Ubisoft is done with Immortals Fenyx Rising after just one instalment. That is according to a new report, in which several anonymous Ubisoft Quebec developers share that higher-ups are shifting focus over to its larger IPs.
The report comes courtesy of VGC, with workers at Ubisoft Quebec shedding some light on the company's game plan going forward. Rather than working on anything new, staff say that Ubisoft bosses are more interested in existing IPs with a proven track record, particularly Assassin's Creed.
Ubisoft has so far refused to respond to the report, saying it "does not comment on rumours or speculation". However, anonymous developers say that the game was cancelled due to "perceived challenges around establishing the IP."
The sequel itself was only ever rumoured and never had the glossy, showcase reveal that we'd expect from most of Ubisoft's offerings. But given the fact that it is a Ubisoft IP, one with "healthy" sales too, a sequel felt inevitable, and there were no signs that the studio was done with its young series. A spin-off was already rumoured, in fact.
It doesn't seem likely that Ubisoft will share further insight on the matter, particularly since the sequel hadn't been announced. But what we've heard today would line up with the company's strategy in recent months. Ubisoft has gone all-in on Assassin's Creed, with multiple projects in the works. Then there's Star Wars Outlaws - the first open-world game in a series that's almost guaranteed to sell well. With this in mind, a follow-up to Immortals Fenyx Rising may have been seen as either too risky, or too much effort. Especially compared to Assassin's Creed and Star Wars, which Immortals wouldn't have done well competing against.
Of course, this doesn't mean the series is on ice forever. It's Ubisoft's own IP, so we may see it return in some form further down the line, perhaps unique to whatever it had planned for this cancelled sequel.
That's not to say that Ubisoft's current model is guaranteed to be a success. There was some excitement for its Invincible RPG until it was revealed that it's a mobile game. Then we have Skull and Bones still chugging along, which has faced so many setbacks that it's more of a joke in the gaming community at this point. It now has a 2023 to 2024 release window, something that's bound to keep the devs busy.