Ubisoft has revealed that it plans to implement yet more cost-cutting measures into the next financial year in order to exceed its cost reduction targets "by a significant margin".
In its latest financial report (which covers the period between October and December 2024), Ubisoft reveals that its "net bookings" - essentially net sales sans fees and other cancellations - fell by 34.8% when compared to the same period last year.
The company points to the cancellation of first-person shooter XDefiant and the closure of three Ubisoft locations as major cost reduction initiatives, and CEO Yves Guillemot says Ubisoft isn't done yet, although he doesn't clarify exactly what's coming next.
Guillemot says that Ubisoft "plan[s] to pursue [its] efforts" with regards to cost-cutting measures into the 2025-26 financial year, "going beyond the initial target by a significant margin".
It's not entirely clear what he means by that, but given that previous cost-cutting measures have involved layoffs and studio closures, it's not unlikely that we'll see more of that kind of thing in the year to come.
He also says that the "formal review process of [Ubisoft's] strategic options" is ongoing, with a view to "unlock[ing] the best value from our assets for our stakeholders" and fostering the "best conditions to create great games in a fast-evolving market".
For context, a Ubisoft shareholder called for "strategic and structural change" at the company back in September, reportedly prompting Guillemot and major stakeholder Tencent to consider taking the company private.
With regards to Ubisoft's future, Guillemot says the company is "fully focused on the upcoming launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows on March 20th", echoing the studio's comment when approached about rumors of Saudi-funded Assassin's Creed Mirage DLC.
As noted by VGC, during a followup Q&A session, Guillemot told investors that Ubisoft is committed to "open-world action adventure" games and "game as a service-native experiences" for the foreseeable future, so if you were hoping for a Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown sequel, you may well be disappointed.
