Fans of the series have been looking forward to the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake which Ubisoft has claimed is on the way. However, it was recently revealed that the company is cutting back its expenses to only the essentials. This may be bad news for the Prince of Persia franchise, which probably does not enjoy high priority.
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Ubisoft Is Redirecting Its Focus
Ubisoft is a large company with studios around the world, allowing it to work on multiple projects simultaneously. However, it does not have infinite resources, and it has to make choices and set priorities to manage its large stable of franchises. While this may mean that fan favorites sometimes get neglected, it is a product of Ubisoft having to balance pleasing its investors with pleasing the greatest number of gamers.
In a recent Ubisoft investor call, it was revealed that Ubisoft has decided to cut down its expenses and recalibrate its focus to zoom in on projects that have higher priority. According to Kotaku, one of the games that have been delayed is Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora which Ubisoft originally intended to launch in December 2022 alongside the James Cameron film Avatar: The Way of Water. The investor call also mentioned a “smaller unannounced premium game” that has been delayed, which sounds like it could be Assassin’s Creed Rift, a rumored spin-off game that will center on Basim from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
During the call, bad news for Ubisoft fans arrived, as it was revealed that Splinter Cell VR and Ghost Recon Frontline have been canceled. These developments may be disappointing to many gamers, but it does not mean that Ubisoft will be void of any releases, as Assassin’s Creed Infinity is still reportedly in development. However, the news does cast a dark shadow on some of the company’s less popular franchises, including Prince of Persia.
The Future of Prince of Persia
Before Assassin’s Creed, there was Prince of Persia, a fast-paced platformer that played with time travel mechanics and featured action-adventure elements. The franchise began in 1989, but it peaked in popularity with The Sands of Time, which started after Ubisoft picked it up. Though Ubisoft would eventually move on to Assassin’s Creed, using many ideas which came from Prince of Persia, the series has an enduring cultural legacy within gaming.
Recently, things seemed to be looking up for Prince of Persia for the first time in years. In 2020, Ubisoft announced that a remake of 2003’s The Sands of Time was on the way, and it was given a January 2021 release date. However, Ubisoft delayed it to March 2021 and later delayed it indefinitely. Given the recent developments at Ubisoft, Prince of Persia may have been sidelined long-term. Though the franchise does have a loyal fan base, it is likely not high up on Ubisoft’s priority list compared to hits like Assassin’s Creed. It is also possible that the announced remake has been entirely canceled if it has been deemed not worth the financial risk. With established franchises like Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell getting their games axed, it would not be a surprise for the same thing to happen to Prince of Persia.
While this does not spell the end for Prince of Persia, it is also not a reason to be optimistic. The Prince of Persia franchise has a rich history, and it is still bursting with untapped potential. Hopefully, Ubisoft can give it the attention it needs.
The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake is in development.
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