Colleagues and peers of longtime Ubisoft developer Emile Morel has announced his passing at the “shockingly young age of 40.” Morel worked at Ubisoft for over 14 years starting as a Game Designer and later becoming Creative Director for Beyond Good & Evil 2. During his time at Ubisoft Montpellier, he also worked on Rayman Legends and Rayman Fiesta Run. He also worked at Eden Games in various game design positions and help develop Test Drive Unlimited and Alone in the Dark prior to moving to Ubisoft.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the sudden passing of our friend and colleague Emile Morel. We send our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and teammates all over the world. We would like to take a moment to acknowledge the significant impact he made over the years on different games that make up the rich history of our studio. For us, Emile was a close friend and a boundless source of positive energy. We all valued his passion and the way he told stories. We will never forget Emile and his immense contribution to the BGE2 universe will forever endure. True Freedom Lies Beyond,” Ubisoft Montpellier said in a statement on LinkedIn.
Since this announcement, several of Morel’s colleagues paid tribute following his passing.
M. Gabrielle Shrager, Lead Writer at Lightspeed LA wrote “A cherished colleague for over a decade at Ubisoft Montpellier, we laughed and wept through good times and bad, and shipped a lot great games together. Emile was so very proud of Beyond Good and Evil 2, the Space Monkeys and his teammates. He will be sorely missed.”
Ubisoft Montpellier Producer Greg Hermittant wrote “Rest in peace, my dear Emile Morel. You’ve been such a great and kind partner during all these years at Ubisoft. I’m grateful to have worked with you on so many projects. Even through the most difficult times, you always remained the caring and supportive person you were with your beautiful positive mind. But the most important is the wonderful moments we had. With no doubts Rayman Legends is my best memory. I will miss our private jokes and imitations. You will miss Beyond Good & Evil. Be assured we will continue your work. Have a nice trip Space Pirate.”