Typically, game leaks come from a single source that makes a slip-up. But it seems fitting that the emergence of Ubisoft’s Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition has come from several – including the publisher itself.
The title initially leaked onto the internet via an Xbox Store listing page early this morning. The page has since been taken down. But it was live long enough for those who found it to record all of the pertinent details, including the always prompt Wario64:
Media from the actual game itself surfaced on social media later in the day. Due to what Ubisoft is labeling “a technical error”, some Ubisoft+ subscribers were able to play an early development version of Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition well before the publisher intended.
Following the pair of leaks, Ubisoft made a formal announcement confirming the existence of the project. They confirmed that the 20th Anniversary Edition of the game will officially debut in early 2024 and that additional details will be shared next year.
As previously stated, a lot of those details are now out in the wild. The Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition will run at 4K and 60 fps. It will sport updated controls, visuals, and audio, as well as having an auto-save feature and cross-save capabilities.
The Xbox listing teased several notable features that are being added to the anniversary edition. Players can “enjoy exclusive new rewards as you explore the planet and discover more about Jade’s past in a new treasure hunt throughout Hillys.” A speedrun mode is being designed for the game. There will be updated achievements. And Ubisoft is offering behind-the-scenes access to the project’s development within a new anniversary gallery.
Beyond just the first game
Beyond Good & Evil initially launched for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC in 2003 to solid reviews. The title would then go on to accumulate quite the cult following, and an HD remaster was developed and released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2011.
At E3 2017, Ubisoft hit the stage and formally announced a prequel to the game was in development that still starred the initial game’s duo of Jade and Pey’j. Since then, there has been little to see as far as progress goes. It’s easy to believe the game is languishing in development hell, but in May 2022 Ubisoft Barcelona posted a job opening seeking a Senior Gameplay Animator on the project. In the tweet, they referenced the title as “one of the most ambitious Ubisoft projects to date.”
In July 2020, Deadline posted news that a Beyond Good & Evil movie was in the works at Netflix with director Rob Letterman at the helm. There has been little to no news following the announcement of that project as well.
