Ubisoft touts strong Q3 sales, further delays Haze

French publisher's quarterly revenue leaps up 44 percent after Assassin's Creed ships 5M units; Free Radical's futuristic PS3 shooter pushed back yet again; new Prince of Persia game coming.

Ubisoft has once again reported a solid sales quarter. Its third fiscal quarter, which ended December 31, 2007, brought in €450 million (approximately $655 million), a 44 percent increase over the same period in 2006.

Sales for the first nine months of its financial year so far total €711 million ($1.04 billion), compared to €483 million ($703 million) for the year before. The company lauded Assassin's Creed, as well as its Imagine series, Petz series, and MyCoach series as having excellent sales. Ubisoft claims Assassin's Creed has now shipped 5 million units worldwide, with the Imagine series hitting 2.5 million.

For its fourth financial quarter, which ends March 2008, Ubisoft's main releases will be Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3), Assassin's Creed (PC and DS), Lost: Via Domus (PC, PS3, 360), and some as-yet-unnamed casual games for Nintendo's platforms.

During its 2008-09 fiscal year, Ubisoft will be launching several new brands, including Tom Clancy's End War, a Shaun White snowboard game, a Tom Clancy air combat game, and an as-yet unnamed game. The company will also be releasing Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction (PC, 360), Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway (PC, PS3, 360), Far Cry 2 (PC, PS3, 360), and new games in the Prince of Persia and Anno series. Ubisoft's casual catalog will also be expanded, with more titles coming to the Petz, Imagine, and MyCoach franchises. There was no mention of a sequel to Red Steel, Ubisoft Paris' controversial action game.

Unfortunately, the news was not all good: Haze, the PS3-exclusive shooter from Free Radical, has been delayed once again. Originally set for release in early 2007, the game is now down in the schedule to ship sometime in Ubisoft's 2008-09 fiscal year--meaning the game could launch as late as March 31, 2009.

Ubisoft expects sales for its fourth quarter to total around €165 million ($240 million), 16 percent down from the same period in fiscal 2006-07. However, for the full year ending March 31, the company has raised its sales target to €875 million ($1.3 billion), up from a previous estimate made on December 13 for €840 million ($1.2 billion). At the same time, due to the delay of Haze once more, the 2008-09 sales target has been raised to approx €1 billion ($1.5 billion) from €975 million ($1.4 billion).

Ubisoft's fourth quarter results are due on April 24, following the end of trading on the Paris Bourse.

305 Comments

  • 6StringShredder

    Posted Jul 22, 2008 1:44 am PT

    If you kill the couse of the dalay there will be no game at all. patiance young one.... It will be worth it when it comes out.

  • Punkytrd

    Posted May 28, 2008 7:41 pm PT

    i don't like haze that much, far cry 2 is were it's at!

  • shooterman_420

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 12:59 pm PT

    screw Haze what about far cry 2 what the hell is causing the delays i want to kill wat ever is causing it

  • supralover1

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 7:04 am PT

    Awright what's the holdup here? Let's get the game out already, really lookin forward to this one, but if it keeps being delayed may have to lose interest.

  • Wildboy124

    Posted Mar 11, 2008 3:07 am PT

    I'm sensing a bit of Dejavu here with Haze being delayed. Who remembers Prey? That game was supposed to be out about 10 years ago, then it was released but wouldn't get many sales because it was the sheer waiting game for it. It got some respectable reviews, but sales fell everywhere. Ubisoft may want to release the game at least to a max. of August this year if they do not want to suffer (From a sales point of view) another version, which will be called 'The Haze Delay'

  • bobthegoat2001

    Posted Feb 20, 2008 11:37 am PT

    Maybe they're going to try to change the character and the name to something different so they can make it multiplatform like they originally wanted to.

  • wars45

    Posted Feb 20, 2008 1:58 am PT

    209 no way man the game must of been crap so they gon back to do it well way dont they just say it not coming out this y dam it

  • 21121

    Posted Feb 16, 2008 5:23 pm PT

    ah comon. thats 2 years after first date was set? why do they advertise dates that they obviously know they cant meet? i mean ok, a month or 2 is an understandable underestimate, but upto 2 years? comon. dont get peoples hopes up then not deliver.

  • gocanes222

    Posted Feb 13, 2008 1:45 pm PT

    This makes me pretty mad...I have been waiting for Haze since I first joined this website in the Summer of '07. It was supposed to be november so I was pretty excited. Then january. Now freakin May. I'm gonna be playing COD4 and UT3 until then. Forget you corp. america. You screw us over by wanting too much money for youselves. Despite all this i'm still mad excited for this game

  • bballchamp6

    Posted Feb 11, 2008 2:20 pm PT

    im sick of haze
    haze AND MGS4. Delays have done everything possible to ruin my interest in both games. I dont expect to play either of these games any time soon (as if they wont push if back again.) i just dont care. there are plenty of other great games that aren't dumb enough to delay soo long that nobody cares anymore

  • InuHanyou1701

    Posted Feb 8, 2008 1:44 am PT

    You know... It would be one thing if they were pushing back the release date just to make a better game and polish it up a bit. That I wouldn't mind..... as much. But this is getting REALLY annoying. Ship out the blasted game already! Profit mongering... ::Grumbles::

  • dalamar03

    Posted Feb 6, 2008 2:43 pm PT

    "Of course if they didn't push the release date people would be talking smack about releasing a buggy incomplete game."

