The producer of Ubisoft’s new Prince Of Persia game has announced that the popular PoP: Sands Of Time chronology-bending mechanic is dead. 

Speaking at the publisher’s Ubidays product showcase in Paris last night, Ben Mattes revealed that a new gameplay device has replaced it in the new Prince Of Persa: a glamorous new sidekick called Elika. 

Mattes said that he recognised that Sands Of Time “raised the bar” for the PoP catalogue – and that ending the franchise and its most famous gameplay element was “certainly one of the more controversial decisions we took”. 

He revealed that the protagonist in the new game will begin life as “a wanderer; an adventurer”, who gradually discovers his destiny is to “save the world”. 

Calling the title “a restart for the series”, Mattes said he was certain that the inclusion of Elika “would surpass” the Sands Of Time mechanic.  He promised the crowd: "Elika is not going to be a burden. She's always going to be a positive. Not only is she making the game better but she's not making the game worse, which is very important to us." 

Mattes added that Prince Of Persia is due for a ‘Holiday’ release in Europe and the US.

A movie of Sands Of time is currently in production under the guidance of Jerry Bruckheimer in the US.