Ubisoft crisis somehow worsens: XDefiant officially falls “behind expectations”

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Ubisoft crisis somehow worsens: XDefiant officially falls "behind expectations"

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I’ve witnessed the ebb and flow of the gaming industry, and Ubisoft’s recent struggles are as disheartening as a level boss that just won’t die. The news about XDefiant falling “behind expectations” and Star Wars: Outlaws’ poor sales is a bitter pill to swallow for fans like me who have high hopes for these titles.

As a dedicated fan, I can’t help but notice some turbulent times for Ubisoft lately. The stock price is at its lowest since 2015, and the launch of Star Wars: Outlaws didn’t quite live up to expectations. Adding to the woes, Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been pushed back to 2025. To make matters worse, it seems XDefiant isn’t performing as well as hoped, a fact that the CEO has had to acknowledge to investors. It’s certainly not the smoothest sailing for Ubisoft at the moment.

Ubisoft CEO confirms poor performance of XDefiant and Star Wars: Outlaws

Earlier in the week’s trading call update, Ubisoft’s CEO Yves Guillemot admitted that not only was Star Wars: Outlaws underperforming, but also XDefiant had failed to meet expectations and played a significant role in a financially disappointing quarter for the company. Unfortunate, but not entirely surprising.

In response to a question about Q2 underperformance, he said:

It mostly reflects the softer-than-expected sales for Star Wars Outlaws. We also had behind expectations for XDefiant, which we will give you a bit more detail on at the end of October.

We await those further details eagerly.

Towards the end of the conversation, Guillemot disclosed that they would be conducting an investigation regarding the company’s recent difficulties, aiming to alleviate investor concerns.

…the Executive Committee, under the supervision of the Board of Directors, is launching a review aimed at further improving our execution, notably in this player-centric approach, and accelerating our strategic path towards a higher performing model to the benefit of our stakeholders and shareholders.

Could the findings from this evaluation potentially influence Ubisoft’s decision-making process? Fingers crossed, as it would be beneficial for them.

What are your thoughts on what improvements Ubisoft should make? Could it be that they’re focusing on the incorrect projects, employing the wrong talent, or maybe encountering a branding issue instead?

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2024-09-30 13:09