The long-awaited Beyond Good & Evil 2 is still in development, Ubisoft has recently re-confirmed on Twitter / X. It’s the latest in a long line of reassurances delivered by the developer – although this time, the announcement arrives with tangible hints towards a brighter future for the game.
After a long period of silence, we’re set to see more in the release of the Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition, which will feature story tie-in content that links directly to its long-gestating sequel.
As announced, the re-release of Beyond Good & Evil will feature remastered graphics, and improvements to gameplay and camera to “modernise” it for new audiences. It will also include a new “narrative link” to Beyond Good & Evil 2, in the form of a treasure hunt “with clues that will direct [players] across Hillys and yield in-game cosmetic rewards that tie into Jade’s past – and to the pirates of Beyond Good and Evil 2.”
Beyond Good & Evil 2 is a prequel to the events of this game, and it does appear some of the narrative track work for the sequel will be laid out in this Anniversary Edition. While the content included is unlikely to change the original game significantly, it’s a good sign that work on Beyond Good & Evil 2 is progressing, to the point where its narrative and focus is solidifying.
Read: Beyond Good and Evil 20th Anniversary Edition confirmed by Microsoft
What’s going on with Beyond Good & Evil 2?
Beyond Good & Evil 2 has been in development since at least 2008 – although it’s perhaps more relevant that it was re-revealed at E3 2017. In a flashy trailer, Ubisoft revealed a gorgeous-looking cinematic filled with creatures of all sorts – sentient monkeys and pig-like creatures – as well as a mysterious woman known as “Shani.” During E3, journalists reportedly got a live demo of the game, suggesting significant progress in development.
Years later, there was also a gameplay update released, showing off space exploration, new vehicles, and co-op gameplay. It appears this was one of the last publicly-released videos relating to the game. That said, there has been a few newsy tidbits from development over the years.
In 2020, franchise creator Michel Ancel chose to leave Ubisoft, creating complications with the production of Beyond Good & Evil 2. Despite this hurdle, work continued. In May 2022, an Ubisoft job listing confirmed work on Beyond Good & Evil 2 continued, and that Ubisoft was expanding its development team.
In January 2023, Ubisoft publicly reassured keen players that development work remained underway, and that more news would arrive shortly. While the company admitted to some “‘increased cautiousness over the coming years” due to economic and industry changes, it also stated developers were “hard at work to deliver on its ambitious promise.”
Since this update, Beyond Good & Evil 2 has not resurfaced – but with Ubisoft’s latest reassurance, and the announced tie-in to Beyond Good & Evil, there are new reasons to hope for this sequel. We may not see more news of the game any time soon, but at the very least, we do know it’s still in the works, in some form.
