Before Child of Light graced consoles and PC platforms earlier this year, many considered Ubisoft’s fairytale-esque side project to be an unmitigated risk. After all, here lies a publisher renown for producing some of the biggest triple-A games on the market, including the likes of Watch Dogs, Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, so the decision to break course and shepherd a unique, JRPG-inspired title to release was certainly a bold move — but it’s one that has paid off in spades.
Not only was the game critically adorned, but according to creative director Patrick Plourde, Child of Light also turned a substantial profit — a profit large enough to warrant the release of a sequel.
Speaking during the GameON: Finance conference in Toronto, here’s was Plourde had to say on the matter:
“It’s not as profitable as Assassin’s Creed is profitable, but it’s profitable enough that we would have been able to fund a sequel.”
It was Plourde who spearheaded the development of the indie title. Following his acclaimed work on Far Cry 3, the developer had a nascent idea that he wanted to bring to life under the company. And so, with the help of Ubisoft Montreal, he made that idea a reality in the form of Child of Light.
“I can’t explain everything, but the main reason why I got greenlit on the project was because I had carte blanche for making Far Cry 3,” Plourde said. “I didn’t want to make Far Cry 3, but they said, ‘Pat, if you do that and help build that brand, we’re going to give you a free shot at the game you want.'”
Of course, at this early stage it’s unclear how Plourde and Co. would tackle the possibility of a sequel to Child of Light. Would the follow-up still center around the character of Aurora? Indeed will the game be bigger in scope? Or will Ubisoft’s dedicated RPG team opt for a more concentrated story? Let us know your own thoughts in the comments.
