In a strikingly candid report, Ubisoft’s CEO and co-founder, Yves Guillemot, has openly acknowledged the hurdles and setbacks the company has faced in recent times. However, he has also committed to a renewed focus on consistently producing high-quality games.
“Ubisoft recorded a solid third quarter, with net bookings slightly exceeding our expectations,” stated Guillemot in the company’s latest financial report. “This quarter has provided us with positive momentum and signifies the outset of our journey toward consistently creating and delivering top-notch, enduring games. Our performance was propelled by the releases of Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, along with the continued strong performance of The Crew Motorfest, as well as our robust back catalog.”
The straightforwardness of Guillemot’s statement is notable, particularly coming from a corporate executive. It’s difficult to interpret the phrase “the beginning of our turnaround to consistently creating and delivering high-quality, long-lasting games” in any other way than an acknowledgment that Ubisoft had fallen short of this goal previously but is now committed to achieving it once again.
While “turnaround” typically refers to travel time, in this context, it signals a shift towards sustained excellence. This admission, while unexpected, is a welcome one.
Ubisoft’s report emphasizes a “strong lineup of high-quality new releases designed for long-term success,” with Assassin’s Creed Mirage leading the pack. The company claims to have “effectively leveraged the strength of the Assassin’s Creed franchise to deliver a nostalgic experience, bringing back beloved gameplay elements.”
Our own review of Assassin’s Creed Mirage echoes this sentiment, a sentiment shared by many longtime fans who had grown weary of the franchise’s recent RPG-focused iterations. Additionally, our reviewer, Jasmine, argues that the nostalgic appeal of Assassin’s Creed Mirage will propel the series forward.
Furthermore, Ubisoft highlights Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora as “setting a new standard in world-building” (our review of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora describes it as a solid game with an immersive world), and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown for “receiving unanimous praise from critics and players alike for reviving an iconic franchise” (our review of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown can be found here).
The Crew Motorfest is noted for consistently outperforming its predecessor, The Crew 2, in terms of acquisition, engagement, monetization, and net bookings metrics since its launch.
