Latest news with #AssassinsCreed
The Sun
19 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Beloved PlayStation and Xbox game played by 11 million closes forever in DAYS – Ubisoft is offering some a ‘full refund'
A MUCH-LOVED game is shutting down next week on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S after only a year. The free-to-play first person shooter had 11million players across the world at its height. 2 2 Publisher Ubisoft - known for making Assassin's Creed - have given some users who made purchases a refund. The game in question is XDefiant, which was set in the Ubisoft universe with map locations based on several of the firm's biggest titles. It appears the decision to axe the title was because it failed to become profitable. "Many free-to-play games take a long time to find their footing and become profitable," Mark Rubin, the game's executive producer said. "It's a long journey that Ubisoft and the teams working on the game were prepared to make until very recently. "But unfortunately, the journey became too much to sensibly continue." He also tweeted in April that the whole team behind it were laid off. New downloads and purchases were already blocked in December when news of XDefiant's closure was first announced. Existing users have been able to continue playing on PlayStation, Xbox and PC but now the final nail in the coffin is here. Ubisoft is switching off the servers on Tuesday ending the game forever. PS5 owners can slash gaming bills with a two-tap trick that takes seconds – but two other hacks also save you money Fans have shared their sadness on social media. "Man this game was so fun, its sad to see it go so early, already have nostalgic feelings," one person wrote on Reddit. Another commented: "Thank you xDefiant for bringing me back to fps-arcade shooters and actually having a fun game." Ubisoft is offering a full refund to anyone who bought a Ultimate Founders Pack. OTHER GAME CLOSURES COMING UP Here's what to watch out for... The First Descendant - June 19 Black Desert - June 26 Resident Evil ReVerse - June 29 Madden NFL 21 - June 30 Arizona Sunshine - July 1 Skyworld - July 1 Danmachi Battle Chronicle - September 29 WWE 2K24 - September 30 Madden NFL 22 - October 20 PGA Tour 2K21 - October 30 NBA 2K24 - December 31 Image credit: Alamy Those who bought a VC or DLC since November 3, 2024, will also be fully refunded. These refunds should have already been automatically processed. See the full list of purchases eligible for refund below: XDefiant Gold Pack XDefiant Starter Pack DLC XDefiant Combat Pack DLC XDefiant VC Pack - 500 XCoins XDefiant VC Pack - 1000 XCoins XDefiant VC Pack - 2100 XCoins XDefiant VC Pack - 5750 XCoins XDefiant VC Pack - 12000 XCoins WHY ARE GAMES CLOSING DOWN? By Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun With most games online these days, tech companies need to maintain quite hefty servers to manage everything. It's no cheap business to operate with millions of gamers across the world. Naturally, people move on, leaving older games behind in the process. There comes a point where it's no longer viable to continue offering server access so studios shut them down. For some games that are entirely online this can render it completely useless. But others may have a way for you to continue playing solo still. You should usually see a prominent notification in the game warning you with instructions on what to do - provided you're still playing the game of course.
Reuters
22-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Embracer leans on back catalogue as game delays shake industry profits
May 22 (Reuters) - Tomb Raider owner Embracer ( opens new tab is leaning on its back catalogue to maintain cash flow while fewer AAA games are being released, but this is not a long-term shift, CEO Lars Wingefors said on Thursday. As game development becomes slower, riskier and more expensive, studios are facing growing pressure to justify their budgets for major releases in a market where consumer sentiment and profitability are wearing thin. "I think it's more important than ever to make sure the game is polished because it's very hard to repair a buggy or unfinished product," Wingefors told Reuters. French peer Ubisoft ( opens new tab showed a similar approach with its newest Assassin's Creed game, which debuted with positive reviews on Steam after being delayed twice. Gaming groups thrived during COVID lockdowns, but delays and weak demand have hit Embracer's new titles, pushing it to lean on older games seen as a safer bet amid faltering blockbusters. It has sold studios to cut costs and manage debt in recent years, and is now splitting into three listed companies. On Thursday, it forecast slight revenue growth and broadly unchanged earnings for its fiscal 2025/26, and said that realistically, at least one of its nine AAA game releases slated for the following two financial years would be pushed back, without specifying titles. Studios are pouring time and money into increasingly complex games, but returns are hit-or-miss and long delays mean many will not see cash back until much later. On top of it, fewer games break through and slower cash generation strains studios, which has made older titles a more attractive and dependable revenue stream for some. Ubisoft recently delayed key titles and pushed profitability expectations to 2026, underscoring sector challenges in converting content into cash. It told Reuters it planned to be more selective and turn blockbusters into "evergreen" franchises that generate steady revenue long after launch. "We will still look to create some new IPs, but will be more discerning in favour of gameplay breakthroughs based on disruptive or emerging technologies," Ubisoft said. Wingefors also said that tools like AI could boost efficiency over time in minor titles, with the industry rapidly adopting them to improve energy gains and technology sales. ($1 = 9.5615 Swedish crowns)
