Ubisoft has sent Rayman Legends to die

Furious Francis discusses how the delay of Rayman Legends will come back to haunt Ubisoft.

[GribbleGrunger]

At first glance, I didn't agree with this proposition but after reading it all and giving it a think, I'd have to agree. They HAVE given themselves a touch window of release and it WOULD have been wise to release in a less cluttered window.

[Theyellowflash30]

Wow, I think thats the first time we have agreed on anything. Were making.... progress. lol

[GribbleGrunger]

LOL. Well, as much as some like to label me in one particular way, I see things evenly. If we don't agree, it's just because we don't agree. No agenda, no affiliations. We WILL argue in the future and probably annoy the hell out of each other, but I can see that you're the sort of person who still respects other people's opinions and so we can wipe our blooded noses and buy each other a pint. Kudos.

...and it should have been 'tough window' Doh!

[Theyellowflash30]

I hear ya man. Thanks for reading the article.

[WeAreLegion]

Well, that was adorable.

[BitbyDeath]

On the otherhand it may be quite the opportunistic time given the platform it releases on.

[Jobesy]

The article makes some good points, but there is 1 issue I have with the writers logic. He's operating on the assumption that enough Wiiu owners would have bought the game to make it a financial success for Ubisoft. He states that Origins barely broke 500,000 copies on the PS3, but failed to mention that it barely broke 400,000 on the Wii, which had a MUCH LARGER user base AND at the time of release I don't believe the Wii had anything else releasing.

I just don't believe Ubisoft could have won either way. If it would have stayed Wiiu exclusive I don't think they would have made their investment back. Rayman Legends isn't some cheap title, it's a AAA quality title and needs sales. So far the Wiiu isn't proving it can sell 3rd party games. Zombie U barely has 300,000 sold and was THE big game for the Wiiu, which coincidentally is also an Ubisoft game. All other 3rd party games for the Wiiu have abysmal sales. The best thing they could have done was to release the game on all platforms no later than June/July, but if the game wasn't ready, it wasn't ready.

[badz149]

to bring it to PS3 and 360 too as it will bring more sales and even on Wii U it's not going to be a generation leap games the 360 and PS3 can only dream of running either, so why not?

but the time of release is a bit off! people are looking for other high profile games during that time and Legends may end up being Origins once again - a great and enjoyable game overshadowed by huge franchises!

I bought Origins for my Vita and I simply love it and I hope Legends would come to the Vita too!

[Good_Guy_Jamal]

Ah jees get a room you two!

[miyamoto]

they are targeting a different age set of gamers coming to the holidays and it worked for Just Dance and Rayman Origins before

i sense Sony flexing its muscles on Ubisoft on this one given their nice friendship going on AC III...

and i am almost sure they are releasing it for the next PlayStation too....like GTA V...

and given the recent criticism Ninty gets from Ubi...
it makes good business sense

[MegaLagann]

GribbleGrunger X Theyellowflash30 OTP confirmed.

But seriously that was adorable. If only everyone on the internet could agree to disagree instead of calling each other names that would get me banned from N4G...probably...

[SilentNegotiator]

They completely screwed the pooch on the last console entry (Despite being quite good). I wouldn't be surprised if they did it again.

[smashcrashbash]

Ubisoft handled everything about Rayman badly. They should have realized that despite it being a good game it is very weak.First mistake was to make everyone think it was only for the Wii U. Delaying it was their second.Trying to compete with Mario on a Nintendo console was the third.

[Novistador]

Anyone think if there is enough "outcry" Ubisoft may release the game earlier than September? I mean the game is done, what is their excuse other than saving on marketing?

[PirateThom]

I'm actually going to buy it now, so if it's died for someone it's their loss.

[BlackWolf]

It's a weird tactic for Ubisoft. Delaying a almost finished game for the sake of a simultaneous release is a truly drastic decision. It's probable that it will hurt them in the future. Let's just hope the backlash is not that bad.

[murkster-dubez]

Utter nonsense, rayman origins sold 50k first month and went on to sell a million. Just cause it isnt bought first month dont mean it will never be bought. The assumption every 360 and ps3 gamer likes gta is also utter rubbish.

