Ubisoft's long-awaited and oft-delayed Beyond Good & Evil 2 is still in development and a new creative director for the project has been announced. Ubisoft has named veteran Fawzi Mesmar as the game's new creative director. He will step into the role following the tragic passing of former creative director Emile Morel in 2023.
Beyond Good & Evil 2 is the long-awaited sequel to Ubisoft's 2003 action-adventure game, although it's technically a prequel from a story perspective. The game was first announced in 2008, but went silent for nearly a decade before being re-revealed at Ubisoft's E3 conference in 2017.
The game's lengthy development cycle has been marred by constant delays and setbacks — not to mention all the toxic workplace surrounding Ubisoft — leading many to refer to it as vaporware. It currently holds the record for longest development period of a AAA video game, breaking Duke Nukem Forever's record at more than 15 years.
Alas though, it seems that things may finally be on track. Or at least getting there.
"With more than 20 years as an award-winning game designer and creative director, Mesmar has been instrumental in the successful launch of over 20 video games," a Ubisoft spokesperson told Eurogamer. "Mesmar previously collaborated with the Beyond Good & Evil 2 team as VP of Editorial. In his new role, he's focused on continuing to build upon the vision set forth by our late friend and colleague, Emile Morel."
While many are waiting patiently for Beyond Good & Evil 2, Ubisoft did try to appease fans with the release of Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition back in June. It featured updated graphics and remastered audio along with new features, including a speedrun mode; an anniversary gallery containing original development art, screenshots, and footage; unlockable cosmetic items for the main characters, weapons, and vehicles; and a new side quest that actually connects to the story of Beyond Good & Evil 2.
It's unclear how far along Beyond Good & Evil 2 actually is in development. We haven't had a formal update from Ubisoft in quite some time now. However, this week there were reports that some developers of the disbanded Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown team have now been moved to the Beyond Good and Evil 2 team.
The report from Insider Gaming claims that Beyond Good & Evil 2 is "still a few years away." It's unlikely that we'll get any substantial update before the year-end, but perhaps Ubisoft will have something big in store for 2025.