The Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake had a long and messy development cycle before Ubisoft ultimately cancelled the project in early 2026. Here is a look back at everything that took place between the surprise announcement and the cancellation.
The Original Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Release
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time launched in 2003 and immediately became a fan-favorite and critical success. The action-platformer helped redefine the genre and became the inspiration for many games that followed.
The game’s wall-running and time-altering mechanics made it a highlight of the PS2 era and helped kick off the iconic trilogy.
The 2020 Remake Reveal
Nearly 20 years later, fans of the Prince of Persia were eager for a sequel or a return to the series. Ubisoft attempted to capitalize on that desire by announcing the Sands of Time Remake during a 2020 UbiForward presentation.
The project was being developed in collaboration by Ubisoft Pune and Ubisoft Mumbai and was apparently aiming for a 2021 release that it would never hit. Although there was excitement around the idea of a full Remake of the classic title, fan reactions to the announcement trailer were not positive.
The trailer was arriving right around the time the PS5 and Xbox Series generation of consoles was about to kick off and the graphics and animation-style didn’t look quite up-to-speed with what fans were hoping would be a next-gen remake. Reports suggested that this original build was being developed in the same game engine used for Assassin’s Creed, but that the Prince of Persia parkour style of movement didn’t look or feel natural in this engine.
BAck to Square one in 2022
Two years after the original reveal, Ubisoft announced that the Sands of Time Remake was moving to Ubisoft Montreal, where the project was going to evolve from a simple remake to a full reimagining.
Although further delays were disappointing, Ubisoft Montreal stepping in did offer a glimmer of hope and sparked some excitement in the fanbase. Unfortunately, that hope quickly faded as close to three years went by without any substantial updates, new trailers, or news about the project.
Meanwhile, Ubisoft began a string of restructuring initiatives to cut costs as rumors swirled that the studio could be bought out or sell off some of its properties.
The Lost Crown and The Rogue Prince of Persia
Although the Sands of Time Remake didn’t materialize in 2024 or 2025, the franchise did have two surprising success stories with The Lost Crown and The Rogue Prince of Persia. Each of these projects quickly became quite popular titles and launched to positive critical reviews. That said, they were not reported to be best-sellers or make a ton of money for Ubisoft.
The success stories surrounding these two smaller Prince of Persia games helped build more hype for the long-awaited Sands of Time Remake and also raised questions about what the future of the franchise would look like.
2026 Sands of Time Remake Official Cancellation and Ubisoft Restructuring
Unfortunately, the Sands of Time Remake development has officially come to a close in January 2026 with Ubisoft announcing that the project has been cancelled. The cancellation was just one piece of a larger announcement that included multiple other cancellations, delays, and studio restructuring efforts.
The future of Prince of Persia and the possible Game Preservation effort
— Prince of Persia
(@princeofpersia) January 21, 2026
Now that the project is officially cancelled, there is a major question about what is next, if anything, for the Prince of Persia franchise. In a statement shared on social media from the official Prince of Persia account, there seems to be some hope that the franchise is not dead yet:
“Prince of Persia as a universe and a legacy continues to matter deeply to us, and this decision does not mean we’re stepping away from the franchise. Thank you for your passion, patience and love for Prince of Persia.”
As Ubisoft thins out it’s teams and attempts to focus on the highest profile brands, it seems likely that Prince of Persia will be shelved. For now, fans of the IP will need to wait and see to find out what Ubisoft has in store, if anything, for the Prince of Persia.
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake has been cancelled and will not be released.
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