In February 2012, Mechner announced that he was leading a small independent development group to create a remake of Karateka for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation 3 via PlayStation Network. He anticipated a release in late 2012, later moved to November 2012. The remake concept followed his work for the 2010 film Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. He wanted a new project with a "guerrilla" feel and a much smaller scale than the film. He considered that nearly 30 years after the game's release, he was still being interviewed about Karateka. He envisioned retelling the story without the limitations of the Apple II. He was inspired by the resurgence of small, independent game development in 2010 and 2011, and games such as Limbo that "created a powerful emotional atmosphere within a limited budget and scope".
