GPS News
TECH SPACE
Ubisoft half-year results slide
Ubisoft half-year results slide
By Manel Menguelti and Joseph Boyle
Paris (AFP) Oct 30, 2024

French video game publisher Ubisoft on Wednesday reported that its financial results slid in the first half of the year, sending its shares tumbling.

The maker of "Assassin's Creed" and "Just Dance" games said turnover was down by nearly 20 percent, while "net bookings", its benchmark indicator, was down by nearly 22 percent.

Ubisoft shares lost nearly four percent on Wednesday, ending the day at 13.38 euros per share, above the all-time low of 9.01 euros the stock hit in September, but a long way down from the high of 100 euros per share at which it was trading 10 years ago.

Wednesday's results come at a difficult time for the company.

In September, it had to lower financial targets for the year after its "Star Wars Outlaws" game received a mixed reception upon release in August.

And while Ubisoft increased the number of players over the last 12 months, the company has often found itself the butt of mockery and criticism on social media, a phenomenon so popular it has received its own monicker, "Ubi-bashing".

In addition, some of its workers went on strike earlier this year, a rare occurrence in the video game sector.

Around 1,000 employees, out of the company's 4,000 in France, protested in mid-October against new company rules cutting down on remote work.

Ubisoft, which began a cost-cutting plan in 2023, said it had made more than 200 million euros in savings and reduced its workforce by more than 2,000 people over 24 months.

At the end of September, the total number of employees worldwide stood at 18,666, it said.

Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that China's Tencent giant was considering a joint move with the Guillemot family, which founded Ubisoft and is still the main shareholder, after the French company lost half its market value this year.

Ubisoft has faced several years of turbulence after allegations of pervasive sexism, discrimination and workplace harassment began to emerge in 2020 and led to the departure of several top executives.

The French firm also postponed several releases and endured an underwhelming response to its "Skull and Bones" pirate role-play game.

Tencent, the world's biggest game maker, already holds nearly 10 percent of Ubisoft's capital, while the Guillemot family owns around 15 percent.

Bloomberg reported that Tencent and the Guillemot family were now exploring several options, including a buyout that would take Ubisoft off the stock market.

Video games boomed during the lockdowns caused by the Covid pandemic.

But as people returned to offices and schools reopened, interest in them dried up.

burs/yad/giv

UBISOFT ENTERTAINMENT

Tencent

Related Links
Space Technology News - Applications and Research

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
TECH SPACE
Cage rage: How AI still divides actors and studios
Paris (AFP) Oct 26, 2024
A bruising months-long Hollywood strike helped secure actors and writers some protection from AI, but a year after those ructions studios and creatives are still divided on the tech. Hollywood royalty Nicolas Cage has labelled AI a "nightmare" in the past and renewed his attack on Sunday, particularly on the use of "digital replicas" of actors - a practice permitted under the deal that ended the strike. "The studios want this so that they can change your face after you've already shot it," Cage ... read more

TECH SPACE
Surf and Turf: Oregon State researchers to study feeding seaweed to cattle

Czech Republic curbs animal movement over bluetongue spread

Lebanon's wine region wrestles with war

End of golden era for Chinese investors in Bordeaux wine

TECH SPACE
New magnetism insights aim to advance quantum computing and superconductors

NRL Develops Innovative Method for Quantum Emitter Control

Quantum simulator could help uncover materials for high-performance electronics

KAIST develops flexible LED mask with 340 percent increase in deep skin elasticity

TECH SPACE
Iraq lodges UN complaint over Israel using its airspace to attack Iran

German flying taxi startup to file for bankruptcy

Hydrogen aviation has to be done properly or not at all

US approves $7.3 bn sale of F-16 upgrades for Poland

TECH SPACE
Paris to restrict traffic in centre: city hall

Chinese EV giant BYD beats Tesla in quarterly revenue for first time

Volkswagen profit plunges on high costs, Chinese slump

Germany urges compromise in EU-China EV row; Volkswagen profits plunges on China slump

TECH SPACE
Asian stocks mostly fall, tracking global slide

China factory output expands for first time in six months

Hong Kong economic growth misses forecast in third quarter: data

China says Malaysia PM to visit next week

TECH SPACE
Veea Amazon and AECOM partner to build the Internet of Forests in Colombia

Autumn season science event invites volunteers to track leaf color change

One in three tree species at risk of extinction: report

Adaptability of trees endures through millions of years of climate shifts

TECH SPACE
Recent progress of Earth observation satellites in China

EarthCARE mission highlights crucial roles of clouds and aerosols in atmospheric energy

Thin cool ocean surface enhances carbon absorption

UK to lead global EO group with ambitious focus on data and impact

TECH SPACE
New Technique Enables Mass Production of Metal Nanowires

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.