Evil Empire

Evil Empire is a French video-game development studio based in Bordeaux. The company is associated with the development of additional content for Dead Cells and with The Rogue Prince of Persia, a roguelike platform game published by Ubisoft. Its work is characterized by a focus on fast, responsive two-dimensional action, movement-driven level design, repeatable runs, and systems that allow players to refine a character and equipment over successive attempts. The studio became known through its work on downloadable content for Dead Cells, the action-platformer created by Motion Twin. That experience placed Evil Empire within the modern independent and mid-sized development ecosystem built around procedurally structured levels, demanding combat, and long-term post-launch support. Rather than treating downloadable content as isolated additions, its Dead Cells work helped establish a connection between the studio and a broader design approach centered on replayability and mechanically precise play. Evil Empire subsequently developed The Rogue Prince of Persia in cooperation with Ubisoft. The project reinterprets the Prince of Persia property through a roguelike structure instead of presenting a conventional linear platform adventure. Players control an unnamed Prince who uses parkour, acrobatic combat, melee and ranged weapons, procedural environments, and a time-related revival premise to defend Ctesiphon from a Hun invasion. The game includes a hub known as the Oasis, upgrade systems, collectible medallions, changing equipment, and a Memory Board that tracks interactions with supporting characters. The project was announced in April 2024 and entered Steam Early Access later that month after a short postponement prompted by the surprise launch of Hades II. Evil Empire said the delay would give the competing title an initial head start and provide a more suitable beginning for its own Early Access program. The initial version contained the first of three planned acts. A second act was added in November 2024, expanding the story and playable content during development. The completed version launched for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on August 20, 2025, followed by Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 releases on December 16, 2025. The studio's positioning combines recognizable entertainment properties with independent-style mechanical experimentation. In The Rogue Prince of Persia, it retained key Prince of Persia characteristics such as rapid traversal, acrobatics, combat, and traps while adapting them to a run-based format. The team considered a small-scale time-reversal mechanic inspired by the series' earlier time-manipulation concepts but removed it because it disrupted combat rhythm. The resulting product was positioned as an accessible but challenging roguelike platformer, intended to welcome players unfamiliar with the format while still rewarding experienced action-game players.

Evil Empire is a video-game developer from Bordeaux, France. Publicly available descriptions associate the studio with the development of downloadable content for Dead Cells and with later work on The Rogue Prince of Persia. Its documented creative identity is closely connected to two-dimensional action games that combine demanding combat with agile traversal and replayable or procedurally arranged environments. The studio's Dead Cells work placed it in the production and support ecosystem surrounding one of the best-known modern action-platform games. The relevant work involved additional content rather than a wholly separate franchise, giving Evil Empire experience in extending an established game's mechanics, world, and player community. This background is reflected in the studio's later approach to The Rogue Prince of Persia, which also emphasizes repeatable runs, evolving equipment, challenging encounters, and movement as a central part of play. For The Rogue Prince of Persia, Evil Empire worked with Ubisoft, the owner and publisher of the Prince of Persia property. The studio pitched the game while Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown was still in development. Although the new title was not connected narratively to the other games, the developers identified several franchise characteristics to retain: fast movement, acrobatic combat, and environments built around traps and traversal. They coordinated with The Lost Crown's development team so that the two projects would remain distinct. The resulting design placed an unnamed Prince in and around Ctesiphon, where he must resist an army of possessed soldiers commanded by the Hun leader Nogai. The game uses procedural level generation and a roguelike progression structure. A magical artifact enables the Prince to return to the Oasis after death, while weapons, medallions, coins, potions, and skill improvements provide persistent or run-based progression. The Memory Board records interactions with supporting characters and can reveal information about levels and secrets. The development process included experimentation with a limited time-reversal feature. The idea would have allowed players to undo small combat or traversal mistakes and would have echoed the time manipulation associated with earlier Prince of Persia games. Evil Empire abandoned the mechanic after determining that it interrupted the intended rhythm of combat. This decision illustrates the studio's emphasis on fluid movement and continuous action over adding a direct reference to a familiar series feature. The game was announced at the Triple-i Initiative showcase in April 2024. Its originally planned May 14 Steam Early Access date was shifted after Hades II launched unexpectedly on May 6. Evil Empire openly acknowledged the competitive timing and chose to let Hades II establish itself before beginning its own Early Access campaign. The first public build contained one of three planned acts. The Second Act update arrived in November 2024, adding a substantial portion of the intended game during ongoing development. The Rogue Prince of Persia completed its Early Access period with a multi-platform launch on August 20, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S. Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 versions followed on December 16, 2025. Review aggregation reported generally favorable reception. Coverage highlighted the relationship between traversal and combat, while some criticism argued that the game was less distinctive than leading competitors in the crowded roguelike market. The title nevertheless established Evil Empire's role as a developer capable of translating a major legacy property into an independent-style, mechanically focused format.

