Ubisoft is undergoing a major restructuring that has led to the cancellation of the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake and a reported delay of the Black Flag remake. Two whole studios have been closed, too, as the company has performed huge layoffs.
This news, first reported by IGN, comes after many had speculated that both of these remakes were just around the corner. However, it turns out that six projects in total will never see the light of day, including the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time remake. The Black Flag one is presumably still on the way, though it’ll likely be impacted and delayed (alongside several other titles) amid this development.
Two full studios will be closed down: Ubisoft Stockholm, which contributed to Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and Ubisoft Halifax, which focuses on mobile games. Many other studios across the world saw downsizing and staff restructurings, among other changes.
As IGN reports, these changes come amid a shift in Ubisoft’s focus and the implementation of a new development pipeline. The company certainly has seen better days, but perhaps this new approach could result in more high-quality games down the line.
One should hope so, at least, though I’m sorely disappointed by the cancellation of the PoP remake. But, if that means the Black Flag one will end up being better, then perhaps there’s something to be gained here.
