Beyond Good and Evil 2 is happening, original game free on PC next week [Updated]

Update: Ubisoft has officially confirmed its Montpellier Studio is working on a Beyond Good and Evil follow-up.

Taking to the Beyond Good and Evil Facebook account, the developer also affirmed Michel Ancel's involvement. "If you've been waiting for news about BG&E... well, here you go!" reads the update. "We are delighted to confirm that Michel Ancel is currently working with the Ubisoft Montpellier Studio on a new Beyond Good & Evil game."

Original story:

If the concept artwork teased by series mastermind Michel Ancel last week didn't sway you, it now seems work on Beyond Good and Evil's long-awaited sequel is all but underway.

Taking once again to Instagram yesterday, the man responsible for Rayman posted another seemingly telling image:

Which was duly followed by the caption: "Endangered species—now saved—Game in pre-production—Stay tuned!" Although not absolutely confirmed, I think it's now safe to assume this pertains to Beyond Good and Evil's return—a sequel which has been in the works since 2008. Here's what Ubisoft told Eurogamer:

“Michel is currently sharing his time between Ubisoft and Wild Sheep studios. The artwork he posted is from the game he's currently working on at Ubisoft. We don't have anything further to share at this stage.”

If, for whatever reason, you've missed the Beyond Good and Evil hype train over the past 13 years or thereabouts, now's your chance to get involved. The original is set to follow the likes of Splinter Cell, Rayman Origins and The Crew as Ubisoft's next Ubi30 entrant which means you can grab the 2003 action-adventure game free-of-charge as of next week.