Doomed Prince of Persia remake is being rebooted

Remakes, remasters, reimaginings - the video game world of 2023 is dominated by buzzwords and rehashes. Though many fans complain that they want original titles, it's not originals they're spending their money on.

Players love to complain about remakes just as much as they love playing remakes, and now as May's PlayStation Showcase revealed a return to form for Metal Gear Solid in Snake Eater, the model doesn't seem to be going away.

And now, as one new remake has been revealed, another is entering development… yet again. Let us explain, as the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake is apparently being remade.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is going back to the drawing board

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The remake of 2003's Prince of Persia: The Sand of Time has been in the works for some time now, after having been delayed and even having its development team changed entirely. The game is confirmed as back "in the conception phase" by a new blog post and FAQ from its developers Ubisoft Montreal.

The cult-classic game has been hoping to come back to the spotlight for some time, but even though there are some fair concerns for its state, we've been reassured that it's "very much alive" - but it's taken a step back. "In terms of the development stage, we're in conception right now," says producer Jean-Francois Naud.

"Since we took over the project, we've been looking at feedback from the community and finding our own way of delivering the game. Now, we're building up the team, defining the priorities, putting prototypes together, testing elements, and looking at how we can include community feedback in the development as well.

"It's still in an early stage, and players should not expect to hear more about the game this year, but rest assured that we're all putting our strengths and heart into this project."

Ubisoft Montreal is "pretty blessed" to be remaking Sands of Time

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Speaking on the return to the game for Ubisoft Montreal, Naud adds that the team feels very grateful to have been trusted to bring The Sands of Time back to life. "We're pretty blessed. I was at the studio at that time [of the original game's release]; you had Rainbow Six, Splinter Cell, and right after that, there was Prince of Persia.

"That was an exciting time, obviously, for the studio. It was a moment where we were recognized for our creativity not just by players, but the gaming community as well – game developers across the world saying, 'There's something happening in Montreal!'"

The Sands of Time remake is still coming regardless of where it is in development - though the news of its return to the conception phase has worried some fans. We've seen what development hell looks like, and we're praying that the Prince doesn't succumb to it.