Development Ends For Prince Of Persia Remake, But Ubisoft Is Not Done With The Franchise

The long and troubled development of the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake has come to an end. The game, first unveiled in September 2020, has been canceled by Ubisoft as part of a larger company-wide restructuring. Its initial reveal was met with a less-than-positive fan response to its visuals, prompting the first of several delays. The project was eventually shifted from its original developers at Ubisoft Pune and Mumbai to the publisher’s Montreal studio, where development was rebooted from scratch. The cancellation is one part of a "major organisational, operational and portfolio reset" at the company, a move that also included the delay of seven other projects and the closure of two studios.

The decision came as a surprise to many who had been following the project. Ubisoft has announced the cancellation of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake just weeks before its expected launch window. The company’s own financial reports had slated the game for release in the fourth quarter of its current fiscal year, which runs from January 1st to March 31st. It was one of four titles scheduled for the quarter, alongside Rainbow Six Mobile and The Division Resurgence. Despite the impending release date, no new footage of the game had been shown to the public since development was moved to Ubisoft Montreal, fueling speculation about its status.

In a statement posted on social media, the development team addressed the decision, explaining the reasoning behind shelving a project that was so close to its release.

"The game holds enormous meaning for fans and for the teams who worked on it. While the project had real potential, we weren't able to reach the level of quality you deserve, and continuing would have required more time and investment than we could reasonably commit. And, we didn't want to release something that fell short of what The Sands of Time represents."

— Ubisoft's Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake studio

While acknowledging the news was "deeply disappointing" for everyone involved, the studio provided a clear message for the future. The team emphasized that this decision does not mark the end of their commitment to the series. The statement clarified that the cancellation "does not mean stepping away from the franchise" for good. The studio noted that Prince of Persia "as a universe and a legacy" continues to matter deeply to the company and its creators. In closing, the team thanked the community for its "passion, patience and love for Prince of Persia," signaling that other projects within the universe are still possible.

The remake was originally scheduled to arrive in January 2021. After its initial delay, news on the project was scarce until the developer switch was announced. Last year, updates suggested the game was "deep" in development and still targeting a 2026 release, which was later narrowed down to the first three months of the year. The most recent promotional material for the game was a brief 30-second teaser showing only a candle, a far cry from a full gameplay reveal. Many had hoped to see more at The Game Awards in December, but the event passed without any news, leaving the project's fate uncertain until the final confirmation of its cancellation.