Assassins Creed: as a gamer, you must be aware of this name, right? The critically acclaimed action-adventure game that has been developed by Ubisoft chances, you must have played it once in your lifetime! However, do you know this franchise was supposed to be a part of the Prince of Persia franchise as a spin-off? However, later, the plans were changed, and the Assassin’s Creed franchise started as a separate continuity from the Prince of Persia series.
Eventually, Ubisoft scrapped this series, to be precise, the Sands of Time trilogy and solely focused on Assassins Creed. Now you are wondering why suddenly there was a change in the plans. Well, for that, we first need to see why Ubisoft decided to scrap the Sands of Time Trilogy because both are interconnected in this aspect.
Why Ubisoft decided to end the critically acclaimed Sands of Time trilogy?
Even though Ubisoft never publicly stated the proper reason for ending this trilogy, as came up by insiders and various gaming experts, it is mainly due to the right issues. The rights of the Prince of Persia franchise were initially not owned by Ubisoft; actually, it was owned by Jordan Mechner, the man who created the concept. So, every time Ubisoft used this IP for merchandise or video games, they had to pay a significant amount to Jordan as a royalty fee.
This was creating problems for the company as they felt that the royalty fee was too much; this is why they started to consider an alternative for this franchise by new series or spin-offs. This is why Assassin’s Creed came into the picture as a spin-off for the Prince of Persia franchise.
How Assassin’s Creed came into the picture through the Prince of Persia franchise
Patrice Desilets, one of the creative directors of the Prince of Persia series after the release of Sands of Time, has grown frustrated that the series always focuses on the protagonist being a prince. He wanted to create some different people as a lead character for the franchise, one who isn’t affiliated with royal heritage in any sort of. Then he remembered a book he read which was about a secret society where a group of people described themselves as Asasiyun.
This is how the thought to create a game in the Prince of Persia franchise, which will revolve around Assassins came upon. Ubisoft, to dodge the royalty fees to Jordan Mechner, immediately picked up this idea as a spin-off. However, little did they know that this spin-off was about to create their own identity and become one of the prized possessions of the company.
How Assassin’s creed separated from the Prince of Persia franchise
The main story of Assassin’s Creed was supposed to be an Assassin looking after a baby prince. The title of the game during that time was Prince of Persia: Assassins. However, Patrick Desilets and his team were keener to bring out the story of Assassins rather than the prince. In this process, during the development of the game, slowly and slowly, the prince became less important, and the Assassin became the major focus.
They also managed to convince Ubisoft that the direction they are undertaking is correct. Soon, the story scrapped the connection with the Prince of Persia series, and the Assassins became an independent story. The title of Prince of Persia: Assassins changed to Assassins Creed. Finally, in 2007 Assassin’s Creed got launched in PlayStation Xbox 3 and PC as a new franchise of Ubisoft. Now, another question defiantly lurking in your mind that how this franchise became big, especially rivalling the success of the Prince of Persia franchise.
How did Assassin’s Creed get popular?
One of the main reasons why this franchise got popular is due to its theme which is heavily different from the Prince of Persia franchise. The main theme of this game is historical events in various periods but with the twist of science fiction. Another is the diversified settings of the game. In the Prince of Persia franchise, the main setting was always ancient Persia with no scope to go outside of it. However, in this franchise, the games are set in different periods and different cities, starting from 18th century America to Ancient era Rome to the medieval era Arab World.
The open-world approach of this game was the reason why this became immersive and popular among gamers, and it soon overtook Prince of Persia in terms of popularity. Besides, the lore of the game is also rich, especially due to it is based on historical roots and presents various real-life historical characters like Leonardo Da Vinci in a completely new fashion, something which was never seen in the Prince of Persia franchise.
The popularity of the franchise due to this reason has led it to sell more than 200 copies worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing gaming franchises on the likes of GTA, Batman Arkham series, Far Cry etc. However, another question is definitely in your mind: what is the current state of Prince of Persia? Is it being continued or not amid the success of Assassin’s Creed?
The Current State of the Prince of Persia franchise
After the end of the Sands of Time trilogy and the backdrop of the success of Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft, however, decided to continue both franchises in the same boat. In 2008, Prince of Persia: The Fallen King was released, which was a reboot of the franchise; the game was met with positive reviews; however, the sales didn’t match the expectations Ubisoft had.
The second game of this reboot series, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, was released in 2010; however, in terms of sales and review, this was a disappointment in both fields, which also led Ubisoft to abandon this franchise for 14 years. In 2024, another attempt to reboot the Prince of Persia franchise was made through the game Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown; however, despite this game having a positive review, the sales failed miserably, and it was Ubisoft’s own fault to know more about it this article can give you more information.
FAQ
Why did Ubisoft scrap the Sands of Time trilogy?
Ubisoft scrapped the Sands of Time trilogy primarily due to the high royalty fees associated with the Prince of Persia. These fees, paid to the creator Jordan Mechner, made it financially challenging for Ubisoft to continue the series.
How did Assassin’s Creed originate as a spin-off of Prince of Persia?
Patrice Desilets, a creative director at Ubisoft, envisioned a game focused on a secret society of Assassins. This idea, combined with the desire to avoid royalty fees, led to the creation of Assassin’s Creed as a spin-off.
Why did Assassin’s Creed become a standalone franchise?
Initially, Assassin’s Creed was conceived as a side story within the Prince of Persia universe. However, as development progressed, the focus shifted towards the Assassins, and the game eventually evolved into a standalone franchise.
What factors contributed to the popularity of Assassin’s Creed?
Several factors contributed to the popularity of Assassin’s Creed, including its unique blend of historical fiction and science fiction, diverse settings, open-world gameplay, and rich lore.
What is the current state of the Prince of Persia?
Despite several attempts at rebooting the franchise, including Prince of Persia: The Fallen King, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, the series has struggled to regain its former popularity. Ubisoft’s focus on Assassin’s Creed has overshadowed the franchise, and its future remains uncertain.
