When You Can Expect To Play Beyond Good And Evil 2

Surprises at E3 have always been one of the highlights of the show in the past. Last year Ubisoft surprised gamers with a long gestating announcement for Beyond Good and Evil 2 after years of speculation and rumors. Since then Ubisoft has been teasing gamers with production notes and updates from behind the scenes about how the development is going on the space-faring adventure game. Well, obviously, with small tidbits of gameplay spread out here and there through developer diaries and production videos, a lot of gamers are wondering when they'll actually be able to play Beyond Good & Evil 2. Well, it looks like folks can get their hands on the game by the end of next year.

Well, in an Instagram post featuring an image of Ganesha City, plenty of gamers were asking about when they would be able to dive into Beyond Good & Evil 2. Eurogamer combed through the comments and spotted a reply from creative director Michel Ancel, who revealed that the game is due to enter into beta testing at the end of 2019.

Platform specific details were not covered, however, as we have no idea if it will launch in beta for PS4 and Xbox One, along with being available on PC, or if it will enter into something like Steam's Early Access at the end of 2019, giving gamers an opportunity to beta test and help iron out some of the bugs and glitches by reporting them to the development team.

Typically, Sony doesn't allow in-development games to launch on its system unless it's a free-to-play MOBA or MMO. So, if Beyond Good & Evil 2 were to enter into beta and launch on the PS4, it would mean that it was doing so as a free-to-play game.

During this year's E3, Ubisoft didn't show off too much more of the game other than some light combat mechanics and a CG trailer that reintroduced fans to long-time Beyond Good & Evil characters Pey'J and Jade. However, based on the trailer, it appears as if Jade is the villain this time around, but we obviously have no idea, given that the context of the trailer was rather ambiguous. And, just because Jade looks all dark and mysterious and nearly killed everyone on board the pirate ship with her giant crushing vessel, that doesn't necessarily mean that she's the bad guy... right?

Anyway, Ubisoft gave certain press outlets access to half an hour's worth of gameplay to examine, but it was far from finished, which is why it wasn't demoed for the public.

So far, Ubisoft's Montpelier team has been working around the clock to expand the spaceship exploration mechanics, as well as broadening the on-foot gameplay, such as melee combat and traversal.

The game will be very similar to titles like Star Citizen, insofar that you'll be able to acquire spaceships, fly to planets, land on them, engage in on-foot activities, and battle both among the stars and on the ground. Much like No Man's Sky there will also be story oriented elements implemented to encourage players to surf among the stars while uncovering the galaxy-spanning plot resting at its core.

Of course, you won't be able to experience any of this until the end of next year when Beyond Good & Evil 2 enters into beta testing.