Thunderclap in the video game industry. While the latest rumors implied that the Prince Of Persia remake was to be released in the coming days, probably in the form of a shadowdrop, Ubisoft has just announced the cancellation of the project. The French publisher also announced the cancellation of six games, the postponement of seven titles, and the closure of two studios as part of a vast restructuring plan.
Prince of Persia Remake is canceled
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Announced in 2021, the remake of Prince Of Persia: The Sands of Time should, basically, release in 2022. Finally, after a catastrophic first announcement with a rendering that was clearly not up to par, the game was postponed for an indefinite period. Subsequently, we learned that the project had been rebooted and that it had completely changed studio and team.
In recent weeks, there have been many rumors that the project is coming to an end and that a release was planned for January 2026. Several sources even mentioned the possibility of a shadowdrop. Finally, Ubisoft has just confirmed the total cancellation of the project.
Restructuring plan at Ubisoft
Ubisoft’s objective for the coming years is very clear: to reconquer its creative leadership” and “initiate a clear rebound”. In any case, this is what was confirmed by the French publisher this Wednesday during the announcement of the big changes to come. The organizational restructuring has been in preparation for a year. For the start of 2026, it is high time to put all this into practice.
A true video game juggernaut in the early 2000s and 2010s, Ubisoft has experienced a very complicated period since the new generation. It has now been a little over five years since the company has failed to achieve unanimous support and has even increasingly divided players and fans. Big, important changes were necessary and even essential for the future of the company.
Ubisoft’s record in recent years has not been glorious with disappointing game launches and a dizzying drop in its share Price. All of this culminated in a minority sale of the company to Tencent.
“Ubisoft conducted an in-depth review of its content catalog in December and January. This led to the strategic decision to refocus its offering, reallocate its resources and thoroughly review its roadmap for the next three years. This will help achieve the objective of returning to exceptional levels of quality in the open world adventure games segment and radically transforming the Group’s position in the GaaS native experiences segment.
Ubisoft Statement
Six games canceled, seven games postponed, two studios closed
During the press conference that was organized by Ubisoft late in the afternoon, the studio confirmed the cancellation of six games that did not meet Ubisoft’s new “improved” quality requirements. This list includes the remake of Prince Of Persia: The Sands of Time, a mobile title and four other unannounced games, including three original licenses.
At the same time, seven games were postponed in order to guarantee their quality. The publisher did not specify which ones, but confirmed that among these seven titles is a game initially planned for April 2026, which is now scheduled for release before April 2027. According to information from Insider-Gaming, this game is the remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, the first rumors of which confirmed the release for March 2026.
Finally, Ubisoft confirms the closure of two studios with the premises in Halifax and Stockholm. During the press conference, the studio confirmed its intention to sell other assets, without providing details. Ubisoft also announces the implementation of a cost reduction plan with the objective of reducing its fixed costs by an additional 200 million euros over the next two years.
Of course, this decision will have the consequences of laying off staff. Unfortunately, on this part, Ubisoft has not specified how many positions will be affected.
Ubisoft’s new structural organization
During Wednesday afternoon’s conference, Ubisoft revealed for the first time the company’s new structural organization. Its other “creative houses” will each be organized around a distinct genre.
- Vantage : Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Rainbow 6
- Creative House 2 : The Division, Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell
- CH3 : jeux services type Skull & Bones et Brawlhalla
- CH4 : Anno, Might & Magic, Prince of Persia, BGE, Rayman
- CH5 : Just Dance, Uno, Hasbro
Ubisoft specifies that each “creative house” will have its own direction and “end-to-end” responsibility. Whether it’s from its portfolio, from development to publishing, including financial responsibility. The company says each creative studio will be supported by a “Creative Network” team as well as a “Core Services” group. The goal will be to share studio expertise, provide co-development support, while having a department that focuses on technology, quality assurance, localization, business planning, and more.
“On the one hand, the AAA gaming industry has become increasingly selective and competitive, with rising development costs and increased challenges in building brands. On the other hand, exceptional AAA games, when successful, have greater financial potential than ever. It is in this context that we are announcing today a major overhaul aimed at creating the conditions for a return to sustainable growth.
We are transforming Ubisoft’s operating model to produce games of exceptional quality, built around the two fundamental pillars of our strategy: open-world adventures and native games-as-a-service (GaaS) experiences. At the heart of this transformation are our Creative Houses, integrated business units that now combine production and publishing, thus unifying the relationship with the player.
Each is structured around a clearly defined genre and brand, with full accountability and financial management, led by dedicated management teams. This is a radical approach, relying on a more decentralized creative organization, faster decision-making and cutting-edge transversal basic services to support and accompany each Creative House.
In order to place Creation Studios in the best conditions for success, we have decided to refocus our portfolio thanks to a significantly revised three-year roadmap and to accelerate our cost reduction initiatives to optimize the size of the organization. We will abandon several projects currently in development and grant additional time to certain games, in order to ensure better quality and maximize their long-term value. We will also selectively close several studios and continue restructuring within the Group.
Although these decisions are difficult, they are necessary to build a more focused, more efficient and more sustainable organization in the long term. Together, these measures mark a decisive turning point for Ubisoft and demonstrate our determination to meet the challenges head on in order to restructure the Group for the future. This strategic refocusing will have a significant impact on the Group’s short-term financial trajectory, particularly during the 2026 and 2027 financial years.
However, this reset will strengthen the Group and enable it to renew itself through sustainable growth and strong cash generation. Ubisoft is entering a new phase, designed to reclaim creative leadership and create value for players and stakeholders over the long term.”
Yves Guillemot, CEO of Ubisoft
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