Summary
- The Mario + Rabbids team pitched a new game concept before disbanding, but the project was rejected.
- Report suggests Nintendo’s hesitance with the IP may have influenced the rejection.
- Several team members have left Ubisoft Milan, some forming a new studio.
- Ubisoft Milan is now reportedly working on a new AAA Rayman game.
Mario + Rabbids Team’s New Game Pitch Was Rejected
According to a recent report on The Game Business Show podcast, the development team behind the Mario + Rabbids series pitched a new game before largely disbanding.
Unfortunately, the proposed project was rejected, and the reasons seem linked to Nintendo’s stance on the IP and the potential direction of future Mario + Rabbids titles.
Host Christopher Dring mentioned that while Ubisoft Milan, the studio behind Mario + Rabbids, still exists, many team members have moved on to form new studios or pursue other projects. This shift comes after Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, the sequel to the original Kingdom Battle game, was labelled somewhat of a sales disappointment by Ubisoft, especially given it launched late in the Switch life cycle.
Dring’s comments imply that Nintendo might have been reluctant to approve a multiplatform Mario + Rabbids game, which Ubisoft may have proposed.
This potential conflict in vision between Ubisoft and Nintendo could explain why the pitch never moved forward. It also offers context as to why so many of the original Mario + Rabbids team departed following the release of Sparks of Hope.
What’s Next for Ubisoft Milan?
Following the disbanding of the Mario + Rabbids team, Ubisoft Milan is reportedly shifting focus to another beloved franchise: Rayman. The studio has begun hiring for a new AAA Rayman game, signalling a new direction for the development team.
Interestingly, the final downloadable content (DLC) for Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope featured a Rayman-themed expansion. This suggests Ubisoft Milan is gradually pivoting its creative energy towards Rayman as the future centrepiece of its projects.
