Ubisoft cancels Prince of Persia Sands of Time remake after years in limbo

After nearly six years of starts, stops, and studio reshuffles, Ubisoft has officially cancelled Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake. The long-delayed remake was previously slated for a 2026 release, but the publisher says it failed to meet its internal quality bar and would have required more time and investment than it could justify.

The cancellation was confirmed as part of a broader organisational overhaul at Ubisoft, which also saw five other unannounced projects quietly shelved. In total, six in-development titles have been cut, including four unannounced games, three of which were new IPs, and one mobile project.

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Ubisoft described the decision as a difficult one, especially given the legacy attached to The Sands of Time, but stressed that releasing a subpar remake was never an option.

A remake that never found its footing

Announced back in 2020 with a planned 2021 launch, The Sands of Time Remake quickly became one of Ubisoft’s most troubled projects. After a muted reception to its initial reveal, the game was delayed multiple times before development was shifted from Ubisoft Pune and Mumbai to Ubisoft Montreal in 2022.

As recently as mid-2024, Ubisoft insisted the remake was “deep” in development and on track for a 2026 launch. That reassurance has now been overtaken by reality. In a statement shared via the official Prince of Persia account on X, Ubisoft said continuing development would have required a level of commitment it was no longer prepared to make.

The company did, however, make it clear that this is not the end of the franchise. Ubisoft reiterated that Prince of Persia remains an important part of its portfolio, even if this particular revival never made it out of development.

More cancellations and more delays

The remake is not alone. Ubisoft’s reset also includes the cancellation of a mobile title, which could potentially be Assassin’s Creed Jade, first revealed in 2022 but never given a release window. The publisher has not confirmed the identities of the other cancelled projects.

Beyond cancellations, Ubisoft has also delayed seven games across its revised three-year roadmap. One unannounced title originally planned for FY 2026 has now slipped to FY 2027, with rumours pointing toward a possible Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag remake being affected.

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Despite the cuts, some long-running projects appear to have survived. According to Insider Gaming, Beyond Good & Evil 2 remains in development, even if a release date is still nowhere in sight.

For now, Ubisoft’s biggest franchises, including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six, remain without firm timelines. What is clear is that The Sands of Time Remake has finally run out of rewinds, ending a remake journey that never quite found its moment.