[subversus]

So I guess the publishers finally learned how to ride this digital wave. Konami, Squenix and now Ubisoft largely attribute their success to growing presence in digital sector.

Publisher benefits from 110% sales growth in online markets

French publisher Ubisoft has reported profits of €37.4 million ($47.7m / £29.8m) for the full financial year ended March 31, with sales of €1.06 billion ($1.3bn / £884.6m). Breaking sales figures down for the full year, core games, including Assassin's Creed Revelations, Driver: San Francisco, Rayman Origins and free-to-play title The Settlers Online generated €578 million. Casual games, including Just Dance, Howrse and Rocksmith brought in sales of €483 million. But it was a noticeable 110 per cent leap of online and digital sales, up to €80 million, which Ubisoft singled out as key to a successful year. "Ubisoft achieved a 90 per cent surge in current operating income in fiscal 2011-12, in the upper range of the targets announced a year ago," stated Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. "This achievement was notably spurred by strong growth in online/digital revenue. "We ended the year in a solid financial position - all the while having continued to invest in the future - primarily thanks to better-than-expected cash flows. "Thanks to our focus on ramping up our teams' online expertise, combined with the know-how brought in by our recent acquisitions and with the recruitment of specialized talent, we are now in a position to fully seize the numerous current and future opportunities of the video game industry."

[Santiako]

Good to know that some game companies are healthy.

[elsk]

Good to know that some game companies are healthy.

Sad part: is Ubisoft.

[ViewtifulJC]

All thanks to Rayman Origins, I'm sure! No wonder they fast-tracked a sequel!

[GQman2121]

"Just think of what we'll net if we can finally get rid of the used games market!"

[Santiako]

Sad part: is Ubisoft.

Why is that sad?

[butter_stick]

Congratulations to Jade and co :)

[subversus]

Congratulations to Jade and co :)

they haven't attributed to this year's revenues AT ALL, lol

[Seda]

Sad part: is Ubisoft.

I like Ubisoft more than most.

[patapuf]

I like Ubisoft more than most.

the hatred of ubisoft is proportional to the amount of pc gaming one is doing, though they slowly seem to change their ways.

[Kunan]

they haven't attributed to this year's revenues AT ALL, lol

You'd be surprised how much the original Beyond Good & Evil did for the company, techwise, that continues to this day.

the hatred of ubisoft is proportional to the amount of pc gaming one is doing, though they slowly seem to change their ways.

I'd also add the amount of time you spend on Nintendo systems. Thankfully, this looks to be changing as well.

[Corto]

If Ubisoft changes its standing on DRM on PC, it will become my number one publisher this generation. At least they are showing signs that they are experimenting with that.

[M.D]

15 dollar Rayman: Origins for PS+ users is surly going to help get some more digital sales :P

[butter_stick]

Ubisoft's rise to prominence can be directly traced back to the time I first fell I love with Jade. Oh Jade.

[subversus]

You'd be surprised how much the original Beyond Good & Evil did for the company, techwise, that continues to this day.

he was talking about Jade Raymond and her new Toronto studio.

OR WAS HE?

[Kafel]

Ubi stays Alive.


Now give me the Ghost Recon tactical on Vita PSN for 15 €. Thx.

[Dany M]

I wonder if there has been any drop in assassins creed sales.

[1-D_FTW]

If Ubisoft changes its standing on DRM on PC, it will become my number one publisher this generation. At least they are showing signs that they are experimenting with that.

Yeah. As much as they can infuriate, they really are a pretty decent publisher from a games POV. It's wild swings with DRM that brings the hate. Hopefully they don't swing back to their aggressive hate mode again.

[Alrus]

I wonder if there has been any drop in assassins creed sales.

Well Brotherhood already had less sales than ACII (but if I remember correctly, it brought more money due to selling at a higher price overall, being frontloaded helped there). I wouldn't be surprised if Revelation had a slight drop too.

AC III is going to sell like crazy though.

[Saty]

http://common.ubisoftgroup.com/en-US...tcm9949074.pdf

Ubisoft’s performance in fiscal 2011-12 reflects the following: €578 million in revenue generated from games for core gamers, fueled by an excellent showing from Assassin's Creed® Revelations and from the free-to-play game The Settlers® Online, as well as the critical successes of Rayman® Origins and Driver® San-Francisco. €483 million in revenue from casual games, driven by the exceptional ongoing success of Just Dance®, the excellent momentum of the free-to-play game Howrse, and the successful launch of Rocksmith™. A 110.8% leap in online/digital sales to €80 million (included in the core and casual games figures above).

He went on to say "From a longer-term perspective, Ubisoft is positioning itself to capitalize on: - the forthcoming arrival of the next generation of consoles which will be increasingly connected and will strongly boost the market thanks to a new qualitative leap and the integration of social games benefits and the item based model, - the ongoing strong growth in the Free-to-Play market for PCs, smartphones and tablets.

