Earlier today Ubisoft revealed Watch_Dogs would be delayed across all platforms, meaning we won't get to play as Aiden Pearce this year after all.
Originally scheduled for a November release, the title will now emerge in Spring 2014, while PlayStation 4 and Xbox One title The Crew has been pushed back to the middle of next year.
This means the French publisher has adjusted its financial targets for fiscal year 2013-2014 and it now aims for sales revenue of between €995 million and €1,045 million ($1,343 million and $1,411 million), which is down on the expectations of €1,420 million and €1,450 million ($1,917 million and $1,958).
On top of this, Ubisoft will now make an operating loss of €40-70 million ($54-95 million) instead of the €110-125 million ($149-169 million) it intended to make.
Of course, the company will still hope to bring in the same amount of money when the two titles do launch and has set income targets of at least €150 million ($203 million) for 2014-15 and at least €200 million ($270 million) for 2015-16. That would certainly help make up for the predicted losses this year.
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said these decisions will have an impact on short term performance but they will prove to be correct in the longer term both for fans and shareholders.
We are building franchises that will become perennial pillars of Ubisoft’s financial performance. In a context of growing successes for mega-blockbusters, the additional time given to the development of our titles will allow them to fulfill their huge ambitions and thus offer players even more exceptional experiences.
Ubisoft does still have Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag coming before the year is out and has released titles such as Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Rayman Legends and Just Dance 2014 over the last few months.
What are your thoughts on the delays? Are you happy Watch_Dogs is having more time spent on it? Let us know in the comment section below.
[source ubisoftgroup.com]
Comments 31
Oh... hopefully wont afect my (or enione elces for that) pre order of the game
Mine's already paid for and in all honesty this holiday season has too many games for me play, so this kinda works out well.
@Mrclaycoat that is true lol
@Mrclaycoat That's the same situation that I'm in. I'm already like, 6 games behind. Still haven't finished Pikmin 3!
"Fueled by strong momentum for PlayStation 4 and XboxOne, calendar 2014 will see the return of growth to the console market."
And people wonder why I worry about the Wii U version of W D.
@rjejr I don't think anybody wonders why people worry about the Wii U version of anything. It's not exactly a huge secret that the console hasn't sold well.
@SkywardCrowbar I just beat Pikmin 3 on the week-end! Such a weight off my chest! Now is it going to be splinter Cell or Windwaker HD? The obvious choice is Zelda but I feel bad since I haven't even opened my copy of Splinter Cell.
@Mrclaycoat Blacklist is amazing IMO. Load times can be rough, but the gameplay is amazing. I'd give it a 9/10. I'd say play that first also because it'll take less time than Wind Waker.
Annoying.
@CaviarMeths What are you talking about?!? As of today the WiiU as outsold both the PS4 and Xbox One combine worldwide sales. I don't see that changing for a least a month.
@SkywardCrowbar You're totally right, I think that's the best course of action.
Thanks!
@rjejr nothing will be cancelled this time.
@yvanjean That's not a fair comparison because Xbox One and PS4 haven't come out yet. It doesn't mean anything that Wii U has outsold things that haven't even been released yet. Wii U has performed well below Nintendo sales expectations. That is a fact.
would kind of seem to be the point of the comment. Still I'm about a generations worth of games back so I'm easy.
@Mrclaycoat Yeah, me too. Plus having seen that one teaser trailer where a garbage truck murders Aisha Tyler (?!) this game could probably use a few more months of polish.
Still looking forward to this one!
Damnit ive already paid for watchdogs on a website! May see if I can change it for something else.im not paying 40 quid for something I wont see for 6 month!
Do they really think they are going to get 400,000,000 € from a 30fps game I truly hope they fail.
@unrandomsam I dont think ive ever seen a good constructive post from you. If you ask me what i hope for, I hope you stop coming here.
Good. I might actually preorder it for Wii U now.
So ...they expected to make...one and a half thousand million... and now will lose money with a one thousand million EURO revenue? That is absolutely insane o_0. Here I am with my expensive one thousand dollar rent...
Everyone wants to praise ubi for bringing games that are bad ports with missing features or dlc, utter trash(see espn sports connection), or Zombie U(not triple A but good). The wost thing ubi does is drastically drop the price of their games. This will make third party's avoid the wii u like a plague. When enough games drop that much that quickly 3rd party's know you wont buy their game until the price drop so no point.
Why don't people praise Capcom instead? Sure they have shady dlc choices, nearly destroyed Resident Evil franchise, and the whole mega man legends thing but they have done more for the wii u than anybody else really. Monster Hunter is one of the best games on the system if not one of the best released this year at all. One hell of a solid AAA title. RE Revelations while barely a AAA is still part of a big franchise and got = if not better treatment than the ps3 xbox360. They had every reason to say no way such as the 3ds already has a version. We got Ducktales which could have skipped the wii u like Mickeys castle of illusion did (thanks sega) And look at the vc. It's a wall of Nintendo, a couple from namco, one from natsume, a coulpe from tito(?) and a wall of capcom. They are also the only 3rd party to do multiple digital sales.
@SkywardCrowbar yeah and that was a joke
Maybe they can use the time to port the crew to Wii U
Yeah...I know
@faint Capcom is a Japanese developer, so the relationship between Nintendo and Capcom is expected to be better, as well as the relationship with Sega, Namco or to an extent, Konami. Ubisoft is a western developer and stands out in the west in its support of Nintendo's consoles.
@faint Are you serious "Praise Crapcom" really........ I rather eat dirty nails than bow down to that trash of a company. They the same company that destroyed almost every series. (DMC,RE,MegaMan,Breath of Fire,Onimusha,Lost Planet,Dead Rising the list goes on and on) But I agree what you said though they are the worst Japanese company to use shady DLC like EA so regardless of Monster Hunter success the company can go bankrupt for all I care. So all this "hate" over Ubisoft being a "bad" company to defend a WORSE company isn't a smart move just a stupid analogy.
@BloodedgeZX My point is ubi has unloaded a lot of crap on the wii u and is constantly In the media about how much they are supporting nintendo. Capcom has done more and doesn't say a word about it. No need to pat their own backs but thanks for the fit you just threw.
@BloodedgeZX Ubi also ruined assasins creed and prince of Persia. Just a little devils advocate for ya.
@dumedum you may be right. I'm 31 and grew up with nothing but Japanese developers. Because of this I don't divide the regions. I like your games or I don't. I suppose a lot of people here grew up with the cube/ps2 and see more of a divide. I just wish ubi would admit that while they have brought games to the wii u they still haven't given consumers a fair shake and stop braging about their support all the time.
@faint I threw it because you started complaining about a company that doesn't deserve it and rather praise a sorry excuse of a company like Crapcom over "helping nintendo". That's my problem in general why I dislike the company they selfish going to one company rather making better benefits and titles on the others too and that's where Ubisoft comes in AT LEAST they work on all consoles rather than getting all this immature hate from the nintendo bunch even though they try they best to please you people. In regard of those titles you brought up from Ubisoft I liked them way more than Crapcom can dish out this year at least.
Thank god it got delayed! there are too many games i want this year D
Hopefully this will improve the game. Looking forward for the Wii U version of Watch Dogs.
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