Reviving the Legendary Tale of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Summer Game Fest showcased numerous upcoming titles for consoles and PC, filling the void left by the conclusion of E3. The event kicked off with the announcement of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, a new addition to Ubisoft's long-standing franchise that has been absent from the gaming scene for over a decade. Despite the announcement of a remake of The Sands of Time in 2020, no further developments have been revealed, leaving fans eager for more information on what's next. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown offers a fresh take on the series, departing from the familiar third-person action-adventure format and returning to its 2D design roots, reminiscent of the original 1989 game. With the success of quality re-releases, this may pave the way for a remake of the first game in the series.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Goes Back to 2D

Prince of Persia needs to establish its own identity as Assassin's Creed continues to dominate at Ubisoft. While the former franchise influenced the latter, Assassin's Creed is now synonymous with its smooth third-person parkour mechanics, surpassing Prince of Persia in this regard. Despite the long-awaited Sands of Time remake being stuck in development, the announcement of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown has generated excitement among fans, even with its 2D design reminiscent of the franchise's early days rather than its PS2 era. The original Prince of Persia game, released 34 years ago, may not be representative of the series' later iterations, but it still has its merits, with its side-scrolling perspective and simple mechanics keeping players engaged. If The Lost Crown is successful upon its release in January 2024, it may indicate a market for 2D games in the series, and the 1989 debut provides an opportunity to take advantage of the trend of remakes while also adhering to the Prince's new direction.

Remakes are All the Rage in 2023

Improving on past successes seems to be a viable strategy for bringing games to new audiences, as evidenced by the comprehensive remakes of Dead Space, Resident Evil 4, and System Shock slated for release in 2023. Given that Prince of Persia hasn't had an all-new release since 2010's The Forgotten Sands, taking artistic license and building on an existing blueprint rather than starting from scratch could be a smart move for Ubisoft. While there's not much to go on, even simple nods to the original game, like a similar art style or color palette, could evoke a sense of nostalgia among older players. Although the Sands of Time remake won't be ready until later, the series could start from the bottom and build a new legacy by returning to the original game in the meantime.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown launches on January 18, 2024, for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.