According to KitGuru.net, Ubisoft Montpellier is now hiring for a technical sound designer specifically for the Beyond Good and Evil 2 project, marking the first official activity in years. The game was originally re-revealed back in 2017 and has seen absolutely no updates since then, approaching nearly a decade of development silence. The job listing actually provides concrete details about the game’s direction, describing it as an action-adventure open world set in a “captivating space opera universe” that serves as a direct prequel to the 2003 cult classic. It will use a breakthrough proprietary Voyager engine to deliver seamless exploration and space piracy across an entire solar system. Players can experience this solo or with friends while exploring exotic locations and uncovering mysteries in an area called System 3. This hiring move suggests development is finally moving into production phase after years of apparent stagnation.
The engine dilemma strikes again
Here’s the thing about building proprietary engines alongside games – it’s basically development hell. We’ve seen this story before with technical sound designer roles often joining during production phase, which means the core tech might finally be stabilizing. But developing an engine called Voyager while simultaneously creating an entire solar system? That’s an enormous technical challenge. Cyberpunk 2077 and Halo Infinite both faced years of delays for exactly this reason. You’re essentially building the car while trying to drive it at the same time.
So what is this game anyway?
After all these years, we finally have something concrete beyond vague promises. The space piracy angle is interesting – that suggests something more dynamic than traditional open worlds. A seamless solar system means no loading screens between planets, which is technically ambitious. And calling it a “direct prequel” to the 2003 game gives them interesting narrative flexibility. But honestly, after this long, I’m skeptical about how much of this vision will survive to launch. Game concepts evolve dramatically during development, especially over nearly a decade.
When might we actually see this?
If they’re hiring for technical sound design now, we’re probably looking at 2-3 more years minimum. Sound design typically happens when core systems are locked in and content production is ramping up. But with a project this troubled, who really knows? The fact that Ubisoft hasn’t canceled it is somewhat miraculous given their recent studio closures and project cuts. Maybe they see this as their answer to Starfield? Either way, after all this time, seeing any movement feels like a minor miracle. Fans who’ve been waiting since the original might finally have reason to cautiously optimistic.
