Tom Henderson reported from Insider Gaming that Ubisoft’s long-delayed Beyond Good & Evil 2 remains in active development. The well-known industry insider says the project has faced constant internal changes and pushbacks over its years-long development cycle.
Henderson’s report includes estimates that development costs have likely exceeded $500m. That figure would place it among the most expensive video game projects ever attempted.
Beyond Good & Evil 2 was first teased in the late 2000s before disappearing entirely. Ubisoft brought it back at E3 2017 as an ambitious prequel to the 2003 cult classic. The reveal showcased seamless space-to-planet travel and a massive open-world sci-fi sandbox with multiplayer elements.
The project was closely associated with Michel Ancel, the creative force behind the original game and the Rayman series. Ancel left Ubisoft in 2020, but development apparently continued without him.
Public updates have been nearly nonexistent since 2017. The silence led many to assume the project had been quietly shelved alongside other Ubisoft cancellations.
Ubisoft has been restructuring and canceling various projects in recent years. The company delayed its Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake multiple times and shifted focus toward fewer, larger releases. Beyond Good & Evil 2 surviving this wave of cuts stands out.
The massive reported budget raises questions about why Ubisoft continues funding the project. Some speculate the company may be too invested to cancel, while others suggest the game could serve as a technology incubator for other Ubisoft titles.
