As it turns out, Ancel’s retirement hasn’t had as big of an impact on production as many might think, with Beyond Good and Evil 2’s senior producer Guillaume Brunier revealing the game is looking better than ever. According to the producer, Ancel hasn’t been involved with the sequel for a long time, with the team having achieved some incredible results in the time he’s been away.

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Perhaps the biggest is that the game is in a playable state, with a statement on Ubisoft’s website confirming that the studio has “recently passed an important internal milestone, delivering a build that proves our Space Pirate Fantasy and offers hours of gameplay and an incredible level of freedom in a seamless online sandbox.” The studio has also been getting more hands-on deck as the project has grown, with Ubisoft Paris allegedly partnering up with the Montpellier team to aid in making Beyond Good and Evil 2 as comprehensive as possible. The milestones seem to indicate that the game is building on the ambitious roadmap Michel Ancel laid down prior to his retirement.

Guillaume Brunier goes on to lay down what the next milestone for Beyond Good and Evil 2’s development is, telling fans: “We are aiming to share more and show you the game in action sometime next year.” The producer goes on to acknowledge fans are excited about the game and want to finally experience the long-awaited next chapter in Jade and Pey’J’s adventure, telling them that their patience will pay off. “We want to go beyond the high expectations you have of us, and that we have for ourselves,” he claims, evidently setting a high bar for what the sequel can achieve.

The new update also comes with a new slice of concept art from the game, featuring a monkey, a tiger, and two humans dressed in space pirate gear standing in front of a menacing-looking spaceship. The distinct visual world and character designs seem to still be a staple of the project all this time later, making it clear that Beyond Good and Evil 2 will look to offer a universe that’s full of personality.

Beyond Good and Evil 2 is currently in development

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Source: Ubisoft