Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced ‘exceeded annual expectations’ in its first two weeks, Ubisoft says - Video Games Chronicle

What the report says

Video Games Chronicle reported that Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced has outperformed the company’s full-year sales forecast within two weeks of launch. In a Q1 financial update, Ubisoft said the remake sold 3.5 million copies after release, surpassing what it had expected for the entire year.

According to VGC, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot described the game as the best-reviewed Assassin’s Creed entry since the original Black Flag and said player response had been strong. He framed the launch as evidence of continuing demand for the Assassin’s Creed brand and as an early sign of progress in Ubisoft’s broader effort to improve the quality and performance of its releases.

On an investor call after the results, CFO Frederick Duguet said the remake’s economics differ from a wholly new title. He pointed to lower development costs, some reuse of existing material and reduced marketing needs, while also noting its lower launch price of $59.99 / £49.99, compared with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Duguet said Ubisoft expects the game to recover its development spending during the current financial quarter and to make a positive cumulative direct contribution in that period.

The result matters because Ubisoft has faced investor scrutiny over its release pipeline and financial performance, making a strong start for a major franchise remake commercially significant. VGC also noted that its own review was positive, praising the return of Edward Kenway’s adventure and saying the new material fit well with the original game’s setting and atmosphere. VGC said the article was corrected after initially misattributing Duguet’s remarks to Guillemot.