Asharq Al-Awsat
15-05-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
France's Ubisoft Full-Year Net Bookings Fall 20.5%
France's largest video game maker Ubisoft on Wednesday posted a 20.5% fall in full-year net bookings as the company has faced issues with delayed releases and the underperformance of some of its leading titles. The maker of the blockbuster franchise "Assassin's Creed" reported net bookings of 1.85 billion euros ($2.07 billion) for the year to March 31, slightly below its guidance of around 1.9 billion euros. Ubisoft plans to announce a new overall group organization by the end of the year, with the objective to best serve player needs, deliver superior game quality and drive disciplined capital allocation, it said in a statement. It expects full-year 2025-2026 stable net bookings year-on-year and roughly break-even non-IFRS operating income. Net bookings for the first quarter are forecast at 310 million euros. Ubisoft also expects to return to positive non-IFRS operating income and free cash flow generation in 2026-2027, it said. "After a review of our pipeline, we have decided to provide additional development time to some of our biggest productions to create the best conditions for success," CEO Yves Guillemot said in the statement. As a result, he said, the next two years would see "significant content coming from our largest brands." In March, the company faced a make-or-break moment with the launch of the newest instalment in "Assassin's Creed" franchise as the company grappled with falling revenue, a sinking stock price and takeover speculation. "Aware of the challenges ahead, we took decisive steps to continue strengthening the company's future. The launch of 'Assassin's Creed Shadows' was a defining moment," Guillemot said. The release had reaffirmed the power of the brand, he added, and had received a "highly favorable community response". Ubisoft said that the game delivered the second-highest Day 1 sales revenue in franchise history and set a new record for Ubisoft's Day 1 performance on the PlayStation digital store.
CNA
15-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Ubisoft shares plummet as it guides for further cash burn
Shares in video game maker Ubisoft dropped heavily on Thursday after the French game developer guided for this year's cash generation to remain negative, while expecting its operating income at a breakeven. The company, which is behind the Assassin's Creed franchise, reported on Wednesday a 20.5 per cent drop in its full-year 2024-2025 net bookings due to delayed releases and the underperformance of some of its leading titles. Ubisoft shares were down about 20.5 per cent by 0720 GMT at 9.28 euros, heading for their biggest single-day drop in more than 11 years.
CNA
14-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
France's Ubisoft full-year net bookings fall 20.5%
France's largest video game maker Ubisoft on Wednesday posted a 20.5 per cent fall in full-year net bookings as the company has faced issues with delayed releases and the underperformance of some of its leading titles. The maker of the blockbuster franchise "Assassin's Creed" reported net bookings of 1.85 billion euros ($2.07 billion) for the year to March 31, slightly below its guidance of around 1.9 billion euros. Ubisoft plans to announce a new overall group organisation by the end of the year, with the objective to best serve player needs, deliver superior game quality and drive disciplined capital allocation, it said in a statement. It expects full-year 2025-2026 stable net bookings year-on-year and roughly break-even non-IFRS operating income. Net bookings for the first quarter are forecast at 310 million euros. Ubisoft also expects to return to positive non-IFRS operating income and free cash flow generation in 2026-2027, it said. "After a review of our pipeline, we have decided to provide additional development time to some of our biggest productions to create the best conditions for success," CEO Yves Guillemot said in the statement. As a result, he said, the next two years would see "significant content coming from our largest brands." In March, the company faced a make-or-break moment with the launch of the newest instalment in "Assassin's Creed" franchise as the company grappled with falling revenue, a sinking stock price and takeover speculation. "Aware of the challenges ahead, we took decisive steps to continue strengthening the company's future. The launch of "Assassin's Creed Shadows" was a defining moment," Guillemot said. The release had reaffirmed the power of the brand, he added, and had received a "highly favourable community response". Ubisoft said that the game delivered the second-highest Day 1 sales revenue in franchise history and set a new record for Ubisoft's Day 1 performance on the PlayStation digital store. ($1 = 0.8920 euros)
