Mechner might get back into games

Jordan Mechner, the creator of Prince of Persia, has hinted to IGN that he is working on a new game – but added that he won’t be able to talk about it until next year.

Speaking in an interview discussing the original Prince of Persia and its new Xbox Live Arcade remake, he said "I might be up to some more side-scrolling mischief, but it’s a little too early to talk about it. Ask me again in 2008."

Mechner created Prince of Persia in 1989 – the game was lauded at the time for its animation and art design. Prior to that he designed Karateka. He created another game in 1993 as part of his company Smoking Car Productions, but the title – The Last Express – wasn’t a major commercial success.

Since then his games foray has been as a writer and designer of Ubisoft’s 2004 Persia remake The Sands of Time. He wasn’t involved in that game’s sequels, famously telling Wired the following year that "I’m not a fan of the artistic direction, or the violence that earned it [The Warrior Within] an M rating. The story, character, dialog, voice acting, and visual style were not to my taste." He is, however, involved in the upcoming Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time movie headed by Jerry Bruckheimer.

No other comment was made on whether or not Mechner is partnering with Ubisoft or any other developer or publisher on the new title.