Video Games

Ubisoft’s Looks to Assassin’s Creed for Future Salvation Amid “Challenging” Year

After a “challenging” year of low losses and releases, Ubisoft is preparing to commit resources to the Assassin’s Creed franchise to secure its future. This includes a restructuring that will increase the headcount for Assassin’s Creed title development by 40% over the next few years, following a series of job cuts that have brought the company’s headcount below 20,000 worldwide.

In today’s full-year results, Ubisoft reported 14.6% year-on-year net sales growth in a fiscal year in which the only major releases were Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, Just Dance 2023, and Rocksmith+. reported a decline of €1.81 billion ($1.97 billion). Overall, it reported an operating loss of €500 million ($543 million) last year. Ubisoft has previously said that Sparks of Hope and Just Dance in particular underperformed, but other live service games continue to see an influx of money, especially the Assassin’s Creed franchise in the absence of new game releases. Nevertheless, it achieved a new “active user record”. Ubisoft reports that Assassin’s Creed’s Valhalla not only has 44% more players than Origins and 19% more players than Odyssey to date, but also earns him more per player than either game. That’s it.

Ubisoft is focusing on Assassin’s Creed

This probably explains why Ubisoft is poised to go all out with the Assassin’s Creed franchise in the years to come. Assassin’s Creed Mirage is still slated for a 2023 release, with three of his other major games slated for addition to his VR and mobile games for the franchise.

Ubisoft has said it intends to increase the number of people working on the franchise by 40% across the company over the next few years to “accelerate its ambitious expansion,” much of which is due to ongoing promised “targets.” The company’s global headcount fell below 20,000 from a total of more than 20,700 in September due to cost-cutting measures, likely due to “thin restructuring.” Ubisoft told investors it plans to continue to “closely control hiring” and sell “non-core assets.” That means Ubisoft will likely continue to reduce the total number of games played at once (the company’s process). It’s already in full swing), spending more time, money, and manpower on Assassin’s Creed.

That doesn’t mean Assassin’s Creed is literal all the But. Unlike many earnings reports and announcements in the past, this quarter’s announcement did not involve delays or cancellations of games. In the next term of Ubisoft (ending March 2024), not only Mirage, but also “Avatar: Pandora’s Frontier”, Tom Clancy’s “Division Resurgence”, “Rainbow Six Mobile”, “The Crew Motor Fest, and Skull and Bones (which has been postponed six times so far) are also promised to be included. , XDefiant, and “another big game” yet to be named. Ubisoft plans to reveal more about these games at his Ubisoft Forward event on June 12th.

It’s also worth noting that Ubisoft has expressed interest in generative AI. Ubisoft claims in its earnings call that it is “uniquely positioned to lead” efforts that it purports to “transform” the creative industry with generative AI, which was recently held at a game developer conference in March. It claims to have been proven by 2023. “Internally, we are a fast adopter, with creators and developers at all levels experimenting with the technology and taking advantage of the burgeoning generative AI landscape,” the press release reads. “Together, Ubisoft forms a responsible framework around talent management and fair use.”

While several major companies are in favor of experimenting with generative AI, this is a statement that specifically highlights Ubisoft’s interest in integrating generative AI with game development.While the effects of its use have not yet been confirmed, Ubisoft Potential uses previously discussed, through its R&D arm Ubisoft La Forge, providing NPC Pathfinding and more. IGN previously explored both the benefits and concerns around generative AI at the recent AI Week.

Ubisoft’s outlook for next year calls for €400 million ($435 million) in revenue, up significantly from a €500 million loss in the past year.

Rebekah Valentine is IGN’s Senior Reporter. you can find her on her twitter @duck valentine.

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