Ubisoft talks GTA effect

Blockbuster games like Grand Theft Auto V can actually have a positive impact of competing titles like Watch Dogs because players are left eager for more, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has said.

During an earnings call this week discussing the company's downgraded financial outlook as a result of the delay of Watch Dogs and The Crew into 2014, an analyst asked if "that one big title that came out recently" could negatively impact Ubisoft's results.

"Each time there's a megablockbuster that takes lots of sales, it has an impact around it for sure," Guillemot replied. "There's a positive and negative effect. The positive one is that it's actually pushing lots of players to come back to their machine and play."

"So it generally has a positive impact on the games that come after because those guys want more now that they've experimented with a very good quality game," he added. "So we can now expect a positive effect after the launch."

Rockstar Games plans to keep players engaged in GTAV through Grand Theft Auto Online, the game's multiplayer component that debuted earlier this month. The developer has said it will release new content for the game on a regular basis.

Meanwhile, Ubisoft's open-world game Watch Dogs is now scheduled to be released in spring 2014. Explaining the delay, Ubisoft said from the onset of development it would never compromise on quality. The developer explained that it needed extra time to polish and fine-tune every detail so the company could "deliver a truly memorable and exceptional experience."