[Carl]

More money to pile into endless Assassin's Creed games

[Conor 419]

Good to hear, Ubisoft are the best of the major publishers right now. I am very pleased to hear of their success.

[Baki]

I wouldn't call a paltry 3.6% profit margin "healthy".

[HoosTrax]

the hatred of ubisoft is proportional to the amount of pc gaming one is doing, though they slowly seem to change their ways.

My overall opinion trend of them as a PC gamer:
- ATVI
↓ EA
↑ UBI

Ubi shows signs of improving after hitting rock bottom with their DRM server fiasco a while back. At least they're saying the right things anyways, will have to see if they make good on it. (Activision, I just can't be bothered to care about one way or another.)

[Andrex]

I'd also add the amount of time you spend on Nintendo systems. Thankfully, this looks to be changing as well.

I remember when the Wii launched, Nintendo fans and Ubi were BFFs. Red Steel is gonna be FPS GOTY! Rabbids are an interesting take on a beloved IP! Suck it EA!

Then relations worsened when Assassin's Creed came into the spotlight and Ubi started shoving more crap games with Z in the title onto the Wii instead.

My first thread on GAF was actually about this.

[Neuromancer]

From Dust! Hell of a game, hell of a game.

[Glix]

I was playing 360 Rayman Origins last night and its so fucking good.

Thats all.

[rvy]

Ubisoft is alright, apart from the uPlay crap. Good for them.

[bangai-o]

does Ubisoft have 2 Jades? which one is neogaf wanting in love?

[szaromir]

Well Brotherhood already had less sales than ACII (but if I remember correctly, it brought more money due to selling at a higher price overall, being frontloaded helped there).

Brotherhood shipped less units but had the higher sellthrough. They simply didn't flood retailers with unnecessary boxes.

he was talking about Jade Raymond and her new Toronto studio. OR WAS HE?

Jade was also the heroine of BG&E :)

[nintendors]

Ubi better be on WiiU like its their saving grace,,,,,Just Dance games has sold over 25 million worldwide !! and its showing legs like no other despite being limited on content,,,,lets hope Just Dance 4 would make an overhaul to the series with extensive content to prevent it from going Guitar Hero route ,,

[params7]

This better result in a brilliant true sequel to AC2.

[Pranay_]

Jim Reilly ‏ @jimreilly Ubisoft says the forthcoming arrival of next generation consoles will be "increasingly connected" and will "strongly boost the market."

.

[TouchMyBox]

Sad part: is Ubisoft.

Rayman Origins and its all-but-confirmed sequel buys Ubisoft forgiveness for all of their recent sins.

[Andrex]

Rayman Origins and its all-but-confirmed sequel buys Ubisoft forgiveness for all of their recent sins.

It was confirmed. The video leak forced Ubi's hand. :P

[subversus]

.

nice.

[Gaogaogao]

the love hate relationship with pc gaming continues.

[Empowe]

Anyone else notice the Ubisoft logo looks like Wheatly from Portal 2?

[bigtroyjon]

I wouldn't call a paltry 3.6% profit margin "healthy".

Was thinking the exact same thing. They are one bomb away from losing a lot of money and they haven't exactly been racking up the profits to prepare for that.

[pje122]

More money to pile into endless Assassin's Creed games

Sounds good to me.

[magash]

Was thinking the exact same thing. They are one bomb away from losing a lot of money and they haven't exactly been racking up the profits to prepare for that.

Hell a decline in the Just Dance series may do real damage to Ubisoft.

[butter_stick]

he was talking about Jade Raymond and her new Toronto studio. OR WAS HE?

He was.

Why would I congratulate a fictional character?

[AHA-Lambda]

I wouldn't call a paltry 3.6% profit margin "healthy".

I'd agree but aren't many of the publishers posting similar figures? Didn't EA recently have something like $76m profit from over $4bn in revenue? Is this sort of thing normal? =/

[east of eastside]

See THQ? That's Ubisoft in 3 years..

[soultron]

See THQ? That's Ubisoft in 3 years..

Keep dreaming.

[Alrus]

See THQ? That's Ubisoft in 3 years..

How? Ubisoft actually has franchises that sell.

[east of eastside]

How? Ubisoft actually has franchises that sell.

Combination of next gen development costs with fall off of casual franchises.

[Blablurn]

Who expected ubi soft to become that big in the last generation. I didnt.

[Sho_Nuff82]

See THQ? That's Ubisoft in 3 years..

But Ubisoft cut 90% of their junkware and have several AAA and casual franchises that make a lot of money, including two of the biggest current franchises on any console (Assassin's Creed and Just Dance).

THQ dumped a bunch of money into Space Marine and UDraw.

[dethforce]

now give me a sequel to drive san francisco.... the game was so good (even it was too easy)