Snowdrops On An Anvil
The Uncertainty Around Ubisoft
When the master craftsmen at Ubisoft were smithing Assassins Creed in the Shadows, it is doubtful they suspected that one of their final products would sound one of the company’s many death knells. Fashioning their metal on Anvil, the final shape their latest offering took put them right on the edge of fate. While AC Shadows sold well, it didn’t sell well enough. Following a string of high profile disappointments this pushed the company further into the dire straits they were already attempting to sail through. This past week the French video game maker announced major company restructuring alongside a wave of video game cancellations and delays. Predictably, the markets reacted poorly to this news further sinking the company’s already cratering share price. The cloud of uncertainty that hangs heavy over Ubisoft’s future hasn’t just cast shade on investors predictions, it has rained on gamers’ parade. With the cancellation of the ‘Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time’ remake naught is on the horizon in terms of product offerings for the near future. While the restructuring has reduced overall costs the company is still heavily indebted. Without a fresh infusion of cash it remains to be seen whether the company can limp into the next fiscal year with its ambitions heavily curtailed.
The cloud of uncertainty that hangs heavy over Ubisoft’s future hasn’t just cast shade on investors predictions, it has rained on gamers’ parade.
While many internauters bemoan the mismanagement of the intellectual property under Ubisoft’s banner, few seem to be decrying the potential loss of Ubisoft’s class leading video game development engines. The IP can always be bequeathed to others better suited at story telling, for a sum of course. As an example, Disney has squandered significant chunks of the Star Wars intellectual property, yet, under their stewardship we have had some of the best Star Wars stories in decades. These however came via third parties in the form of Respawn’s and EA’s ‘Jedi: Survivor’ and ‘Jedi: Fallen Order’. The proprietary technology used to develop Ubisoft’s video games cannot be sublet to other developers. These custom engines namely the Snowdrop, Anvil and Dunia engines can only be effectively wielded in the hands of Ubisoft developers. Few companies can match the realism and magic of Ubisoft’s open worlds in terms of world building and environmental storytelling. Flora and fauna realistically interact with each other, the player and the elements in these virtual creations. A tough feat seldom accomplished in other video game engines. While there are fears of potential rounds of layoffs in the coming weeks, there is a bigger fear of a mass exodus of talent from the various studios. Centuries worth of experience could be lost over the next few weeks and months.
As the video game maker is going through a harshest of winters, there are some who are celebrating the seeming downfall of this once great company. Incognisant of the fact that if this company collapses we will all be worse off for it. Some of the industry’s greatest highlights are Ubisoft’s Massive contributions which cannot be simply overlooked. While it is not enough to rest on past victories, up to fairly recently Ubisoft has still been pushing the envelope in different genres. Their musical offerings are unparalleled and their occasional excursions into smaller projects, relatively speaking, have been excellent albeit not as financially successful. ‘Mario Rabids’ and ‘Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown’ stand tall in a forest of similitude. Quality treats served up on silver platters amidst a buffet of industry junk.
Hopefully able to weather the seemingly never ending storm while snow drops on the anvils outside, sheltering by their furnace of stable offerings.
Ubisoft’s former governing structure, per their own admission, often meant that coordination and response were fractured as there was one central governing body over all the various studios spread out across the world. The new approach enacted is to splinter the company into cells. Essentially five houses responsible for their own direction, funding and profitability. The greatest of these houses is Vantage Studios responsible for their “billion dollar” franchises i.e. Assassins Creed, Far Cry and Rainbow Six. This is followed up by the second house responsible for ‘The Division,’ ‘Ghost Recon’ and ‘Splinter Cell.’ The rest of Ubisoft’s stable is then split amongst the lesser houses depending on set criteria. An interesting gambit but one that may pay off dividends handsomely if it works. This remains to be seen. For the moment, the workmen and women at Ubisoft have retreated to the inner kilns. Hopefully able to weather the seemingly never ending storm while snow drops on the anvils outside, sheltering by the furnace of stable offerings. The sounds of the clanging and banging of metal against metal may fade for the next little while but hopefully come spring the workshops will be fired up and running with better and greater products.
Image credits in order of appearance: Image par Gordon Johnson de Pixabay; Image par Clker-Free-Vector-Images de Pixabay