The lights are on
During the first quarter 2014 earnings call, Ubisoft was asked about software attach rates for the next generation of consoles. The answer about PlayStation 4 and Xbox One was based on learning a tough lesson.
"We gave you a comment on Wii U last year and got it wrong," an Ubisoft representative admitted. Ubisoft has been vocal about its call for Nintendo to lower console prices and prime purchases with more titles.
A casualty of the Wii U's flagging performance was the timed exclusivity of Rayman Legends. It will now be a simultaneous multiplatform release arriving on September 3, 2013.
Our TakeUbisoft went all-in on the Wii U and suffered for it. ZombiU, which received a range of critical response (including some very good reviews), sold poorly. It didn't break even and a sequel won't be coming. The tragedy is that ZombiU makes extremely smart use of the Wii U gamepad that should have been a guiding light for other developers.
Ubisoft's outspoken nature about the Wii U is worth noticing, because it is only a casual hint about conversations that are no doubt happening behind closed doors between the publisher and Nintendo.
We will see the attach rate later on down the line with some of these third party games on the PS4 and Xbox One. Honestly at this point I would be just as worried about the Xbox One as people have been about the Wii U, that thing is sitting at 50 out of the top 100 on Amazon right now while the PS4 is at 3. Kind of crazy honestly.
HINT It will be better
Yet they show no signs of slowing down with Watchdogs, already planning to make it a multi-entry franchise.
Protip: Slow down and see how well the game is liked before taking it further.
Nintendo doesn't need ubisoft. The only thing they make on Nintendo consoles are games like just dance and rayman. The wiiu is going to do great because of all the great games coming out for it this year.