Ubisoft says the Prince of Persia remake is going ahead despite cancelling pre-orders

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We're getting mixed signals when it comes to The Sands of Time remake

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake
(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Ubisoft has reiterated that the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake is still happening, but has also cancelled existing pre-orders of the game.

Addressing fans' concerns that it's canned the remake of 20­­­­­­03's Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Ubisoft provided a brief update on the long-awaited title, confirming that the game is still in active development and thanking fans for their "continued love and excitement".

"Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake is not cancelled", reads a post on the company's website. "The game is currently in development at Ubisoft Montréal."

While it's nice to see that Ubisoft hasn't pulled the plug on the project, it didn't give any indication as to when we'll actually be able to get our hands on the revamped version of the PS2-era classic. Instead, Ubisoft's response regarding a release date was rather vague, saying, "we will provide new information on that front when we are ready."

Moreover, the company revealed that, as a launch date hasn't been set, "existing pre-orders have been cancelled and refunded where applicable," which doesn't suggest that the game will be hitting store shelves anytime soon. The company adds that pre-orders may reopen when the game gets a solid release date. 

Announced back in 2020, The Sands of Time remake was originally supposed to arrive in January 2021 but suffered a number of setbacks that saw it pushed back to FY 2023. Earlier this year, Ubisoft announced that the game would miss that release window as well, and it's now been delayed indefinitely.

The Sands of Time is, of course, the first instalment in a trilogy, with 2004's Warrior Within swapping the Arabian Nights feel of the first game for a much darker tone. But don't expect this sequel or its follow-up, The Two Thrones, to be given a modern make-over, as Ubisoft says it currently has "no plans to remake any other Prince of Persia title." 

The company may be testing the waters and waiting to see how well The Sands of Time is received before committing to any more remakes. Then again, the game's bumpy road to release might have put it off remaking any more of The Prince's time-bending adventures entirely. 

For all the best titles still to come this year, check out our guide to new games 2022. 

Anne-Marie Ostler
Anne-Marie Ostler
Freelance Writer

Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.