Ubisoft had suggested that investors should buckle up for a financial hit in January, but the impact appears to have been a bit worse than expected, as the company’s latest fiscal reporting shows some pretty significant drops beyond what the studio had initially forecast.
The reported fiscal year ending in March saw a 15% drop of sales year-over-year to $1.97B, net bookings down 18% to $1.89B, and a total of $538M in net losses. The company’s fourth quarter numbers aren’t much better, with sales down 56% YOY and net bookings down 53% YOY; Ubisoft had told investors to expect a decline of 10% in net bookings, but the numbers work out to about an 18% drop instead.
When asked about the figures in the related earnings call, CEO Yves Guillemot called the drop “in line with guidance.”
These dips in performance are perhaps a motivating factor for a newly announced promotion for The Division 2 that invites players to check out the shooter for free between May 18th and 21st. This free taste of the game is available to PC, Xbox, and PlayStation players, with a pre-load on PC available now, though Xbox players will need an Xbox Gold subscription to join in.