    It's not being delayed for polish/bugs. It's being delayed so Ubi has something to fall back on for more money. It's a stupid move and it's annoying.

  • medwayman

    Posted Feb 5, 2008 3:29 pm PT

    " Way to screw up and alienate plenty of people that used to want to play it Ubi...smart. "

    Of course if they didn't push the release date people would be talking smack about releasing a buggy incomplete game.

  • user5689

    Posted Feb 3, 2008 5:50 pm PT

    Wow, I love all you people in sheer dismay over Haze being delayed. At least you've only been wating a year or so.

    I've been waiting since 03/04 for a simple *release date* on Dragon Age...

  • dalamar03

    Posted Feb 2, 2008 10:52 am PT

    By the time Haze hits, there's gonna be 600k shooters on the PS3 (like there isn't already -.-) and I'm not gonna have one ounce of interest in buying it. Way to screw up and alienate plenty of people that used to want to play it Ubi...smart.

  • mehrdad1987

    Posted Feb 2, 2008 8:32 am PT

    Still Waiting For Conviction!!

  • veggie530

    Posted Feb 1, 2008 3:45 pm PT

    R6V2 -- can't wait for that one...and SC:C...wish they'd hurry up on it.

  • bestkilla

    Posted Jan 31, 2008 12:30 pm PT

    GOD damn brothers in arms now delyed to myb-day no one knows how long i have benn waiting .

  • mia_bori

    Posted Jan 28, 2008 3:12 pm PT

    wat this game has been delayed again.weve been in this for a year now. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh .i was so hyped on getting my hands on it.DAMN im really hoping now because of ths delay this game will be a years best.

  • 09231991

    Posted Jan 27, 2008 9:12 pm PT

    Out of all those games they announced is coming out, all i care about is Brother's In Arms and Vegas 2, thats it. Vegas 2 is on schedule but damn, BIA is delayed again. damn, damn, damn. The game was scheduled for April 07, then got pushed to Nov 07, and now it could come out anywhere from April 08 to March 09. As I said, damn, damn, damn. Well if there adding a lot of extra unplanned stuff like more story and more MP, then I guess its ok, but damn.

  • Jose_Rizal

    Posted Jan 26, 2008 7:54 pm PT

    And I thought that all 3rd party devs would learn from COD 4's success. I want ALL of the 3rd party games playable on all consoles. PC, PS3, X360. First party devs can stay exclusive. I've both got X360 and PS3, but I want to choose which console I would play it on.

  • ahyumifan

    Posted Jan 25, 2008 6:12 pm PT

    I want to buy my 8th PS3 title, but guess this extends that time.

  • gunblade55hz

    Posted Jan 25, 2008 3:16 pm PT

    it doesn't matter if its delayed, as long as its good and polished, and they could even make the campaign longer and better!

  • Chief_Kuuni

    Posted Jan 25, 2008 11:55 am PT

    well they are doing good, and as long as haze is good and done well, it doesn't matter when it comes out

  • GreenC4T

    Posted Jan 25, 2008 11:48 am PT

    Omg, that sucks! I was looking forward to Haze but they keep pushing it back.

  • kweeni

    Posted Jan 25, 2008 9:05 am PT

    haze still had a chance but now delayed to late 2008 or early 2009 its doomed for sure as killzone 2, mgs4 and resistance 2 (wich are all more populare and known then haze) coming out around same period haze is not rely needed any more i mean who wants a game that keeps being delayed while other awesome shooters are coming out in around same period, seriously ubisoft screwed this one up

  • saras2uk

    Posted Jan 25, 2008 7:51 am PT

    Its start to upset me, waiting Assassins Creed PC version for ages already... one more delay and I will not buy it...

  • devil_1994

    Posted Jan 25, 2008 12:29 am PT

    wow assassins creed was awesome, i cant wait for rainbow six:vegas2, and yes finally a new prince of persia game, as for haze i have a 360 but i dont have a ps3 so dont care

  • starmanuk50

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 8:17 pm PT

    as long as conviction and farcry 2 are on schedule i dont care

  • DarthVaderOWNS

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 8:11 pm PT

    haze coming out late isn't that big of a deal, we still have rsv2

  • Da_IceCream_Man

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 5:59 pm PT

    man it was supposed to come out in 07 and they still cant finish it im about to give up on Haze

  • ShaoFly

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 5:15 pm PT

    i've givin up on haze.

  • okassar

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 2:52 pm PT

    Assassin's Creed was an awesome rent.I was stuck on my 360 for 3 days when I rented it,but that was enough,rent,finish the game,and get atleast like half the gamerscore it can give you and you'll be fine without putting out 60 bucks,not that that's bad either.

