Ubi's terrible when it comes to release dates. When Rayman Legends got delayed, Ubisoft decided to release it in the same month that GTA V released on other consoles and the same period that Pikmin 3 released on Wii U (as well as the digital version of WWHD). Whoever decides their release dates seriously needs to get the boot.

How much control do they really have over the release dates? I mean these guys are making products after all. it's not like they have alternate revenue streams. They make a game as fast as possible and release it as fast as possible. I think them releasing the games as close to the shopping season as possible is really the best any game developer can really do. Even if it means having a shotgun affect and throwing out many titles at the same time.

They can strategically hold games back if need be. I'm using the Wii U as an example again, but Ubisoft has said that they're holding back a game they finished over 6 months ago until the Wii U sells to more households. Basically, the publisher can dictate what the release date is because they're the ones funding the game's development, whether the release is earlier or later.

They only compete in playtime against each other.. Publishers expect that people have more money to spend around that part of the year.. It doesn't matter if they buy 2 Ubisoft games.. Thats good.. What does matter is if they buy 1 Ubisoft game and an Activision game.. Thats not good.. Delaying it later in the holiday season when most money is spend by the public is risky, more then releasing a bunch at the start.. The buying momentum would be small

That completely misses my point tho. The developers are manufacturers of a product, they don't get that product to market and sell it as soon as possible then they don't make money. They don't make money the harder it is for them to make more product. Then they have to downsize. I understand the logic in holding something back 6 months and if you were say Microsoft with damn near infinite resources and other sources of revenue that would be an option. My point is they are probably not holding the games back because they ow their employees money and they simply can't afford to.

NBA, Wrestling, Civilization games and the Borderlands Interquel sound like games with different audiences though, much moreso than Ubisoft's 5(!) games

All I can say is they gon be rick rolling in their dollar bills, all seemingly great games and worth a purchase. all the more credit to them for releasing more games than less. thats what we all want.

Ubisoft's biggest problem. One of thier many biggest problems.

BUT BUT core gamers will buy the games no matter when they are released. That's the bar they are setting with Watch Dogs on Wii U not doubt.

Well, it isn't really the Starbucks route, if it was they would release a game every week of the year. As it is they have four Starbucks at one corner - and no one else in the entire city.