• 2025

  The Rogue Prince of Persia receives its full release

  [1]The Rogue Prince of Persiaen.wikipedia.org

  The completed game launches on PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S.

• 2025

  Nintendo platform versions launch

  [1]The Rogue Prince of Persiaen.wikipedia.org

  The game becomes available on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.

• 2024

  The Rogue Prince of Persia is announced

  [1]The Rogue Prince of Persiaen.wikipedia.org

  Evil Empire announces its roguelike interpretation of the Prince of Persia franchise during the Triple-i Initiative showcase.

• 2024

  Early Access launch is delayed

  [1]The Rogue Prince of Persiaen.wikipedia.org

  The planned May 14 Steam Early Access release is moved to a later date after the surprise launch of Hades II.

• 2024

  The Rogue Prince of Persia enters Early Access

  [1]The Rogue Prince of Persiaen.wikipedia.org

  The game begins its public development period with the first of three planned acts available.

• 2024

  The Second Act update is released

  [1]The Rogue Prince of Persiaen.wikipedia.org

  The November update adds the second planned act and expands the Early Access build.

An independent-style French game developer focused on highly responsive 2D action, parkour, procedural replayability, and post-launch content, including projects based on established entertainment properties.

• Video-game downloadable content

  Dead Cells downloadable content

  Evil Empire is identified as a co-developer of downloadable content for Dead Cells. These additions extended the action-platform game's playable content and contributed to the studio's reputation for working on demanding, replayable two-dimensional combat experiences. Specific individual expansion titles are not enumerated in the supplied reference material.

• Roguelike platform video game · 2024

  The Rogue Prince of Persia

  A two-dimensional roguelike platform game developed by Evil Empire and published by Ubisoft. It follows an unnamed Prince defending Ctesiphon from a Hun invasion. Its core systems combine parkour, wall-running, pole swinging, melee and ranged combat, procedural levels, changing weapon loadouts, medallion-based augmentation, and a revival loop that returns the player to the Oasis after death. The game was developed through Steam Early Access before its full multi-platform release.

• 2025

  Release The Rogue Prince of Persia in fullProduct launch

  Background

  After its Early Access development period, the game was ready for a completed release on major console and PC platforms.

  Action taken

  The full version launched on PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on August 20, followed by Nintendo platforms in December.

  Aftermath

  The game received generally favorable aggregate reviews, with praise for its movement and combat alongside criticism that it did not sufficiently distinguish itself within the roguelike market.

  Source

• 2024

  Begin The Rogue Prince of Persia through Early AccessProduct launch

  Background

  Evil Empire planned to develop the game publicly and use Early Access to expand a title that was designed around three acts.

  Action taken

  The studio released an initial build containing one act, with additional content planned during development.

  Aftermath

  The second act arrived in November 2024, followed by the completed release in 2025.

  Source

• 2024

  Postpone the Early Access release after Hades II's surprise launchStrategy

  Background

  Hades II was unexpectedly released shortly before Evil Empire's planned Early Access date, creating an unfavorable launch window for another high-profile roguelike.

  Action taken

  Evil Empire delayed The Rogue Prince of Persia and stated that giving Hades II a head start was the fairest and most sensible approach.

  Aftermath

  The game proceeded into Early Access later in May 2024 and continued receiving planned content updates.

  Source

• 2024

  Add the second act during Early AccessGeneration change

  Background

  The initial Early Access version represented only the first of three planned acts.

  Action taken

  Evil Empire released The Second Act update in November, expanding the game's story and playable scope.

  Aftermath

  The update marked a major step toward the full version released in 2025.

  Source

1. 1The Rogue Prince of Persiaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Evil Empire official websiteevilempirestudio.com