Folks that grew up loving Rayman finally have something new to look forward to. During Sony’s recent State of Play presentation, Ubisoft officially revealed Rayman Legends Retold, a reimagining of the 2013 platformer that still has a cult following more than a decade later. The game launches October 1 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, and several cloud gaming platforms.
Rather than simply tossing higher resolution textures onto an old game, Ubisoft appears to be going much further here. Rayman Legends Retold introduces fully reworked 3D visuals, a brand-new story, and voiced cinematics. The game once again follows Rayman and friends as they attempt to save the Glade of Dreams from a mysterious new villain spreading chaos across the world.
The original Rayman Legends already felt timeless thanks to its sharp platforming and memorable art style, so revisiting it could have easily backfired if Ubisoft overcomplicated things. From the footage and screenshots Ubisoft shared, the company appears to be preserving the colorful visual identity that made the original stand out.
I’ll admit something too. The original Rayman is one of my favorite games of all time. I owned it on the Sega Saturn back in the day, and it felt unlike almost anything else at the time. The animation, the soundtrack, and the strange world design all stuck with me. That probably explains why I’m a little protective of this franchise whenever Ubisoft revisits it.
Players will be able to control returning characters like Rayman, Globox, Barbara, Grand Minimus, and Murphy, either solo or with up to four players in local couch co-op. Ubisoft says the game will include returning stages alongside an entirely new sixth realm, fresh boss fights, hidden Teensies, dragon riding sections, and four new music levels.
The musical stages in the original game were arguably some of the best platforming moments Ubisoft has ever created, so it is good to see the company leaning into that identity again instead of trying to reinvent the series into something unrecognizable.
“Rayman Legends Retold is our way of revisiting what makes Rayman so special, and re-telling that experience for a new generation of players,” said Loïc Gounon, Brand Producer. “We wanted to preserve everything fans love, and Legends gave us the perfect foundation to expand Rayman’s lore, its world logic, and how everything connects together.”
That honestly sounds like the right approach. Rayman has always thrived because of personality and gameplay, not bloated storytelling or endless live service nonsense.
Another welcome addition is the return of Kung Foot, the chaotic multiplayer soccer-style mode from the original release. Ubisoft says it now includes improved controls, power-ups, and customizable rules.
The soundtrack is also getting attention this time around. Returning composer Christophe Héral is joined by Grant Kirkhope, a name many Nintendo and Rare fans will instantly recognize from classics like Banjo-Kazooie and GoldenEye 007. That pairing alone should make longtime platforming fans curious.
The pricing feels refreshingly reasonable too. The standard edition will cost $39.99 (preorder here) and includes Rayman Origins: Enhanced Edition, which now supports 4K resolution, 60FPS gameplay, haptic feedback on supported controllers, and some modern quality-of-life improvements.
Ubisoft is also offering a digital Deluxe Edition with extra costumes and an art gallery, while physical collectors can grab the Launch Edition featuring a printed Glade of Dreams map, lithographs, and a slipcase.
It is also refreshing to see Ubisoft return to a more focused platformer instead of another oversized open-world game stuffed with live service mechanics. Rayman never needed battle passes or endless crafting systems. It just needed strong level design, personality, and responsive gameplay.
Sometimes simpler really is better.
Support independent tech journalism
NERDS.xyz is independently owned and operated. If you enjoy my coverage of Linux, AI, hardware, cybersecurity, and tech culture, consider supporting the site on Ko-fi.
Support NERDS.xyz