Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake will now be developed by Ubisoft Montreal instead of Pune/Mumbai

Almost two years after its reveal, the long-awaited Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake has provided an update regarding its troubled development. While the game was originally revealed as being developed at Ubisoft's Indian studios at Pune and Mumbai, it seems the development has shifted back to Ubisoft’s flagship studio in Montreal.

When a remake of the iconic Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was announced at Ubisoft Forward 2020, the reception was mixed. Fans were genuinely excited to see an iconic game being modernized for the current generation but were disappointed by its lackluster visuals that left a lot to be desired.

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Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake shifts studios back to Ubisoft Montreal

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake was originally announced back at Ubisoft Forward 2020, along with titles like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Far Cry 6, and Rainbow Six Extraction (then called Quarantine), with a release date of January 2021.

However, following the backlash due to its less than amicable visuals, the game was delayed multiple times, with the current release window being fiscal year 2022-23, i.e. between April 2022 and March 2023.

It was announced that the game was being developed by Ubisoft Pune and Mumbai, who were known as support studios for titles like Just Dance, Rainbow Six, and Far Cry 6.

However, almost two years after the announcement, Ubisoft has provided an update, stating that the development of the title will be shifting to Ubisoft Montreal, where the title was originally created, and which is known for the current day Assassin's Creed series.

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From Assassin's Creed to Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake, what to expect from Ubisoft Montreal

Originating as a sidescroller in late 1980, Prince of Persia became the iconic, flagship franchise of Ubisoft during the early to mid-2000s. The Sands of Time, Warrior Within, and The Two Thrones from the Sands trilogy, with Forgotten Sands telling the story between the first and the second titles.

The series established nuanced storytelling with time-traveling and a darker tone, which was lacking during the time. The games were known for their tight platforming, parkour, and combat that utilized time-rewind mechanics.

Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft’s current flagship title known for taking players across different time periods, originated as a Prince of Persia spin-off. The first title in the series was being developed as Prince of Persia: Assassins, where the player would have taken the role of an assassin trying to protect the crowned prince of the Persian empire.

However, during the development, it morphed into what is known as the first Assassin’s Creed title, featuring Altair during the crusade.

In recent times, Assassin’s Creed has severely diverted from its origin. The recent titles of Assassin’s Creed are often blamed for filling the map with a slew of checkmark grinding quests to artificially prolong the game's length and fill a full-priced title to the brim with microtransaction.

The series has even diverted from a historically grounded approach to feature a more mythological aspect with godly powers, which, while being fun from a gameplay perspective, does break the lore established by the title.

With the The Sands of Time remake shifting to Montreal, where the series originated, one has to wonder how true the title will stay to its origin. The title is a remake and not a remaster, as such it does lend the opportunity for the developers to tweak gameplay mechanics as seen fit.

Ubisoft has already locked items and features from the original game behind a pre-order bonus, before the game has even reached a playable state.