The remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Timeunveiled in 2020, will ultimately never see the light of day. Ubisoft confirmed the cancellation of the project as part of a major strategic reorganizationwhich results in the deletion of six games in developmentthe closure of two studios, and the postponement of seven other titles.
Originally developed to bring the 2003 classic back to life, this remake has been long awaited by the community. Its cancellation was revealed during an official press conference, during which Ubisoft detailed its new priorities. “Ubisoft will combine game development and marketing functions with a player-centric approach, and will be fully responsible for brand development, content strategy as well as editorial direction…”
A project postponed, reworked… then abandoned
Originally announced with a release planned for 2021, the remake was quickly pushed back to 2022, then to 2023, without communication improving. At the end of 2023, Ubisoft indicated that the game had reached “an important milestone internally”, without providing any images or concrete demonstrations.
The visual style revealed during the first trailers did not convince fans, forcing the publisher to review its copy. But despite several years of work, nothing new has been presented since. “In the end, there is nothing else to show.”
Public pressure, combined with the group’s internal difficulties, seems to have got the better of the project. “The cancellation of the remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is undoubtedly the most bitter.”
A large-scale restructuring at Ubisoft
The cancellation of the remake is only part of the profound changes made internally. In addition to the six canceled games (including one mobile), Ubisoft postponed seven additional titles and closed its offices. Stockholm And Halifax.
CEO Yves Guillemot presented a new direction for the group: focusing on open world games and the GaaS (Game as a Service) servicesvia a revamped organizational model.
“We are transforming Ubisoft’s operating model to produce games of exceptional quality, built around the two fundamental pillars of our strategy: open world adventures and native GaaS experiences.”
What future for Ubisoft’s historic licenses?
This new direction raises many questions about the fate of other emblematic Ubisoft franchises. Prince of Persia, already in the background for years, now seems relegated to the past. Games like Splinter Cell Or Raymanalso absent from radars, could suffer the same fate.
Fans will have to wait for further official announcements to know the full list of titles affected by this reorganization. In the meantime, the dream of a return of Prince of Persia moves away a little further.