Ubisoft delays Skull and Bones, slashes sales targets

Ubisoft announced today it’s delaying at least one of its games, canceling three others and redoing its financial targets for 2023. This is all part of its new “strategic focus” focusing on its primary brands in response to “worsening macroeconomic conditions” and how the publisher’s games underperformed in late 2022.

Skull and Bones, already one of the most chronically delayed games in history, has pushed back yet again. Previously, it was set to release this coming March. Now it’s due to launch sometime in early in the next fiscal year, which runs from April 2023 to March 2024. Ubisoft is also canceling three unannounced projects in order to put all of its money and energy into its major brands.

Ubisoft has revised its net bookings target for 2023 from about €830 million to about €725 million — around a 13% decrease. It’s also lowered its expectations for net bookings from up 10% YoY to down 10% YoY. Its new non-IFRS operating income target for 2023-24 is €400 million.

According to Ubisoft, Mario+Rabbids: Sparks of Hope and Just Dance 2023 both underperformed in December and January, which was “markedly and surprisingly slower than expected.” The publisher says that it is “facing major challenges as the industry continues to shift towards mega-brands and long-lasting titles than can reach players across the globe, across platforms and business models.” Ubisoft is attempting to adapt its brands and focus accordingly.

Frédéric Duguet, Ubisoft’s CFO, said that the company still plans to release Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Skull and Bones and at least one yet-to-be-announced premium game in the 2023-24 season.