Category: Video Games

More details of the unannounced Rayman remake have bubbled up again, this time from the creator of Rayman himself, Michel Ancel.

In a new interview with RetroGamer, Ancel discussed the secret project, confirming that rather than a remaster that simply presents the same game with slightly snazzier visuals, the re-release — which Ancel calls a “remake” — will also address some of the original platformer’s pain-points, including additional checkpoints to “make it a bit less frustrating.”

“I think Rayman is still a fun game, and there’s a lot of content,” Ancel said in the interview that was shared by fan account, Rayman Merchandise. “The pacing is a bit slow because you have a big character on the screen. It also has pixel-precise gameplay, so it’s not always easy, but it’s interesting that the constraints of yesterday make it still feel original today. Even though it’s complex, I think there’s a kind of remake planned.”

NEWS: Series creator Michel Ancel reveals in a new Retro Gamer article that Rayman 1 will be receiving an HD rerelease! This follows previous reports of a “Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition” being rated. (I apologize for the new post; my prior post was incorrectly worded) pic.twitter.com/jzKlTg6on3

— Rayman Merchandise (@raymanmerch) February 7, 2026

“I don’t remember when specifically, but it will be in HD and I think Ubisoft is adding a few more checkpoints and things like that just to make it a bit less frustrating. I think it’s a nice move, because that’s the only point that could be a problem for non-skilled players. But yeah, I think it’s still a very nice game.”

It’s an extraordinary insight given the project hasn’t officially been confirmed by Ubisoft yet, but it does make sense, as we were told late last year that Ubisoft is set to celebrate all things Rayman as it prepares to mark the series’ 30th anniversary, including information about the “future” of the series. At the time, the official Rayman X/Twitter account had long been dormant, but last September, however, it was resurrected to bring us up to speed on what’s happening in Rayman’s world.

“Rayman turns 30! Join us on our official channels to celebrate an incredible legacy,” the account exclaimed at the time, attaching a brief video. In the video, brand producer Loic Gounon — who has been working on the Rayman franchise since 2006 — revealed that “a very talented team at Ubisoft Montpellier and Ubisoft Milan are currently working together on the future of Rayman.”

Back in October 2024, Ubisoft confirmed a new Rayman project was currently in the “exploration phase” at its Montpelier and Milan studios, after it was reported that Ancel had been contacted to act as a consultant.

Ubisoft began this year by announcing a sizable company restructure, resulting in the cancelation of six games, including its Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake, and a delay to a further seven titles. Two Ubisoft studios will close completely as a result of the changes, while others are subject to further layoffs.

Of the half-dozen games that have been fully scrapped, Ubisoft only publicly named one: its long-awaited Sands of Time remake that had been rebooted once already. Three of the other canceled games were new IPs, while one was a mobile game. We’ve received no specific details of the seven titles that Ubisoft has delayed, either, though this number does include the unannounced game once set for launch before March 31 that is widely expected to be the company’s Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag remaster. This will now launch in the coming financial year — so before March 31, 2027. With Ubisoft’s core focus going forward being open-world and live-service games, it’s not clear how — if at all — a Rayman remake fits into those plans.

Ubisoft quietly released an NFT game featuring Rayman at the end of 2024, of course. Captain Laserhawk: The G.A.M.E. was barely advertised or given the kind of showy spotlight reserved for major releases, quite possibly because it’s a Web 3 game that uses cryptocurrency and blockchain. A top-down multiplayer shooter available on PC, it featured a number of Ubisoft characters, including Rayman.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

If Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater has been on your list to jump into, but you missed out on the holiday sales price drops, we have good news: Amazon’s currently offering its PS5 version for just $29.99 on both PS5 and Xbox (see it here). What a thrill, indeed.

When it was first released, Metal Gear Solid Delta was listed for $69.99, so this deal makes for 57% in savings overall. For a game we consider to be one of the best video game remakes of all time, that’s a discount worth making a move on. Head to the link below to scoop it up for your PlayStation or Xbox library while the deal is still available.

Pokémon’s promised ad spot at the Super Bowl just aired, and in it we got a glimpse into the Pokémon preferences of celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Trevor Noah, Charles Leclerc, and more.

The minute-long ad shows Lady Gaga, Trevor Noah, Formula One racer Charles Leclerc, singer Jisoo, actor Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Spanish football (soccer, for the Americans) player Lamine Yamal and rapper Young Miko all describing their favorite Pokémon before eventually revealing them.

Lady Gaga (of course) picked Jigglypuff, and Jigglypuff even did a brief little duet with her singing its signature song. Trevor Noah prefers Psyduck, Leclerc chooses Arcanine, Jisoo picks Eevee, Ramakrishnan chooses Luxray, Yamal picks Zygarde, and Young Miko’s partner is Gengar. Shockingly, The Pokémon Company managed not to put Pikachu in this ad anywhere (except in the logo, of course)!

The ad ends with all the celebrities asking the audience, “What’s your favorite?” This question is the start of a year-long campaign put on by The Pokémon Company in celebration of its 30th anniversary. In addition to the ad, The Pokémon Company is kicking things off by introducing a new camera feature to Pokémon GO (which is somehow ten years old this year!) that allows users to participate in the campaign.

Additionally, The Pokémon Company has promised various events including “Day Out” and “Night Out” experiences designed for fans to celebrate Pokémon, with daytime events more family-focused and nighttime events more for adults who grew up with the series. The Pokémon Company has also already announced other celebratory events, such as a themed TCG collection and Pokemon LEGO sets.

Pokémon’s 30th is a big moment for the franchise, and we’re expecting them to celebrate in style. Historically Pokémon has thrown a big digital showcase entitled Pokémon Presents on or around Pokémon Day (February 27), where the company lays out its plans for the year across video games, the TCG, and merchandise. Fans are eagerly hoping for the announcement of a new Pokémon game, perhaps a remake of beloved DS games Black and White, or the kick-off for the next generation of Pokémon, Gen 10. Heck, at this point, I’d just be happy to have the classic games on Nintendo Switch Online!

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

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Introducing The Dark West, a hardcore action-RPG for PC set in a cursed frontier that got too greedy and paid the price. Occult skills and a poker-esque deck let you customize your build and blast through the black-magic-fueled foes of The Order and The Damned as you aim to be the last one standing.

Developer Black Hand aims to bring the community along with them at every step of development. “We made The Dark West because we love ARPGs and wanted to create the kind of game we have always wanted to play,” the team said. “From the start, we’ve included the community in every step of development. Their feedback is shaping the combat, the story, and the world. This is a game made with players, not just for them.” Check out the announcement trailer above and the first screenshots in the gallery below.

Black Hand says that The Dark West will challenge “both your skill and sanity.” It takes aim squarely at fans of Diablo and Path of Exile. There’s no release date as of yet, but you can wishlist The Dark West on Steam if you’re intererested.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our semi-retired interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.