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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Ubisoft has released its results for the six months for the first half of the financial year, claiming a "solid underlying performance of back-catalogue highlighting the strength of brand portfolio and live services" despite sales slumping down 19.6% year-on-year to €672 million.

The company states its cost reduction program is "well on track" and its review of its "player-centric and gameplay-first approach" is progressing, taking actions "aimed at tackling the dynamics behind the polarised comments around Ubisoft so as to protect the Group’s reputation and maximise our game’s sales potential."

The company says both the Assassin's Creed franchise and Rainbow Six Siege "both benefited from strong audiences, with more than 30m unique active users each."

Ubisoft also revealed its global headcount has tumbled "more than" 2000 employees, claiming its cost reduction program is "well on track."

The numbers​

For the six months ending September 30, 2024 (Q1):

• Sales: €672 million (down 19.6% year-on-year)
• Net bookings: €642 million (down 21.9%)
• Digital net bookings: 527 million (down 26.5%)
• Back-catalogue net bookings: 494 million (down 28.95%)

The highlights​

Net bookings for the second quarter stood at €352m, and whilst back-catalogue net bookings are down year-on-year, they were up 12% for the second quarter.

Playtime and Session Days are up respectively 9% and 6% year-on-year, with MAUs standing at 37 million, up 3% year-on-year, which includes "close to 3m" new accounts per month.

Ubisoft admitted sales of Star Wars Outlaws has "underperformed expectations" despite achieving "solid reviews and user scores across First Party and Epic Stores."

In a statement, CEO Yves Guillemot said: "Despite recent setbacks, we are continuing to deeply transform Ubisoft in order to restore the level of creativity and innovation that built Ubisoft’s success while delivering stronger execution and predictability.

"To succeed, we must redouble our focus on execution and reinforce a player-centric mindset in everything we do," he added. "For example, we are improving the quality of Star Wars Outlaws, including actively addressing player feedback through title updates as we get ready for the Steam launch, the first story pack, and the upcoming holiday season. We are also taking the additional time to ensure that the upcoming very ambitious opus in our flagship franchise, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, is a highly polished, exceptional experience on day one and that it resonates strongly with players.

"Over the past semester, we also further advanced our cost reduction plan thanks to strict control on recruitments, targeted restructurings and lower external spend. This is the fruit of a group-wide effort, and I would like to thank the teams as we are transforming the Company into a more efficient and agile organization. Over the first semester, we have already achieved more than €200m savings versus two years ago on an annualized basis. There still remains work to be done to support robust cash-flow generation in the future."

Guillemot added that the Executive Committee's review of a "player-centric and gameplay-first approach" is progressing, including actions "aimed at tackling the dynamics behind the polarised comments around Ubisoft so as to protect the Group’s reputation and maximise our game’s sales potential."

Lifetime sales of its tentpole franchises were also disclosed, with the Assassin’s Creed franchise generating around €4bn over the last decade, Rainbow Six Siege over €3.5bn, and Far Cry around €2bn. Including The Division, Ghost Recon and Just Dance, Ubisoft has six brands that have surpassed €1bn in consumer spending.

Ubisoft 24-25 half-year results plummet as Star Wars Outlaws "underperforms"

Ubisoft has released its results for the six months for the first half of the financial year, claiming a "solid underly…

www.gamesindustry.biz

 

[MALpractice311]

Consumers are clearly bored with the Ubisoft formula and yet their response is to literally double down on it and release a new Assassin's Creed game every 6 months for the next 10 years.

 

[Gonzito]

That idiot should resign as a CEO, is the only way to heal Ubisoft, he is an incompetent

 

[Big Baller]

That idiot should resign as a CEO, is the only way to heal Ubisoft, he is an incompetent

 

[StreetsofBeige]

A limited article of data. Yahoo Finance has more complete financials and they lost over 200M euros this time period.

Ubisoft Reports First-Half 2024-25 Earnings Figures

UBISOFT REPORTS FIRST-HALF 2024-25 EARNINGS FIGURES Q2 net bookings in line with revised guidance and FY25 outlook reiterated Solid underlying performance of back-catalog highlighting strength of brand portfolio and Live services Further progress on the cost reduction program, that is well on...

finance.yahoo.com

 

[Krappadizzle]

I look forward to buying it on Steam for $35 in a few months.

 

[Fake]

There is no light in the end of the tunnel for Ubisoft.

 

[Chuck Berry]

That idiot should resign as a CEO, is the only way to heal Ubisoft, he is an incompetent

He needs to go and then they need to axe 50-75% of their staff

 

[Robb]

The numbers​

For the six months ending September 30, 2024 (Q1):

• Sales: €672 million (down 19.6% year-on-year)
• Net bookings: €642 million (down 21.9%)
• Digital net bookings: 527 million (down 26.5%)
• Back-catalogue net bookings: 494 million (down 28.95%)

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Down 4% today.

