rayman-origins
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Ubisoft bringing Assassins, Rabbids, and Future Soldiers to Gamescom
Sure, said assassins, rabbids, and future soldiers will arrive in video game form, but there's at least an air of danger in Ubisoft's Gamescom lineup. The French publisher revealed its German cavalry this week, saying that all titles will be available either in hands-on versions or hands-off presentations. From Dust (released on consoles thus far), Far Cry 3, Might & Magic Heroes VI, and Rayman Origins will be on site. Ubi will also hold a roundtable discussion titled, "Is Online Gaming Changing How We Create?" and featuring "creative leaders from Ubisoft's online teams. It'll be open to press, Ubisoft partners and the show's trade visitors. It's not necessarily bad news for you, Joe Public. While we're busy watching the roundtable, you could be jamming on some Anno 2070!
Rayman Origins Comic-Con trailer makes up a bunch of accolades
The latest, Comic-Con-targeted trailer for Rayman Origins is toeing a fairly questionable line of truthfulness. Sure, it's probably joking when it says it won an award at E3 for having the "Character With The Biggest Butt," but that's still a lie. That award would obviously go to Cookie Monster.
Play new Rabbids, Rayman and Just Dance games at Comic-Con
Ubisoft has announced its totally non-comic-related (but perhaps comical) contributions to the July 21-24 Comic-Con event, including opportunities to play its new games. Booth 4245 in the Exhibit Hall will host playable demos of Rabbids: Alive & Kicking, Just Dance 3, and Rayman Origins. On July 23, Ubisoft will hold an "Assassin's Creed: The Creation of a Universe" panel, featuring a preview of the Assassin's Creed Embers animated short. Outside of the Comic-Con venue itself, Ubisoft and "The Nerd Machine" are setting up a "Nerd HQ" in downtown San Francisco, where players will find demos of Rayman Origins. Yes, "Nerd HQ" is somehow not inside Comic-Con.
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.
3DS release schedule outs new eShop games, upcoming dates
We were just casually browsing Nintendo's E3 press site, like you do, when we happened upon upcoming schedules for 3DS, DS, and Wii. And there's a bunch of stuff on here that we, and probably you, hadn't heard about yet! Like, in case you missed it, the September 11 release date for Star Fox 64 3D., and an August 23 date for Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked. According to this schedule, Ubisoft's got James Noir on the way August 30, Imagine Babyz 3D (imagine babies! In 3D!) October 25, a 3DS version of Michael Jackson: The Experience and a 3DS NCIS game the same day, and ... a 3DS version of Rayman: Origins on March 13, 2012!? The eShop section of the schedule names some upcoming Game Gear Virtual Console titles from Sega, all scheduled for "Summer." The games include Columns, Dragon Crystal, Shinobi, Sonic Drift 2, and Sonic Triple Trouble. Check the list out after the break. Keep in mind that some of these listings will undoubtedly change in the future, or might be inaccurate now, as they were reported by Nintendo and not these games' actual publishers.
Rayman Origins is the most colorful thing on Earth
The sheer amount of delight generated by the latest Rayman Origins media may be unquantifiable. Seriously, Ubisoft, it's not fair. Try and save some delight for everyone else. View the screens below and watch the trailer after the break, and try not to smile. We submit that it cannot be done. %Gallery-125833%
Rayman Origins latest screens are magnifique
Rayman Origins will explain the evolutionary mystery of a creature's appendages staying in proximity to its torso without actually being attached. No, not really. Maybe? Either way, here's some screens.
Retailers list Rayman Origins for Wii, DS
If certain retailer listings are to be believed, it appears that Rayman Origins won't be confined to the Xbox 360 and PS3 when it's released this holiday. Amazon has posted a listing for a Wii version of title, including the convincing box art seen here. Furthermore, a purported GameStop new release list mentions both a Wii and DS version of Rayman Origins. For what it's worth, both GameStop and Amazon specify a November release date. While Ubisoft hasn't confirmed anything outside of the 360 and PS3 versions, a port to DS or Wii certainly seems possible, especially given the game's 2D presentation.
Rayman Origins is a retail game, now coming holiday 2011
When Game Informer revealed the contents of its new issue yesterday, buried under the Assassin's Creed: Revelations hoopla was the promise of Ubisoft news that has nothing to do with white hoodies or hidden knives: "six pages of new details and assets on the gorgeous new platformer, Rayman Origins." For those assets, you'll have to wait to see the issue for yourself, but NeoGAFfer SolidSnakex summarized the new information about the platformer -- information welcome to those of us who get nervous when they don't get regular status updates about Michel Ancel games. First announced as a downloadable, episodic title, Origins is now a retail game, and it's due this holiday season. It features four-player local co-op, though whether that is also online is unclear. According to the preview, it's designed to be accessible to players of different skill levels, and for each level to be enjoyable alone or in multiplayer. "I Dare You" challenges will allow players to bet on whether they can complete a "complex, acrobatic chain" to win in-game currency ("Lums.")
