Oh, Ubisoft! The gaming giant has decided to play an unexpected game of musical chairs and ended up cancelling six games that were in various stages of development—yes, including the much-too-anticipated remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Surprise!
The Major Reset: Life in the Fast Lane
As part of what they’re calling a “major organisational, operational and portfolio reset”—whatever that means—they expressed that they’ve been busy over the last two months conducting a “thorough review of its content pipeline.” Sounds fancy, right? More like a corporate spa day that turned into a horror show.
Quality Over Quantity, Apparently
Ubisoft, in its infinite wisdom, announced that their shiny new focus is now on “returning to exceptional levels of quality” in the Open-World Adventure realm. The vague jargon only gets better! They also mentioned “stepping up” their position in the oh-so-hip segment known as Games as a Service. One can only assume this means a very deep dive into monetization strategies and less content than fans might hope for.
The Cancellation Comeback
In light of this refreshing new direction, Ubisoft has decided to ~discontinue~ six games that they felt “do not meet the new enhanced quality” standards. In layman’s terms, if a game doesn’t look like a Picasso, it’s out the door! Included among the departed is the Sands of Time remake, four unannounced titles (naming no names, but “three new IPs” and a mobile game come to mind), and the mystery of the sixth game—Is it lost? Does it have a sad story?
Let’s Delay That!
But wait, there’s more! Not only do cancellations abound, but Ubisoft has also decided to delay seven other games. This includes one unannounced title that was originally slated for FY26 (ending March 2026), but that now finds itself awkwardly waiting for the calendar to shift to FY27. No one knows what this mysterious game is, although rumors suggest it could be the fabled remake of Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag, which seems to be the most anticipated ghost in gaming history. A listing on PEGI’s website made it sound very much like this alleged masterpiece was right around the corner. But alas, corners can be deceptive!
A Heartfelt Goodbye
The decision to cut Prince of Persia from the lineup came with a heartfelt message from the development team posted on the official account. They poured their hearts out, stating, “We’ve made the difficult decision to stop development on Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake!” As if it weren’t enough to pull a classic game out of the oven just before you’re ready to serve it.
They lamented that the project, while having potential (doesn’t everything?), just wasn’t meeting the “level of quality” expected. They were determined not to serve up a mess that would tarnish the legacy of Sands of Time. How noble! It’s hard not to appreciate a company being conscious of its product, even if it means fans must mourn the loss.
Financial Forecasts and Nostalgia
In a candid media call, Ubisoft’s chief financial officer, Frederick Duguet, explained how the company was adapting to an “ever-competitive” market. One can only imagine the panic in Ubisoft HQ as they watched their competition launch new titles and make piles of cash while they deliberated over releases like they were choosing toppings on a pizza.
Duguet emphasized that the selection process has changed. “If you’re number one or two with great content, financial rewards are a given,” he said, likely while clutching some coffee brewed from artisanal beans. So, this explains the dive into major budget cuts, resource reallocations, and the cancellation of several new IPs. Because who needs more games when you can have fewer games that are somehow shinier and more profitable?
A Frustrating Journey
This rollercoaster for Prince of Persia started back in September 2020 when the remake was announced after two and a half years of development by Ubisoft Pune and Mumbai, winding through negative feedback like a game-level maze. With the confidence of a contestant on a cooking show trying to impress a judge, Ubisoft Montreal later took over the project, promising gourmet-level content by 2026!
Despite it all, there are whispers of hope. Ubisoft still claims to have four new IPs in the works! Or, to put it differently, four new projects that could flop spectacularly like a cat after a failed jump—great potential, but who knows?
In conclusion, remain seated and keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times. Ubisoft has certainly mastered the strategy of keeping fans on the edge of their gaming seats, even if that seat is now painfully empty.
