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Beyond Good & Evil 2 Development Troubled?

The creator of the series has reportedly left the Ubisoft.

In the past, Ubisoft has outwardly displayed misgivings when asked about the state of affairs of Beyond Good & Evil 2. But a new rumor floating around asserts that the production of the long-awaited sequel may have been paused, or even worse, Ubisoft might be talking cancelation.

French gaming website Woot Gaming (via Destructoid, via NeoGAF) alleges that the creator of Beyond Good & Evil, Michel Ancel, and one of his developers, have left Ubisoft Montpellier and founded their own studio due to some sort of spat over the follow-up. This in turn has left the entire project in some sort of disarray; it's paused and--provided this report is accurate--some studio gurus are talking about scrapping the title. 

No Caption Provided
About a year after Beyond Good & Evil 2's announcement and trailer-zation in 2008, Ubisoft's Laurent Detoc told Industry Gamers that there was a chance it would never see the inside of a disc drive. This new rumor, if true, certainly takes the "chance" part out of the equation.

Of course, you'll have to keep in mind how bad Google translations of websites can be depending on the content of said site. Also, I get the vibe the author, "Poop," might have just been speculating in that last paragraph. It's hard to tell because of the poor translation. And in another bit of house cleaning: Destructoid notes that Ancel has yet to update his LinkedIn profile, which is something you totally do immediately after leaving a place of employment. It's like a rule or something.

I missed Beyond Good & Evil, and I still kick myself for it. I was hoping to jump onto the love train with the sequel. Apparently, I might not get the chance.  Anyway, what do you guys think about this rumor? I'd imagine it's breaking a few hearts out there.     
  
UPDATE: According to a report about this matter from French gaming blog Gameblog.fr, French Ubisoft representatives and sources within Ubisoft Montpellier are saying these rumors are completely false.

125 Comments

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selbie

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Edited By selbie

*facepalm*
 
This game deserves to be released even if something does happen to the staff.

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punchkick

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Edited By punchkick

Mamago!!!

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circle_of_iron

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Edited By circle_of_iron

I hope that BG & E gets the sequel it deserves.  I have just been re-playing the original and I had forgotten how good it is. 

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wolf_blitzer85

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Edited By wolf_blitzer85

Dude play the first one if you want the love.

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JackLumber

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Edited By JackLumber

This is very, very sad (if it's all true). Beyond Good and Evil was certainly unpolished in spots (and I have no idea how it holds up, as I haven't played it since it came out), but that was truly a game that was greater than the sum of its parts. I can't really say how (again, it's been awhile) but something about it just WORKED. It worked really well. There were parts where my brain knew it was sorta janky, but the rest of me was having so much fun it didn't matter. That game really sucked me in a way that only the Zelda and Half Life series have managed to do. It absolutely deserves a sequel,  and this news is troubling, to say the least.

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Rowr

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Edited By Rowr

well that was a bunch of useless over-speculation thrown around all over the place.

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KimParnage

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Edited By KimParnage

Beyond Good and Evil 2 can NOT be cancelled! I want that game!

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protododo

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Edited By protododo

After lurking on this site for a long time without feeling the need to post anything, this news is important enough to make me go through the registration process so that I can contribute my sentiments.
 
.........FFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-

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Spiritof

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Edited By Spiritof

I would think that the first BG&E would still hold up today.
 
ER that S.O.B. STAT!

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9mmfistcuffs

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Edited By 9mmfistcuffs


UPDATE: According to a report about this matter from French gaming blog Gameblog.fr, French Ubisoft representatives and sources within Ubisoft Montpellier are saying these rumors are completely false.     
THANK  GOD! a lack of Beyond Good & Evil 2 would be a horrible shame... I'm still worried about it living up to the first game but, there is just so little information on it out there it's hard to tell. 
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Set

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Edited By Set

oh thank god you almost gave me a heart attack.

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Lambert

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Edited By Lambert

Good job, Ubisoft. Now you can make those uninspired/crappy Tom Clancy games, along with your GIRLZ series.
 
Keep losing that money Ubisoft. Karma is a bitch.

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deactivated-57d3a53d23027

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It's always a shame when a wonderful game never gains mainstream appreciation and its' sequel is cancelled. Much like this instance and the cancellation of the next Oddworld game.

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Hailinel

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Edited By Hailinel
@9mmfistcuffs said:
"

UPDATE: According to a report about this matter from French gaming blog Gameblog.fr, French Ubisoft representatives and sources within Ubisoft Montpellier are saying these rumors are completely false.     THANK  GOD! a lack of Beyond Good & Evil 2 would be a horrible shame... I'm still worried about it living up to the first game but, there is just so little information on it out there it's hard to tell.  "
I wish Brad had taken the time to verify the truth of the rumor instead of posting an article that's done nothing but put a lot of people's panties in bunches unnecessarily.
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Ninja_Donut

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Edited By Ninja_Donut

There is also a rumor going around that he is working on a new Rayman title! I can't wait to see what he has in store! E3 can't come soon enough!

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jaklink

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Edited By jaklink

At least it was confirmed that he didn't leave, I hope we get to see something at E3!

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ShadowKirby

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Edited By ShadowKirby
@Lambert said:
" Good job, Ubisoft. Now you can make those uninspired/crappy Tom Clancy games, along with your GIRLZ series.  Keep losing that money Ubisoft. Karma is a bitch. "
 
Those [something]Z games are not made by Ubisoft, only published by them. And they are not loosing money, they are even opening up new studios.
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Majkiboy

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Edited By Majkiboy
@protododo said:
" After lurking on this site for a long time without feeling the need to post anything, this news is important enough to make me go through the registration process so that I can contribute my sentiments. .........FFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU- "
And we love you for it <3! You deliver with such depth and feeling, it moves me!
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Flay

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Edited By Flay

No! D:

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Astiaks

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Edited By Astiaks

Damn, this was one of those games that i was really looking forward too, mostly because Michel Ancel himself was working on it.

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selbie

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Edited By selbie

Thank god it was bogus info. BG&E has so much potential. Ubisoft just has to realise this before making another load of shovelware for the PS Move and Natal.

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Kyreo

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Edited By Kyreo

Oh thank god... none of it's true.... that was close.

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Earthborn

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Edited By Earthborn

Dodged a bullet there. Brad, you need to go play BG & E, like, now.

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finchbandit75

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Edited By finchbandit75

lame! BG&E was one of my fav game of the last gen, and i was very very stoked to see some assassin's creed-esque action in the sequel! i certainly hope this rumor gets debunked, and quick.

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Piranesi

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Edited By Piranesi

BG&E was a bit of a mess (in a Psychonauts way) - not sure what it was at heart and so it flew by most of the gaming audience. I don't think a sequel would change this and overcome the nostalgia factor as well. Some games (ICO, Okami) are perhaps too good, too smart, to appeal beyond a devoted core crowd. With things in the state they are, only the indie scene really provides an avenue for games with ideas beyond the mass-market.