Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Ubisoft Shows Financial Growth For The First Half Of Its 2013-14 Fiscal Year
Ubisoft shared some of its financial data recently that showed, thanks to help from long-terms sales on open-world games like Assassin's Creed III and Far Cry 3.
Covering a six-month period ending September 30, Ubisoft showed $271.5 million in gross profits and $393.8 million is sales, both healthy increases compared to the same period in 2012.
Games published earlier this year, like Far Cry 3 and Assassin's Creed III, helped to fill out Ubisoft's backlog of games, which saw a 16% increase from 2012.
Ubisoft's CEO, Yves Guillemot, said the company is optimistic, but bracing for the next-generation of consoles in a statement accompanying the financial reporting. "We are confident in our capacity to rise to the short-term challenges posed by the transition phase, thanks to the very high quality of our games, which, combined with the upcoming arrival of the next-generation consoles and the traditional ramp-up of sales during the Christmas season will trigger positive momentum towards the end of the year."
Guillemot also seemed to recognize that Ubisoft's success has open-world gaming to thank, at least in part, for the company's continued success. "Open world games are becoming ever-more popular with gamers. These creations give gamers the freedom of expression and immersive experiences that are now central to their expectations. This deep-seated market trend – which Ubisoft has fully embraced – is going to move up another gear when the next-generation consoles arrive."
Ubisoft's big open-world, cross-gen release, Watch Dogs, received a delay recently into the second quarter of 2014, which forced the publisher to change its financial forecast.
Our Take
Things are looking good for Ubisoft as it moves into the next generation of gaming. We'll have to wait and see if and how Watch Dogs' delay will affect the company, but right now, the Assassin's Creed publisher is as strong as ever. If I were them, I would use those profits to make a new Prince of Persia game.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
