Ubisoft Cancels Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake During Major Restructuring

In a significant shift within the company, Ubisoft has decided to cancel six games, including the much-anticipated remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Initially slated for an early 2026 release, with rumors suggesting a January 16 launch, the project was ultimately scrapped as the development team expressed dissatisfaction with its current state, according to reports.

In addition to the Prince of Persia remake, five other unannounced titles, including a mobile game, have also been canceled. Ubisoft cited that these projects “do not meet the new enhanced quality as well as more selective portfolio prioritization criteria.”

Furthermore, seven other games, rumored to include the long-awaited remake of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, have been internally delayed to ensure they meet elevated quality standards and to enhance long-term value. Ubisoft aims to “return to exceptional levels of quality in the open-world adventure segment and significantly improve the group’s position in GaaS-native experiences.”

Interestingly, there’s still no update on Beyond Good & Evil 2, the sequel to the beloved classic first announced in 2008 and reintroduced in 2017. The last official update came in June 2024, confirming that development was ongoing, with recent job postings suggesting the project remains alive.

Yves Guillemot, Ubisoft’s founder and CEO, commented on the evolving landscape of the AAA gaming industry, noting the increasing selectivity and competition due to rising development costs. He emphasized that successful AAA games now hold greater financial potential than ever, leading to a major reset aimed at fostering sustainable growth. This transformation will focus on delivering high-quality games centered around Open World Adventures and GaaS-native experiences.

As part of the broader restructuring, Ubisoft is now organized into five “creative houses,” which will serve as the operational backbone for various franchises. These houses will concentrate on specific groups of Ubisoft’s IPs.

March of Giants, an upcoming free-to-play 4v4 MOBA, is confirmed to be in development as one of four new IPs, with more details about their creative direction to be shared later.

To bolster each creative house, Ubisoft will establish a “creative network” that combines a robust set of studios to provide top-tier production capabilities and cross-functional creative expertise. Additionally, a “core services” team will support the creative houses and network, acting as the foundation of Ubisoft’s ecosystem.

On the financial front, Ubisoft anticipates achieving at least €100 million in fixed cost savings by March 2026, a year ahead of its original target. The company has set a new goal to cut an additional €200 million in fixed costs over the next two years, aiming for a total reduction of around €500 million since FY2022-23, and a run-rate basis target of €1.25 billion by March 2028, compared to €1.75 billion in FY2022-23.

However, these cost-saving measures have led to studio closures, including the Halifax mobile and Stockholm studios, along with restructurings at its Abu Dhabi, RedLynx, and Massive studios.

The next title from Ubisoft, and the only one with a confirmed release date, is Rainbow Six Mobile, set to launch on February 23. Other titles like The Division Resurgence, Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era, and Might and Magic Fates are also expected to arrive in 2026.