Ben-DutkaA great many critics and gamers loved Beyond Good & Evil . But unfortunately, that response wasn't enough to make it a financial success.
Perhaps that's a big reason why we haven't seen the long-awaited sequel yet. It also made Ubisoft think twice about greenlighting the nostalgic turn-based title, Child of Light .
In speaking to GamesIndustry International , Child of Light creative director Patrick Plourde said his bosses first mentioned the sales failure that was BG&E when he pitched his idea. He was a little surprised that even after ten years, that can haunt new projects:
"If the game is a missed opportunity, then it's going to be a missed opportunity for years. Even when I pitched Child of Light, they mentioned Beyond Good & Evil. They said 'Beyond Good & Evil was not a success, and we made that mistake once.' And it's like, yeah, but it's 10 years ago… If somebody tries something and fails, there are going to be repercussions for other people. For me it would be a shame if that happens. I don't think people are malevolent or evil about that. It's just if it fails, they're going to be careful greenlighting other projects like that."
Thankfully, Child of Light is being made, much to the delight of old-school fans everywhere. It probably won't sell exceedingly well, but I honestly hope it sells well enough to at least make Ubisoft a little money. That could lead to other projects from other developers that might honor a dying – yet still perfectly vialble, IMO – gameplay mechanic.
Related Game(s): Child of Light