Update (23/10/24): Ubisoft has provided a statement to Push Square regarding development updates about Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.
The statement comes from Abdelhak Elguess, senior producer on the game, and is as follows:
“I am extremely proud of our team’s work and passion at Ubisoft Montpellier to create a game that resonated with players and critics alike, and I am confident in its long-term success. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is now at the end of its Post-Launch roadmap with three free content updates and one DLC that released in September. We are now focusing on making the game available to more players: it was recently launched on Steam and will be available on Mac by this winter. Most of the team members who worked on Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown have shifted to other projects that will benefit from their expertise.
“We know players have a love for this brand and Ubisoft is excited to bring more Prince of Persia experiences in the future.”
A Ubisoft representative confirmed that there have been “no layoffs” in relation to this game or its staff.
The report from Gautoz highlights the transition of the team, stating “most” of the staff who worked on The Lost Crown have “shifted to other projects” within Ubisoft, indicating the disbanding of the group. However, the reassuring news is that nobody has lost their job; they have simply been reassigned to different roles within the publisher’s studios.
It is disheartening to witness such a talented team not being utilized for further developments on The Lost Crown, which has received widespread acclaim. There’s speculation that they could regroup for future side-scrolling titles, but for now, their focus remains on other assignments within Ubisoft.
Looking forward, the next title in the franchise is a remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, which is set to launch in 2026.
Original Story: The side-scrolling Metroidvania Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown launched early in 2024 to strong critical acclaim. However, recent reports suggest it failed to meet Ubisoft’s sales expectations, leading to the disbanding of the team at Ubisoft Montpellier responsible for the game.
This information surfaced from French journalist Gautoz on the YouTube channel ORIGAMI, indicating that the team no longer exists due to disappointing sales numbers.
Furthermore, it appears that their proposal for a sequel, along with additional DLC expansions, has been declined.
Gautoz shared, “I heard or read ‘the best production of my life’ three or four times in one weekend about the development of [Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown]. The team was disbanded by Ubisoft.”
We will reach out to Ubisoft for further comments on this situation and will update this page with any new information.
What are your thoughts on these recent developments? Have you played Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown? Share your opinions in the comments section below!