After years of silence and uncertainty, Prince of Persia fans finally got their first real look at the Sands of Time remake through an unexpected leak. A nearly ten-minute internal Ubisoft presentation from early 2024 surfaced on November 24, 2025, revealing motion capture footage, alpha gameplay shots, concept art, and detailed slides about the game’s direction. The most striking revelation is how dramatically Princess Farah’s role has evolved from a character who needed constant protection to a combat-capable ally.
What the Leaked Presentation Revealed
The leaked footage appeared on YouTube uploaded by user Violet_Leman before being taken down following a copyright claim from Ubisoft. However, the video stayed online long enough for gaming outlets to capture and report its contents. This wasn’t a polished marketing piece but rather an internal presentation deck meant for development teams or leadership, making it an incredibly rare glimpse into the project’s evolution.
The presentation includes character bios, gameplay philosophy slides, enemy roster concepts, weapon designs, and early footage showing how various systems work together. Based on timestamps and references within the slides, this material comes from Q1 2024, meaning it represents the game’s state approximately a year and a half ago when Ubisoft Montreal was rebuilding the project from scratch.
Farah’s Complete Character Overhaul
One of the most significant changes centers on Princess Farah, who gets a complete reimagining in this remake. According to the leaked character bio, she’s now described as a 19-year-old who is cold-hearted, graceful, and strong-willed. She’s the eldest child of the Maharajah who rules India, was tutored by the Vizier, and is both an agile trained archer and educated royal.
The presentation explicitly states that Farah is not a playable character in the main campaign, but she’s absolutely central to both story and gameplay. Most importantly, the slides declare there is no longer a need to protect her. This represents a massive departure from the 2003 original, where players constantly had to ensure Farah’s safety during combat encounters, often finding it frustrating when she took damage.
Instead, Farah now functions as a true combat ally who fights independently with her bow and executes cooperative attacks alongside the Prince. Players can target enemies and direct Farah to shoot them, similar to how Atreus works in God of War. She also helps solve environmental puzzles by using her bow to trigger mechanisms or clear paths, making her an active participant rather than a liability.
Modernized Combat System
Combat has received a complete overhaul to blend familiar acrobatic attacks with new advanced moves. The classic time powers return with enhanced functionality, offering wider arrays of options during battles. Players can still rewind time to undo mistakes, slow time to gain advantages, stop time entirely, or unleash a mighty freezing power that locks enemies in place while the Prince delivers rapid strikes.
The presentation mentions that the combat system and enemies have been revamped with new ways to defeat opponents and improved boss fights. The leaked slides show concept art for a 12-enemy roster including combatants with names like Servant, Shield Guard, and Blacksmith, each presumably requiring different tactical approaches.
What makes this system particularly interesting is how it integrates Farah’s abilities. The cooperative attack mechanics mean players must think strategically about positioning both characters, using the Prince’s melee skills and time manipulation alongside Farah’s ranged support. This duo-focused design extends beyond combat into puzzle-solving and traversal.
Enhanced Platforming and World Design
Platforming remains central to the experience, with Ubisoft promising high-fidelity character control that allows players to maintain control while airborne. The movement system emphasizes grace and fluidity through complex and perilous environments filled with traps and collapsing elements that require agile responses.
Cooperative acrobatic moves let the Prince and Farah help each other progress through levels, leveraging her unique movement skills to reach areas neither could access alone. The presentation confirms the world has been rebuilt from the ground up and expanded with two brand-new locations beyond what existed in the original 2003 game.
The puzzle design leans heavily into time manipulation, physics, and new environmental elements to broaden possibilities. Many challenges are specifically designed as duo experiences where players coordinate with Farah’s unique environmental interactions, particularly her ability to use her bow in creative ways to activate distant mechanisms or remove obstacles.
| Feature | Original (2003) | Remake (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Farah’s Role | Needed constant protection | Independent fighter and ally |
| Combat Style | Solo acrobatic combat | Cooperative duo attacks |
| Time Powers | Basic rewind, slow, stop | Enhanced with freezing attacks |
| World Size | Original palace layout | Rebuilt plus 2 new locations |
| Puzzle Design | Solo time manipulation | Duo coordination challenges |
The Troubled Development History
This remake has endured one of gaming’s most turbulent development cycles. Announced in September 2020 after two and a half years of work at Ubisoft Pune and Ubisoft Mumbai, it was initially planned for January 2021 release. The reveal trailer received harsh criticism for its dated visuals and lack of polish, leading to multiple delays throughout 2021.
In May 2022, Ubisoft made the dramatic decision to move development entirely to Ubisoft Montreal, the studio that created the beloved 2003 original. Montreal essentially started from scratch with new animations, revised combat, updated parkour mechanics, and a more realistic art style. Ubisoft Toronto joined the project in 2024 to provide additional support.
For years, Ubisoft offered only vague statements about the game being in deep development, leading many fans to assume the project was stuck in development hell or potentially cancelled. The company’s latest financial reports confirm the remake targets release before March 31, 2026, with recent insider reports narrowing that window to mid-January 2026.
