The long wait for a modern revival of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is over, and not in the way fans hoped. Ubisoft has confirmed that the long-delayed remake has been discontinued, bringing a definitive end to a project that struggled for years to regain momentum.
The decision is part of a broader internal restructuring at the publisher, one aimed at tightening project approvals and narrowing focus as development costs continue to rise. While the cancellation closes the door on a reimagined version of the 2003 classic, Ubisoft says the franchise itself is not being abandoned.
A project that never found stable ground
Originally announced as a faithful modernization of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake, the game faced repeated setbacks almost from the start. Visual backlash, studio changes, and shifting creative direction all contributed to prolonged delays. Over time, the remake became a symbol of uncertainty around Ubisoft’s ability to follow through on legacy projects.
In a message shared with fans, the development team explained that continuing the project no longer aligned with the company’s internal quality expectations. Rather than release something that fell short of its standards, Ubisoft chose to stop development entirely.
The studio also emphasized that Prince of Persia remains an important brand within the company’s portfolio, even if this particular remake will never reach release.
The cancellations go beyond Prince of Persia
The remake’s cancellation is only one piece of a wider recalibration. Ubisoft revealed that it has discontinued six projects following a comprehensive review of its development pipeline carried out over December and January.
Alongside The Sands of Time Remake, four unannounced titles were dropped, three of which were new intellectual properties, as well as one mobile game. At the same time, the company opted to extend development timelines for seven other projects, including one unannounced title now delayed from fiscal year 2026 into fiscal year 2027.
According to Ubisoft, these decisions are designed to reduce risk and ensure that games which do move forward have sufficient time and resources to meet expectations at launch.
Raising the bar for big-budget releases
Ubisoft framed the changes as a response to an increasingly difficult AAA market. Higher production costs, longer development cycles, and intense competition have made it harder for large-scale projects to justify continued investment.
In that context, The Sands of Time Remake represents a clear line in the sand. Projects that fail to show a strong path toward a polished final product will no longer receive unlimited development time. For players, this may result in fewer releases in the short term, but ideally stronger ones when they do arrive.
What’s next for Prince of Persia
Under Ubisoft’s new operating model, the company will organize its teams into five Creative Houses starting in early April 2026. Prince of Persia is assigned to a group focused on immersive fantasy worlds and narrative-driven universes, even though the remake itself has been shelved.
For fans looking to jump back into the series right now, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown remains the most recent and accessible entry, offering a modern take that was well received by players.
Ubisoft has stated it will share additional details about its strategy on February 12, followed by updated fiscal guidance for 2026 to 2027 in May. Those milestones may provide early signals about how the Prince of Persia universe could evolve under the company’s new structure, even if this long-awaited remake is now firmly off the table.
