Ubisoft has confirmed that it's exploring the possibility of a new Rayman game following reports that the recently-disbanded Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown team was working on, among other things, a remake.
In a statement sent to Kotaku over email, an Ubisoft representative said, “We are pleased to confirm Ubisoft Montpellier and Ubisoft Milan have recently started an exploration phase on the Rayman brand. The project is still in its early stages, and we will share more details later.”
Ubisoft's statement follows a report earlier today saying that the Lost Crown team had been shifted to work on Beyond Good and Evil 2, the next Ghost Recon, and an unannounced Rayman remake. Creator Michel Ancel was also reported to be involved, which Ubisoft subsequently confirmed.
“As creator of the Rayman brand, Michel Ancel is being consulted to ensure consistency within the universe,” the Ubisoft representative said.
Ancel departed Ubisoft in 2020, saying that he planned to leave the games industry and open a wildlife sanctuary. Ancel was subsequently revealed to be under investigation for allegations of behavior that led to toxic workplace conditions, which he refuted and called "fake news" in an Instagram post. He has mostly kept a low profile since then, though he did pay tribute to Beyond Good and Evil 2 creative director Emile Morel, who died suddenly in 2023.
It's been more than a decade since the release of the last game in the series — 2013's Rayman Legends. While its start has faded, Rayman is a storied platformer with history stretching back to 1995. The series has appeared on numerous platforms, ranging from the Atari Jaguar and Sega Saturn to Switch, PS4, and Xbox One. A definition edition of Rayman Legends was released in 2017.
Developer Ubisoft Montpellier ostensibly remains hard at work on Beyond Good and Evil 2, which was announced in 2017 and has hardly been seen since. Ubisoft Milan, for its part, is best-known for its work on Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope.
Ubisoft as a whole continues to be embattled by rumors of a takeover and other issues. The French publisher's earnings are set to place next week, with the potential to shed more light on its increasingly uncertain future.
Kat Bailey is IGN's News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
