Ubisoft co-founder and CEO Yves Guillemot says the recent Rayman collection is only the beginning for the return of the franchise.
Rayman has a weird life. After releasing two of the best 2D platformers of all time in Origins and Legends, Ubisoft promptly stuck the limbless wonder into the bin to collect dust, only being washed off for a mobile game, or appearing as a cocaine fiend in a Netflix series. But last year, smoke started emerging after Ubisoft casually confirmed Rayman's return through job postings for "a prestigious AAA title for the Rayman brand." And while Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition is new, I wouldn't say a selection of ports is in the "AAA title" category.
But I won't fear, as Ubisoft's CEO says there's big plans in store for Rayman. In an interview with Variety Guillemot says, "Rayman is a landmark franchise for Ubisoft and holds a special place in my heart because it played such a key role in Ubisoft's early evolution." He calls Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition "the first step in the brand’s comeback," saying "it is inspiring to see players continue to embrace Rayman's unique charm and enduring appeal."
Guillemot acknowledges future plans for Rayman, adding, "as for what's next for Rayman, we're always exploring how our iconic franchises can evolve and reinvent themselves for all generations of players. We can't share details today, but we're looking forward to talking more about Rayman soon."
Given that Rayman is now being worked on, in part, by Ubisoft Milan, which developed the Mario + Rabbids game (and the Rayman-based DLC for Sparks of Hope), I'm still betting on a new title being Mario + Rabbids, just with Mario replaced with Rayman. But I'm hoping a new platformer is in the works.
