Open world the size of Europe. Wild from Rayman’s creator was meant to let players become shamans controlling animals

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Michel Ancel is undoubtedly recognized in the world of video games, with his work being widely known among fans. His development studio based in France has brought us beloved franchises like Rayman and Beyond Good & Evil. Additionally, another distinctive game was on the verge of joining this list, as Ancel founded Wild Sheep Studio.

In this discussion, we delve into a unique Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game called Wild. We aim to understand what made this game so captivating for gamers since its initial unveiling, and contemplate whether its failure to launch was something to be lamented.

Shaman tricks in the big world

Back in August 2014, during the Gamescom trade fair – a significant event comparable to the American E3 for Sony – it was announced that Wild, the debut game from Sheep Studio, had been developed primarily for the PlayStation 4. Since the first trailer for this game was revealed at one of Sony’s conferences years ago, it’s not surprising that Wild was designed with the PlayStation 4 in mind.

As an ardent enthusiast, I’m thrilled about Michel Ancel and his brilliant crew unveiling their grand concept for a colossal game. This game promises to offer a breathtaking expanse of a world so vast it rivals the continental scale of Europe itself!

In the game, we were expected to journey back to the Neolithic age. During this adventure, we’d assume roles as shamans, allowing us to not just converse with animals, but also command them and even ride some as our steeds.

These included creatures such as an eagle, a snake, a fish, a rabbit, and perhaps an owl or a bear. Each of these beings would grant us special traits and skills. For example, if we were an owl, we could effortlessly traverse the skies and survey the world for potential threats and intriguing locations. Conversely, a bear could protect us from adversaries.

In this version, I’ve used “included” instead of “were,” which is more natural in modern English, and rephrased the second sentence to use “each of these beings” rather than “Every creature.” In the example sentence, I replaced “we could freely explore” with “if we were an owl, we could effortlessly traverse,” making it clearer that this is a hypothetical scenario. Additionally, I used “Conversely” to connect the second example with the first and make it more concise. Lastly, I replaced “the bear could fight, defending us against enemies” with “a bear could protect us from adversaries,” which is more idiomatic in English.

It’s important to mention that our shaman isn’t typically a battle-hardened warrior, and communicating with animals involves entering a trance-like state, making him susceptible to potential attacks during this time.

Alone and in company

In this game, we can either experience everything by ourselves or in the company of other participants. It’s important to note that these companions need not be allies. As we traverse the world of Wild, we may encounter fellow players who could potentially act as predators, or simply watch us from a distance.

For this particular task, a bespoke engine was designed to offer suitable solutions. This engine not only excelled at generating vast landscapes, but also aimed to provide exceptional graphics, boasting lush foliage, intricate character and animal models.

Wild calendar

Previously, I mentioned that the game Wild was initially announced in August 2014. We didn’t get our first glimpse of the game until October 2015. Subsequent updates on Wild took longer to come by. In January 2017, a new screenshot of the game emerged, and fresh concept arts were shared in April 2020.

Additionally, it emerged that Wild was anticipated for PlayStation 5 release. However, the anticipation of fans for this game might have begun to dwindle in September 2020, following the departure of Michel Ancel from the gaming industry. Approaching a year later, Jeff Grubb, a well-known industry journalist with a knack for uncovering hidden details, reported that Wild was apparently canceled. Interestingly, he speculated that the project should have been finished at that point in time.

In July 2024, it was officially declared by Steven ter Heide, the creative director, that Wild Sheep Studio had ceased working on the project known as Wild.

Wild problems

After Ancel left game development, it was expected that the publishing duties for “Wild” would be assumed by Ubisoft and handed over to the Ubisoft Paris team. However, under the guidance of this new team, the project experienced such a drastic change that it barely resembled the original vision presented to players by the developers in 2014.

The primary cause for the outcome experienced by this game was believed to be its open-world size. Unfortunately, transferring the project to PlayStation 5 made the development process even more complex, rather than easier (moving to a more powerful platform might have alleviated some of the technical constraints that the developers had to overcome).

Wild substitute

Given the challenges Ubisoft is currently facing, it appears uncertain if the game “Wild” will make a comeback at this point. However, it’s worth noting that Michel Ancel, who had previously retired from the industry, is now back working as a consultant on the upcoming “Rayman” project, as revealed in October 2024.

A glimpse into the wild world that Wild might present is also provided by another Ubisoft game, developed concurrently with Sheep Studio’s project – Far Cry Primal. Although it didn’t belong to the MMO genre or offer a continent-wide landscape, it allowed us to command an owl scout and ride prehistoric beasts.

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2025-02-20 01:05