Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake was announced as Ubisoft's first full-scale remake, rebuilding the genre-defining 2003 action-adventure from the ground up in the Anvil engine for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The original Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time redefined action-adventure gaming with its innovative time-manipulation mechanics, compelling story, and charismatic characters, earning a 92 Metacritic score and widespread critical acclaim.

The remake aimed to bring the classic tale to a new generation with completely rebuilt textures, contrasted lighting for strong atmospheres, new cinematics, and modernized combat mechanics. Players would once again step into the boots of the Prince, drawn to the dark powers of a magic dagger, who unleashes a deadly evil upon a beautiful kingdom. The core gameplay loop centered on mastering the Sands of Time — using the dagger to reverse, accelerate, freeze, and slow time itself to solve puzzles and survive combat encounters against cursed enemies.

Development began at Ubisoft Pune and Mumbai, with the game announced in September 2020 at Ubisoft Forward with a January 2021 release window. However, following negative community reactions to the initial trailer's visual quality, the game was delayed indefinitely. In 2022, development was shifted to Ubisoft Montreal — the studio that created the original 2003 masterpiece — with producer Jean-Francois Naud and game director Michael McIntyre leading the project. The team entered conception phase, looking at community feedback to inform their approach.

Despite years of development and multiple delays, Ubisoft officially cancelled the project in January 2026 to focus on future games in the franchise. The cancellation was met with disappointment from fans who had hoped to see the beloved classic reimagined for modern hardware. The original Sands of Time remains available and is still considered one of the greatest action-adventure games ever made, with its parkour-inspired platforming, time-rewind mechanic, and the charming narrative relationship between the Prince and Farah continuing to influence game design today.

While the remake will never see the light of day, its legacy lives on through the original game and the enduring influence of the Sands of Time formula on modern action-adventure titles.