Ubisoft Explains Decision to Remake Rayman Legends, Not an Older Title

Ubisoft has unveiled "Rayman Legends Retold," a reimagining of the 2013 platformer, sparking questions about why the company chose to remake its most recent entry rather than an earlier one. Brand manager Loïc Gounon revealed that this decision is part of a larger strategy to "relaunch the franchise for good" and usher in a "new era" for Rayman.

Key Takeaways

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Relaunch Highlights

Ubisoft is using "Rayman Legends Retold" as both a franchise reset and a foundation for future original entries.

Franchise relaunch

The remake is positioned as the start of a "new era" for Rayman rather than a one-off nostalgia project.

Expanded content

"Retold" adds more story depth, an extra world, and new 3D Dragon Ride levels to improve cohesion.

Development strategy

Ubisoft also sees the project as a way for newer teams to learn the Rayman formula before building brand-new games.

Relaunching The Rayman Franchise

Ubisoft's decision to remake "Rayman Legends" stems from a desire to expand the franchise's audience and reconnect with existing fans. Gounon explained that the team wanted to introduce a new tone and 3D art direction, aiming for a high quality bar that could be achieved within a reasonable timeframe. "Rayman Legends" was chosen because it represents the most complete version of the Rayman world, featuring a wide array of characters. The goal was not just to bring back Rayman, but to include beloved characters like Globox and others, making "Legends Retold" the ideal starting point for this relaunch.

Addressing "Legends" Shortcomings

Ubisoft says the remake is meant not only to preserve what worked in "Legends," but also to fix structural issues that limited the original game's story flow.

How Retold Reworks the Original

Before

The gallery-of-paintings navigation and the ending were seen as weaker points, leaving the game feeling somewhat disjointed.

After

"Retold" adds a new final world, more story depth, and 3D Dragon Ride levels to create a more connected, animated-movie-style experience.

A Strategic Approach to Development

Beyond narrative improvements, the remake serves a practical purpose in game development. Gounon highlighted that many developers from the original Rayman games are no longer with Ubisoft or are working on other projects. "Rayman Legends Retold" provides an opportunity for new teams to familiarize themselves with the Rayman IP and understand what makes a Rayman game successful. This approach, similar to strategies employed by Capcom and Nintendo, allows new talent to be trained on a classic series before embarking on entirely new Rayman titles. Gounon also expressed a desire for the Rayman series to maintain the ambition seen in platforming classics from the early PlayStation 2 era, citing games like "Super Mario Bros. Wonder" as benchmarks for innovation.

"Rayman Legends Retold" is slated for release on October 1st for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X.