Assassin's Creed
-August 2006: Announced for PC, Ubisoft told PC Gamer it was a 2007 release
-September 2007 (less than 2 months before release): Delayed to 2008
Assassin's Creed 2
-April 2009: Announced for November, 2009 release, no mention of any platforms
-September 2009 (less than 2 months before release): Delayed to 2010
Splinter Cell Conviction
-January 2010: After all platforms delayed, April 2010 release date announced
-March 13 2010: Demo announced
-March 17 2010: No PC demo
-March 19 2010: PC version delayed, coming 2 weeks after 360 version
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
-May 2010: Announced for holiday release on all platforms
-September 2010: Delayed to 2011
H.A.W.X. 2
-July 2010: Announced to be coming out in September 2010
-August 2010: PC version delayed to October
-September 2010: PC version delayed to November 1
-October 2010: PC version delayed to November 12
From Dust
-July 8 2011: Announced for release on July 27 on all platforms
-July 25 2011: PC version delayed to August
Call of Juarez: The Cartel
-June 2011: Console versions July 22, PC version August 26
-July 2011: PC version delayed to September
Driver: San Francisco
-April 2011: Announced for September 6 2011
-August 2011: PC version delayed to September 27
-Also, no demo of course for PC
Assassin's Creed Revelations
-May 2011: Announced for November on all platforms
-August 2011: Surprise! No PC demo
-Actual release: December 2nd, 2011
Assassin's Creed 3
-February 2012: Assassin's Creed 3 announced for October 30th release
-March 2012: Ubisoft promises over and over and over again that October 30th includes the PC release
-June 2012: PC version delayed
Why does Ubisoft keep lying to PC gamers pretending like they're stupid enough to believe their version will come out at the same time as the console versions?
All the while, they strap on the most restrictive DRM ever created, claiming that it lowered piracy (without bothering to mention sales numbers)
Is their strategy working, focusing on console games, neglecting PC games, obviously delaying their games not for "polish", but because they don't want one to cannibalize the other?
Well, let's take a quick look at the numbers:
Ubisoft: First half - ~$127 million loss (after conversion). PC games make up 6%.
EA: Last quarter - $221 million profit. PC games make up 29% (non-GAAP), equivalent to the 360, ahead of all other platforms
Activision Blizzard: Last quarter - $335 million profit. PC games make up 7%, or 38% with subscriptions. Last 6 months - $838 million. PC games make up 6%, or 49% with subscriptions
What do you think?
-August 2006: Announced for PC, Ubisoft told PC Gamer it was a 2007 release
-September 2007 (less than 2 months before release): Delayed to 2008
Assassin's Creed 2
-April 2009: Announced for November, 2009 release, no mention of any platforms
-September 2009 (less than 2 months before release): Delayed to 2010
Splinter Cell Conviction
-January 2010: After all platforms delayed, April 2010 release date announced
-March 13 2010: Demo announced
-March 17 2010: No PC demo
-March 19 2010: PC version delayed, coming 2 weeks after 360 version
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
-May 2010: Announced for holiday release on all platforms
-September 2010: Delayed to 2011
H.A.W.X. 2
-July 2010: Announced to be coming out in September 2010
-August 2010: PC version delayed to October
-September 2010: PC version delayed to November 1
-October 2010: PC version delayed to November 12
From Dust
-July 8 2011: Announced for release on July 27 on all platforms
-July 25 2011: PC version delayed to August
Call of Juarez: The Cartel
-June 2011: Console versions July 22, PC version August 26
-July 2011: PC version delayed to September
Driver: San Francisco
-April 2011: Announced for September 6 2011
-August 2011: PC version delayed to September 27
-Also, no demo of course for PC
Assassin's Creed Revelations
-May 2011: Announced for November on all platforms
-August 2011: Surprise! No PC demo
-Actual release: December 2nd, 2011
Assassin's Creed 3
-February 2012: Assassin's Creed 3 announced for October 30th release
-March 2012: Ubisoft promises over and over and over again that October 30th includes the PC release
-June 2012: PC version delayed
Why does Ubisoft keep lying to PC gamers pretending like they're stupid enough to believe their version will come out at the same time as the console versions?
All the while, they strap on the most restrictive DRM ever created, claiming that it lowered piracy (without bothering to mention sales numbers)
Is their strategy working, focusing on console games, neglecting PC games, obviously delaying their games not for "polish", but because they don't want one to cannibalize the other?
Well, let's take a quick look at the numbers:
Ubisoft: First half - ~$127 million loss (after conversion). PC games make up 6%.
EA: Last quarter - $221 million profit. PC games make up 29% (non-GAAP), equivalent to the 360, ahead of all other platforms
Activision Blizzard: Last quarter - $335 million profit. PC games make up 7%, or 38% with subscriptions. Last 6 months - $838 million. PC games make up 6%, or 49% with subscriptions
What do you think?