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UBISOFT is dying - market shares collapse by 85% from 2021 to 2025

Nickolaidas

Member
I am sad, so very sad. I can barely contain my tears as I copy paste the text from ThatParkPlace


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Once a titan in the gaming industry, Ubisoft has experienced a dramatic and concerning decline in value over the past four years. From a market capitalization of $12.17 billion in January 2021, the company’s value plummeted to a mere $1.78 billion by January 2025.

This represents an alarming loss of approximately 85% of its market value, underscoring severe financial turmoil and strategic missteps that have left the Assassin’s Creed developer struggling to maintain its foothold in a highly competitive industry.

In January 2021, Ubisoft stood strong with a market cap of $12.17 billion. This reflected its status as a powerhouse in the gaming world. However, by January 2024, the company’s value had been cut by over 74%, dropping to $3.14 billion.

The downward trajectory continued unabated into 2025, where the market cap further decreased by nearly 43% from the previous year, settling at $1.78 billion. This total reduction of $10.39 billion over four years highlights deep-rooted issues within the company’s operations and strategy.

When we factor in their most recent reported loans from March 2024, totaling $2.71 billion—likely higher now due to updated rates and additional borrowing not yet reflected in the valuation—Ubisoft’s financial position seems to have worsened compared to 2024.

The company’s inability to sustain liquidity sufficient to cover its mounting debt is exacerbated by the impending release of Assassins Creed: Shadows in February, a game that has already garnered significant negative reception.

If Shadows flops, it could cripple Ubisoft’s ability to secure further loans to sustain operations through 2025. With its current valuation-to-debt ratio, no bank would be likely to extend additional credit without a solid assurance of repayment. Unless a miracle occurs, Shadows could deepen Ubisoft’s financial woes and potentially push the company toward bankruptcy.

Industry expert Joost van Dreunen, founder of SuperData, has voiced a grim prognosis for Ubisoft, suggesting that the company is on the verge of privatization and dismantling in 2025.

He points out that Ubisoft’s share price has nosedived, making it an attractive target for takeover.

“Its valuable assets—particularly Rainbow Six Siege and the Assassin’s Creed franchise—could be worth more separately than together, he said. “The upcoming Assassin’s Creed: Shadows faces stiff competition from PlayStation’s Ghost of Yotei, and recent failures suggest deeper organizational issues beyond individual game performance.”

Ubisoft’s strategic missteps have significantly contributed to its financial decline. Recent game releases, such as Star Wars: Outlaws, have fallen short of market expectations, with preorders reportedly abysmal and sales figures remaining undisclosed—a red flag for financial instability.

The decision to release Outlaws on Steam shortly after launch, deviating from the exclusive Ubisoft Connect platform strategy used for successful titles like Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, suggests a desperate attempt to salvage sales and improve liquidity. This move indicates the company lacks confidence in its own distribution channels along with an inability to maintain strategic consistency.

Financially, Ubisoft is grappling with mounting debt and declining revenue.

As of its latest financial report, Ubisoft’s non-IFRS net debt stands at €1.1 billion, and its IFRS net debt has risen to €1.4 billion, up sharply from €880.8 million the previous year. With cash reserves dwindling to €932 million, the company is struggling to generate sufficient revenue to offset its borrowing costs.

Additionally, the estimated annual cost of €746.6 million for maintaining an 18,666-strong workforce is unsustainable given the declining revenues and increasing debt burden.

Management and organizational issues further exacerbate Ubisoft’s predicament.

Van Dreunen criticizes Ubisoft’s outdated development approach, which fails to engage players and build a strong community. That’s a necessity in the modern gaming landscape.

The shutdown of XDefiant is not merely a failed launch, but a symptom of a broader problem: Ubisoft’s inability to adapt its distribution and development strategies to contemporary demands.

Moreover, the costly development of Skull & Bones, which has reportedly consumed between $650 and $850 million over a decade, highlights inefficiencies in resource allocation and project management. This project, alongside the cancellation of multiplayer games like XDefiant, has drained financial reserves without delivering expected returns.

Cultural and ideological overreach has also played a role in Ubisoft’s downfall. The company’s intense focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives has alienated a portion of its core fanbase. Overindulgence in DEI without balancing other strategic priorities has led to disenchantment among loyal customers and investors, contributing to the erosion of Ubisoft’s market confidence.

Workforce challenges further complicate Ubisoft’s financial struggles. The company has been forced to hire external contractors due to an overstaffed and inexperienced internal workforce.

This reliance on external talent not only inflates production costs but also leads to inefficiencies, as many of these contractors lack the necessary experience to contribute effectively to game development. This imbalance has resulted in poorly executed gameplay and increasing production costs, further straining Ubisoft’s already precarious financial situation.

Adding to these multifaceted challenges is the looming threat of bankruptcy.

According to a recent exclusive story by That Park Place writer Francesco Solbakk, Ubisoft’s financial woes are so severe that bankruptcy in 2025 appears imminent if drastic changes are not implemented. The company’s escalating debt, declining cash reserves, and poor stock performance have significantly weakened its financial standing. Analysts estimate Ubisoft’s credit rating has plummeted to CCC, a level that indicates imminent bankruptcy unless immediate and positive changes occur.

The potential privatization and dismantling of Ubisoft have attracted interest from major players like Tencent. However, a Tencent buyout may not be the lifeline Ubisoft desperately needs.

