Archive notice: This article was originally published on June 12, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest manufacturers and publishers of computer and video games, unveiled the first trailer and details for Prince of Persia, the latest adventure in the successful game series. For the first time, the Prince is coming to next-generation platforms. Prince of Persia has been in development for more than three years and is being created by the same all-star team that produced the previous Prince of Persia® Sands of Time trilogy. The game opens an entirely new chapter in the Prince of Persia universe and offers a fresh illustrative visual style, an expanded combat system, an open game world and dynamic artificial intelligence. The latter will be especially evident in Elika, the Prince’s new and powerful companion. Prince of Persia will be released in winter 2008 for Microsoft’s Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and PC. Ubisoft will also release a Prince of Persia game developed specifically for the Nintendo DS™ system. It will feature a completely new story and additional characters. More details will be announced in the near future.
“The Prince of Persia series set new standards in numerous areas of the action-adventure genre,” says Benedikt Schüler, Marketing Director at Ubisoft Germany. “With the new Prince of Persia, we are offering not only a new and profound story, but also an epic and captivating universe that gives players a unique experience and takes the genre to the next level.”
About Prince of Persia:
Prince of Persia is set in a land rooted in ancient Persian mythology. The Prince finds himself in the midst of an epic struggle between the primal forces of light and darkness: Ormazd, the god of light, challenges his brother Ahriman, the destructive god of darkness. The Prince witnesses the legendary Tree of Life being destroyed by this conflict. The entire world now threatens to sink into eternal darkness. This threat manifests itself as a dark substance that permeates and poisons the land and air. The Prince must join forces with his deadly companion Elika to save the world from corruption. The game offers:
· A new, rising hero: Players must master the acrobatics, strategy and combat techniques of the most agile warrior of all time—last-second rescues after breakneck falls from dizzying heights, perfectly timed acrobatic combinations, daring leaps across ravines and buildings, and many other obstacles. The Prince must use all his new abilities to defeat Ahriman’s corrupted generals with a completely new combat system, save the world from corruption and restore the light.
· A new epic journey begins: Players immerse themselves in a new fantasy world of ancient Persia. A skillfully told story and expansive landscapes give Prince of Persia fans a unique gaming experience capable of rivaling the best Hollywood films.
· A new open game world: For the first time in a Prince of Persia game, players are free to determine the direction in which this nonlinear adventure develops. Players decide how the story progresses by choosing their own path.
· A deadly ally: The Prince receives active support from Elika, a dynamic AI companion who comes to his aid in the fight to save the world. She possesses magical powers and supports the player in combat, acrobatic sequences and puzzle solving. This allows the Prince to reach new, higher levels, triggering special acrobatic partner moves and animations as well as powerful combat combinations.
· Everything is new in the next generation: The game series’ debut on next-generation consoles uses Ubisoft’s advanced Anvil engine, which was also used to develop Assassin’s Creed™.
