'We can launch games whenever we're ready and whenever we want,' says Guillemot

Ubisoft hasn’t shied away from delaying games when the company believes they could use some more time in the game development oven. Following the most recent delay of the pirate game Skull and Bones, an investor asked Ubisoft leadership about their feelings regarding quality versus timing when it comes to delaying games.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot explained that, while the company has historically found January through June even late August as a good time to launch products, he has now found the market more receptive to Ubisoft’s growing preference for quality-over-timing.

“We can launch games whenever we’re ready and whenever we want because there’s a good appetite for new products on the market on the market just thanks to the fact that there are less big games coming to the industry. that gives us the possibility to choose when to launch because it’s really the quality that will make the difference in the industry.”

Previously, Guillemot has said that the company is driven by the idea that “more fun” means more revenue, and taking additional time to ensure a game is at its best is the way to go. 

Now the company is finding that spending extra time on its games both before and after release leads to more revenue in the long term. Revenue generated by a strong showing from back catalog games like Rainbow Six Siege, for example, allows the company to focus on less frequent but more polished releases.

Ubisoft explains that the industry as a whole seems to be shifting to less frequent releases with more post-release support, something that has effectively enabled Ubisoft to find success even with games that are delayed outside of those traditionally ideal launch windows.