Prince of Persia and Assassin's Creed among delays and cancellations in huge Ubisoft shake-up

Ubisoft has closed two studios, cancelled six projects and delayed seven more in a massive restructuring project, the company has confirmed.

The move will see two studios, Ubisoft Stockholm and Halifax, both closing, with further restructuring taking place at Ubisoft's Abu Dhabi office, RedLynx, and The Division developer Massive Entertainment.

The only publicly named victim of this move has been the long-awaited remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, a game that has suffered multiple delays since its 2020 unveiling.

Nevertheless, Ubisoft had provided a release window for the game of 1st January-31st March 2026, suggesting that the game was near completion.

Further to the cancellations, several games have been delayed including one unannounced game, widely reported to be a remake of Assassin's Creed Black Flag.

Previously scheduled for release in the next financial year, beginning April 2026, the game will now release during the following financial year.

On the reasons for the cancellations and delays, Ubisoft CFO Frederick Duguet told IGN, "We went through a thorough review of projects across December [and] January, with the current market evolution in mind – which is consistently more selective.

"You've seen the last quarter showing a never-before-seen level of competition. Competition and selection is here to stay.

"When you are coming in number one, number two, with great content quality in a given segment, then you can have a very strong reward in terms of player reception and financial performance.

"That's what really informed our pipeline review. We selected what would be the best projects to put the Creative Houses in the best position to succeed in that market."

The 'Creative Houses' Duguet mentions refers to the company splitting itself into five independent business units.

The first, and most important of these, covers the development of Ubisoft's three biggest brands: Assassin's Creed, Far Cry and Rainbow Six.

The second Creative House will cover shooters such as The Division, Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell, while the third will cover live experiences such as For Honor, The Crew, Riders Republic, Brawlhalla and Skull & Bones.

The fourth Creative House will focus on narrative driven and fantasy-oriented games like Anno, Might & Magic, Rayman, Prince of Persia and Beyond Good & Evil.

Lastly, the fifth Creative House will cover family and casual gaming, such as Just Dance, Uno, Hasbro, Idle Miner Tycoon, Ketchapp, Hungry Shark and Invincible: Guarding the Globe.

Further changes to the company include an upcoming slew of layoffs, and a mandate for employees to return to the office five days a week, with an annual allowance of remote-working days.

On the long-term effects of the restructuring, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot wrote a statement to accompany the announcement:

"The portfolio refocus will have a significant impact on the Group's short term financial trajectory, particularly in fiscal years 2026 and 2027, but this reset will strengthen the Group and enable it to renew with sustainable growth and robust cash generation.

"Ubisoft is entering a new phase – one designed to reclaim creative leadership and build value for players and stakeholders over the long term."

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