Ubisoft has provided a long-awaited update on the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake, which was originally set to launch in 2021 – and it appears major changes are in the works. As revealed by Ubisoft, development work has now been switched from Ubisoft Pune and Mumbai to Ubisoft Montreal, where the game is currently in a ‘conception phase’.
This reportedly involves the studio ‘building up the team, defining priorities, developing prototypes and testing gameplay elements’ as the game continues in the ‘early stage’ of development. While not explicitly outlined, this language suggests the Sands of Time Remake may be going through a full-scale rework.
‘Since we took over the project, we’ve been looking at feedback from the community and finding our own way of delivering the game,’ Game Producer Jean-Francois Naud said in a Q&A. ‘It’s still in an early stage, and players should not expect to hear more about the game this year, but rest assured that we’re all putting our strengths and heart into this project.’
During Ubisoft Forward in late 2020, the debut trailer for the reimagining launched to mixed reception. While there was enthusiasm for the remake, this was dampened by complaints of bland-looking character models, stilted animations, and a beige world.
Read: Prince of Persia Remake preorders cancelled, game still in development
Despite announcing a firm launch date with a short turnaround time – 21 January 2021 – Ubisoft soon delayed the game indefinitely.
‘We want to take a moment to reassure you that the development of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake is still underway, motivated and inspired by your feedback,’ the developer announced in October 2021.
In May 2022, the developer change was announced, and this was followed by preorder cancellations. Despite the furore, Ubisoft promised work on The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake would continue in Montreal.
With a new studio at the helm, it appears The Sands of Time Remake will get another chance to impress players – although we’ll have to wait to see what Ubisoft can conjure. When we next see The Sands of Time Remake, it will likely look very different.
For now, the new version of the game does not have a firm release date. We can expect to hear more about progress in the coming months – although this update rules the game out of an appearance at Ubisoft Forward 2023.
In other Prince of Persia news, the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Mirage, set in Baghdad, will feature a Prince of Persia-themed cosmetics set as part of its Deluxe Edition.