  • darkride66

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 2:49 pm PT

    Homerj. Ok article from TODAY. Ubisoft rep confirming HAZE PS3 exclusive. http://www.videogamer.com/news/24-01-2008-7338.html

  • mintvilla144

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 2:29 pm PT

    homerj .. your gunner look soooooo stupid when it dosnt come out on the xbox/ pc as it got canceled.....i suggest you deal with this and stop living in a dream world. you can even check the haze website, it says on it its own website that its a ps3 exclusive

  • razu_gamer

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 2:20 pm PT

    Ubi, what is happening with Red Steel 2???

  • Homerj

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 2:20 pm PT

    "an article was released sayin it wud be on the xbox n pc however that was other a year ago, about 6 months ago they canceld the project and decided to just make it an exclusive so stop sourcing old information, and check your facts"

    The information I am referencing is:
    1. An interview with the CEO of Ubisoft in early Dec 07, shortly after the release of AC. While commenting that the sucess of AC allowed Ubi to financially cope with the delay of Haze, he accidentally let slip that it was slated for PS3 AND 360
    2. An article from PSXextreme (a gaming news site dedicated solely to Sony consoles) quotes the devs as confirming a 360 and a PC version, dated two days ago (1-23-0.

    So, unless the publisher and dev have changed their minds in the last two days, PC/360 for Haze is CONFIRMED. Its just a shame that Haze has gone from "the most anticipated title in 5 years" to "it was always crap anyway" all because SFBs can no longer claim exclusivity.

  • darkride66

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 2:11 pm PT

    Homerj stated "There has NEVER been a categorical statement from the publisher or the dev that the PC/360 versions were "canceled" or were never going to be released" that is, until today. A Ubisoft rep confirmed just today that Haze was a PS3 exclusive. http://www.videogamer.com/news/24-01-2008-7338.html
    Try again.

  • mintvilla144

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 1:24 pm PT

    haze... set in 2048... also released in 2048 lol

  • swamplord666

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 1:15 pm PT

    eh homerj don't really care in a way as long as i'll be able to play it.
    So 3 words
    We shall see

  • mintvilla144

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 1:10 pm PT

    lol you keep sayin the same things, how can ppl be goin off this game just because u claim its gunner be on the xbox, ppl are going off the game because there getting fed up of the delays to the game and by the time it does come out, other games ppl are more looking forward to will be out, an article was released sayin it wud be on the xbox n pc however that was other a year ago, about 6 months ago they canceld the project and decided to just make it an exclusive so stop sourcing old information, and check your facts

  • Homerj

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 1:00 pm PT

    I well understand what "exclusive" means, and Haze was never "exclusive". The dev never stated that the PC/360 versions were canceled, nor did the publisher. What did happen was that the dev suspended all development on the PC/360 versions in a (vain) effort to make the game run adequately on the PS3 to give Sony one exclusive for the holiday season. The publisher's CEO has since confirmed that a 360 version is planned. The article I referenced below specifically quotes the dev as confirming a PC and 360 version. You can deny these facts and still claim PS3 exclusivity, you can even deny that all the SFBs are abandoning and slagging off Haze because of this, but when the PC/360 versions are sitting on the store shelves, well, denial wont make much sense.

  • the_fry_cook

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 12:30 pm PT

    well as if that isn't the biggest p**s take in the world. come on ubisofrt sort out your act

  • mintvilla144

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 12:30 pm PT

    why does this homerj guy keep goin on about haze being on the xbox and pc, does he not understand what exclusive means?? haze would of been a smash if it came out at christmas... it didnt and now its having more delays, and will therefore be released about the same time as mgs4 n killzone 2 so no one will really be that interested when those 2 games drop, so thats bad news for them, but with every game each dev makes for the ps, they get better and quicker at making the games, there still learnin how to really get the best out of the ps3 so delays are expected in the first few years of a console.

  • bombfanatic

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 12:01 pm PT

    dammit another haze delay. im getin impatient

  • guile_charlie

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 9:35 am PT

    Oh Yay! Conviction isn't on PS3!.....DAMNIT! At least it's on PC!

  • Homerj

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 9:33 am PT

    Sorry to return the favor swamplord....but youre working off old info. The CEO of Ubisoft confirmed the 360 version in an interview almost 2 months ago. The devs have been quoted as confirming a 360 and a PC version just a couple of days ago: http://www.psxextreme.com/ps3-news/2481.html
    Haze was never confirmed as an exclusive, the devs only announced that they were stopping development of the PC/360 versions to concentrate on the PS3 version (Sony was desparate for a holiday exclusive...it didnt work out too well). There has NEVER been a categorical statement from the publisher or the dev that the PC/360 versions were "canceled" or were never going to be released. The publisher and dev are now stating without possiblity of interpretation, supposition or spin, that the PC/360 versions will be coming out. Given the delay schedule and the fact that the PC/360 versions were around 6 mos from completion when the "PS3 concentration" was announced, it would appear that Ubi is now aiming for a simultaneous multiplat release.

  • pop_yoo

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 9:20 am PT

    WOW NEW Prince of persia game YAY

  • thekey

    Posted Jan 24, 2008 9:14 am PT

    Thats what happens when you creat a console no one can develop for.

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