by Kevin - 05.03.06
Ubisoft officially announced today its E3 video game lineup, which includes the first details and an image of the next Rayman title called Rayman Raving Rabbids.
Rayman Raving Rabbids™: Developed by famed creative director Michel Ancel, this new installment of the Rayman franchise will be the funniest and zaniest yet. Rayman’s world is threatened by a devastating invasion by the most unexpected creatures and Rayman must battle to save his world and its inhabitants.
The game will join the Wii’s launch lineup and will use the controller’s unique features, where you’ll have to “control your spider and other creatures by rotating your controller”. The first pre-E3 promotional image has been released, and I can say that I’m not a big fan of what they’re showing me. That kid is so c00l. 
Read the full press release after the jump.
London, UK - MAY 3, 2006 – Today Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers announced plans to release the fourth instalment of the Rayman® franchise, now officially titled Rayman Raving Rabbids™, worldwide in Holiday 2006. Scheduled for current and next-generation video game consoles, Rayman Raving Rabbids™ also joins the line-up as an official launch title for Nintendo’s Wii™, formerly known as Nintendo’s Revolution gaming system, and its innovative controller. Rayman Raving Rabbids™ is being developed by Ubisoft’s award-winning studio in Montpellier, France led by Michel Ancel, creator of the original Rayman game, the critically acclaimed Beyond Good & Evil™ and Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie.
Rayman Raving Rabbids™ marks the return of the iconic video-game hero, Rayman, in his funniest and zaniest adventure ever. When the world of Rayman is threatened by a devastating invasion of crazed, out-of-control bunnies Rayman must rise up against his furry foes to foil their wicked plans. Utilizing an array of amazing new abilities, and with the help of magical creatures, Rayman must break out all the moves to save his world from these delirious bunnies and their hare-raising antics.
“It’s a real pleasure for me to be back working on an all-new Rayman,” said Michel Ancel. “After wrapping up Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie, the team here in Montpellier sat down to talk about having some fun with Rayman and his universe. We are running into a bit of a problem, though, because our game has been invaded by thousands of raving mad and vicious bunnies, who have apparently been preparing this assault since the very first Rayman game. We are now sending an SOS to all motivated gamers to help us get rid of them as fast as possible!”
Key Features:
Combat the Ultra-Crazed Evil Rabbits – Take control of Rayman and his knack for attack to help save his world from the raving rabbids. They are mischievous, insane and completely out of control. There are several types of rabbids each with its own mischievous characteristics.
Master and Ride Creatures – Tame and control various creatures such as sharks, eagles, rhinos, spiders and angelfish. Rayman can master each animal’s unique capabilities to help in his battle against the devious rabbits.
Dress to Impress – Customize and disguise Rayman. Go punk, pop, rock or hip hop to infiltrate the bunnies and foil their devious plans.
Explore the Colorful Fantastic World of Rayman – Explore amazing free-roaming environments and beautiful epic landscapes that mix real and fantastical styles to create a visually stunning experience.
HAHA-I will buy this game if they teach us how to get our hair to that style of verticle structure.
Pixel_attack! - 05.03.06 1:09 pm
LOL the promo image is pretty funny.
Preppy kid with punk kid. I wonder how they’ll make use of the controller…
The graphics however, are of usual Rayman quality. Not too great, but not too bad. The lighting looks good though.
Microtic - 05.03.06 1:11 pm
Solid graphics! If those are illustrative of first gen in game shots, I think I’ll be totally happy with the power of the system.
Goober - 05.03.06 1:12 pm
That kid looks like a reject from the Peter Pan movie. Guess its supposed to match the chaning outfit theme of the game.
The graphics for the game however, look very cool. Loving the look of those bunnies. And riding on sharks and spiders sounds fun too.
Nick - 05.03.06 1:17 pm
Excuse me Ubisoft, 1988 called. They want your marketing department back.
Michael McGuire - 05.03.06 1:19 pm
I agree GOOBER.
Not too bad from Rayman. I was expecting a little worse. Mr. Ancel has recieved a pretty good cult following from Beyond Good and Evil, something that I should get around to playing. If this can capture the essence of Rayman 1&2, then this title has a shot at being one the titles to seriously consider getting at launch, after MP3, Zelda, SSBM, of course.
taddpoll - 05.03.06 1:21 pm
This game looks like it’s gonna be hilaroius.
Michael - 05.03.06 1:22 pm
I can’t wait… Ancel’s games are always worth playing through!!
Carsten - 05.03.06 1:32 pm
whoa, where did this nintendo ubisoft love come from?
I used to love the sidescrolling playstation rayman games, i havent played rayman since then. This might be good though.
TK-Linx - 05.03.06 1:36 pm
another confirmed launch game!