 

[Rush2112]

Well the main character looked terrible.

 

[Roufianos]

But Yves is gonna fix it by pivoting to two key verticals, live service and open world. Brave of them to take this bold turn.

 

[DeepEnigma]

I sense another hostile takeover attempt incoming.

 

[Kurotri]

Those numbers for Rainbow Six are UNREAL!! You are telling me that a single game alone almost made as much money as the entire AC series in the last 10 years? That includes Unity, Syndicate, Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla and Mirage. Also sad to see that Watch Dogs is absent in this report, it's unfortunate how they fumbled that series.

They also fired over 2000 people and aren't done yet. Brutal.

 

[kyussman]

Here's an idea....take all that experience,knowledge and talent you've aquired over many years of making games and funnel it into a new approach to designing games and get people really excited about your stuff again......or you could continue to push DEI and keep shitting out Assassin's Creed games.

 

[mckmas8808]

Well the main character looked terrible.

Why wasn't Star Wars: Outlaws available on Steam on day one?

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Why wasn't Star Wars: Outlaws available on Steam on day one?

Combo of trying to get gamers to buy direct from UBI PC store so they dont pay the 30% Steam cut. But it seemed to release on Epic which is 12% cut.

 

[Mister Wolf]

Were the Chuds owned though?

 

[cyberheater]

Zero interest to see another girl boss take down a storm trooper wearing full armour with a karate chop to the neck. What a pile of pish.

 

[Hawking Radiation]

UbiFucked ™

UbiRekt ™

pick one

 

[Saber]

Theres not enough ultra generic low effort games, maybe 10 new ones more will do the trick.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

It’s okay guys, AC Shadows will save them.

 

[Bonfires Down]

They need to heavily cut down their staff. I mean look at this. It’s unsustainable.

 

[Skyfox]

It’s like putting a photo of mould on your sliced bread packaging.

No one wants to be the “star” of this game.

The problem isn’t the game companies that are being destroyed. It’s DEI quotas and politics being permitted inside businesses. All these new corrupt codes of conducts need to be revoked.

Shareholders need to hold CEOs accountable to their fiduciary duties.

 

[lmimmfn]

How's that DEI program working out Yves?
Oh....... good luck with that!

 

[simpatico]

Rainbow 6 came within half a billion of 10 years of Assassins Creed? Imagine the margin difference. Holy shit.

It's interesting the shareholders are aware of the reputation damage. I bet when the people in the studios got that email they groaned and eye rolled. "Stupid board doesn't know it's just the chuds! Our games would be selling amazingly if not for those pesky gamers". I honestly don't think any of these failing studios think it's their fault. To some degree every one of them believes a version of that sentence above. What people have to realize is there's nothing left to save. The great people moved on years ago. Game studios are probably 10 years ahead at least on the woke stuff. The best publisher of the 2030s probably doesn't exist today.

They need to heavily cut down their staff. I mean look at this. It’s unsustainable.

Capcom has about 15% the workforce and actually puts out more AAA content on a yearly basis.

 

[Complistic]

Ubisoft, LOL x32

 

[Hawk The Slayer]

Well deserved and don't even like anything from them anyway.

 

[Rush2112]

Why wasn't Star Wars: Outlaws available on Steam on day one?

I think Ubisoft initially thought they would profit more out of it. Once they saw the poor sales, they panicked and made it available on steam.

 

[Gamezone]

I look forward to buying it on Steam for $35 in a few months.

The game looks incredibly bad. They have to lower the price even more.

 

[mckmas8808]

Combo of trying to get gamers to buy direct from UBI PC store so they dont pay the 30% Steam cut. But it seemed to release on Epic which is 12% cut.

I think Ubisoft initially thought they would profit more out of it. Once they saw the poor sales, they panicked and made it available on steam.

Man Ubisoft is stupid. How can they be this dumb?

 

[Mercador]

I look forward to buying it on Steam for $35 in a few months.

At Black Friday I guess

 

[Ivan]

Whenever i see "Half-", my brain reads it Half-Life 3 announced

 

[winjer]

Ubisoft can catch a break, and I just think it's funny.

 

[Alebrije]

I sense another hostile takeover attempt incoming.

Would be like buying Firewalk.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

For the people having slap fights about it in other threads, this is what EA and Dragon Age: The Veilguard is facing

No one thought a franchise like Star Wars or Dragon Age would flop like Concord, but if it significantly underperforms expectations especially when aligned with the development costs it is still a failure

If a Star Wars game only sells a million in a month, it's a stunning disaster

If Metaphor: ReFantazio sells a million in a month, it's one of Sega/Atlus's most successful games ever

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

No one saying they shouldn’t have chased trends here with Star Wars Outlaws?

NeoGAF is slipping.