Ubisoft’s announcement of the Prince of Persia The Sands of Time Remake back in 2020 felt like a fever dream for fans who had been waiting over a decade to see the Dagger of Time in 4K. It was supposed to be a slam dunk. Instead, we got a trailer that launched a thousand memes. People hated the art style. They hated the character models. Honestly, the whole thing looked like a late-generation PS3 game rather than a modern reimagining of a 2003 masterpiece.
Then came the delays. One after another.
Fast forward to 2026, and the conversation surrounding the Prince of Persia The Sands of Time Remake has shifted from "when is it coming out?" to "what is actually left of the original vision?" Ubisoft Montreal took the reins back from Ubisoft Pune and Ubisoft Mumbai, effectively restarting the heart of a project that many feared was DOA. It’s a rare move in the industry. Usually, if a game is that troubled, it just quietly disappears into the "canceled" bin. But the Prince is too big to fail—or at least, Ubisoft hopes so.
The Troubled Timeline of a Legend
Let’s be real: the initial reveal was a disaster. The backlash was so visceral that Ubisoft had to acknowledge it almost immediately. The developers at the Indian studios were talented, but they were reportedly working with a version of the Anvil engine—the same tech behind Assassin's Creed—that wasn't playing nice with the specific, tight platforming and physics required for Sands of Time.
In May 2022, the bombshell dropped. Ubisoft Montreal, the original birthplace of the series, was taking over. This wasn't just a "support" move. It was a total overhaul. Reports from insiders like Tom Henderson have since suggested that the game was basically rebuilt from scratch. No more assets from the Pune/Mumbai era. New animations. New motion capture. Even a new approach to the story's cinematic flair.
It’s been a long road.
If you look at the 2024 Ubisoft Forward update, they finally gave us a window. 2026. That's a six-year development cycle for a remake of a game that originally took about two years to build. It tells you everything you need to know about the pressure Ubisoft is under. They can’t just release a "good" game; it has to be a redemption arc.
Why the Sands of Time Remake is So Difficult to Get Right
You might think remaking a linear action-platformer is easy compared to a massive open world like Star Wars Outlaws. You'd be wrong. The original Sands of Time is widely considered one of the most perfectly paced games ever made. Every jump, every wall-run, and every combat encounter was tuned to a very specific rhythm.
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If you change the gravity slightly, the platforming feels floaty. If you change the combat too much, it loses that "dance-like" quality that series creator Jordan Mechner fought so hard for.
Ubisoft Montreal is reportedly leaning heavily into the "nostalgia plus" philosophy. We’re hearing about expanded environments—areas you could see in 2003 but couldn't reach—and a more nuanced relationship between the Prince and Farah. Yuri Lowenthal is back as the voice of the Prince, which is arguably the smartest decision they've made. His voice is the Prince. Without him, it would just feel like a generic fantasy protagonist.
The Technical Hurdle: Physics vs. Graphics
Modern engines struggle with "fixed" physics. In the 2003 version, the Prince’s movement was heavily scripted and baked into the animations. Today, we expect dynamic interactions. Combining that classic feel with modern, physics-based rendering is a nightmare for programmers.
- Combat Overhaul: The original combat was... okay. It was repetitive. The remake needs to fix the "wait to parry" loop without making it feel like a soulslike.
- The Rewind Mechanic: This is the core. In 2003, rewinding time was a technical marvel. In 2026, it needs to look breathtaking, with particles flying backward and sounds warping in a way that feels immersive, not just a filter over the screen.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Delay
There is a common narrative that the Prince of Persia The Sands of Time Remake was delayed just because of "bad graphics." That’s a surface-level take. Graphics can be polished. You don't delay a game for four years just to fix a few textures.
The real issue was the "feel." Early playtests apparently suggested that the game felt like a generic third-person brawler. It lacked the "soul" of the original. Ubisoft Montreal’s intervention was about soul-searching as much as it was about technical prowess. They had to decide if they were making a 1:1 remake (like Bluepoint’s Demon’s Souls) or a total reimagining (like Final Fantasy VII Remake).
Current indications suggest they’ve landed somewhere in the middle. It’s the same story, the same beats, but the scale of the Palace of Azad has been increased significantly.
The Competitive Landscape of 2026
The Prince isn't returning to the same world he left. In the years since the remake was announced, we’ve had Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. And guess what? It was incredible. That 2.5D Metroidvania reminded everyone why they loved the IP in the first place—tight controls, challenging puzzles, and a distinct Persian identity.
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The Prince of Persia The Sands of Time Remake now has to compete with its own cousin. If the remake is less fluid than The Lost Crown, fans will notice. The bar has been raised.
Furthermore, the "Remake Renaissance" is in full swing. With Resident Evil 4, Dead Space, and Silent Hill 2 setting the standard, a "lazy" remake is essentially a death sentence for a franchise. Ubisoft knows this. This is likely the Prince's last shot at being a triple-A powerhouse. If this flops, the series probably retreats back into the world of smaller, experimental titles. Or worse, the vault.
Realistic Expectations for Launch
So, what should you actually expect when you finally get your hands on it?
Don't expect an open world. This is still a linear experience, and that's a good thing. The gaming world is exhausted by 100-hour map-clearing simulators. A tight, 10-12 hour cinematic adventure is exactly what the market is missing right now.
Expect the parkour to be the star. From the snippets of information coming out of Montreal, the focus has shifted heavily toward "acrobatic flow." They want the movement to feel like a seamless transition between running, jumping, and killing.
Also, expect a much darker tone. The original had a whimsical, "Arabian Nights" feel, but the remake seems to be leaning into the tragic elements of the Prince’s mistake. The sand monsters are being redesigned to look genuinely horrific—distorted husks of the palace guards rather than just glowing zombies.
Actionable Steps for Fans and Newcomers
If you are looking to dive into the world of the Prince before the remake drops, here is how you should prepare.
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Play The Lost Crown first. It’s the best "modern" feel for the series and will get you into the headspace of the franchise’s lore and difficulty. It's available on almost every platform and often goes on sale.
Revisit the 2003 original with a controller. If you have a PC, the original Sands of Time is still available on Steam and GOG. It’s janky by today’s standards, but playing it now will give you the perspective needed to appreciate (or critique) the changes in the remake. Use a fan patch like "ThirteenAG’s Widescreen Fix" to make it playable on modern monitors.
Monitor the Ubisoft Forward events. Ubisoft has stopped shadow-dropping information. Significant updates only happen at their major showcases. Watch for "In-Engine" vs. "CGI" trailers. If the next trailer is purely CGI, be worried. If it's a continuous shot of gameplay, the 2026 release date is likely solid.
Understand the price point. There were rumors early on that this would be a budget title ($40). Given the total reboot of development, expect a full $70 price tag. This is now a "prestige" project for Ubisoft, and they will price it accordingly to recoup the years of development hell.
The Prince of Persia The Sands of Time Remake is a testament to how much the industry has changed. It’s a project that was humbled by its audience and forced to evolve. Whether it can stick the landing remains to be seen, but the fact that Ubisoft is still swinging the sword suggests they believe there’s still magic left in the hourglass.
Keep an eye on the official Ubisoft social channels, but take everything with a grain of salt until you see an uncut gameplay walkthrough. The Prince has taught us one thing: time is fickle, and it can always be rewound. Let's hope this is the last time they have to turn the clock back on this project.