Expected Release Timeline
According to Insider Gaming sources, Ubisoft is targeting a mid-January 2026 release for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC. This timing places it exactly five years after the originally planned January 2021 launch date, though the final product will be dramatically different from what those Indian studios initially created.
Multiple sources believe Ubisoft will officially reveal the game at The Game Awards on December 11, 2025, which would provide the perfect high-profile platform to showcase how much the project has evolved. Such a reveal would likely include a polished trailer showing modernized graphics, the new combat system, and Farah’s enhanced role, potentially with a firm release date announcement.
The January timing makes strategic sense for Ubisoft. It’s typically a quiet period for major game releases, allowing Prince of Persia to avoid competition from holiday blockbusters while capitalizing on post-holiday gaming budgets. Given the company’s recent financial struggles and need for successful releases, giving this remake room to breathe could maximize its commercial potential.
Community Reactions to the Leak
Fan responses to the leaked presentation have been cautiously optimistic. Many players appreciate the modernization of Farah’s character, viewing it as a necessary evolution that respects contemporary game design sensibilities. The shift from escort mission frustration to cooperative partnership addresses one of the original game’s most commonly criticized aspects.
However, some longtime fans express concerns about whether the remake might stray too far from the original’s identity. The 2003 Sands of Time had a specific tone and pacing that made it special, and there’s worry that adding too many modern mechanics could dilute that magic. The challenge for Ubisoft Montreal is honoring the source material while making necessary improvements for modern audiences.
The quality of what little alpha footage appeared in the presentation has generated positive buzz. While clearly early and unpolished, the clips show fluid movement and suggest Ubisoft Montreal is capturing the acrobatic essence that defined the original trilogy. If the team can maintain that feel while layering in meaningful improvements, this remake could justify its extended development cycle.
FAQs
When will Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake be released?
Based on insider reports and Ubisoft’s financial guidance, the remake is targeting mid-January 2026 for release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC. An official announcement with the exact date is expected at The Game Awards on December 11, 2025.
Is Farah a playable character in the remake?
According to the leaked presentation, Farah is not playable in the main campaign. However, some earlier reports suggested she might be playable during specific story segments, such as when the Prince loses consciousness after falling from a damaged bridge. Her primary role is as an AI-controlled ally who fights alongside the Prince.
Will the remake have the same story as the original?
The core story appears intact, following the Prince and Farah as they deal with the consequences of releasing the Sands of Time. However, the presentation emphasizes modernizing Farah’s character to give her more agency, depth, wants, needs, and desires beyond her role in the original, suggesting the narrative will be expanded and refined.
What platforms will the remake be available on?
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake is confirmed for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC. There’s currently no indication it will release on last-generation consoles like PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, as Ubisoft Montreal is building it specifically for current-generation hardware.
How much will the remake cost?
Ubisoft hasn’t announced pricing yet. Standard AAA remakes typically retail for between 40 and 60 dollars depending on scope. Given the extensive rebuilding and modernization Ubisoft Montreal has done, it will likely be priced as a full-priced release at 60 dollars or regional equivalent.
Will the other Sands of Time trilogy games get remade?
Nothing has been announced regarding Warrior Within or The Two Thrones. Ubisoft is likely waiting to see how the Sands of Time remake performs commercially and critically before committing to additional projects in the series. Success could pave the way for the entire trilogy to receive the remake treatment.
Why did development move from India to Canada?
The original reveal trailer in 2020 received overwhelmingly negative feedback about its visual quality and apparent lack of polish. Ubisoft decided to move development to Ubisoft Montreal, the creator of the original 2003 game, believing they had the expertise and institutional knowledge necessary to properly reimagine this beloved classic.
How reliable is this leaked presentation?
The fact that Ubisoft issued a copyright takedown to remove the video strongly suggests the materials are legitimate internal documents. However, the presentation is from Q1 2024, meaning it represents the game’s state nearly two years before release. Many elements could have changed during continued development, so fans should treat these details as informative but not necessarily final.
What This Means for Ubisoft and Prince of Persia
This remake represents a critical moment for both Ubisoft and the Prince of Persia franchise. The company has struggled recently with cancelled projects, delayed releases, and financial pressures. A successful launch in January 2026 could provide much-needed momentum and demonstrate that Ubisoft Montreal can still deliver exceptional single-player experiences.
For Prince of Persia as a franchise, this remake is essentially a second chance after the disastrous 2020 reveal. If Ubisoft nails the execution with fluid parkour, satisfying combat, meaningful improvements to Farah’s character, and a faithful recreation of the original’s magical atmosphere, it could reignite interest in a series that’s been dormant for too long. The leaked presentation suggests the development team understands what made Sands of Time special while recognizing what needs updating for modern sensibilities. All eyes now turn to December 11, when fans hope to finally see this long-awaited remake in action.