Beyond Good and Evil 2 Timeline Revealed with Beautiful Images and Lots of Info; More Coming at E3

Beyond Good and Evil 2 Timeline Revealed with Beautiful Images and Lots of Info; More Coming at E3

Giuseppe Nelva May 3, 2018 2:05 PM EST

Ubisoft reveals the timeline of Beyond Good and Evil 2, which will be set after the birth of Jade, but before the first game.

During a livestream hosted by Ubisoft, the developers of Beyond Good and Evil 2 has shared more information and assets about the upcoming game.

We learn that the development team at Ubisoft Montpelier currently counts about 120 developers. They’re also starting to work together with Ubisoft Sofia, Barcelona, and Bordeaux, which will provide additional manpower.

We hear that the focus of the team is on E3 at the moment. While today they have shown some gameplay, a lot of surprises are being kept for June’s show in Los Angeles.

Most interestingly, the team showcased a timeline for the setting, which the team is using to build the story of the game.

In 2040 the new engine which allows space colonization is invented. In 2063 a crisis affects all networks on earth, as AI turns against humanity, which reverts to more reliable ways of communication. 2086 sees the creation of the first hybrid. Hybrids are the manpower behind space colonization. They have both human and animal DNA. In 2108 humanity finally leaves earth. Different expeditions are named after simple sequential numbers, and they lose contact with Earth when they leave. Beyond Good and Evil 2 is set in the system discovered by Expedition 3.

In 2223 Ganesha City is founded in System 3. While the game sticks to this one solar system, there will be also “surrounding surprises” according to Michel Ancel. The team doesn’t want to create millions of planets, but planets that have a meaning and a story. Ganesha city has been named like that because when you look at its planet, you’ll see a shape similar to the Indian sub-continent.

In 2314 a massive starship is attacked and its crew is exterminated. It’s the start of many mysterious events. In 2360 System 3 has become so rich that pirates start to prosper as well. The system enters a golden age of piracy.

At a following unknown date, Jade is born during a dark age for the system. This is before the start of Beyond Good and Evil 2.

The world is behind created both for people who want to play solo, and for those who enjoy co-op.

In space, there is a strange gate that both scares and attracts the player. Hybrids think that they can find new life behind it. No one knows what it really is, so there are several legends surrounding it, and a giant spaceship graveyard.

Players will be able to create their own captain, you can be human, hybrid, male, female or “different genders”. The system is very open, and you can recruit characters and even enemies to be part of your crew. Crew members all have a role like medic or spy. They expand your abilities to explore and discover you more places.

There will be main crew members, but you have a huge spaceship that can actually be home to many companions, letting you become a “space pirate legend.”

Combat can transition dynamically between spaceships and foot combat thanks to jetpacks. You can transition into space or cities while battles are still ongoing.

Asked whether there will be brothels in the game, Ancel shared that there are plenty of “dark places” that are part of the pirate way of life. It’s a mature game, after all. There is a Space Tortuga Island where pirates can gather and spend their money.

While the game won’t explain the ending of the first Beyond Good and Evil, since it’s a prequel, most of the mysteries in the first game will be explained in some way. Players will also better understand the origins of Jade and of the hybrids. Those who have never played the first game shouldn’t worry, as they will discover the world naturally without needing to go back.

The idea of the camera from the first game is still included in the new one, but since the player doesn’t play a journalist anymore, it has been turned into a spyglass. You can take pictures with it, scan the surroundings, and “all sorts of things.” It’s a powerful tool to explore the world.

You can be good or evil, and there are different ways to reach the same objective. This is part of the DNA of the game. You have the freedom to work for the corporations if you want.

Last, but not least, there will be connections with other systems, for reasons that will be explained in the game.

Without further ado, you can check out the timeline and all the beautiful artwork presented with it just below. If you want to see more, you can also enjoy the work-in-progress gameplay featurette showcased today, a previous video and the first cinematic trailer.

Beyond Good and Evil 2 does not have a release date or officially announced platforms for now.