After recent reports Ubisoft was developing a Rayman remake, Eurogamer has reportedly received confirmation from Ubisoft that it is indeed working on an unannounced Rayman project.
The confirmation of a Rayman project being in development over at Ubisoft comes after reports from Insider Gaming claimed the team behind the Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown was disbanded, and some of the development team members were moved over to Ubisoft Milan, which is reportedly heading the Rayman project. Insider Gaming also claimed Ubisoft is referring to the Rayman project internally as "Project Steambot" and that was being developed by at least a dozen former Prince of Persia developers.
Additionally, the Insider Gaming report mentioned the involvement of Rayman creator Michael Ancel with the upcoming Rayman project, which is seemingly a controversial decision given Ancel's history at Ubisoft. Ancel left the company in 2020 after 30 years on not-so-good terms as the basis for his departure was an investigation launched into him after several complaints were lodged by his fellow employees accusing Ancel of toxic leadership.
"We are pleased to confirm Ubisoft Montpellier and Ubisoft Milan have recently started an exploration phase on the Rayman brand. The project is still in its early stages, and we will share more details later. As creator of the Rayman brand, Michel Ancel is being consulted to ensure consistency within the universe," wrote a Ubisoft spokesperson to Eurogamer in a statement
Reports indicate that Ancel's behavior was so tumultuous Ubisoft was required to involve additional managers as intermediaries between Ancel and his own team. Ancel denied the allegations, claiming they were "fake news."