The original Rayman was the game that put Ubisoft on the map. More than ten years have passed since then. The final installment in the colorful platformer seriesbut the French publisher is currently in the “early stages” of exploring what happens next for the series’ titular limbless hero.
“We are pleased to confirm that Ubisoft Montpellier and Ubisoft Milano have recently begun the exploratory phase of the Rayman brand,” a Ubisoft spokesperson told Kotaku via email. “The project is still in its early stages and we will share more details later.” It may be a while before the new Rayman is ready, but for now the next project is more than just “exploration.” It seems so.
Ubisoft’s statement came later. Insider Gaming reported A remake of Rayman, codenamed “Project Steambot,” is in early development, and former members of the Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown team have announced that the sequel to that game has been canceled due to poor sales. It was also revealed that the project was moved to this new project in response to this. Insider Gaming also reported that Rayman creator Michel Ancel is consulting on the project, a move that has made some developers at Ubisoft nervous due to comments from former director Michel Ancel. I made it. Reputation for toxic leadership.
“As the creator of the Rayman brand, Michel Ansel is being consulted to ensure consistency within the universe,” a Ubisoft representative told Kotaku. The company is unsure what his role is in the project and whether his involvement is at the behest of the studios involved or whether Ubisoft executives, including CEO Yves Guillemot, a longtime friend of Mr. Ansel, have imposed upon them. He declined to clarify exactly what the decision was.
The director had previously directed Beyond Good and Evil 2. I left the company in 2020 following the accusations. They may bully fellow developers or find it difficult to work with them. Although he denied the allegations at the time, Kotaku understands that there remains deep distrust within the company among some employees about how the Ansell issue was handled at the company.
There hasn’t been a new Rayman since 2013’s Rayman Legends, the fifth game in the series. The title received critical acclaim and sold nearly 5 million copies across all platforms, including Wii U and PlayStation Vita. The remake of 1995’s Rayman isn’t technically a new game in the series, but considering the transformation that PlayStation 1 games would go through to reinvigorate it for a modern audience, it’s probably a remake. It will feel like.
And let’s be honest, Rayman fans will take whatever they can get at this point. The character last appeared as a DLC for Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope on Nintendo Switch. It was a good XCOM-style spin-off of Rayman, but it still didn’t meet Ubisoft’s internal sales expectations. The game was also created by the company’s Milano studio, which is reportedly leading the development of the Rayman remake, but the studio’s creative director retired earlier this year after 25 years in the role. start something new.