Fawzi Mesmar has joined the Beyond Good and Evil 2 team as the new creative director. Mesmar announced his role at Ubisoft Montpellier, where he has been working with the team for the past three years on this ambitious project. “I have been working with these talented people for years and witnessed their skills firsthand,” Mesmar said.
“I am standing on the shoulders of creative giants that have supported the team before me, and I look forward to continuing to craft a truly unique game for players to enjoy, ” Mesmar continues.
You might enjoy this old YouTube I dug up on Beyond Good and Evil 2 — look at the date and we’re still hearing the same thing today.
Can you believe it?
Mesmar steps into the role following the unexpected passing of former creative director Emile Morel last year. He brings extensive experience, having previously served as head of design at DICE and held design positions at King and Gameloft. Earlier this year, Mesmar received an award at the 2024 Game Developer’s Choice Awards.
The announcement comes after a challenging development period for Beyond Good and Evil 2. The game was first unveiled in 2008. It reappeared at Ubisoft’s 2017 E3 conference but has seen little progress in public development since then.
Mesmar was appointed as creative director
The original director left Ubisoft in 2020 to work in a wildlife sanctuary. As Beyond Good and Evil celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this year, Beyond Good and Evil 2 holds the longest development time for a AAA game.
It surpasses Duke Nukem Forever’s previous record of fifteen years. Despite skepticism, Ubisoft has confirmed that the game is still in development. The company faces challenges, including underperforming releases, delays, and share price declines.
This has led to discussions about taking the company fully private. Given its current struggles, it remains to be seen if Ubisoft can bring Beyond Good and Evil 2 to market. The company has a reduced market cap of $1.5 billion and juggles numerous projects and franchises.
However, Mesmar’s addition as creative director suggests the project may be picking up steam. Ubisoft has reportedly recommitted to the game, though no release date has been announced.
Noah Nguyen is a multi-talented developer who brings a unique perspective to his craft. Initially a creative writing professor, he turned to Dev work for the ability to work remotely. He now lives in Seattle, spending time hiking and drinking craft beer with his fiancee.
