Ubisoftsays that it has “a lot of games” that will be launching in the next financial year as part of a larger conversation regarding the company’s recent development issues. 2022 was a challenging year forUbisoftin a number of ways, including a lack of titles from major franchises likeAssassin’s Creed. As reassurance, both to Ubisoft fans and financial partners, the company is pointing to the upcoming year as a return to the consistent releases expected of the major publisher.
This past month Ubisoft was forced to hold an emergency investor call after it announced that it was canceling three games mid-development. This was after canceling four other projects already in 2022. It wasn’t just the cancelations that had drawn criticism and skepticism, but also a series of high-profiledelays for projects includingAvatar: Frontiers of PandoraandSkull and Bones. The cancelations were said to be so Ubisoft could focus on fewer games going forward.
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Ubisoft is once again addressing these concerns as part of its quarterly earnings call, in which CEO Yves Guillemot tried to paint a bright picture for the publisher’s upcoming year. DiscussingUbisoft’s recent slew of game cancelations, Guillemot said that the decision was “really helping all the other games that are progression well.” In other words, the resources Ubisoft has shifted from its canceled games are improving the development of other titles.
As a result, Ubisoft is planning to launch “a lot of games” in the next financial year, which will run from April 2023 through March 2024. Guillemot also says that Ubisoft now has the “right number of games,” implying that the company was perhaps pushing beyond a stable number of projects in 2022 and prior. However, he also says somewhat contradictorily that the canceled games will simply “make space for other games” within Ubisoft.
Compared to 2022, 2023 does look much brighter for Ubisoft.Games includingAssassin’s Creed Mirage,Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora,Skull and Bones,The Crew Motorfest, and another unannounced major project are all slated for the next financial year. At the same time, it’s a lot of pressure. Ubisoft has a lot of expectations after so many challenges in 2022.
Exactly what led to Ubisoft’s 2022 and over half a dozen game cancelations isn’t entirely clear, but it’s hard to argue that there isn’t still an audience for the publisher’s biggest games.Assassin’s CreedandFar Cryremain two of the industry’s most popular franchises andTom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siegeremains a successful live service game.Ubisoftshould be able to refocus on what works, even after 2023, and hopefully prosper as a result.
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