The Rogue Prince of Persia Early Access delayed to avoid Hades 2 hype

Evil Empire, the studio behind The Rogue Prince of Persia, has announced the game will not enter Steam Early Access on May 14 as originally planned.

Why? Because everyone is playing Hades 2 right now, which recently went into Early Access.

According to the developer, delaying the Early Access launch was the best decision since “everyone and their mum” is playing Hades 2, including the team at Evil Empire.

“While we have every confidence in The Rogue Prince of Persia, it’s not every day that a game in the same genre as you, and is one of the most anticipated upcoming games of 2024, will release into Early Access a week before you plan to do the same,” reads the statement.

“We are not prideful enough to ignore the implications of it, and we truly believe that this short delay is the best decision for us and our Early Access journey. This also lets us keep polishing up the game, add even more cool things, and kick some stubborn bugs out before release.

“The Day One patch was getting pretty hefty, so gaining more time to test it and add more stuff before launch day has considerably lowered the stress levels of our producer and game director already.”

Evil Empire said the game will still be released this month into Early Access, and a precise date will be announced on Monday, May 13.

The Rogue Prince of Persia, a 2D action-platforming rogue-lite, was announced in April. Set in a fictional rendition of Ctesiphon, the capital of the Persian Empire is facing an invasion by the Hun’s army of possessed soldiers, led by Hun chief, Nogai.

As the Prince, you are gifted with a mystical bola that resurrects you each time you die. Attempt after attempt, you must explore different biomes, master new weapons, equip new trinkets, upgrade your gear at the Oasis, and rally allies to save the city from destruction.