Although it had been previously stated that the long-awaited Beyond Good and Evil 2 would not appear at E3 2017, that turned out to be false. Ubisoft closed its E3 press conference with a trailer for Beyond Good and Evil 2, although it isn’t entirely what many fans expected.
Instead of picking up where the original game’s storyline left off, Beyond Good and Evil 2 is a prequel, and it appears to have a significantly different tone than the first game. It has also been described as a “spiritual successor,” although it’s unclear why Ubisoft chose to call it that. However, Creative Director Michel Ancel said they hope to capture the spirit of the original Beyond Good and Evil.
Beyond Good and Evil 2 is set in System 3, a solar system where space piracy rises in the face of limited resources. Players will take on the role of a pirate and explore System 3 in “a massive, seamless online environment.” Ubisoft has yet to clarify if this means the game will be online-only, or if the online elements will be optional.
Ubisoft has also decided to let fans help with the development process. If you’re interested in offering ideas and feedback, you can visit the official site to sign up for the Space Monkey Program. While a prequel might not be what fans expected, Beyond Good and Evil 2 is a major surprise from this year’s E3 presentations.