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Ubisoft has announced that it is lowering its financial targets for the 2019-2020 fiscal year, now expecting net bookings of $1.6 billion.
The adjustments are occurring due to the underwhelming launch of Ghost Recon: Breakpoint. Besides receiving generally mediocre review scores, the tactical shooter’s sales have been considered ‘very disappointing’ by Ubisoft co-founder and CEO, Yves Guillemot.
Some of the blame has been directed at Breakpoint being released so soon after Ghost Recon: Wildlands which was launched in 2017, with Guillemot citing “we need to make sure there is more time between each iteration of live games”.
To a lesser extent, the launch of The Division 2 was also referred to when it came to reasons why financial targets have been revised negatively.
Given the news, it’s somewhat unsurprising to also see that Ubisoft has delayed three of its major upcoming releases: Gods & Monsters, Rainbow Six: Quarantine and Watch Dogs: Legion. All have been pushed back to the next fiscal year which begins in April 2020.
“While each of these games already has a strong identity and high potential, we want our teams to have more development time to ensure that their respective innovations are perfectly implemented so as to deliver optimal experiences for players,” explained Guillemot.
It makes sense that after the less than successful reactions to both Ghost Recon: Breakpoint and The Division 2 that Ubisoft want to correct past mistakes and achieve greater success this time round.
Interestingly, Guillemot finished his statement by mentioning the company’s enthusiasm to develop existing franchises, but also to “fully tap the potential of the mobile market [and] to accelerate our growth in Asia and esports” suggesting that Ubisoft may be keen to get more involved in esports in future.
Story by Jennifer Allen.
