PC passes PS4 to become Ubisoft's biggest earner

[The_Liquid_Laser]

Barkley said:

The_Liquid_Laser said:

It's interesting to see PC as their most profitable platform this year.  Let's translate their %'s into euro amounts to see what is really going on.

Ubisoft net bookings (in millions of euros)

	2018 %	2018 net	2019 %	2019 net
PS4	38%	145.0	31%	97.4
XB1	22%	83.9	18%	56.6
PC	24%	91.6	34%	106.8
NSW	5%	19.1	5%	15.7
Mobile	7%	26.7	7%	22.0
Old Consoles	1%	3.8	0%	0.0
Other	3%	11.4	5%	15.7
total		381.5		314.2

Looks like almost every category is down in net bookings except PC and Other.  Kind of makes sense when you realize that Sony/Microsoft consoles are getting old, and that is where most of their investment is.  However profits from PC gaming is definitely up for them.  I wonder if the Epic game store is helping them out?  I would think a major new platform like that would increase PC game sales across the board.

Sales are down on Sony/Microsoft because there were zero games launched this quarter this year. Age doesn't reduce software sales, on the contrary software sales usually increase the further into a generation you get.

Last year Far Cry 5 launched just before the quarter started (So week 2 onwards were in Q1) and Crew 2 launched at the end of the quarter. This year nothing, this is why ubisoft sales for Sony/Microsoft are down.

They basically released nothing last year as well.  They released The Crew 2 on June 29.  That's two days of sales on a game no one cares about.

Software sales are past their peak on PS4 and XB1.  That is why profits are down for these platforms.  PC revenue is authentically up.  Not sure which factor is most important, but it could be one or all of these: 1) Anno 1800 was a PC exclusive.  2) Epic games store is helping PC sales increase.  3) PC doesn't have up/down cycles like consoles do.  And again it could be a fairly even mix of the three.

Both 2018 and 2019 Q1 had a distinct lack of games though.  That is not the factor.

Last edited by The_Liquid_Laser - on 19 July 2019