Beyond Good & Evil 2 Still in Development, Adds Assassin's Creed Shadows Writer

Beyond Good & Evil 2 is still being worked on, and the team has just brought on another writer.

It's been 18 years since the game was first announced and a decade since it was re-revealed at E3 2016, yet Ubisoft continues to toil away on the sci-fi fantasy sequel—though there's still no release date in sight.

That said, development is clearly ongoing. This week, Rik Godwin, lead writer and associate narrative director at Ubisoft Bordeaux, confirmed on social media that he joined the project a few months ago in a support and consulting capacity.

Founded in 2017, Ubisoft Bordeaux has mainly served as a support studio for other projects, but it led development on Assassin's Creed Mirage and recently launched Claws of Awaji, the sole expansion for Assassin's Creed Shadows. Geographically, it makes sense for Bordeaux-based staff to assist on Beyond Good & Evil 2, which is headed by Ubisoft Montpellier, located to the south.

This marks another intriguing development for Beyond Good & Evil 2 for those who have been following its extremely slow progress (yet progress nonetheless) in recent years, ever since Fawzi Mesmar came on as creative director to steady the ship. Since then, work has coalesced once more, with the sequel's characters making intriguing cameos in the new Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition, solidifying a sense that the project now has a clear direction.

Moreover, the project survived Ubisoft's existential reshuffle of projects, brands, and development studios earlier this year—even as various other games fell by the wayside (Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake, we'll never forget you).

"Needless to say, I am saddened by the cancellations that has affected my colleagues in other parts of Ubisoft and the industry," Mesmar said at the time. "I urge everyone—myself included—to offer support whenever and however they can during these times. We remain committed and focused on delivering a remarkable game for our players to enjoy."

Inexplicable as it may be, there remains a sense that Beyond Good & Evil 2 actually still may release one day, having got this far. Exactly how it will look and whether Ubisoft ultimately chooses to keep the game's name remains to be seen. But here's hoping we will indeed see the answers to these questions, sooner rather than later.