Yes, Rayman 4 is now called Rayman Raving Rabbids. And it’s on the Wii too.

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.

With more than 16 million copies sold to date, Rayman® is Ubisoft’s best-selling and longest-running video game franchise. Created by Ubisoft’s Game Designer Michel Ancel when he was only 19, the character with no arms and no legs has attracted gamers of all ages.

Rayman Raving Rabbids will make its worldwide debut in May 2006 at E3 in Los Angeles. For more information about Rayman, please visit www.raymanzone.com.