In 2003, Michel Ancel had a vision for a video game, whose story catered to the “need to investigate beyond the superficial facts of what is good and what is evil.” Despite the commercial failure of his multi-platform endeavour, Beyond Good and Evil, Ancel and Ubisoft Montpellier returned at Ubidays 2008 at the Louvre in Paris, France to unveil it’s sequel: Beyond Good and Evil 2. No real gameplay was detailed, the announcement consisting of a trailer with Jade and Pey’j, central characters from the original BG&E, sitting stranded on a highway. A release date was also conveniently omitted but it seems the title is well into production as we speak.
It warms our hearts to think that Ancel and the BG&E dev team have full freedom from Ubisoft to make the game they want. And looking at a recent job posting on Gamasutra, it appears they’re putting the resources to good use. You’ll notice placements for a technical artist and senior game designer specifically for BG&E 2. Michel Ancel’s name still carries much weight for the company – as is evidenced by the description inviting applicants to work side by side with the acclaimed developer.
The company is additionally looking for a gameplay programmer but what struck us was the listing for lead animator. The latter is invited to take part in a brand new project – here’s an excerpt from the official description:
“UBISOFT, a global leader in the video games and entertainment software industry, is currently seeking a Lead Animator to drive the development of a yet to be announced new IP. No sequel, no spin-off, everything must be created from the sound up!
You want to be part of the creation of an original AAA title, and join a team of experts, then apply!”
No speculations as to what this title could be, since it’s to be created “from the sound up”. However, we estimate that those applying for general and project specific jobs at Ubisoft Montpellier will also play a hand in the creation of this new IP. As for an announcement, what better date than this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)?
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