Ubisoft is striving to recover after a few challenging years, and CEO Yves Guillemot believes that making good games is no longer sufficient. With the recent delay of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which has lightened the company’s 2024 release schedule, Guillemot outlined Ubisoft’s future direction.
Back in February, he referred to Assassin’s Creed Mirage as a pivotal moment for Ubisoft, marking the beginning of a new era focused on consistently producing high-quality, enduring games.
During an investor call, Guillemot emphasized that in today’s competitive gaming market, players are no longer satisfied with simply “good” games. He stated that gamers now expect “extraordinary experiences” and that Ubisoft must aim for excellence in all facets of game development.
This commitment to quality is particularly evident in the next major Assassin’s Creed entry, which features a dual protagonist system with characters Naoe and Yasuke, offering distinct gameplay styles. Ubisoft is focusing on fully delivering the potential of this ambitious design.
This focus on raising the bar appears to be especially critical for Ubisoft’s big-budget, AAA projects, which demand significant financial and creative investment. The push for excellence comes in the wake of the mixed reception for Star Wars Outlaws, which garnered a Metacritic score of 76 and a 3.9/5 user rating in stores.
While generally positive, the response wasn’t overwhelming, and sales have been modest. Ubisoft plans to address this by launching the game on Steam in November, along with the release of its first DLC and multiple free updates.
The delay of Assassin’s Creed Shadows is part of Ubisoft’s strategy to apply lessons learned from the Star Wars Outlaws release, particularly regarding game polish.
The company is adopting a more cautious approach to ensure its upcoming titles are well-received, focusing on refining their quality before launch. Ubisoft hopes that this attention to detail will better position it to meet the high expectations of today’s gaming audience.
Ubisoft is shifting its strategy from simply creating “good” games to aiming for excellence in order to stay competitive. Guillemot’s comments reflect a clear understanding that gamers now demand more immersive, innovative, and polished experiences. Ubisoft’s renewed focus on delivering high-quality, memorable games aims to restore its standing and ensure the success of its future releases.