[deadfrag]

But sold 1 million at half of the price,in the end ubisoft lost money on rayman origins an it will happen again because september is GTA V release month and people have new consoles coming at the same time.Legends is going the same route has Origins it will sell bad at the release sell point of $50 to $60 and ubisoft will only get some cash back after cutting the price down to half.Some people actually brought the Wii U to play this game on that machine due to the exclusive features that inclued the gamepad,and other are waiting for this game to buy a Wii U and then get also other ubisoft games like Zombi U...if ubisoft release the game that is already done for the Wii U now they will most likely will capitalize part of the lost the are going to have by releasing it in september along side GTA V not to mention that releasing Legends now will get more Wii U sales and Ubisoft will end up capitalize on games that are already on the Wii U like ZOMBI U ,AC3... at the current price.Dont forget GTA games moves millions not just one million but many millions its a killer app contrary to R.legends

[murkster-dubez]

Your wrong ubisoft actually made money on rayman even at the reduced price.

[Theyellowflash30]

Yeah, Ubisoft sold most of their copies when the game was sub $30. I know people who picked it up for $15 new on Amazon a few weeks after it Rayman Origins launched.

[MegaLagann]

I'm fine with more people getting the game, but still I have to agree, Ubisoft just signed this game's death warrant.

First off it won't do well on Wii U because for one all of Nintendo's big first party games like Mario, Zelda & possibly Xenoblade and Retro's game will be out around that time. Two, most Wii U owners won't pick it up because they're pissed Ubisoft announced the delay of the game a couple weeks before the game was suppose to come out.

And it won't do well on the PS3 or 360 either because it's launch at the same time as Grand Theft Auto V, the biggest game of the year.

I don't get the logic here. Porting the game over is fine, but why delay the Wii U version when it was clearly done. I actually think the Wii U version had a chance of succeeding because it right now there's pretty much nothing coming out for the system and people desperately want something new to play and Rayman Legends would of been perfect. But Ubisoft had to screw up.

Oh well, it's not the end of the world, it's not a sign that Nintendo is doomed like IGN wants to think, and i'll still pick the game up, but i'll probably wait a few weeks after release because much like Origins, I expect this game to drop to 30 dollars in no time.

[RTheRebel]

yep shouldve been a exclusive, but like rayman origins ill wait for price drop then pick up for ps3

[Wingsfan24]

Uh, I guess nobody remembers that Origins was released in November 2011 among top tier games like Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed and still did exceptionally well...article apparently didn't go back to look at that.

[ShaunCameron]

Um. Rayman Origins barely sold 1 million across 6 platforms to date. How is that exceptional?

[Kevlar009]

They stabbed Nintendo in the back.

Rayman Legends was made specifically for the WiiU for its Launch date. Now they're making it multiplat and delaying the WiiU's release to match the other consoles. This was supposed to be a shining moment for the WiiU, I shouldn't be surprised a 3rd party is turning its back on Nintendo. And this won't be the first time the WiiU gets the shaft, watch out for Watch Dogs to not be released for the WiiU by Ubisoft.

Ubi and Iwata were practically holding hands back at E3, I never should've bought into their sham. I am very disappointed in them. These kinds of maneuvers will condemn the WiiU

[Jek_Porkins]

They should have released Rayman Legends on Wii U as planned this month, then release the ports on Xbox 360 and PS3 later this year. Releasing a game like Rayman, even though the games are good...is suicide at that time of year. Even more so now that new consoles from Sony and Microsoft are coming.

I loved Origins, but that game was discounted quickly and never got the respect it deserved in my opinion. I thought it to be one of the best platform games I've ever played.

[Kevlar009]

This is honestly the only problem I have. Why not just release the WiiU version now and the ports later? It makes no sense to me. The WiiU deserves better

[Qrphe]

They should've released it as scheduled; that's the only big deal here. The multiplat release would not have been a big deal that way.

[avenger.avrs]

Well I was going to get this game this month but since it is delayed I plan to spend my money on something else.

[laxbeav]

</pointless comment>

[gamingzen]

Xbox gamers arent interested in platform games only racers and shooters epic fail ubisoft

[Drainage]

i was gonna get it but now that its coming out after the PS4 e3 , screw off. My hype will be long gone for a 2d multiplat

[HeroReborn]

I could care less about it not being exclusive, the Wii U pad is the difference. It being delayed is a huge mistake are the part of Ubi, the backlash they are receiving from this is tremendous, and in return probably is not making Nintendo non to happy as well

[A7XEric]

So Ubisoft is delaying the game so it can be released at the same time as a bunch of other huge titles. Oh that sounds familiar. Sounds exactly like what killed Rayman Origins, releasing it on the same day as Halo CEA, ACR, Need for Speed, Saints Row 3, etc.

