An actress spent three years on the Prince of Persia remake. She found out it was cancelled on the internet.

Actress Eman Ayaz has described the cancellation of Ubisoft's Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake as the 'most devastating moment of her career.' Ayaz, who worked on the game for three years in a life-changing role, said she found out the project was shut down through the internet.

A personal and professional toll

In a video message, Ayaz detailed her experience without explicitly naming the project, though the connection is clear. "Three years ago I booked a life-changing role on a life-changing project," she said. "And this week, I found out through the internet that the project was canceled."

Ayaz explained the shock of the news, noting she had filmed marketing material for the game just two months prior. "It was the best performance of my career, and now no one will ever see it," she said. The cancellation has also had practical consequences, preventing her from using the high-profile role to apply for a U.S. work visa, a significant career step.

The troubled remake

The news comes after Ubisoft cancelled its Prince of Persia remake, a project with a long and difficult development history. First announced in 2020, the game was rebooted in early 2023. In its official statement, Ubisoft told fans it couldn't reach the required quality level.

"We weren't able to reach the level of quality you deserve," the company said, "and continuing would have required more time and investment than we could responsibly commit." The decision was part of a broader company restructure amid reports of a massive exodus of talent.

Collateral damage

Ayaz, who is of Pakistani heritage, spoke about the difficulty of finding space in the industry as a marginalised actor. "It's like you think you had your foot on a ledge, and it's crumbled. And you have to start again, and it's just as steep."

Her experience puts a human face on the business realities of game development. "Sadly the entertainment industry isn't just about entertainment, it's about guaranteeing a cash flow," Ayaz concluded. "And that means making decisions that treat people's lives as collateral damage, and art as disposable content." Despite the cancellation, other titles in the franchise continue, such as the recent launch of Rogue Prince of Persia.

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