources and power, the first colonists weave together Old Earth’s rich and diverse spiritual and cultural heritages to give meaning to their existence. In this new era of piracy, we will rise from lowly pirate to legendary captain at the helm of massive star-faring vessels, adventuring alongside crews of colourful characters to fight for freedom and the right to determine our fate among the stars.”

The question is how much of this concept remained. Five years later, there’s little point in guessing about such things… but if at Ubisoft Forward in September, Yves Guillemot’s company (in which Chinese tech giant Tencent admitted to becoming the largest shareholder!) is showcased, we’ll be surprised…

Source: WCCFTech