Ubisoft has plenty of franchises under its umbrella, and some have fared better than others. Assassin's Creed seems to be enjoying continued success whereas Watch Dogs has struggled to find its footing. Prince of Persia is one of the company's most beloved titles, and though the 2008 reboot didn't do much to move the needle, it's a series that still has a lot of potential. As revealed at the recent Summer Game Fest showcase, it's making a return as Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, coming to consoles in 2024 with a 2D design.
It looks to harness the perspective that the original 1989 classic did decades ago and could be the best tide-over until a more high-budget offering hits shelves. Like Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris did for Tomb Raider, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown could be a different option during the wait, and that delay is becoming a long one as the much-anticipated Sands of Time remake is still nowhere to be seen. This is a worry, but if the Prince's 2024 adventure catches fire, it could be a big indicator that the Sands of Time truly is a lost cause.
The Prince of Persia Has Needed a New Start for a While
It's been a long time since Prince of Persia was dominating the action/adventure space. The PlayStation 2 was home to a few great outings, including 2003's The Sands of Time. Assassin's Creed took the reins not long after and implemented some of the parkour elements from the Prince but refined them into a historical fiction that continues to go strong to this day. It's been dormant since 2010's The Forgotten Sands, with no new mainline game in 13 years.
The Lost Crown is returning to the series' roots, as the first game released in 1989 was a 2D platformer with a Metroidvania design. It's continuing a trend that Celeste, Dead Cells, and Sonic Mania have benefited from as there seems to be a resurgence of interest in 2D games, which has spurred plenty of quality experiences from both AAA and indie developers. With The Lost Crown receiving a release date of January 18, 2024, it begs the question of how the remake of The Sands of Time is faring given it was announced so long ago.
The Sands of Time Remake is Long Overdue
The release of The Sands of Time has been significantly delayed, and over time, the project has faded into relative obscurity. It's a project that excited players that were both returning to the story or experiencing it for the first time, but is now synonymous with unrealized expectations. For The Lost Crown to be announced and given a release date before any more updates have been revealed for The Sands of Time is worrying, and if the former succeeds and goes on to be a critical and commercial success, it could be a huge catalyst for people losing interest and patience in The Sands of Time.
In a clear transition phase for The Prince of Persia, experimenting with different ideas makes a lot of sense. Taking the fundamentals of the IP and using different gameplay ideas could give the series new life and help it to stand out among other action/adventure titles, even differentiating it from Assassin's Creed. If the 2D approach that The Lost Crown is using takes off, it could be a strong indicator that The Sands of Time really is a relic of the past.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown launches January 18, 2024, for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.