Further in the post, he noted how the experience of having a project that one has worked on for several years getting cancelled could be a “brutal experience”. It’s an especially bad experience for young team members who must now contend with several years spent on developing a game that won’t ship, leaving a gap in their resumé.

“My sympathy goes to the development team in Montreal; I can only imagine how they must feel. Having a project killed is a brutal experience. It’s an aspect of the game industry that the public doesn’t often see, but developers are all too familiar with,” he wrote.”

“A cancellation so close to release can be particularly devastating for younger team members who don’t have decades of past shipped titles on their resumé. It’s tough to suddenly absorb that the past four years of hard work you were proud of, and looking forward to seeing out in the world as your new calling card, will now never see daylight. Words like ‘loss’ and ‘grieving’ might seem exaggerated, but artists put their hearts into their work. Memories of nights and weekends spent in studio crunch instead of at home with loved ones, sacrifices that felt worth it at the time, only add to the pain retrospectively once their object ceases to exist.”

Mechner was a major figure in the gaming industry thanks to his work on not only the 1984 classic side-scrolling martial arts game Karateka, but also the creation of Prince of Persia in 1989. Interestingly, the last time he was involved with the series was as designer on 2003’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.

Ubisoft announced the cancellation of the remake as part of a major organizational overhaul back in January. The move was described as being a “major organizational, operational, and portfolio reset to reclaim creative leadership and restore sustainable growth.” The game was cancelled alongside four other unannounced projects, three of which were going to be new IPs.

As part of this restructuring, Ubisoft’s development teams are being split across five “Creative Houses”, each of which will be responsible for specific franchises, genres, and target platforms. For instance, Vantage Studios will serve as Creative House 1, and will focus its efforts on Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry and Rainbow Six. Creative House 3, on the other hand, will work on live-service experiences like Brawlhalla, For Honor, and The Crew, among other franchises. Creative House 5 will be responsible for family-friendly and casual games, like Just Dance, Uno, and Idle Miner Tycoon.

As caught by IGN, a two-minute unlisted video uploaded to YouTube showcases the unboxing of an unreleased press kit for the remake. Among the contents of the kit, packaged in a nice-looking wooden box with metal latches, is a replica of the Dagger of Time from Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. The dagger sports a new design that was likely for the remake.

It also includes a display stand for the replica, sporting the official logo of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake. The video recorder picking the dagger up with their own hand also confirms that it’s a full-sized replica.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake was cancelled alongside four unannounced games as part of an organizational overhaul at Ubisoft. The company referred to the move as a “major organizational, operational, and portfolio reset to reclaim creative leadership and restore sustainable growth.”

A Reddit user claiming to be one of the game’s developers held a Q&A session under the name SocramVelmar and responded to questions about the reasons behind its cancellation. The only answer received by the developer was “restructuring”, which in turn led to “a lot of internal fear” among the team.

“They said because of restructuring, but I’m honestly upset because I think it was close to the finish line,” they wrote. “I was working remotely, and we were told that we had to go back to the office soon, but I didn’t make it out of the chopping block… There was a lot of internal fear, which, in a way, did stagnate progress. This was known internally for a while now, rumors that became true.”

Writing further about the cancellation, the alleged developer noted that there were problems at the studio when it came to locking down gameplay feel, thanks to issues with “internal alignment”.

“The bigger issue was internal alignment, and design probably had it the worst. They’d be trying to lock down how something should feel or play, while other teams were already moving in slightly different directions. That kind of push and pull leads to rework instead of progress, and over time that friction adds up way more than any leak ever could.”

Whether or not they’re really one of the developers on Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake, however, is unknown, since they couldn’t verify their identity at the risk of breaching non-disclosure agreements. This led to the Q&A as a whole being marked “Unverified”.

The official stance by Ubisoft on the cancellation of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake has been that the company wasn’t able to “reach the level of quality you deserve”. This meant that continuing development would have required much more time and resources. “And we didn’t want to release something that fell short of what The Sands of Time represents,” said Ubisoft in its statement.

It is worth noting that SocramVelmar hasn’t been verified as legitimately being a current or former Ubisoft employee. When questioned about this, they said that they couldn’t reveal who they were at the risk of being in breach of non-disclosure agreements. Due to this, the whole Q&A thread has been marked as being “Unverified”.

When asked about why Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake was ultimately cancelled, SocramVelmar expressed frustration. The reason given by management, they noted, was simply “restructuring.” They also noted that there was “a lot of internal fear” among the development team.

“They said because of restructuring, but I’m honestly upset because I think it was close to the finish line,” they wrote. “I was working remotely and we were told that we had to go back to the office soon, but I didn’t make it out of the chopping block… there was a lot of internal fear which in a way did stagnate progress. This was known internally for a while now, rumors that became true.”

