Download a Forgotten Sands 100% or chapter-by-chapter save game from a trusted source like SaveGameWorld or Nexus Mods.

By capping your performance to match the era the game was built for, or cleanly swapping out your corrupted save file, you can easily conquer the Observatory bug and continue your journey through Azad.

The Observatory puzzle requires the Prince to manipulate a series of massive, rotating platforms to align a celestial mechanism. The bug typically triggers after you successfully align the platforms and activate the core cutscene.

The in Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is one of the most notorious game-breaking glitches in the franchise. It completely freezes progression right after you align the massive astrological machine, trapping the Prince in the room indefinitely.

Many players instinctively hold down the interact button (or the movement key) while rotating the dial. In this bugged state, the game sometimes ignores a "held" input.

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is a memorable entry in the series, but players have long reported an “Observatory bug” that breaks progression in the observatory puzzle sequence. Below is a clear, user-focused guide explaining the bug, its causes, and step‑by‑step fixes for PC and console players — plus prevention tips and a short troubleshooting checklist.

As soon as the game breaks (e.g., when the Prince is supposed to move but gets stuck in the air or a cutscene freezes), trigger the ( key on PC).

Navigate to your save game directory. For Steam users, this is typically located in: C:\Program Files (x86)\Ubisoft\Ubisoft Game Launch\savegames\[Your User ID]\11\

The "Observatory bug" in Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands

Do not use the environment. Do not kick enemies off the edge of the rotating gears. Do not freeze water and let them slip. When you reach the Observatory fight, . Make sure you see the death animation and the sand cloud for each one.

By applying the 60 FPS limit first, you will likely fix the issue.

Search trusted gaming forums (like the Steam Community Hub or Nexus Mods) for "Prince of Persia Forgotten Sands Observatory Save File".

Leave V-Sync turned on for the entirety of your playthrough to prevent physics items from flying across rooms or falling through the map.

: If playing on a system that allows manual slot saves, keep a backup save from the previous level ("The Throne Room"). If you are trying to fix this right now, tell me:

If your save is permanently corrupted, many players download a save file from right after the Observatory puzzle.