So now they figure they should compete with GTA V and Nintendo's fall software.

[PopRocks359]

I'm actually not against this game being on other consoles. In fact, I expected it. But delaying the Wii U version is what pissed me off. Seriously Ubisoft, screw you. I shouldn't have to wait on behalf of the development of ports. The game was due in three weeks so it had to be nearly finished. Seriously, what the hell?

[LOL_WUT]

Well, you'll just have to wait like the rest of us so, its either you get it or you don't. ;)

Btw its funny how a couple a days ago everyone was praising this game and how it wasn't possible on the PS3 and 360, now all the sudden this pops up and they all want this game to flop and die.

[Phil32]

Did a Nintendo fanboy beat you up as a kid (that would be, what, two years ago?) and now you get your revenge on them by trolling their favorite company?

I don't know who is more pathetic here. Them or you. Nah, it's you.

[Theyellowflash30]

Digital Foundry were the people who claimed it did things that the Xbox 360 and PS3 couldn't do. And that still holds. Its going to lose some of its graphical fidelity on the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions.

[YoungPlex]

The simple fact that they delayed the Wii U version for a simultaneous release on the 360/PS3 and not for development reasons, made me take my two reserves off today! I'm all for multiplats but when companies do stupid shit like this I won't support them. Looks like I'll be getting this way down the line when it's used, cuz I won't support moronic acts like this! This game had two and a half weeks to come, wtf! Oh well, two sales lost on my part... I tweeted them that too!

[Moerdigan]

Yeah. I will no longer be buying this at launch either.

Now I need to decide which platform version I want to get before getting it, and since I'm waiting anyways, I might was well wait for some price drops. Origins price dropped fast after release, but I don't regret buying it at launch.

[DivineAssault]

its Microsoft's fault.. they require by contract for multiplats to release simultaneously with their games.. so blame 360 for this delay.. They shouldve released on wii u 1st but hey, what can u do but wait? -2 3rd party wii u exclusives.. 2 more to go

[worldwidegaming]

It really is too bad. I took mine off my reserve list. No point in buying it later. (I wanted it because not many titles were on the Wii U. I am sure its going to bite them in the rear for that. By the time it arrives it will be put in the backlog and/or drowned in a sea of better titles.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

Apparently this is Ubisofts reason for the delay. http://127.0.0.1:1886/start...

It literally must of been a last minute decision. I guess Ubisoft originally had planned a Wii U exclusive.

[skyrimer]

It will sell well on WiiU because it will still won't have many games to choose from, yeah maybe Mario and ZeldaHD would be around (maybe, you know Ninty...), but not much more, and adding current gen to the mix can only grant better sales, together with a bigger wiiu installed base by then. Also, hopefully backwards compatible PS4/Xbox720 would make the game an option for those too.

I think Ubi took that decision probably based on poor sales on ZombiU and lower wiiu installed base that they hoped for by now. And in any case, Rayman Origins was so good that I want RL to be up to that quality level, and 7 more months of development time can only make the game better.

[Hx3KinG]

By the time Rayman launches the WiiU will have a great library of games, regardless of Zelda and Mario launching a month or two later.

This delay is going to hurt Rayman Legends WiiU sales, period. Whether it's for a reason not to buy it in spite of teaching Ubisoft a lesson or because the WiiU will have so many other games that people want to keep their money for/or buy, either way the sales won't be as strong as they would have been it if had launched the end of this month.

Right now the WiiU needed Rayman, it's a really silly move by Ubisoft!

[RFornillos4]

the only way Ubisoft will save face here, is if they decide to go on with the Wii U release date this February, or at most within the launch window (if they want to "polish" it further). an eShop-only version for the first month or so would even be appreciated by Wii U fans.

heck, they can release to every other platform afterwards if they want to. and they can even do a "special edition" for ps3/360 owners with added content and all, that way you still get to encourage the ps3/360 owners to get the game (and to avoid the hurdle of the MS multiplatform rule).

and i agree that a release on September when a lot of big titles are coming is not gonna help them at all. releasing it on Wii U would have even helped them sales-wise, counting the Wii U owners who are also PS3/360 owners, who would have preferred to get it today than wait 7 months for their other console.