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Ubisoft plans to show 'Beyond Good & Evil 2' gameplay next year
'BG&E' creator Michel Ancel has quit the company to work at a wildlife sanctuary.
Quick take on Sony's Gamescom 2014 press conference
Joystiq's Ludwig Kietzmann and Sinan Kubba reflect on Sony's Gamescom 2014 press event held today in Cologne, Germany. The event featured new game announcements from Rayman creator Michel Ancel (Wild) and Heavenly Sword developer Ninja Theory (Hellblade) among many other bits of news covered in our recap of the event. Did the PlayStation press conference resonate with you, or were there announcements you wished you heard that weren't part of the event? Share your own reactions in the comments.
PlayStation Gamescom 2014 press conference round-up: Wild, Hellblade
After Microsoft rolled out a whole bunch of announcements earlier today, it was Sony's turn to take the stage for its Gamescom 2014 press conference. We watched the stream, we followed the liveblog and now it's time to recap all of the event's announcements. Head past the break to dive into our round-up.
Rayman creator goes Wild, announces exclusive open-world PS4 adventure
Rayman creator Michel Ancel has announced Wild, an exclusive open-world title for the PlayStation 4. Wild is the debut title of Wild Sheep Studios, the studio Ancel recently announced to the world. "We wanted to focus on a single platform, and PS4 was clearly the best fit," Ancel said during the announcement, on Sony's stage at the PlayStation press conference. "Our concept is based on experiencing new situations every time you play." Despite forming the new studio, Ubisoft says that Ancel remains a member of its Ubisoft Montpellier team. Someone has to remind them they announced a Beyond Good & Evil sequel from time to time, right?
Beyond Good & Evil creator working on an 'extremely ambitious' sequel
Lest you were afraid that Beyond Good & Evil creator Michel Ancel forming a new studio would mean the death of all hope of ever seeing Beyond Good & Evil 2, fear no more: Ubisoft has confirmed to IGN that Ancel is heading development of a sequel to 2003's critically-loved-but-commercially-underwhelming game about a photojournalist with a bo staff and her anthropomorphic pig uncle. "It's still far too early to give many details about this new title, but what we can say is that while Michel and the team at Ubisoft Montpellier are working with the core tenets of BG&E, they're developing something that aspires to push past the boundaries of a proverbial sequel and leverages next-gen technologies to deliver a truly surprising, innovative and exceptional game," Ubisoft told IGN. "The entire team is excited about the direction this extremely ambitious project is taking, and we'll have more to share later, as it progresses." A sequel to Beyond Good & Evil has been on the minds of fans for a long time. A long time. Like, "the first teaser was revealed in 2008" long. More recently, Ancel shared concept art of heroine Jade wearing a sleek, samurai-influenced outfit that looks pretty darn close to what we saw in leaked game footage. Still, things have been relatively quiet, and six years is a long time to wait; we don't blame you if your heart has been hardened and you no longer believe. Still, Ancel said in 2011 that the scope of BG&E2 would require next-generation consoles and well ... we've got those now. Maybe cross your fingers one last time? Hey, it worked for Mirror's Edge. [Image: Ubisoft]
Rayman creator starts a studio but remains at Ubisoft
Michel Ancel, the creator of Rayman, is starting his own studio called Wild Sheep – though he'll remain at Ubisoft Montpellier, Ubisoft says in a statement to Game Informer. "We are fortunate to have some of the industry's finest talents, including Michel Ancel, working with us at our studio," Ubisoft Annecy, Paris, and Montpellier Managing Director Xavier Poix said. "In addition to spending some of his time on this new venture, Michel is leading the creative development of select projects at Ubisoft Montpellier, including an extremely ambitious new title that is very close to his and the team's heart." Sounds like Ancel has a lot of projects in progress. Managing all of them will be like herding Wild Sheep or something. [Image: Ubisoft]
Take a good look at the leading lady of Beyond Good & Evil 2 [update]
Update: Ubisoft claims the art is an early concept of Jade, pre-dating Beyond Good and Evil. Whether or not she'll appear that way in Beyond Good and Evil 2 is unknown, but this tease suggests a return of that old, graceful appearance (which matches leaked screenshots). The article below has been updated to reflect the image's origin. Original: While Beyond Good & Evil 2 remains in the same nebulous development limbo it has called home for the last half-decade, creator Michel Ancel recently offered fans a look at a design for series protagonist, Jade, seemingly as she will appear in the game. Below the break you'll find footage of a recent Q&A session broadcast via YouTube. At the 2:05 mark, Ancel unexpectedly produces a glossy poster offering a very clear look at Jade's conceptual aesthetic. While Jade maintains the laid-back, almost "grunge" style of her debut in the original Beyond Good & Evil, there are definite differences in the character's design. This version of Jade has almost samurai-esque elements, combined with the kind of DIY aesthetic you'd expect from a hero living a hardscrabble life in an unfriendly world. Unfortunately, Ancel offered no information on when we can expect Beyond Good & Evil 2 to reach store shelves, so we'll all go back to waiting patiently - at least until the next tiny nugget of information reminds us all how long we've been waiting for this sequel. [Image: Ubisoft]
Rayman Legends Video Preview
Ubisoft has constructed a charming new gauntlet for Rayman to run through, filled with sights so vivid you nearly forget it's all a string of perilous pits and narrow escapes. In our new video discussion of Rayman Legends, we quickly cover the game's glut of content (earned after several delays), its clever incorporation of other genres, and how its fast-paced platforming is paired with the Wii U's gamepad. (Note: The Vita version also supports touchscreen co-op, but across two systems.) Rayman Legends will be available in North America on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and Wii U on September 3.
