Ubisoft has announced its fourth quarter sales results for fiscal year 2007-2008, as well as plans for significant growth in staffing over the next 12 months.
The company reported fourth quarter sales of €217 million ($340 million), a ten percent increase over the €197 million ($309 million) recorded in the final quarter of fiscal year 2006-2007. Ubisoft’s full-year sales improved even more dramatically, rising 36.4 percent to €928 million ($1.45 billion) for the fiscal. The French publishing giant attributed the strong growth primarily to the better-than-expected performance of Tom Clancy’s Rainbox Six Vegas 2, Assassin’s Creed and the Games For Everyone casual brand the company rolled out in mid-2007.
“2007-08 was a remarkable year for Ubisoft, underpinned by three strategic achievements: Continued strengthening of existing franchises such as Rainbow Six, Rayman, The Settlers and Ghost Recon which recorded excellent sales levels; the sharp ramp-up of the “Games For Everyone” casual range, whose sales figures tripled over the year; (and) a steady output of new releases with Assassin’s Creed and Imagine that have performed exceptionally well,” Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said.
“These strategic focuses will once again be the key to our success in 2008 which is set to be another record year for the industry with growth expected to reach at least 15 percent,” he continued. “Ubisoft’s games line-up is particularly strong, with no fewer than seven existing franchises, five new releases and new brands in the casual segment.”
Ubisoft also announced a plan to add another 900 people to its operation within the next 12 months, according to a Next-Gen report. The company said it wanted to expand its headcount to 4500 people from the current level of roughly 3600, with particular focus on studios in Singapore, India and China. “500 will go to the new studios, but there will also be 400 coming into the established studios,” Guillemot said. Ubisoft, which maintains offices in 25 countries around the world, recently announced the acquisition of a former Gameloft studio based in India as part of an expansion into Southeast Asia.
