Ubisoft’s financial earnings report has revealed the games currently due to release during the next financial year, as well as reporting a delay for Skull and Bones. However, it also confirmed the games that won’t be released for quite a while yet. One of those titles was Beyond Good and Evil 2, thankfully still in progress despite reports of being stuck in development hell.
Once described as a “AAAA next-gen experience” in the months before the release of the PlayStation 5, Beyond Good and Evil 2 has courted a lot of controversy. A collaboration with Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s hitRECord company that aimed to crowdsource artwork and music for the game created a backlash over compensation (or rather the lack thereof) for creators. A playable beta originally scheduled for 2019 never appeared. The game’s Hindu imagery has drawn concerns, and it will require an internet connection at all times. Finally, Beyond Good and Evil 2 director Michel Ancel left the game and the industry altogether following allegations of toxic behavior. It’s no wonder we haven’t seen anything from the game in years, but at least we know the open-world title remains part of Ubisoft’s “significant portfolio expansion to come.”
That portfolio also includes Skull and Bones, although this has now been delayed again into next financial year. The good news is that more studios have been drafted in to help Ubisoft Singapore work on the game and “allow the team to fully deliver on its vision.” Other titles include Ubisoft Massive’s open-world Star Wars game and an Avatar title, the latter of which was previously confirmed to be aiming for the coming financial year too.
This financial year will see the release of six confirmed games: Far Cry 6, Rainbow Six Quarantine, Riders Republic, The Division Heartland, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, and Roller Champions. There are a “few other surprises” too, but whether one of these will be a new Assassin’s Creed game remains to be seen. Ubisoft did explain in their earnings call, as relayed by Niko Partners Senior Analyst Daniel Ahmad, that any future game in the franchise will build upon the RPG format seen in the most recent games.
[Source: Ubisoft, Ubisoft via Twitter]