Rayman Legends bonus: 40 levels from Rayman Origins, 'Kung Foot' soccer spinoff
Ubisoft is on the cusp of titular video game perfection, having announced the inclusion of 40 levels from Rayman Origins to this year's exuberant platforming sequel, Rayman Legends. That's right, the game will have some Legends and a few Origins. Dare they throw in a smattering of ... Revelations? According to Ubisoft designer and Rayman rein-holder Michel Ancel, the bonus Rayman Origins levels are immediately accessible and optional to the completion of Rayman Legends. The selection of stages, including a few devious Tricky Treasure runs, has been graphically updated to suit the style of Legends. Ancel and the creative team are also tossing in "Kung Foot," a soccer-themed minigame that supports up to four local players (five if you're on Wii U). Controlling any of the available Rayman characters, players jump around, kick, punch and block a bouncing soccer ball wildly as they attempt to get it through the opposing goal. Kung Foot is pitched as a funny, aimless party game for friends too tired for anything serious – or, in the case of Ancel's team, for developers who just finished making Rayman Origins. It was a small in-engine game made just for the office at the time, but now it's being included with Rayman Legends. Rayman Legends is due on Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita on September 3. %Gallery-193984%
Rayman Legends delay results in 30 new levels, several new boss fights
Rayman Legends' extra time in the oven has resulted in developer Ubisoft Montpelier adding 30 extra levels and several new boss fights. "Trust me, the things we are adding aren't minor. We're not talking about adding some polish here and there, but 30 new levels and several new bosses," Senior Game Manager Michael Micholic said in an interview with Official Nintendo Magazine.Rayman Legends has been delayed twice, the most recent delay last month when it got pushed to September in favor of a simultaneous launch across Wii U, Xbox 360 and PS3. The reception of this latest delay was negative, to say the least, with even Rayman creator Michel Ancel joining in on the protest.
Rayman creator Michel Ancel appears in Legends delay protest
Rayman creator Michel Ancel and staff from Ubisoft Montpellier have shown implicit desire to have Rayman Legends released. Staffers including Ancel posted with fan Joffrey Babilotte and a banner he made, reading "Release Rayman, Support Ubisoft Montpellier" (in French). Rayman is on the banner saying "SVP" – "please." Babilotte made the sign and brought it "to the gates of Ubi Montpellier."Rayman Legends was due to be released this month on Wii U, but Ubisoft delayed the presumably finished game, to release it simultaneously with Xbox 360 and PS3 ports in September.
Beyond Good & Evil 2 put on the back burner to let Rayman boil over
It's time for the yearly confirmation that, yes, Ubisoft is still working on Beyond Good & Evil 2. The sequel first surfaced in 2008, and since then Ubisoft has treated it like an obnoxious stepchild, providing vague updates on development, and usually only when a rumor forces a statement.Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot tells Polygon that the team, headed by Michel Ancel, is still passionate about Beyond Good & Evil 2, but other games, such as Rayman Legends, have slowed its development."What's very important is that Michel Ancel is kind of doing too many things at the same time," Guillemot says. "He was working on Rayman Origins last year, and he's working a lot on Rayman Legends this year. So, you know, when he does that, he kind of puts too much of his time on the other projects that he has. So the fact is that working on Legends is slowing the process on Beyond Good & Evil 2."Rayman Legends was recently delayed to Q1 2013 on the Wii U. Perhaps once Legends launches, Ancel and Ubisoft will get to work, for real, on Beyond Good and & Evil 2. And maybe they'll even tell someone about it.
Rumored Beyond Good & Evil 2 screen has Jade looking awfully lonely
Where's a Starkos machine when you need one?%Gallery-155168%
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc HD hits XBLA, PSN on March 21
The promised HD revamp of Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc has gotten itself a release date. As you can see from the trailer above, the third game in Michel Ancel's whimsical Rayman platformer series (just recently invigorated by the excellent Rayman Origins), updated with HD graphics and sound, arrives on March 21.You'll also see that Rayman's a bit blue for some of this adventure. Don't be so sad, Ray! Any old-school Rayman is a welcome sight to our eyes.
