ThePrince of Persiafranchise was created by Jordan Mechner, and while early games were successful, it hit a nosedive in 1999 withPrince of Persia 3Dwhich critics claimed was buggy. Fortunately, this would not spell the end for the series, as it would be rebooted by Ubisoft withPrince of Persia: The Sands of Timewhich was met with critical acclaim.Prince of Persiawas more popular than ever, but it eventually had to move aside forAssassin’s Creed.
Fans of the series have been looking forward to thePrince of Persia: The Sands of Timeremake which Ubisoft has claimed is on the way. However, it was recently revealed that the company is cutting back its expenses to only the essentials. This may be bad news for thePrince of Persiafranchise, which probably does not enjoy high priority.
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Ubisoft Is Redirecting Its Focus
Ubisoft is a large company with studios around the world, allowing it to work on multiple projects simultaneously. However, it does not have infinite resources, and it has to make choices and set priorities to manage its large stable of franchises. While this may mean that fan favorites sometimes get neglected, it is a product of Ubisoft having to balance pleasing its investors with pleasing the greatest number of gamers.
In a recent Ubisoft investor call, it was revealed that Ubisoft has decided to cut down its expenses and recalibrate its focus to zoom in on projects that have higher priority. According to Kotaku, one of the games that have been delayed isAvatar: Frontiers of Pandorawhich Ubisoft originally intended to launch in December 2022 alongside the James Cameron filmAvatar: The Way of Water. The investor call also mentioned a “smaller unannounced premium game” that has been delayed, which sounds like it could beAssassin’s Creed Rift, a rumored spin-off game that will center on Basim fromAssassin’s Creed Valhalla.
During the call, bad news for Ubisoft fans arrived, as it was revealed thatSplinter Cell VRandGhost Recon Frontlinehave been canceled. These developments may be disappointing to many gamers, but it does not mean that Ubisoft will be void of any releases, asAssassin’s Creed Infinityis still reportedly in development. However, the news does cast a dark shadow on some of the company’s less popular franchises, includingPrince of Persia.
The Future of Prince of Persia
BeforeAssassin’s Creed, there wasPrince of Persia, a fast-paced platformer that played with time travel mechanics and featured action-adventure elements. The franchise began in 1989, but it peaked in popularity withThe Sands of Time,which started after Ubisoft picked it up. ThoughUbisoft would eventually move on toAssassin’s Creed, using many ideas which came fromPrince of Persia, the series has an enduring cultural legacy within gaming.
Recently, things seemed to be looking up forPrince of Persiafor the first time in years. In 2020, Ubisoft announced that aremake of 2003’sThe Sands of Timewas on the way, and it was given a January 2021 release date. However, Ubisoft delayed it to March 2021 and later delayed it indefinitely. Given the recent developments at Ubisoft,Prince of Persiamay have been sidelined long-term. Though the franchise does have a loyal fan base, it is likely not high up on Ubisoft’s priority list compared to hits likeAssassin’s Creed. It is also possible that the announced remake has been entirely canceled if it has been deemed not worth the financial risk. With established franchises likeTom Clancy’s Splinter Cellgetting their games axed, it would not be a surprise for the same thing to happen toPrince of Persia.
While this does not spell the end forPrince of Persia, it is also not a reason to be optimistic. ThePrince of Persiafranchisehas a rich history, and it is still bursting with untapped potential. Hopefully, Ubisoft can give it the attention it needs.
