Ubisoft has reaffirmed its commitment to a player-focused strategy, emphasizing improvements to game development and addressing the growing issue of online toxicity directed at its developers and games. The company is actively working on changing traditional release practices, including season passes, early access, and prioritizing its own platform over Steam for PC releases. However, this is changing, as evidenced by Assassin’s Creed Mirage‘s Steam release and the upcoming Steam launch of Star Wars Outlaws on November 21, alongside its first DLC.
Kay Vass joined by her small alien companion called Nix in a futuristic city.
In a press release preceding the company’s first-half fiscal year 2025 financial call, CEO Yves Guillemot stated, “Despite recent setbacks, we are deeply transforming Ubisoft to restore the creativity and innovation that fueled our success, while delivering stronger execution and predictability.” He stressed the importance of a player-centric mindset and addressed the need to “tackle the dynamics behind polarized comments around Ubisoft to protect the Group’s reputation and maximize our game’s sales potential.”
This focus on online negativity stems from the significant backlash directed at developers of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, particularly concerning the inclusion of historical Black samurai Yasuke as a main character. Guillemot, in an interview on the Ubisoft website, condemned the “malicious and personal online attacks” targeting Ubisoft employees and partners, urging the industry and players to denounce such hateful acts.
Ubisoft acknowledged the underperformance of Star Wars Outlaws and is actively working on improvements, including hotfixes and updates to enhance stealth gameplay. The company’s most profitable franchises remain Assassin’s Creed and Rainbow Six Siege, with the latter exceeding 3.5 billion euros in revenue, second only to the Assassin’s Creed series. Live service games continue to perform well, with The Crew franchise boasting 8 million active players in the last quarter.
While details on the performance of Skull and Bones were scarce, Ubisoft confirmed the release of its fourth season by the end of 2024. Interestingly, Ubisoft quietly launched the NFT game Champions Tactics this week, marking its return to blockchain technology after the short-lived Quartz platform and NFT cosmetics in Ghost Recon: Breakpoint. However, the financial report made no mention of NFTs, blockchain, or web3.
In conclusion, Ubisoft is prioritizing a player-centric approach, addressing online toxicity, and adapting its release strategies. The company’s focus on improving game quality and fostering a positive online environment signifies a commitment to long-term growth and player satisfaction. The future success of Ubisoft hinges on effectively implementing these changes and delivering engaging experiences for its player base.