Beyond Good & Evil 2 concept art spied in presentation, leaked footage authenticated
Early footage of Beyond Good & Evil 2 leaked out of Ubisoft's porous, Parisian vaults over two years ago, in May of 2009. That was roughly one year after the much-anticipated sequel was announced ... and promptly forgotten again. And now, some three-and-a-half years after that announcement, we've got the first official look at the game and, what do ya know, it's the very same footage from 2009! During an on-stage presentation at the Montpellier in Game 2011 conference, series creator Michel Ancel discussed the setting for the game, showed some concept art (conveniently screengrabbed at NeoGAF) and at the end, shared the same footage that you saw forever ago, in internet years. At this rate, we'd think the proposed Xbox 720 / PS4 debut would be an aggressive timetable. What's 360 times three?
Rayman Origins review: Everybody loves Rayman
When I was a kid, video games didn't have "features," at least not in the way we know them today. There was no online multiplayer, no leaderboards, no persistent character progression. There were no detailed stat tracking services (with social integration, of course). If anything, a game might have had local multiplayer which, in those days, we simply called "two-player." Like the games of my youth, Rayman Origins has almost no modern features. What it does have is an overwhelming sense of joy that I haven't felt for a very long time. %Gallery-130910%
Rayman Origins demo due next week
If you've yet to become acquainted with Rayman, you'll be able to participate in a brief meet-and-greet next week, when a Rayman Origins demo comes to Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. He's animated, rambunctious, and extremely French, so don't be shy about shaking his hand. Just don't cause an inappropriate stir when you realize there's no arm attached to it. According to Ubisoft, the demo offers three playable maps, lifted from the full platformer's "Jungle," "Ocean" and "Food" worlds, as well as an unlockable costume. And in case you missed it back there: Food World. World of Food. The demo hits Europe on November 9th, which should coincide with the North American PSN update on November 8. We'll confirm that date with Ubisoft in the meanwhile. Update: Ubisoft confirms that the demo's also coming to North America next week.%Gallery-138472%
Rayman Origins Collector's Edition is exclusive to Europe
Ubisoft's limbless helicopter-head hero is appearing with a little more physical fanfare in Europe. The publisher is wrapping his gorgeous return to 2D, Rayman Origins, in a Collector's Edition for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 this November. Even the packaging itself is special. The quality of the 50-page art book will likely match the visuals we've seen coming from the UbiArt framework (which integrates high-resolution illustrations and pairs them with a skeletal animation system), and the soundtrack will probably be described as "whimsical," but forget all that. The box itself folds into a cute diorama depicting mischief makers Rayman and Globox. Ubisoft has confirmed to Joystiq that this edition of Rayman Origins, currently listed at GBP 54.99 on Amazon UK, is only coming to Europe -- soon to be the origin of quite a few imports, we imagine.
Scope of Beyond Good & Evil 2 requires next-gen consoles
We already had a pretty clear notion that Beyond Good & Evil 2 was destined for the next generation of consoles, and now Michel Ancel has shed some light on the issue. Speaking to GamesRadar, Ancel stated that the scope of the first Beyond Good & Evil was "large" – including "the city, the ocean, the moon and the space ship" – but it was originally intended to be much larger. The space ship, said Ancel, was originally intended to travel to distant planets, but the limitations of PS2 era consoles hindered the game's vision. "My thing is that we really want to make the game that was previously imagined, with all this feeling of traveling," said Ancel, citing Mass Effect as a good example of the concept. The development team at Ubisoft hopes to "continue in that direction, with storytelling and a massive world," so much so that, apparently, current generation consoles just won't cut it. Check out the full interview for more on the original Beyond Good & Evil, Rayman Origins and Ancel's development philosophy.
Ancel wants Rayman Origins' UbiArt to be open-source
The UbiArt technology, which is currently being put to use on Rayman Origins, will be as free and open as the space between Rayman's hand and body, if Michel Ancel has his way. Speaking to Develop, he expressed his desire to release the framework as open-source, to benefit other developers keen on making animated 2D games. "If you look at the best artists at Disney for example," Ancel told Develop, "they create incredible books and artwork and share their processes – it's interesting because those same people are happy to look at how other artists are developing their style. That whole medium has evolved on the basis of sharing ideas. But in games we lock it all in a black box and keep it to ourselves." Ancel hopes that the tools will inspire small devs: "It is more interesting to have a community and share our content." When Rayman Origins was first announced at E3 2010, it was accompanied by samples of other 2D games with varying art styles also made in the UbiArt framework. Even so, this plan hasn't actually been finalized yet. While he believes the technology will be offered freely, Ubisoft executives still have to make the final decision about licensing terms.
