Michel Ancel

Profession: Video Game Designer

Biography: Michel Ancel is best known for creating the Rayman franchise and the critically acclaimed game "Beyond Good & Evil" (2003).

Born in Monaco, Ancel's passion for video games was ignited during his travels to Tunisia, leading him to pursue a career in graphic design at a young age.

Ancel joined Ubisoft at 17, where he worked on graphics for various games before creating his first title, "Brain Blaster," in 1990. His breakthrough came with the development of "Rayman," released in 1995, which firmly established him in the gaming industry.

Following the success of "Rayman," Ancel directed "Beyond Good & Evil," which, despite underperforming commercially, caught the attention of filmmaker Peter Jackson. This led to Ancel directing the video game adaptation of "King Kong" (2005), which was both a critical and commercial success.

Ancel continued to innovate, developing the UbiArt Framework, a game engine used in titles like "Rayman Origins" (2011). He later founded the independent studio Wild Sheep in 2014, while still working on projects with Ubisoft, including the highly anticipated "Beyond Good & Evil 2."

During his career, Ancel faced allegations of toxic leadership at Ubisoft, which he denied. Despite this, his contributions to the gaming industry have been recognized, with Ancel being knighted by the French Minister of Culture and Communication in 2006 and ranking 24th in IGN's Top 100 Game Creators.

In 2020, Ancel announced his departure from the video game industry to focus on a wildlife sanctuary.

Born: March 29, 1972
Birthplace: Monaco
Age: 52 years old

Generation: Generation X
Chinese Zodiac: Rat
Star Sign: Aries