Ubisoft has confirmed to Eurogamer a new Rayman project is currently in the “exploration phase” at its Montpelier and Milan studios, following recent online reports that work has begun on an unannounced Rayman remake.
Word that a Rayman remake is in development first surfaced via Insider Gaming, which claimed the game – reportedly codenamed Project Steambot – was “being pieced together” by a team that included around a dozen members of Ubisoft’s Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown team.
More controversially, the site reported Rayman creator Michel Ancel is also working the project as a consultant. Ancel left Ubisoft in 2020 after 30 years with the company, allegedly following an investigation into employee complaints accusing him of toxic leadership – with his behaviour said to have been so bad additional managers were called in to act as intermidiaries between Ancel and his team. Ancel publically dismissed the report as “fake news”, but Insider Gaming claims his recent involvement as a consultant on the new Rayman project has “cast a less-than-popular light” on its development and “raised some concerns among team members”.
Eurogamer contacted Ubisoft for clarity on the situation and received the following response from a company spokesperson: “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. As creator of the Rayman brand, Michel Ancel is being consulted to ensure consistency within the universe.”
Regardless of the reason for Ancel’s involvement, it’s unsurprising Ubisoft’s hiring decision has reportedly unnerved employees given his exit in 2020 came amid a dramatic reckoning for the company – one that followed a wave of serious allegations from staff regarding toxic work conditions, and that lead to the departure of multiple members of senior management.
Word of a new Rayman project at Ubisoft follows confirmation the team behind this year’s acclaimed Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown has been disbanded. And while some of its members are now said to be working on Rayman, Insider Gaming claims others have been moved to Ubisoft’s long-in-the-works Beyond Good & Evil 2 and the next Ghost Recon.