Sixteen years later, Beyond Good and Evil 2 remains in development. Fans have been eagerly awaiting its release. This highly anticipated prequel to the 2003 cult classic has faced several challenges over the years, but its ambition remains undiminished.
One of the most exciting aspects of this game is that it is being built on the game engine, Voyager, which was specifically designed to bring to life the expansive world envisioned by the game’s creator, Michel Ancel. Back in 2017, Ubisoft first revealed that Beyond Good and Evil 2 would use the Voyager engine, a groundbreaking tool created to handle the immense scale and complexity of the game’s universe.
Ancel, known for his innovative approach to game design, sought to create a world that was not only visually stunning but also deeply immersive. His vision for Beyond Good and Evil 2 included entire planets to explore, space travel, and dynamic environmental changes, all seamlessly integrated into gameplay. The Voyager engine was developed to meet these high demands, allowing players to experience a living, breathing universe on a scale never before seen in the franchise.
The original Beyond Good and Evil was praised for its rich narrative and characters, and fans have high hopes that this new game will build on that legacy while offering a much larger and more interactive world. The game is set in a vast, open universe where players can explore freely, engage in complex storylines, and interact with alien species. The Voyager engine’s ability to handle such massive environments with fluidity and detail is a key part of bringing Ancel’s vision to life.
However, the journey to complete Beyond Good and Evil 2 has faced challenges, including the loss of key team members. In 2023, the project suffered a major setback with the untimely death of its creative director, Emile Morel. Morel had been with Ubisoft for over a decade and was a beloved member of the development team. After Michel Ancel left the gaming industry in 2020, Morel took over as creative director, guiding the project through its most recent phases of development.
Morel’s passing was announced by his colleagues, who took to social media to share their condolences and memories of working with him. Morel’s death was a profound loss for the team, and his contributions to the game’s development will not be forgotten.
“A cherished colleague for over a decade at Ubisoft Montpellier, we laughed and wept through good times and bad, and shipped a lot [of] great games together,” said former narrative director M. Gabrielle Shrager who wrote a moving tribute.
Despite these challenges, Beyond Good and Evil 2 continues to move forward, with the Voyager engine offering the technological foundation needed to achieve the ambitious goals set out by Ancel and Morel. While the game’s release date or which platforms it will be available on remains uncertain, fans remain hopeful that the final product will honor both creators’ visions and deliver the groundbreaking experience they’ve been waiting for.
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