Beyond Good & Evil 2 Confirmed Still in Development After 18 Years
Beyond Good and Evil 2 Still in Development as Ubisoft Staff Confirm Work
Nearly 18 years after its original announcement, Ubisoft’s Beyond Good and Evil 2 is still in active development, confirmed by lead writer and associate narrative director Rik Godwin after months of work on the project in a support role. Unveiled back in May 2008 with a cinematic trailer featuring Jade and the pigman Pey’j, the long-gestating to the 2003 action-adventure title has weathered decades of industry shifts, leadership departures, and a record-breaking stint in development hell.
The Tech TL;DR
- Corporate Context: The ongoing production persists despite Ubisoft recording a €1.3 billion ($1.48 billion) operating loss for the fiscal year ending in March 2026 and canceling six games during restructuring.
- Development Milestone: The project previously surpassed Duke Nukem Forever in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest in-development AAA game ever.
Development Timeline and Internal Updates
According to updates shared on social media by Rik Godwin, work on the project has continued for months under formal internal review. “Odd sort of non-announcement but for the past few months I’ve been working on Beyond Good and Evil 2 in a support/consultant role,” Godwin wrote online, noting that he had checked with Ubisoft before posting the confirmation. Polygon reported in June that Ubisoft brand director Loïc Gounon confirmed the game remains in active development.
The project’s journey through production includes notable milestones and public showcases. Following its 2008 reveal, Ubisoft showcased a major cinematic trailer at E3 2017 highlighting interplanetary travel. A brief collaboration with Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s HitRecord allowed community artists to submit artwork for the game. Creator Michel Ancel, who led the project initially, left Ubisoft in 2020 after previously stating the project was placed on hold in 2016 for Rayman work. In 2022, the game surpassed Duke Nukem Forever in the Guinness Book of Records for the longest development cycle for a AAA title.
Corporate Restructuring Amid Financial Headwinds
The continuation of Beyond Good and Evil 2 unfolds against a backdrop of sweeping structural changes at Ubisoft. The French publisher announced a €1.3 billion ($1.48 billion) operating loss for its fiscal year ending in March 2026. Following a stock price plummet in January, the company reorganized into five creative houses focused on specific genres, canceled six games including the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake, and cut 1,200 jobs during the fiscal year.
Despite these financial contractions and workforce reductions, software engineering and narrative teams continue allocation toward the sprawling action-adventure RPG. The game's official scope spans a boundless, uninterrupted online playground in System 3, supporting single-player and co-op progression across planets and space encounters ranging from close-quarters temple exploration to uncharted stellar boundaries, as detailed on the official Ubisoft website.