Ventes décevantes de Star Wars Outlaws, l’action Ubisoft s’effondre

Avec une licence aussi forte et populaire que Star Wars, Ubisoft était attendu pour performer avec la sortie de son jeu « Star Wars Outlaws », potentiellement aidant la société française à regagner la stabilité financière après plusieurs années de difficulté. Malheureusement, cela ne s’est pas matérialisé comme prévu. despite receiving a relatively positive reception from critics (averaging 76% on Metacritic), the game was significantly less appreciated by players, earning a player score of 5.4/10. Pour certains, ce résultat reflète une frustration persistante avec Ubisoft, qui a fait face à des critiques répétées de la part des joueurs pour ce qui est perçu comme une approche industrialisée de son catalogue. While Yves Guillemot expresses confidence in the game’s successful launch and long-term prospects, a Reuters report indicates that sales of « Star Wars Outlaws » are now considered « slow ». This assessment comes from analyst Morgan Daniel Kerven of JP Morgan, who noted that despite critical acclaim, the game failed to meet sales expectations. According to Kerven, the projected sales for « Star Wars Outlaws » up to March 2025 have been revised downward to an estimated 5.5 million units from the initial projection of 7.5 million.

Si 5.5 millions de ventes sont considérées comme une figure significative, pour Morgan Daniel Kerven cela représenterait un échec pour un jeu comme Star Wars Outlaws, étant donné les investissements effectués et la forte puissance de la licence Star Wars. L’analyste note que d’autres titres tels que Cyberpunk 2077 ont vendu 25 millions de copies en octobre 2023, tandis que plus récemment, Helldivers 2 a dépassé les 12 millions de copies vendues en trois mois, et Black Myth Wukong a atteint un chiffre impressionnant de 18 millions de ventes en seulement 15 jours suivant sa sortie avec 10 millions de copies vendues lors des trois premiers jours.

En réponse à cet obstacle, le cours de l’action d’Ubisoft a chuté à son niveau le plus bas depuis 2015. Il est important de noter que l’action de la société avait été en baisse pendant plusieurs années, passant de $94 en 2021 à seulement $16 actuellement. Certains analystes attribuent cette baisse partly aux défis persistants, notamment l’annulation de plusieurs projets de jeux (le remake de Prince of Persia, Wild by Michel Ancel, Project Q et Immortals Fenyx Rising 2), les difficultés pour finaliser des productions majeures (Skull & Bones, Beyond Good & Evil 2) et la réception mitigée des titres sortis. Charles-Louis Planade, analyste chez Midcap Partners, souligne également que XDefiant, un autre jeu d’Ubisoft conçu comme un titre de service, n’a pas réussi à attirer son public cible.Despite a promising launch driven by positive word-of-mouth, Planade notes that the initial excitement did not last, and player engagement quickly diminished. In fact, the number of XDefiant viewers on Twitch has dropped significantly, from over 203,000 peak viewers in May to just 1,440 currently, according to TwitchTracker. It is worth noting that XDefiant is not an isolated instance, as the recent release of Concord also faced low player interest, leading Sony to disconnect the game just fifteen days after its launch.

As we explore the current challenges faced by Ubisoft, it’s worth focusing on an upcoming release that promises a return to form for one of the company’s most beloved franchises. Assassin’s Creed Mirage, set to launch soon after its initial announcement last year, marks a significant shift back towards classic gameplay elements (Ahmed Hassan, September 12, 2023). This installment, developed in Ubisoft Bordeaux, emphasizes parkour and stealth mechanics in a vibrant historical setting—Baghdad during the Abbasid Caliphate. For fans eager to revisit what made the series iconic, Mirage offers an immersive cityscape rich with verticality and fluid movement. Whether you’re excited by this return to roots or wary of its more focused approach, it’s certainly worth checking out Ahmed’s insightful take on the game (https://playersforlife.com/2023/09/12/assassins-creed-mirage-its-a-return-to-roots-but-the-game-will-divide-players/). While the fate of « Star Wars Outlaws » may be weighing heavily on Ubisoft’s financial prospects, there is a silver lining on the horizon with another upcoming title that has recently reignited fan excitement. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, set to release on December 7th, 2023, saw its hype levels surge after a captivating gameplay reveal during a State of Play event earlier this month (read more about it (https://playersforlife.com/2023/09/14/avatar-frontiers-of-pandora-new-gameplay-video-reignites-hype-around-the-game/)). Authored by Carlos Mendoza, the blog delves into how this open-world adventure introduces players to the rich culture and customs of Pandora’s Na’vi inhabitants, alongside thrilling combat mechanics and mesmerizing flight sequences on Ikran. Fans of both the original film series and innovative gaming experiences are sure to find much to anticipate in this promising release from Ubisoft. While Ubisoft has faced recent challenges with titles like « Star Wars Outlaws, » the company continues to push boundaries and captivate audiences with innovative projects. For instance, Sophie Laurent’s latest post on August 23rd dives into the exciting unveiling of Assassin’s Creed Jade, a mobile game set in Imperial China. Fans are buzzing about the first official gameplay trailer showcased at Tencent’s « Into the Infinite » conference, promising an open-world adventure rich in historical conflict and immersive gameplay. To learn more about this ambitious new entry in the franchise, be sure to check out Sophie’s detailed coverage (https://playersforlife.com/2023/08/23/assassins-creed-jade-eight-months-after-leaks-china-set-episode-unveils-first-official-gameplay-trailer/).