Ubisoft CEO says 'Our goal is not to push any specific agenda,' kicks off new executive review

Ubisoft is addressing recent controversies surrounding its games on a corporate level, and is enacting a new executive review on how its games are made.

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Today, Ubisoft announced new downward-adjusted fiscal year targets that were by lower-than-expected sales of Star Wars Outlaws. The controversy surrounding Outlaws has apparently influenced consumers' buying habits. Since Ubisoft, like any games company, relies strongly on full game sales as well as microtransaction earnings, the publisher is taking this very seriously and is preparing a big response.

The first response is that Ubisoft will roll out a series of new patches and updates for Star Wars Outlaws that directly address player concerns and complaints. The second response is much larger in scope, and more long-term. Ubisoft now wants to overhaul how its games are made, focusing more a player- and gameplay-first approach. To achieve this, the company is launching a new executive-level review of its games and teams in a bid to improve efficiency. Based on the language, it's possible that this review could lead to further layoffs at Ubisoft.

Company CEO Yves Guillemot also reiterates that Ubisoft has no intention of pushing agendas, political or otherwise. This seems to be a direct response to the Outlaws controversy, and the myriad of cultural issues that have been brought up in Ubisoft's representation in Assassin's Creed Shadows.

AC Shadows has since been delayed by about 3 months to February 14, 2025 (Valentine's Day) so that Ubisoft can refine and polish the game. And, of course, so that Ubisoft's executive committee can also re-evaluate core pieces of the game to make sure things fit with their new focus.

Yves Guillemot gave the following statement in Ubisoft's updated FY25 forecast guidance:

"Our second quarter performance fell short of our expectations, prompting us to address this swiftly and firmly, with an even greater focus on a player-centric, gameplay-first approach and an unwavering commitment to the long-term value of our brands.

"Although the tangible benefits of the Company's transformation are taking longer than anticipated to materialize, we keep on our strategy, focusing on two key verticals - Open World Adventures and GaaS-native experiences - with the objective to drive growth, recurrence and robust free cash flow generation in our business.

"In the light of recent challenges, we acknowledge the need for greater efficiency while delighting players.

"As a result, beyond the first important short-term actions undertaken, the Executive Committee, under the supervision of the Board of Directors, is launching a review aimed at further improving our execution, notably in this player-centric approach, and accelerating our strategic path towards a higher performing model to the benefit of our stakeholders and shareholders.

"Finally, let me address some of the polarized comments around Ubisoft lately. I want to reaffirm that we are an entertainment-first company, creating games for the broadest possible audience, and our goal is not to push any specific agenda. We remain committed to creating games for fans and players that everyone can enjoy."