Ubisoft Announces Delay for Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Ubisoft has officially delayed the highly-anticipated release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The game, which was initially scheduled for launch on November 15, 2024, has already faced a postponement to February 14, 2025, aimed at avoiding the setbacks experienced by titles such as Star Wars Outlaws and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. The current new release date is set for March 20, 2025, as the developer strives to enhance the game’s quality before it reaches players.
Strategic Review and Advisory Appointments
In a parallel development, Ubisoft announced the appointment of advisors to evaluate “transformational strategic and capital options”designed to maximize value for stakeholders. This initiative is essentially a step towards assessing previously discussed potential sales of the company. The review will be overseen by independent members of the Board of Directors, ensuring transparency and objectivity in the process.
CEO Yves Guillemot’s Vision
Yves Guillemot, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ubisoft, shared insights on the company’s ongoing strategic and execution reviews, expressing optimism about positioning Ubisoft for a more resilient future. He emphasized the commitment to reshape the organization to deliver exceptional player experiences, enhance operational efficiencies, and create value.
“We made good progress on the strategic and execution reviews initiated a few months ago and are confident that this will position Ubisoft for a stronger future. We have taken decisive steps to reshape the Group in order to deliver best-in-class player experiences, enhance operational efficiency and maximize value creation. We also recently appointed leading advisors and are actively exploring various strategic and capitalistic options to unlock the full value potential of our assets. We are convinced that there are several potential paths to generate value from Ubisoft’s assets and franchises.”
Guillemot further noted the company’s unwavering support for its development teams, particularly in creating an ambitious iteration of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. He mentioned that the decision to extend the development timeline by an additional month for Shadows will allow the integration of player feedback collected over recent months, ultimately optimizing the game’s potential for a successful launch.
Financial Implications and Future Outlook
The stakes surrounding the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows are high, particularly in light of Ubisoft’s latest financial reports. The company anticipates lower-than-expected net bookings for Q3 FY2024-25, forecasting around €300 million. This downward adjustment is attributed to disappointing holiday sales, specifically for Star Wars Outlaws, and the planned discontinuation of XDefiant in June.
Moreover, Ubisoft is undertaking significant cost-cutting measures, expecting to surpass €200 million in reductions to its fixed cost base by FY2025-26, compared to FY2022-23. In a bid to streamline operations, three production studios located in high-cost regions were closed in December.
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