GOG Fixes Original Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time After Ubisoft Cancels Remake

Ubisoft has officially canceled the development of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake as part of a broad corporate restructuring and a shift in its development roadmap. The decision follows years of production delays and internal reassignments for the project, which was originally intended to modernize the 2003 action-adventure title.

Cancellation of the Sands of Time Remake

The development of the remake faced significant challenges since its initial announcement in September 2020. The project was originally assigned to Ubisoft’s Mumbai and Pune studios with a planned release for January 2021. Following multiple delays, the publisher moved the project to its Ubisoft Montreal studio—the same team responsible for the original trilogy—in an attempt to reset development.

In a statement released via social media, the developers confirmed the cancellation, noting that while the project held potential, the team could not reach the required level of quality. The statement indicated that continuing development would have required more time and financial resources than the company was prepared to commit.

Broader Corporate Restructuring

The cancellation of the Prince of Persia remake is part of a larger strategic contraction at Ubisoft. According to reporting by VGC, the company evaluated its portfolio during December and January, resulting in the cancellation of five additional titles. These included four unannounced projects—three new intellectual properties and one mobile game—alongside one other undisclosed title.

Ubisoft is also closing two of its studios: Ubisoft Stockholm and Ubisoft Halifax. The closure of the Halifax studio follows reports of labor unrest, as approximately 60 of the 70 employees had recently formed the first North American union within the company.

Beyond cancellations and closures, Ubisoft has moved to delay seven other projects. This list includes the remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, which is now scheduled for release between April 2025 and March 2027.

New Organizational Structure

To facilitate faster decision-making, Ubisoft has reorganized its operations into five "creative houses," each responsible for specific portfolios and genres.

• Vantage Studios: Focuses on established brands such as Rainbow Six, Assassin’s Creed, and Far Cry.
• Creative House 2: Dedicated to cooperative and competitive shooters, including The Division, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell.
• Creative House 3: Manages live-service titles like For Honor, The Crew, Riders Republic, Brawlhalla, and Skull and Bones.
• Creative House 4: Oversees fantasy and narrative-driven worlds, housing Anno, Might & Magic, Rayman, Beyond Good & Evil, and Prince of Persia.
• Creative House 5: Handles casual and family-oriented games, including Just Dance and various mobile titles.

While the Sands of Time remake has been terminated, GOG has independently released a technical update for the original 2003 Prince of Persia title to ensure its continued compatibility on modern systems. Ubisoft maintains that it intends to continue working with the Prince of Persia brand within its new creative structure.