Ubisoft is no longer working on Immortals Fenyx Rising sequel

Insider Gaming's sources

, who had internally playtested the game, were left "surprised and confused" by the cancellation as they felt the game was progressing well. The project was reportedly about 18 months from its potential release, with development having started in 2021, a few months after the release of the original game.

This cancellation speaks to a broader shift in Ubisoft's strategy after successive years of disappointing sales. In January, the company announced that it canceled three other unannounced games. The company has been refocusing its resources on strengthening its most prominent titles like Assassin's Creed series. Ubisoft is currently developing at least six games under the Assassin's Creed brand, including the highly-anticipated Assassin's Creed Mirage, scheduled to launch later this year.

The move to prioritize flagship franchises may be a practical one, considering the business performance of Immortals Fenyx Rising. Despite its "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic, and the warm reception from fans, the game failed to achieve the sales numbers of its brethren, Assassin's Creed Valhalla.

For Ubisoft, this recent shift might also be an attempt to maintain relevance in a rapidly evolving gaming landscape. Yet, for many in the gaming community, this move is met with a sigh of disappointment. Fans have expressed frustration over the company's seeming inclination towards prioritizing Free-to-Play, mobile, and live-service games at the expense of original titles and well-loved franchises.

Indeed, the cancelation of Immortals Fenyx Rising's sequel, a game that many saw as a derivative but welcome take on the open-world adventure genre, is disappointing. After all, it often takes a sequel for a game's potential to truly shine.

Ubisoft's decision can be seen as a missed opportunity to diversify its portfolio and foster new narratives. It raises questions about the future of the gaming industry and whether the focus will shift entirely to large, proven franchises, leaving little room for new, innovative IPs.

While it's business as usual for Ubisoft, with several major games still lined up for release for the current fiscal year alone, a discontinuation like that of the Immortals Fenyx Rising sequel may be a precursor for what's to come in an industry where established IP and guaranteed returns often seem to rule the roost.