170°

Ubisoft developer reveals reason for Rayman delay

Today Ubisoft announced that the formerly Wii U exclusive Rayman Legends was going to come to Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 in the fall. One developer behinds the scenes reveals why.

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allyoucangeek.net
Benjaminkno4512d ago

Quite simple really:

Microsoft says any game that's multiplatform must be released on 360 at the same time as its release for their competitors.

and

Rayman just won't sell as well on Nintendo.

cloud4954512d ago (Edited 4512d ago )

I think Sony has something similar or the same where if a game comes out later then it needs extra content. Like with the original Bioshock. I think Microsoft did it with Joe Danger.

And I think the reason was the Wii U having a much smaller install base then PS3/ 360 since it's a new console.

rdgneoz34512d ago

Nope, Sony doesn't have the same thing as MS. Its mainly devs adding new content to make people want to get a game that's been out for so long on another system and is probably cheaper atm. Many 360 games have come over just as they were and were able to release, just look at Limbo.

And with the original Joe Danger, the devs talked about how they couldn't bring it to the 360 because of MS's policies. They had to do a new version ("special edition" which had new modes, characters and such) get get the OK.

So yes, because they wanted to go multiplat and due to MS' policies, they had to delay it.

Cupid_Viper_34512d ago (Edited 4512d ago )

@Cloud495

No Sony doesn't have something similar. Sony doesn't have anything in place that requires a simultaneous release or else delay the game on the other platforms.

If a developer choose to release a game six month later on the PS3 because Microsoft/Nintendo paid them to do, then it only makes sense that game be released with all the DLCs that came out with it during the six months it was out. That's actually looking out for the PS3 gamers who got left out in the first place.

But to require a developer to delay the game on other platforms if they want to ever release it on the Xbox 360 is really a crappy and cheap move in my opinion.

"Titles for Xbox 360 must ship at least simultaneously with other video game platform, and must have at least feature and content parity on-disc with the other video game platform versions in all regions where the title is available," it reads.
"If these conditions are not met, Microsoft reserves the right to not allow the content to be released on Xbox 360."

http://www.eurogamer.net/ar...

jony_dols4512d ago

MS shook up the industry with the 360, but some of their practices this gen have been pretty unsavory. At a corporate level, Microsoft are dicks.

Bathyj4512d ago (Edited 4512d ago )

God, I wonder if thats really true.
Pretty douche move by Ubi to cave if it is.

I dont see why WiiU shouldnt get it when its ready and then the others get it later since its not like they were waiting for it anyway.

I feel sorry for WiiU owners and the Devs.

jetlian4512d ago (Edited 4512d ago )

thats not why wiiu isnt selling good enough. You only have to look at all the devs and nintendo saying its not where it should be

As for MS and sony rule you have to have it come out with 3 months of the other console or add to the game extra. So maybe ubisoft didnt wanna put dlc or whatever extra

miyamoto4512d ago (Edited 4512d ago )

Its a tough economy...RIP THQ

Ubisoft needed to push all the right buttons to stay profitable and they have done a great job.

The higher ups at Ubisoft know what they are doing....

Just look a AC III: Liberation amidst launching with AC III and CoD Black Ops 2, which some said was suicidal, yet sold out 600,000 units beyond their expectations.

They just want Rayman to sell very well on 5 consoles...because if it doesn't sell well this time Rayman will be in trouble.

OOT:

"Sony: PS4's main selling point will be 'new playing options, not improved hardware specs"

As Sony Computer Entertainment warms up its blue lighting and double-checks its playlist for February 20th, one unnamed SCE official says that the PlayStation 4 will act as more of a home entertainment hub than what we've seen in the past. They added, according to the Nikkei, that the main selling point won't be the rumored eight-core AMD64 CPU or other hardware specs, but how it opens up new styles of play -- something Nintendo is also focusing on. Sony is going to push the new console as a home entertainment "nerve center," with a focus on the hardware's ability to connect and share to mobile devices -- the rival that's pulling gamers away from traditional consoles. No discussion on any Gaikai-powered cloud gaming just yet, but following its unveiling later this month, the report states that the new PlayStation should launch before the end of the year. A bit of a shame, then, that it's still only February.

Engadget/Nikkei

BullyMangler4512d ago

since when do SALES determine somethings GLORY?

ha haa . if R. Legends sells good on nintendos console, or it does not, the wiiU version will still be superior

DeadlyFire4512d ago

Are you sure its Microsoft saying that this time around?

PS4 is rumored for September.

GTA5 is landing in September
Raymond Legends is also coming in September now for PS3/X360/WiiU

Backwards compatibility in PS4? maybe?

I wouldn't say Raymond Legends coming to multiple platforms is a bad thing really. It happened last gen with X360 multiplatform launch games spread out on PS2/PC and it worked out just fine.

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Sanquine904512d ago

Because it is becoming a multiplatform>? Rayman is a better platformer than Mario and Little big planet;)

PS4isKing_824512d ago

No, call of duty, halo, ass creed, mass effect are examples of crap games.

Rayman legends is beautiful, innovative and a joy to play.
You would know that if you had a wiiU and played the gorgeous demo.

gamingzen4512d ago

This is a really bad business decision by ubisoft over 3 million wii u sold i reckon over half of wii u owners would have bought rayman as there isnt any other games available at the moment so UBISOFT u would have sold over 1 million on release instead they get greedy and try and gain sales on 360/ps3 when sales where piss poor on rayman xbox/ps3. Oh yeah has someone informed ubisoft that a little game called gta v is released in september.

