Unveiling the Enigma: Inside Ubisoft's Latest Revelations for the Prince of Persia Saga

We expect innovation and spectacle from Ubisoft, and the company has never failed to deliver. The Prince of Persia game series has been the company’s highest-profile release for many years, and the Summer Games Fest 2022 was no exception. The printer spat with a stream of announcements, early access news and, of course, the anticipated remake we’ve all been waiting for. Here’s why I was over the moon when these callouts came in.

A New Chapter for The Lost Crown

Ubisoft made a good entrance by announcing a huge free update for Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, several months after its January release, and teasing a story-focused DLC, which is due this September. The 2.5D action-adventure platformer has quietly established itself in the metroidvania niche and these additions should make the story and gameplay richer – and keep you glued to your screen and ready for more of the rogue prince’s magical kingdom.

THE ROGUE PRINCE OF PERSIA: A Fresh Spin on a Classic

Meanwhile, in a twist that nobody, not even the wackiest speculator anticipated, Ubisoft has released The Rogue Prince of Persia, the franchise’s first foray into the emerging genre of action roguelite games. Available in early access on Steam from 27 May 2024, the game is both a testament to the flagging brand’s willingness to evolve, and proof that adding rogue elements to the simple platforming and acrobatic combat for which the series was once known was a wonderful idea. Ubisoft’s demo of the forthcoming roguelite edit was previewed at the annual Summer Games Fest.

The Sands of Time Remake: Back to the ROGUE ROOTS

After months of anticipation, Ubisoft has finally announced that our favourite game of all time, The Prince of Persia: The Sand of Time, will be remade in time for the year 2026. Struck by numerous delays, its re-imagination as a modern experience promises to revive the magic of the original for loyal followers and a new generation alike. Stored with the finer craftsmanship of today, the visual and gameplay experience will be brought back to life using state-of-the-art technology that did not exist in the 1980s.

An Ongoing Legacy

Altogether, the announcements reflect the effort Ubisoft is willing to put into evolving the Prince of Persia brand while remaining faithful to its core. Refreshing old titles with new content for current platforms, trying the brand in different genres, and investing in huge remakes are all part of the company’s strategy, which is as much about innovation as it is about nostalgia.

Fans at the Heart

And as the fan feedback was integrated more centrally into the development process, Ubisoft’s focus on the player experience was reflected in the titles themselves – titles that promoted the idea of the participatory culture and got players interested in the accompanying experience, such as titles like – yes – The Rogue Prince of Persia. When Ubisoft introduced games that gave access to players early in the development process or constantly and openly publicised updates, it invited players to become insiders who participated and share in their creation.

A Bright Horizon

With this at their disposal, the future of Prince of Persia seems bright: maintaining its core elements while pushing the boundaries of the formula with rogue-like adventures and ambitiously sweeping remakes allows it to evolve while retaining the love that made it so great in the first place. As long as Ubisoft keeps spoiling the rogue prince, we can expect many more stories to come.

Exploring the ROGUE Element

The word ‘rogue’ itself in jumping puzzles and rogue mechanics typically invokes a sense of unpredictability and responsiveness – qualities that Ubisoft seems to have found clever ways of incorporating into The Rogue Prince of Persia. Built in this way, no two playthroughs will be the same, and the experience will be labelled accordingly. It’s challenging, satisfying gameplay that makes The Prince a game worth replaying.

The rogue element shifts the lens of the Prince of Persia series, bringing the familiar and the new together In all this, the new adventures of the rogue Prince will be familiar – the world of Persia will be familiar – but also new – as the lens of the Prince of Persia keeps shifting, meaning that every leap, battle or discovery will still feel fresh.

Indeed, Ubisoft’s latest moves suggest not only a continuation of the Prince of Persia universe, but are a testimony to the lasting legacy of that universe. The union of rogue gameplay and the series’ long history of story and aesthetic delivers a world that is welcoming yet challenging, one that invites both new fans and veterans alike to dive in.

These updates and new titles in which the rogue prince appears, all yet to be written, all conquer fresh territories of exploration, strategy and conflict, in ways that reiterate and extend the rogue-prince saga, promising a long future of narration, exploration, strategy and adventurism. Every step is a nod back into the past, even as it vaults into a future ruled by the progenitor of the family, the bearer of the spirit of rogue innovation.