The fate of Beyond Good & Evil 2 has long been in the balance, as video game developer and publisher Ubisoft has had to keep its development largely under wraps in the intervening thirteen years since the release of the original title way back in 2003. Initially conceived as a science-fiction trilogy, the original action-adventure title was a financial flop, though thanks in large part to overwhelming critical acclaim, it has gone on to become an undeniable cult-classic that has since seen an HD remaster from 2011.

Nevertheless, the long-awaited and much talked-about sequel, that has remained in various stages of development under the watchful eye of series creator Michel Ancel, has largely remained an unknown quantity, though the latest word might point to where the game may be headed when and if it finally sees commercial release.

According to a rumor reported by Destructoid, Nintendo may have acquired the exclusive rights to the new Ubisoft game, and could be set to release Beyond Good & Evil 2 as an NX exclusive sometime in 2017. The rumor has its source in a series of hardware rumors surrounding the new console as corroborated by Dual Pixels writer and industry analyst Alexander J. Maier. If all is to be believed on the behalf of Destructoid and Maier, than fans of Ancel's original gaming property can expect a sequel to his first puzzle-platformer with the full title of Beyond Good & Evil: The Prejudices of Philosophers, a subtitle borrowed from German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's book of the same name originally published in 1886.

In 2011 at an exclusive Ubisoft dinner, Ancel stated that his long fabled sequel was far into development and targeting a release on the next generation of consoles. What's more, in the Devs Play video featured above starting around the 48 minute mark, Ancel discusses the contemporaneous development of Beyond Good & Evil 2 with Double Fine executives Tim Schafer and Greg Rice, making specific mention of conferring with Nintendo senior executive Shigeru Miyamoto, which could speak to the release of the new game within the near future as an NX exclusive after all.

Following Nintendo's comparative purchase and subsequent exclusive distribution rights to the critically-acclaimed Bayonetta 2 in 2014, it would make sense for the company to want to acquire another independent property with a built-in fanbase. And with the relative success of Nintendo's work on the formerly mentioned franchise sequel, Ancel might do well under the Japanese company's economic umbrella, and such a partnership could prove fruitful in regards to the final production and release of Beyond Good & Evil 2 within the next two years.

Screen Rant will keep you updated on Beyond Good & Evil 2 as more information becomes available.

Source: Destructoid