Ubisoft spent years grinding away on the project, and the cancellation may end up hitting more than the game itself – it could seriously derail one of the voice actors involved.

The cancellation of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake was devastating news. It was especially devastating for those who worked on the game, including voice actor Eman Ayaz. Ayaz called the cancellation the most shocking moment of his career. Ayaz didn’t hear about the cancellation from Ubisoft but from his brother, who asked him about it after reading news of Ubisoft’s restructuring last week. Before that, everything was fine. Ayaz said he had spent the past few months filming marketing materials for the game, and the team was looking forward to its release later this year. The cancellation came as a complete shock. Ayaz felt that being cast in the role was recognition of his talent. He sincerely believes that it was the best performance of his career, but now no one will ever see it.

“Three years ago, I booked a life-changing role in a life-changing project. The audition process was rigorous and included a self-tape audition, an in-person callback, and a chemistry read for which I had to fly out of the city. When I got the role, I remember crying my eyes out. I’ve dedicated the last three years of my life to this project, getting to know the team that has become like a family to me. I’ve watched it grow through countless stages of development, waiting and waiting for the day it would finally be released so I could talk about it.

It snuffs out the audience’s opportunity to experience fresh, creative ventures and respond to daring ideas because we’ve assumed their disinterest before giving them the opportunity to react. At times like these, marginalized stories are often the first to be cut because they’re considered nonessential. Sadly, the entertainment industry is not just about entertainment. It’s about guaranteeing cash flow. This means making decisions that treat people’s lives as collateral damage and art as disposable content. So many talented artists have devoted countless hours of their lives to making this happen. That doesn’t just disappear. It will be in our hearts forever, corny as that sounds. This project taught me what I’m capable of. It showed me true joy, passion, kinship, and artistry. I’m going to keep those things with me forever. They will serve as the flame to keep me going,” said Ayaz.

Unfortunately, applying for a visa to work in the United States is no longer possible, as Ayaz is a Canadian citizen. He is still bound by a confidentiality agreement, so he cannot discuss the project’s details or share his work publicly. “It’s as if it never existed,” he says. A leading role in a big production can launch a career because, as we’ve seen many times, the more work we do, the more work we get.

Source: PCGamer