Beyond Good & Evil 2 is still alive — 18 years and counting
Beyond Good & Evil 2 is still in development — and it just got a new writer. Rik Godwin, lead writer on Assassin's Creed Shadows at Ubisoft Bordeaux, confirmed on September 22 via Bluesky that he's been working on the game for several months in a consultant and support role. The project has now been in development for 18 years, making it Nintendo killed Ubisoft's Zelda spin-off and ended their partnership entirely — a record it surpassed in 2022, outlasting even Duke Nukem Forever's infamous 14-year run.
Godwin's post was brief and careful: "The last few months I've been working on Beyond Good & Evil 2, providing support to the team and acting as a consultant. I'm allowed to talk about this — I checked." The fact that he verified clearance before going public is a small but telling sign of how cautiously Ubisoft manages any signal around this project.
Still standing
BG&E2; was first announced in May 2008, then re-revealed at E3 2017 with ambitious prequel footage. No gameplay has been shown since E3 2018. The game's original creative lead, Emile Morel, died in 2023, and Fawzi Mesmar was appointed Creative Director in October 2024 to stabilize the project. Ubisoft Montpellier leads development; Bordeaux, where Godwin works, is a support studio.
The project survived Ubisoft's January 2026 restructuring, which cancelled Prince of Persia and at least five other titles, according to Northeast Times. Industry estimates put total spending on BG&E2; above $500 million, though Ubisoft has never confirmed a figure. Whether that represents strategic commitment to a beloved franchise or a classic sunk-cost trap is a question only a release date can settle.
What to watch
Duke Nukem Forever launched to poor reviews after 14 years. BG&E2; has already exceeded that timeline by four years. Godwin's appointment mirrors a pattern Ubisoft used on AC Shadows — injecting proven narrative talent into troubled productions — but hiring a good writer doesn't fix a release schedule.
Insider speculation points to The Game Awards on December 10 as a possible announcement window, though Ubisoft has made no such confirmation. For now, Godwin's post is the only concrete movement on a game that has become gaming's most expensive wait. You can catch up on Ubisoft's recent moves, including Ubisoft's mandatory launcher is finally optional on Steam, while the bigger question — when, exactly, does BG&E2; ship — remains unanswered.
