Ben-DutkaUbisoft's first-half financial results were disappointing – sales were down 51% – but they're hoping their upcoming lineup will give them a boost.
The new Assassin's Creed series should net them some profit and according to Ubisoft CFO Alain Martinez, they're now expecting the franchise to perform better than expected. In fact, according to Spong , Martinez says the company initially expected Assassin's Creed II to sell less than the original title, and now, they think it'll sell 15% more . They attribute this to the addition of the PSP, as Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines is on the way and, if we're interpreting these comments correctly, ACII is also going portable. Said Martinez:
"We now think the game should be selling 15% more units than the first title, while our previous guidance assumed it was going to sell less units than the first title. Most of this out-performance of 15% actually comes from the fact of the addition of one platform: the PSP on which Assassin's Creed 1 was not released in the past. And around half of this performance is done with guaranteed bundles."
This is a little confusing, but it's more likely that Martinez keeps referring to Bloodlines , so we can't just assume that ACII is PSP-bound. However, with the addition of that one AC title on the PSP – and the obvious fact that there will be bundles offered – that should help to spread the franchise's popularity. Developers are turning more and more to the PSP to expand their audience these days…look at Sega and Valkyria Chronicles 2 .
i am looking forward to it, thinking to place the pre-order, yet to decide which edition 😛
Last edited by BigBoss4ever on 7/28/2009 10:54:56 AM
when i read ur comment i was imagining it in snakes voice
LOL i take that as a compliment
Last edited by BigBoss4ever on 7/29/2009 10:57:27 AM
Great news, especially for Assassins Creed fans.
You know seeing all this new development on teh PSP platform makes me think…With the PSP now having a dual approach of digital download and UMD, Ubisoft may be thinking that the PSP is suddenly more viable because of the digital downloads. You can't lose sales to used copies of digital downloads, because GameStop can't sell them.
Just speculating a little further the PSP Go has no UMD and has new hardware. We have no idea whether or not Sony has implemented additional security measures in the Go, I would be incredibly surprised if they haven't. In fact, I would be very, very surprised if Sony didn't take every lesson learned from the Homebrew crowd on the PSP and apply it with the PSP Go. We may find that in fact the Go is harder to crack and use custom firmware with. In which case, game piracy will be les problematic in spite of the use of digital downloads. That would be very attractive to publishers because the PSP has got a bad reputation for piracy thanks to the custom firmware/homebrew crowd.
From a Sony and game publisher/developer point of view, digital downloads are only attractive if they are very hard to steal (copy and use without paying). If Sony has managed to greatly improve security on the PSP Go, it could be a great thing for Sony and their partners. Ultimately it will be a good thing for users too. If publishers and developers see the PSP as a viable platform again, then we get more games. If not, then we will see a return to the bad old days when no one wanted to develop for a platform that leaks sales to theft.
I like the homebrew crowd. The Man is always trying to keep people down 😉
I'll wait for the reviews. The 1st one blew. The second one looks promising. Haven't seen much of the PSP game. I'll try and keep an open mind.
Last edited by Jawknee on 7/28/2009 11:15:13 AM
thank you sir.
The first one looked promising and it still blew!?
Still I hope the 2nd game is great if they sort out the repetitive missions
Im getting both titles. I like the way they are connecting the two together.
Last edited by bebestorm on 7/28/2009 11:33:37 AM
The trailer that shows this game in action is really impressive. It looks amazing.
So Ubi-soft want to increase sales right? So why the hell has Splinter cell Gone Exlusive to Microsoft?
I think they need to rethink thier strategy.
Thats nice and everything but i do have an issue with the PSP all there good games are from titles previously released on a normal PS console, Tekken:DR, FFVII:CC, MGS:PO,Silent Hill: Origins the list goes on..
The PSP doesnt have a new unique series going for it, which is why i believe the Nintendo DS to be more dominant.
The thing is that was exactly what people used to complain about. Then we went through a period where the PSP got games that weren't established franchises and people started to whine about the lack of mainstream titles like those on the home consoles. Because new IPs weren't selling well, a lot of Devs basically said "Screw it!" to developing for the PSP, resulting in a drought of good games.
So now we get back to more games that are off-shoots of existing franchises. Are people going to start complaining again that there are too many retreads and ports on the PSP?
Gee, do you get the feeling that a fickle public simply won't let Sony win on this one? They seem like they're damned if they do and damned if they don't.
Last edited by TheHighlander on 7/28/2009 1:32:36 PM
Interesting. I never thought about that. I don't know if I agree about that being WHY the DS dominates but it's worth pondering.
hey thats a good song Highlander, Damned if i do ya and damned if i dont By All Time Low. Thers so much more you can do with a PSP you would be crazy to think that the DS dominates, maybe in sales but just because people dont see the potential in the PSP, the homebrew and other apps. i have on my PSP has kept me occupied for about a week now without games, my UMD drive busted, 🙁 Oh and yes im getting this bundle, i need another UMD playing PSP for now until PSP GO, so why not Assassins Creed and i want that white PSP 3000. For the UMD movie bundles, im thinking Kingdom of Heaven. Announce it already.
Last edited by JMO_INDY on 7/28/2009 4:47:10 PM
DS games are more fun and in abundance.
If the PSP had trophies it would be a day one buy for me. As it is I will stick with my fat and hope this goes Greatest Hits soon.
AC won't save you Ubi.
Careful Ubisoft, talking up PSP like that will cause MS to make a handheld.
So, the MS handheld will arrive zoon then? How zoon will this portable Xbox arrive? Will it be zoon enough to allow Microsoft to break into a market dominated by devices with 10s of millions of sales?
Isn't the Zune HD supposed to be their new handheld? Or are they zoon to launch yet another new device? If it's anything like the original 360 models, people will need oven gloves to use it, otherwise they'll lose the skin from their fingertips to 1st degree burns.
😉
*shivers* i dont wanna even think about the possibility of MS making a portable device, unless they like being in third year after year. There a little behind, 4 years behind.
@TheHighlander
Maybe we can have all the fun of a portable red ring of death too, o the good ol days.
I'm getting Assassins Creed 2 on both the psp and the ps3. I just hope that it's not too repetitive like the first one.
if u connect them u can unlock 6 weps for ps3 and psp
and M$ will fail shamfully
I won't buy the PSP version if the gameplay ain't perfect and if it also features dull lighting. I just don't want a another PoP revelations!!
theve got my sale on both AC2 and bloodlines.
but im lost in ubisofts logic.
there dissapointed by there sales in the first half of this year, so to improve there sales for the second half there taking all the games due out then and pushing them till next year?????????
its like saying ok i need more money so im quitting my job and staying home all day.
that should make me more cash right?
and even if it was to maximize sales for said games, like SPC (that was the worst delay since KZ2, and i thought bioshock 2 left a bruise) im 99.9999999999% sure the game will sell better up against MW2 assassins creed 2 borderlands uncharted 2 R&C and such.
than up against singularity bioshock 2 max payne 3 heavy rain GOW3 possibly mag n GT5 alan wait.
seriously SPC was the only decent 360 out this year they would of got heaps of sales, next year im not so sure up against alan wait and i can see crackdown 2 coming sooner than later