Publisher Ubisoft has stated that they are planning the next chapter in the Assassin’s Creed series for release in the upcoming fiscal year which begins in April 2010 and ends in March 2011. The publisher specifically stated that it is not talking about an add-on or DLC pack, but a whole new game, and one which will feature an online multiplayer component.
Speaking about their plans for the coming year, the publisher said that they will be focusing on AAA PS3 and Xbox 360 titles. Ubisoft also promised more franchise releases this year than last year.
These will include a third Assassin’s Creed game, Splinter Cell: Conviction, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, Raving Rabbits 4 and Driver. No mention was made of Far Cry 3 being released in 2010 and at this point a late 2011 is looking most likely.
The publisher has traditionally relied on a mixture between AAA blockbusters (FarCry, Assassin’s Creed), licensed games (Avatar) and more casual Wii and DS games. Despite successes in their casual portfolio, this sector of their business registered a 50 percent year on year decline. Avatar also did not sell particularly well, leading the publisher to invest future interests in the AAA PS3 and Xbox 360 markets where they have seen the most success in recent times, despite it being a very competitive sector.
Ubisoft registered another massive operating loss for the year in 2009. The company came in at $720 million below breaking even for the year, an improvement over 2008 which saw the company $1.5 billion in the red.
“Despite a number of highly successful titles, such as Assassin’s Creed II – 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,” says Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot.
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