Developer Evil Empire has unveiled a sizable 2026 spring roadmap for The Rogue Prince of Persia, highlighted by the upcoming Breathless update
which is scheduled to arrive with a public beta around the end of March. The update aims to make the experience quicker, more intense, and faster-paced. Changes include a major rework of the first hour’s pacing—adjusting when and how players unlock new game content and mechanics—as well as adjustments to boss difficulty.
The Breathless Update and 2026 Roadmap
Level designs for the first few biomes are being reworked to highlight the iconic wall-run move, making each biome both quicker and tougher. For veteran players, the update introduces a new Freeze element alongside a new weapon: the slingshot. Additionally, the update adds combat arenas that lock players in until they defeat wave after wave of enemies, alongside new weapon affixes designed to give players difficult choices and make every weapon that appears in a run much more interesting and varied.
Milestones and Industry Recognition
Reflecting on the previous year, Evil Empire noted that 2025 was a significant period for the action platformer. The game graduated from Early Access and increased its Steam review score from 70% upon early access release to 88%. Alongside its PC availability on Steam via Sportskeeda, the title has successfully launched on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms, drawing close to 1 million players.
The game has also gathered critical attention early in 2026, securing a spot on the BAFTA awards longlist and receiving four nominations at the French game awards ceremony PEGASUS, including a nomination for best game. Following the awards season, vinyl and physical collector editions are also on the way.
Core Gameplay and Progression Systems
Published by source4game.com, The Rogue Prince of Persia merges the fast, acrobatic parkour of the classic franchise with a replayable roguelike structure. Players navigate procedurally generated stages and dangerous biomes while defending Persia from a magical Hun invasion. Movement integrates directly into combat, allowing the Prince to run along walls, vault over enemies, and chain attacks into acrobatic combos.
When the Prince falls during a run, he awakens at the Oasis hub. Through persistent roguelite progression, players utilize items collected during attempts to unlock new weapons, strengthen their character, and upgrade abilities via a meta-progression skill tree and the Memory Board, which tracks narrative discoveries and interactions.
Weapons and Arsenal Overview
Players can discover a variety of weapons across multiple runs by exploring equipment chests. Once obtained, items can be forged through the blacksmith Sukhra’s workshop to ensure they appear in future runs. The available weapon types include:
- Double Daggers: The default starter weapon offering fast dual attacks with lower damage output.
- Broadsword: A slower double-handed sword featuring a devastating uppercut move.
- Royal Sword: A lighter, one-handed sword balancing damage and speed.
- Tabard: A heavy axe that sacrifices speed for solid damage output.
- Whirling Spear: A mid-range weapon that the Prince twirls around while attacking.
- Javelin: A one-handed weapon with good reach that pierces through foes when thrown and automatically returns a few seconds later.
- Bagh Nakh (Claws): Tiger claws designed for super-quick, short-range slashes suited for agile playstyles.
- Falcata: A one-handed, faster yet weaker variant of the Royal Sword.
