For some time now, the gaming industry has been experiencing a massive wave of layoffs that has affected most companies. One of those that has not yet experienced a significant outflow of employees is the market’s sixth-largest player, Ubisoft. However, even within this company, employees are feeling unprecedented tension. According to an anonymous interview with the Insider Gaming server, no one can be sure that the possible restructuring will not affect it.
The main reason why the crisis affected even such a large company as Ubisoft is believed to be the fact that the company simply flushed money down the toilet during the development of almost a dozen Battle Royale games, most of which were eventually cancelled. Ubisoft’s desire to follow trends cost it money even during the NFT fever it wanted to capitalize on with Ubisoft Quartz. In the end, however, this was not the right path, so while the company did not deviate from it completely, it certainly did not represent a large source of income for it. Currently, its future lies in live-service gaming. According to Insider Gaming, a trio of shooters are in development. However, how many of them will be completed is a question.
Another factor causing problems for Ubisoft is game cancellations and project postponements. For example, during the development of the soon-to-be-released film Skull and Bones, morale was so bad that employees often spent time watching YouTube videos instead of working. Then problems with project management should be felt throughout the publishing house.
The results of newly released projects are also the subject of discussion. Although Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown received good reviews from critics and reviewers, its sales were relatively poor. They are currently on track to reach approximately 300,000 units sold (at a cost of $15 million). Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is also not doing well, which, despite several delays, only attracted about 1.9 million players, which is simply not enough. And this is especially true if we compare its current sales of $133 million with The Division brand, which managed to earn $594 million in its first weeks alone. Assassin’s Creed Mirage fared slightly better, selling 5 million copies and generating revenue of around $250 million.
The whole situation shows that there are many reasons for concern. However, nothing is lost. This is due to the fact that Ubisoft should release games this year that can lift the spirits of employees and perhaps also significantly reduce the risk of layoffs. The game includes the expected Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin’s Creed Codename Red. Whether these will be sufficiently fundamental works is a question, but they definitely have the potential to attract many players to buy them. Their success or eventual failure will likely indicate the direction this titan will go.
Source :Indian TV