As for the overall state of the game prior to cancellation, SocramVelmar noted that there were problems with “internal alignment”, which meant that the studio was having trouble in locking down the feel of gameplay. There were also teams in the studio that were working in “slightly different directions”, which led to more reworking rather than refinements or progress. They also noted that leaked screenshots or trailers didn’t really contribute to the project’s cancellation. Rather, these tended to act as “unsolicited feedback” by the studio.

“The bigger issue was internal alignment, and design probably had it the worst. They’d be trying to lock down how something should feel or play, while other teams were already moving in slightly different directions. That kind of push and pull leads to rework instead of progress, and over time that friction adds up way more than any leak ever could,” they wrote.

Going further into its gameplay, SocramVelmar said that its combat was going to be like the classic Prince of Persia game with “clean sword fights” and “smooth movement”. The title would also feature combat and platforming blending together at certain points, and the concept of big combos and flashy systems was de-emphasized.

“It was back to what made Prince of Persia feel special in the first place,” explained SocramVelmar. “Clean sword fights, smooth movement, and that flow where combat and platforming blend together. It didn’t seem focused on big combos or flashy systems, but more on timing, positioning, and using the environment. There was just enough of a twist with timing-based moves to keep it fresh, while still feeling like the kind of Prince of Persia combat you remember.”

While Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake is one of many projects that were cancelled, one report has indicated that the long-in-development Beyond Good and Evil 2 has managed to escape this fate and is still in active development.

And they all went live on the same day that the company decided to kill Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake.

Remember rumors about how it would launch in mid-January? Oh, how we waited for weeks regarding an announcement, maybe a reveal at The Game Awards or even, of all places, the New Game+ Showcase. But nothing. Okay, maybe a shadow drop at some point? Surely the publisher would have to do something with the remake, especially when it officially planned the release for early 2026. Me and my big mouth, I guess. It was allegedly pushed to late March, according to Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson, before news of its cancellation emerged today.

On Twitter, the development team at Ubisoft Montreal acknowledged the project’s cancellation and how it was “deeply disappointing” for fans. However, it seems that despite its best effort and having 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 possibly commit.” Since it didn’t want to release something that fell short of what the original represented, Ubisoft Montreal decided to stop development (though there’s the usual spiel about this “doesn’t mean we’re stepping away from the franchise” so on and so forth).

What this actually reads like, especially in the wake of Ubisoft’s other announcements – because oh boy are there others – is that the publisher either wasn’t satisfied with the final result or didn’t believe it would sell well. Over five years since its initial announcement, which was met with a mostly negative response before the Montreal studio took over in 2024 and effectively started from scratch, it was probably in a state that required more time than it was prepared to give. Better to allocate the team elsewhere or have it focus on something else, and hope no one cares (which is going to be very ironic soon, just wait).

But on the surface, the only thing you can really think is: What an utter clown show for such a beloved title and franchise.

Unfortunately, that’s not all. To summarize: Four other unannounced titles, including three new IPs and a mobile game, were also cancelled. Ubisoft confirmed the closure of its Halifax and Stockholm studios alongside restructuring at others, including Massive. It’s looking to reduce costs by another €200 million in the next fiscal year (which might as well be its way of saying that more layoffs are on the way). Funnily enough, in the previous quarter, the company was reported as “overperforming,” but, apparently, that’s not enough.

To top it all off, it’s shifting to a new operational model with five Creative Houses, which will have “full financial ownership and account for economic performance.”

Vantage Studios, run by Charlie Guillemot (the CEO’s son), is one, handling the “established franchises” like Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry and Rainbow Six, to turn them into “annual billionaire brands.” It’s clearly the Creative House meant to be leading the charge, though I suspect that’s less due to nepotism and more because Tencent has invested some $1.25 billion in its future. But does this mean it wants each IP to generate $1 billion yearly, especially when they required years to reach the same? Unclear. Also, you would think (if you expected better from the company) that the goal would be to make great games instead of aiming for “billionaire status.” Thankfully, it’s Ubisoft, so we know not to expect better, and that earning the most revenue will be its highest priority.

As are the other Creative Houses. Trying to encompass every single brand of gaming – fantasy, narrative-heavy, live-service, competitive shooters, co-op shooters, casual games, etc. – is certainly a goal. But Anno and Might and Magic under the same roof as Rayman, Prince of Persia, and Beyond Good and Evil? For Honor, The Crew, Riders Republic, Skull and Bones and Brawlhalla – each game having next to nothing in common with the others save for being live service? Splinter Cell clubbed in with The Division and Ghost Recon under competitive and co-op shooters?

