French-based publisher and developer Ubisoft has reported that sales targets for its third-quarter and full-year 2009-10 have been revised downwards to €495 million and around €860 million respectively, from the previously announced figures of €540 million and €1,040 million.
The company said that the revisions are due to a decrease in the DS market and a stronger focus towards AAA games adding that James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game and “several non-casual Wii titles” are reporting lower-than-expected sales.
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction and R.U.S.E, previously scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2009-10, will now be released in 2010-11. Splinter Cell Conviction is now penned in for an April release.
Yves Guillemot, Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Despite a number of highly successful titles, such as Assassin’s Creed 2 – which is expected to reach 9 million sell-in units by the end of March 2010 – and Just Dance – our great Wii success during the holiday season – Ubisoft has not met its financial targets. The considerable contraction in the DS market during the year particularly affected Ubisoft, leading to a €160 million, or almost 50%, year-on-year drop in the Company’s casual segment sales. At the same time, like in 2008, the year 2009 saw the release of many more very high-quality games than in the past.
“Against this backdrop and with a view to further reducing our exposure to the DS, we intend to continue to refocus our development resources on our major franchises and on the Xbox 360 and PS3, the two consoles which are expected to see sales growth in games for gamers in 2010. Ubisoft has already demonstrated its capacity for success in the high-end games market thanks to Assassin’s Creed 2, with sales 40% higher than for the first title. The 2010-11 line-up – which is stronger in franchises for Xbox 360 and PS3 – reflects our refocusing efforts and should enable us to both win market share and enhance our profitability.”
The firm also released initial information on its 2010-11 line-up: “The 2010-11 fiscal year will see a greater number of franchise releases than in 2009-10, including Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction, a new game in the Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon series, Prince of Persia The Forgotten Sands, Driver, Raving Rabbids 4 and a new episode of Assassin’s Creed, which will be the first in the series to have an online multiplayer mode.”
The 2010-11 line-up will also be “more focused on the Xbox 360 and PS3”. Ubisoft will release its final sales figures for the third quarter of 2009-10 in February.