Instead of acquiring Ubisoft’s corporate structure, Tencent might find more value in purchasing its intellectual properties through a bankruptcy auction, leaving Ubisoft to declare bankruptcy without a sustainable path forward. This scenario would mark a tragic end for a company that once stood at the pinnacle of the gaming industry, now reduced to battling insurmountable financial and organizational challenges.
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So guys, please, please please please buy more Ubisoft games, otherwise the people who called you bigots, dinosaurs, racists, homophobes and nazis may not have a job tomorrow.
 

kruis

Exposing the sinister cartel of retailers who allow companies to pay for advertising space.
Once a titan in the gaming industry, Ubisoft has experienced a dramatic and concerning decline in value over the past four years. From a market capitalization of $12.17 billion in January 2021, the company’s value plummeted to a mere $1.78 billion by January 2025.

This represents an alarming loss of approximately 85% of its market value, underscoring severe financial turmoil and strategic missteps that have left the Assassin’s Creed developer struggling to maintain its foothold in a highly competitive industry.

The topic subject is wrong. You're confusing market value with market share....
 

DaciaJC

Gold Member
They developed my most-played game ever, For Honor, and are still supporting it eight years after it launched, for which I'm grateful.

But I would not shed any tears if they were to close down.
 

proandrad

Member
All? No.

Those who deserve it? Sure.
couch plant GIF by South Park
 

LordCBH

Member
I think it was late 2024 when there was a news article that said they were willing to sell but only if the Guillemot’s get to stay in control. What idiot company would agree to that considering how those idiots have run Ubisoft into the dirt?

They’ll either run the company into closure, or sell for pennies and be shown the door.
 

Mercador

Member
"Let's all cheer for all videogame developers and publishers to go out of business."

I don’t understand so-called gaming enthusiasts.
Personally, I'm nostalgic of the old Ubisoft, the old Blizzard, the old Bethesda. Nowadays, big AAA(A for Ubisoft) are focusing too much on marketing, are not taking risk, only surfing on the next wave already established, etc. Newer studios are better like CDPR, Warhorse, Larian, they aren't corrupted (yet) by greed.
 
I'm sad for those who work there but for the company; good.
lots of the reason ubisoft went under is the people who work there, unfinished games and not exactly TOP features...

also, it's one of the most woke companies atm, I do wonder if the devs are the purple haired weirdos or if the instruction come from the suits, to make woke games to suit the minorities loud ones

what they did with FarCry is shit, the sixth game has a lot of this BS and the overall character design and even world arts show what I'm saying. Fuck those matanza dudes that shit was wack
 

phant0m

Member
Meanwhile, gamers: “Hey Ubi, can we have new Splinter Cell?”

Ubi: “no, try this GaaS”

<hyperscape shuts down>

gamers: “Hey Ubi, can we have new Splinter Cell?”

Ubi: “no, try this AAAA GaaS”

<skull & bones take like 7 years to make and flops>

gamers: “Hey Ubi, can we have new Splinter Cell?”

Ubi: “no, try this GaaS”

<xdefiant shuts down>

Ubi: “we don’t know what gamers want”
 
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Dick Jones

Gold Member
Let's all cheer for all videogamer developers and publishers to go out of business.

I don’t understand so-called gaming enthusiasts.
I 100% agree with this post.

It's like complaining about mid movies. Not every movie needs to be the quality of The Third Man. Sometimes you want to watch a Con Air or Under Siege.

Ubisoft is a 7/10 game publisher. It's effectively makes formulaic games so sometimes you are in the mood for Far Cry: Blood Dragon or a Watch Dogs which is fine. I don’t see how anyone could be happy that Ubisoft is in trouble. Hell I'm still annoyed that THQ went the way of the Dodo.

If a game developer is not 10/10 everytime we would have Teyon fold after Rambo, which means no Terminator or RoboCop game. They are enjjoyable 7/10 games. Cheerleading the mass loss of jobs is embarrassing.
 

stn

Member
Personally speaking, they haven't made anything that I like in a while. I was a bit interested in Outlaws, but then I read up that the game had tons of bad design choices (like losing your weapon when you climb a ladder). Of course, I'd be all in if they decide to go back to Splinter Cell finally.
 

Sentenza

Member
Which is ironic because, since a decade or so, I am actually interested in a game they've got in the pipeline: Heroes of Might & Magic: The Olden Era. So I hope they can go bust after that has released.
Same exact situation.
I'm here crossing my fingers and thinking "Can you guys just wait few more months before bankrupting your sorry asses?".
 

Z O N E

Member
The people making the decisions at Ubisoft are going to cost over 20,000 jobs of those who don't make any decisions regarding Ubisofts direction.

All because they'd rather choose to make slop instead of going "Okay, what do gamers actually want?"

Imagine a very serious Splinter Cell reboot with current tech? Nope, have the 107th Assassin's Creed game you never asked for.

It's so sad how far they've dropped the ball.
 

sncvsrtoip

Gold Member
Realy enjoyed Valhalla (just skipped majority of optional tasks) and Far Cry 6 wasnt bad but couldnt get hook into Avatar and now trying Outlaws and also struggling. Hope Assasin Shadows will be decent.
 

GHG

Member
Black_Stride Black_Stride do you wish to revisit this conversation? :



I don't think Ubisoft survives this generation.

They just diluted their shareholders to the tune of $541.2 million.

Businesses don't do that unless they are in a financial squeeze.

Yes that Ubisoft.

You might want to take a look at their full earnings statement instead of just looking at the headline income numbers:

bK9cR7c.jpeg


Negative 393 million in cash flow and an increase of 323 million in debt.

And on top of that they are diluting their shareholders while aggressively having to lay people off.

Nothing To See Here GIF by Giphy QA

Why are you cherry picking a single metric to assess their relative financial health? You're failing to take in to account pretty much everything else, which is what I touched on in my previous post. This isn't only about Ubisoft's increasing levels of debt, it's that along with everything else inclusive of key areas which continue to erode quarter after quarter, year after year.

Absolutely insane to compare them to apple who are pretty much the best run business in the world from a financial perspective.

Some pretty good drugs I must have been on huh?
 
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