It’s unclear whether this means established studios will be reorganized under these houses. Insider Gaming also reports that Beyond Good and Evil 2, announced in 2008, is still in development. Not the original vision, whatever it happened to be – we’re talking about the one revealed much more recently, which has actually been in development for eight to nine years. How did that possibly survive the purge, but The Sands of Time Remake didn’t? Why, 18 years later and with Michel Ancel, the original creator, long gone, is it still bothering? Just…why?

And by the way, that “full financial ownership and account for economic performance” part doesn’t really sound like leadership will have any control over the running of their respective markets. It feels more like Ubisoft is spinning them off to invite more outside investment, similar to Vantage Studios. I could be wrong, but at this point, I wouldn’t put it past them.

But hey, good news everyone. Ubisoft is using this opportunity to allocate more development time to seven other games. The bad news is that the unannounced game set to release this quarter has been delayed to next fiscal year, and yes, that was Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag Remake. How close was it to really releasing? Apparently, it was going gold in the first week of February and was planned to launch on March 19th, according to Insider Gaming.

What forced Ubisoft to delay it an entire year? Too many bugs? The rumored removal of the modern-day sections? We may never know, but it’s still disappointing news, especially when it was apparently at the finish line.

And really, what more can you say about the rest of this mess? As much as Ubisoft wants to prop this up as some kind of self-righting of the organization, it feels like a fancier way to justify laying off more employees and cancelling projects while buying time for the games that it hopes will turn things around. But where is the next Far Cry? What about Splinter Cell Remake, which we’ve yet to see at all in years (never mind a new game in the franchise)? Even The Division 3, announced more recently, has had no updates, and its executive producer has left to work at Battlefield Studios.

Maybe all of this is the main reason why Ubisoft is making these changes, but the reasons it’s in this mess – from trend chasing and green lighting tons of projects that wouldn’t go anywhere (don’t think I’ve forgotten about Hyper Scape) to lack of oversight – won’t magically mend on their own. It can flail about until then and maybe hope for the best because honestly, short of a miracle, what does it possibly have left?

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

“While the project had real potential, we weren’t able to reach the level of quality you deserve, and continuing work would have required more time and investment than we could responsibly commit.” It also didn’t want to “release something that fell short” of what the original represented.

Ubisoft Montreal assured players that the universe and its legacy “continues to matter deeply to us,” and that this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s “stepping away from the franchise.”

The Sands of Time Remake has always remained on shaky ground, especially following its reveal, which attracted backlash for the underwhelming visuals. Following delays, the project shifted to Ubisoft Montreal, and development was restarted. While it didn’t showcase any gameplay, the studio outlined how Farah would undergo major changes, and promised revamped levels and combat.

Still, it went a long time without any new details, even after assurances of more to come this year. After Ubisoft’s internal reset and organizational shake-up, with Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry and Rainbow Six hogging the most resources, we’re probably unlikely to see a new big-budget game anytime soon, never mind a remake.

At least we’ll always have The Rogue Prince of Persia, developed by Evil Empire of Dead Cells fame, and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, a 2.5D Metroidvania from Ubisoft Montpellier.

This involves allocating more development time to seven other titles to “ensure enhanced quality benchmarks are fully met and maximize long-term value creation.” An “unannounced title” previously planned to launch by March 31st, 2026 (rumored to be Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced) is included – that will now release sometime in fiscal year 2027.

Alongside cost-cutting measures and lay-offs (which already resulted in the closure of Ubisoft Halifax and Stockholm), Ubisoft is adopting a new decentralized operating model for its studios. These will be divided into five “Creative Houses” focused on different genres that also have “full financial ownership and account for economic performance.”

They are as follows:

• CH1 (Vantage Studios), focused on scaling and extending Ubisoft’s largest and established franchises to turn them into annual billionaire brands. Brands: Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Rainbow Six
• CH2 dedicated to competitive and cooperative shooter experiences. Brands include The Division, Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell
• CH3 designed to operate a roster of select, sharp Live experiences. Brands include For Honor, The Crew, Riders Republic, Brawlhalla, Skull & Bones
• CH4 dedicated to immersive fantasy worlds and narrative-driven universes. Brands include Anno, Might & Magic, Rayman, Prince of Persia, Beyond Good & Evil
• CH5 focused on reclaiming position in casual and family-friendly games. Brands include Just Dance, Idle Miner Tycoon, Ketchapp, Hungry Shark, Invincible: Guarding the Globe, Uno, Hasbro

If that wasn’t enough, four new IPs are also in development, including March of Giants, recently acquired from Amazon Games. How the various studios will be organized into these Creative Houses remains to be seen, but they will have “dedicated leadership” with “end-to-end responsibility” for their portfolios, including “overseeing the full creative and brand scope from development to publishing (brand, marketing and sales go-to-market strategy).”

Other measures include a reshaped headquarters and achieving the current €100 million cost reduction program (which will now occur by March 2026). Ubisoft is looking to further reduce costs by another €200 million within the next two years and achieve net bookings of about €1.5 billion.

