Ubisoft, the renowned gaming company, has once again postponed the release of Skull and Bones, its highly anticipated action-adventure pirate simulation game. This decision comes in light of disappointing overall sales of recent titles and planned company-wide changes for the upcoming fiscal year. This delay marks the sixth time the naval combat game has been pushed back, with the original release date set for March 9. The new launch is now scheduled for the next fiscal year, which spans from April 2023 to March 2024. Additionally, Ubisoft has announced the cancellation of three undisclosed projects as part of its efforts to strengthen long-term growth, as stated in the investor call press release. The underperformance of Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope and Just Dance 2023 in the final weeks of 2022 and into January has been a significant factor contributing to this decision, as sales were significantly slower than expected.
Despite Skull and Bones being essentially complete, Ubisoft has decided to utilize the remaining time until the launch to incorporate feedback from ongoing Technical Tests and the upcoming open beta. This will allow the team to further refine and balance the gaming experience. According to a spokesperson from Ubisoft, this additional development time has proven worthwhile, resulting in impressive improvements in the game’s overall quality. Furthermore, the studio has planned a live showcase for later in the week, specifically on January 13 at 10:30 pm IST/9 am PT. The showcase will be streamed on the Ubisoft Twitch channel. The journey of developing Skull and Bones began in 2013 when it was initially intended as a multiplayer expansion for the pirate-themed Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. However, it eventually evolved into a standalone open-world pirate game, resulting in a remarkable 11 years of development.
To address the financial setbacks, Ubisoft intends to proceed with caution and has announced a new set of measures outlined in the press release. These measures include the cancellation of three undisclosed projects in addition to the four that were canceled in July of the previous year. While the specific details of the canceled projects have not been disclosed, two of them have been confirmed to be Splinter Cell VR and Ghost Recon Frontline. Additionally, Ubisoft has plans to release one more premium game alongside Skull and Bones, which are Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. These games are expected to be launched within the next fiscal year.
In an effort to mitigate losses, Ubisoft will depreciate €500 million (approximately Rs. 4,398 crore) of its R&D costs incurred on upcoming free-to-play and premium games, including the canceled projects. The decision to do so reflects the company’s increased cautiousness due to the current challenging video game market and macroeconomic environment. Additionally, Ubisoft has planned to reduce its operating costs by more than €200 million (about Rs. 1,759 crore) for the next two years.
“Despite the current challenges faced by the industry, the long-term prospects remain promising, and Ubisoft is well-positioned to capitalize on this momentum. Our talented teams, strong brands, production capacity, technology, and financial stability give us a competitive advantage. We continue to see robust activity for our back catalogue, including strong performance from Rainbow Six Siege and our Assassin’s Creed games, as well as solid overall performance from our live games,” stated Yves Guillemot, CEO of Ubisoft.
Please note that Skull and Bones will no longer be launching on the previously announced March date. Further updates regarding the game’s release will be revealed in due course.
Denial of responsibility! SamacharCentrl is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
Basant Kasayap is an entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to Bollywood to regional cinema, she offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