I’m not particularly interested in Rayman, but I AM interested in seeing the Wii launch with a varied and robust game lineup. =w=
momo - 05.03.06 1:40 pm
Keep it coming …more good news, and I’m pretty sure this only the tip of the Iceberg…can’t wait until Wii3
MaCraMaN - 05.03.06 1:47 pm
I’ve never played a Rayman game before, but any game where you control a spider to kill bunnies has to be worth a try!
DeeMer - 05.03.06 1:49 pm
That sux … really bad
…as every german would say: SCHEIßE! 
well, I think its a PS2 screen … Didn’t Nintendo say there won’t be an Wii Screens before E3?
Spot2 - 05.03.06 1:49 pm
Kevin, I think you mean that you “can’t say that I’m not a big fan of what they’re showing me.”
Of course, maybe not, I just might be taking the context incorrectly.
duncan - 05.03.06 1:51 pm
Man, I have no clue what they were thinking with this one. They need to fire who ever thought of this one.
robotplague - 05.03.06 2:06 pm
Hmm, maybe I should retract my last comment, as I just looked at the promotional image.
duncan - 05.03.06 2:14 pm
What’s up with the old guy in the corner? O_o
Roody - 05.03.06 2:17 pm
Wow, the punk-kid on the left is a girl. It took me a good 10 times looking at that picture to figure that one out…
I’m not particularly impressed with the blocky graphics (and I don’t even think they’re Wii graphics, but probably PS2), I’m more interested in how this will work out. It sounds like fun, and I’d be willing to give it a shot.
Lynx - 05.03.06 2:41 pm
Yeah, way too many visible polygon edges for it to be a next-gen thing. But I’m thinking “pre-rendered frame from cinematic” because neither the PS2 nor the Wiiiiiiii (nor anything available today except maybe the Xbox 360) can output video of that resolution in the first place.
raindog - 05.03.06 3:02 pm
Those are definitely Wii graphics. Gamecube couldn’t create something like that. But enough of the game… that promo picture is so weird. The punk kid is so over-the-top punk it’s silly. How does she get her hair to stay like that?! She would perhaps look “cool” if it weren’t for the gormless normal kid to her side and the weird old man watching them in the corner. Just when I thought things couldn’t get more bizarre than “Wii”.
Jack - 05.03.06 3:03 pm
No, those are not “definitely” Wii graphics, Jack. RE4, Metroid Prime, and Zelda: TP are all of a higher quality than that what’s shown in that picture. If I had to guess, I’d say it looks like a nice PS2 shot.
Bighouse - 05.03.06 3:21 pm
It’s excellent news to hear that Michel Ancel is working on a new Rayman game. I’ve enjoyed this series in the past, as well as loving Beyond Good and Evil and King Kong. I hope that Rayman Raving Rabbids for the Nintendo Wii lives up to Mr. Ancel’s past projects. Nice graphics too in the one screenshot; thanks for putting up your find.
Paul Gale
1up.com
Paul Gale - 05.03.06 3:27 pm
So the game is playable by the spiky-haired goth kid and the ‘duh’-face preppy kid, but will Ubisoft release some kind of controller attachment that allows people who aren’t obviously retarded to play? (I’m looking out for YOU, 90 year old bald guy)
KiddKalen - 05.03.06 3:30 pm
Sounds bad! Seriously!
BreakfastPills - 05.03.06 4:41 pm
What surprises me is the fact that some of the post I have read have peeps thinking or guess the pic is from the Wii version. ARE U KIDDING ME!!! THAT GRAPHICS SHOWN IS SO CURRENT GEN (PS2, GAMECUBE). There is no way that will be a screen shoot from the Wii. 6 more days for the new beginning and finally a lot of rumors will be put to rest.
jadnice - 05.03.06 5:00 pm
Ubisoft stated that it is a shot of the beta-build on the Gamecube.
The look of the final build, not to mention that on next-gen systems will be better then that.
Give it time, or at least at E3.
Kenofthedead - 05.03.06 7:55 pm
that kid looks like a Blade Runner’s replicant
Jose - 05.03.06 9:09 pm
hahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahhahah ahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahaha hhahahahahah
ohhh
hahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahhahah ahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahaha hhahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahah
that mohawk kid kills me! Kids will be all ‘whtvz’ as they listen to Wiiggles Get Emo
666 - 05.03.06 10:00 pm
It’s a PS2 game. I’M NOT JOKING.
Jacob - 05.03.06 11:47 pm
Sounds like fun to me…
sdsichero - 05.04.06 12:38 am
I think none of us got really impressed with the graphics of the xbox360. So, what do you expect from Wii?
Anyway I think it looks quite good. Once inside the game, the perspective probably won’t let you see those first plane shots of the rabbits. And the lighting looks awesome.
XAVI - 05.04.06 3:51 am
The art style, at least, is really nice to my eyes. It almost has a bit of a “Claymation” feel to it.
1337ttb - 05.04.06 4:26 am