In the meantime, it’s reporting net bookings of €330 million in the third quarter of fiscal year 2026 thanks to “overperformance linked to partnerships and reflecting a robust back-catalog.” Standout releases during this time include Anno 117: Pax Romana and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – From the Ashes, the former at least performing quite well in terms of sales.

According to host Mike Straw, reports have indicated that Ubisoft is planning to release the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake in January 2026. Along with this, the company is also expected to release a new trailer for the title during The Game Awards in December.

“[Tom Henderson] has said in his reports for a while that, before the [Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag] remake comes out, a different remake would be launching,” said Straw. “The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake […] it’s still the case that the Prince of Persia remake will launch before Black Flag. We know it’s supposed to launch before the end of the fiscal year, before March 31st. But, we’ve learned that the game is currently scheduled to release in mid-January 2026.”

“According to sources, it’s likely that the next look at that game could come at The Game Awards, and that’s where not only a new trailer could drop, but also the firm date itself could be revealed.”

As for some of the other unannounced projects that Ubisoft is rumoured to be working on, Splinter Cell is also reportedly still in development, and Straw has gone on to say that, “Splinter Cell, the remake, from what we’ve seen and what I’ve seen looks good. It’s still coming, still cruising right along. The last official release window report we had was that they were planning to launch it in the second half of 2026.”

Ubisoft had originally unveiled the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time all the way back in 2021. At the time, however, the company saw quite a bit of criticism owing to the overall poor quality of the visuals and animations of the game. Since then, the company essentially went radio silent and decided to complete the title’s development and polish it further before revealing further details. Originally, the remake was being developed by Ubisoft’s studios in India – Mumbai and Pune.

While the company hasn’t quite revealed any more details in a while, it had taken to social media earlier this month confirm that work is indeed continuing on the title. “Yep, we’re still deep in the game — exploring, building, and ensuring the sands move with purpose,” wrote the company on social media. “This game is being crafted by a team that truly cares, and they’re pouring their hearts (and a lot of coffee) into every step. Thank you for sticking with us.”

The remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is expected to come to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. While largely being a retelling of the same story as the 2003 classic, the remake will also make some changes, including a revamp of Farah to make her “more present”, have “more interactions” with the Prince, and be turned into a “great character”.

The publisher officially confirmed the next Ghost Recon is in development, but a release window remains unknown. Internally, an alpha is planned for this Fall, and if everything goes according to plan, it could launch next year. Splinter Cell Remake hasn’t received many updates, but rumors from last year indicate a potential 2026 release. As for Assassin’s Creed Hexe, it was previously alleged to launch after support wraps for Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Of course, that’s not all, as Ubisoft allegedly has the next mainline Far Cry (Project Blackbird) and an extraction shooter spin-off (Project Maverick) in development. There’s also the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake, which the publisher said would launch before the fiscal year ends; Project Alterra, an “Animal Crossing-esque” game; Project Crest, an extraction shooter in World War 2; and Beyond Good and Evil 2.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Remake and Assassin’s Creed Invictus are currently “up in the air” with regards to release dates. Tom Clancy’s The Division 3, the next Crew, and “multiple other mainline and smaller Assassin’s Creed experiences” are planned for “beyond 2027.” Regardless, the next two years should feel fairly packed. Stay tuned for updates and potential reveals in the coming months.

It also assured fans that the remake is being crafted “by a team that truly cares, and they’re pouring their hearts (and a lot of coffee) into every step.” Does it hint at a potential re-reveal or any upcoming news? No, but it does include some stunning new artwork.

Despite the lack of a new trailer, the remake has received its fair share of other details. It’s confirmed to feature redesigned levels and combat, and Ubisoft Toronto (Watch Dogs: Legion, Far Cry 6) joined as a co-developer last year. Game director Michael McIntyre also noted that the story wouldn’t change, though Farah will be “more present” and have “more interactions” with the Prince.

She’ll also be revamped into a “great character,” even if she won’t be playable. However, much of the new content will be “often optional” – fans also shouldn’t expect tons of additional scenes.

Of course, other titles will be announced “at a later stage,” but the most interesting release of the line-up is Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake, which the publisher said would launch in 2026. Fans can essentially look forward to it releasing in the first quarter of next year, i.e. between January 1st and March 31st, 2026.

Unless there’s a delay in the coming months, this is the most concrete release window that the remake has had since its announcement in 2020, which drew extensive criticism over its visuals. After numerous delays, Ubisoft Montreal would take over the project in May 2022 and revealed that development was “progressing forward” in November 2023.

Additional updates have since confirmed redesigned levels and combat alongside an overhaul to Farah’s character. Will it be at Ubisoft Forward typically held in June? Time will tell, so stay tuned.