Rayman Origins to be 'a big event,' Ubisoft CEO says
Pictured above: Rayman, floppy-haired hero and decliner of limbs, along with dim-witted partner in mischief, Globox. They've been missing since December 2010, but we're happy to report that they're not dead. In an MCV interview published today, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said Rayman Origins was "very much" a Michel Ancel project. So, a bizarre information blackout following a promising announcement was to be expected. "There will be a new Rayman game, Rayman Origins, by Michel Ancel," Guillemot said. "It will be HD in 2D and it will be a big event for the whole industry." It's unclear whether the game will still be episodic, as originally planned, or if it will still be a downloadable title. Ubisoft has not answered any of our specific questions regarding Rayman Origins during the last three months. Aside from being a return to Rayman's roots, the game serves as a showcase for the UbiArt development framework, which allows the incorporation of detailed drawings from a variety of sources into a skeletal animation system. In other words: game so, so pretty.
Rayman Origins a no-show for holiday 2010
Rayman Origins, a beautiful 2D adventure created within Ubisoft's UbiArt framework, was scheduled to launch on HD consoles by the end of this year. While the official website still believes that to be the case, it's now clear that the release has been delayed. Planned as an episodic series, Rayman Origins examines the mischievous beginnings of Michel Ancel's famous limber-yet-limbless hero, and his friendship with Globox, a boisterous frog-type ... thing. Ubisoft has made no announcement regarding a delay, but a company representative confirmed to Joystiq that the first Origins episode would not make it out this year. (Obviously.) Provided Rayman Origins doesn't vanish behind a veil of secrecy, Ancel fans should have a good year in 2011, which also promises a high-definition update of Beyond Good and Evil for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network.%Gallery-96983%
Rayman Origins slapped on XBLA, PSN this Christmas, other platforms possible
Rayman and Globox will be slapping everything in sight as soon as this holiday season. The "about" page for Rayman Origins, the new 2D Rayman revival, reveals that the first episode is scheduled for a Christmas release, with "the rest" to follow in 2011. Ubisoft specified releases on "HD Consoles" for the platformer, with Wii, PC, iPad, and 3DS in consideration as well. The page also reveals that the Ubiart framework used by Origins' five-person team to create the game will be released open-source next year, allowing users to design levels and characters. Not only is Ubisoft making a convincingly indie-style game, it's going to release tools to let you make indie games.%Gallery-96983%
Ancel working with small team on Beyond Good & Evil 2
Earlier this month, Ubisoft assured fans that Beyond Good & Evil creator Michel Ancel was still with the company, and still toiling away at the sequel to the beloved action adventure game. Ancel himself emerged at the Montpellier in Game conference, detailing the development a bit. Ancel told attendees that he's working on a 3D version of the toolkit being used to make Rayman Origins. "It takes a bit longer," he said, "but we're very keen to use this system with this game, because it's an ambitious game and we want to create something exceptional." Another factor that is stretching out development time: "On this game, we're keeping the team small," he said, "to preserve creativity and so the game doesn't become a commercial product, so that it has soul." This also has the added benefit of keeping the budget low, limiting the chance that Ubisoft will cancel it. Unfortunately, it also limits the chance that Ubisoft execs will know it exists. %Gallery-23890%
Rayman Origins begins episodic journey 'this year'
We told you it was beautiful -- but in case you didn't believe us, you can watch a trailer after the break. Ubisoft's Rayman Origins is a gorgeous game, and uses the new Ubiart framework to deliver "full HD" 1080p visuals. According to the team's official blog, Origins will be delivered as episodes "because big games take a long time to make" and "episodes also let us imagine a longer and more developed saga than with a more 'classical' format." Although specifics weren't mentioned, it's easy to imagine that Origins will end up on services like PSN and XBLA as a downloadable game. The team appears to be aiming for a release "this year," which has our digital wallets quivering in anticipation.
Rayman Origins in development from Michel Ancel, is 2D and beautiful
We know, we know -- another Rayman game, right? But no, seriously, this one looks totally sweet. Debuted at today's Ubisoft press conference, Beyond Good & Evil and Rayman creator Michel Ancel is developing Rayman Origins. From what we saw, it's a 2D Rayman that allows for some content creation as well. While we were impressed by the Rayman levels shown, a handful of user-created levels were also displayed with vastly different art styles. With any luck we'll get a chance to check out more when E3 officially starts tomorrow.