Starfox174512d ago

All i see is what happened last gen,if a game sells well on wii but poor on HD twins the HD twins continue to get support soon as a wii game didnt sell well sorry we can't support wii due to sales ???? WHAT.

And basically using Nintendo to help HD twins sales......very sad but i really think Nintendo can turn this treatment around with WiiU it's called keep callaborating with 3rd partys and make smash hits like i know LegoCity will be.

sarshelyam4512d ago

It has nothing to do with anything you're talking about, and everything to do with the launch timing of the Rayman Origins. Origins launched smack dab in the middle of November, prime territory for triple A launches and, frankly, even the games with a huge marketing budget run the risk of getting lost in the mix. Rayman had practically ZERO marketing, so it was no surprise that it sold poorly at launch, but later performed at the price drop.

Looks to be Ubi is doing it again with a release timed right among GTAV. Hopefully they'll draw their audience.

As far as its multi-platform launch tactic...well, it was always mutli-platform. I spoke to one of the producers at E3 in June last year and they said there would be information in Summer (2012) regarding other platforms. So while they slipped on the announcement, it sounds like it was always in the cards, perhaps a timed release. As it stands, I'm simply happy I can get it on my PS3 and keep the series on one platform.

Also, I don't foresee Ubi putting much money into the RFID toys they were showcasing. It's a heavy market with Skylanders Swap Force and Disney Infinity beating them to the punch.

4512d ago
60°

Report: Inside Ubisoft's Project Renaissance, a Cancelled Minecraft-Like Voxel Game

In recent years, Ubisoft has canceled several games, one of them being a project code-named Renaissance.

100°

16 Ubisoft Titles Can Now Be Purchased on The Xbox PC Store

In a very intriguing and interesting move, 16 Ubisoft titles can now be purchased on the Xbox PC Store. Of course, this is a first as Ubisoft PC titles have never been purchasable on the Xbox PC Store previously.

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clouddosage.com
jznrpg32d ago

Servers are going to be bogged down by that 1 guy who will use this.

SimpleDad32d ago

Ahhh, the good old... Xbox PC store?
Who tf uses that?

Tacoboto32d ago

Kind of weird without them being updated to Xbox Play Anywhere purchases

MrDead32d ago

I uninstalled it as I was sick of the ads popping up on my login screen.

180°

Ubisoft Announces Weak Financial Results, Delays Games, but Assassin's Creed Shadows is Going Strong

Ubisoft announced its financial results for the fiscal year 2024-2025, and they're not good, but Assassin's Creed Shadows is doing well.

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simulationdaily.com
neutralgamer199232d ago

Three companies keep showing their true faces and telling us who they are but for some weird reason we refuse to believe them. Even when everything they show just makes their greediness even stands out more

Keep messing with the consumers and keep being greedy. Keep telling your consumers to get comfortable now owning your games and we will. You only have few IP's that gamers care about anyways so

"soon enough tencent will buy you out. They already own 49%. Keep deleting games from gamers libraries and getting sued over it instead of making offline play possible for the crew" it's sad that I believe in 10 cents more than UBI because atleast tencent knows how to run a proper business

These executives can taking millions and bonuses and stock options yet they fire those actually making the games without thinking twice. Gaming has become so greedy that their own greed will be their downfall. Companies like Capcom have realized making good quality games and treat gamers with respect

AC series started with a soul but now it's just a soulless empty option world with icons filling the game map. They make their own games so grindy so that they can see the XP boosters to even the odds. As a gamer in my 40's all I want to know is when did gaming just stop being about Fun and all about greed. Double XP weekends selling cosmetics and dances. I use to be a big sports game guy when I was in my 20's the other day I wanted to play NBA 2k and after doing some deep research I realized the best NBA game was 2k17 and NBA 2k25 at $9.79 I couldn't pull the trigger on that 2k25 for how egregious the micro transactions were. So much of the fun is behind a pay wall

dveio32d ago

True words, buddy.

Q: "So how many units did Shadows sell?"

Ubisoft: "Well, look, we ... it's been a busy week."

neutralgamer199232d ago

For over a decade, the price of video games remained steady. We paid $50, then $60 for full, content-rich experiences. Developers found creative ways to deliver incredible games without charging more. From the PS2 era through the PS4/Xbox One, pricing consistency gave players a sense of value and trust.

But then came the jump to $70 during the PS5 and Xbox Series X launches—justified by "rising development costs." And now, barely four years later, we’re seeing $80 price tags becoming more common for standard editions. At this pace, by the time the next generation of consoles launches around 2027, $90 games could be the norm. And with a behemoth like GTA 6 on the horizon, a $99.99 base price wouldn’t be shocking at all.

Yet we’ve also seen proof that this kind of pricing isn’t necessary for success. Look at the recent launches of Expedition 33 and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. Both released at $49.99 and have been met with strong sales and positive reception. These games show that there’s still plenty of room for high-quality, mid-budget (AA) titles that offer great value—and gamers are more than willing to support them at fair prices.

But here’s the problem: the big publishers don’t care. If we as consumers keep paying for deluxe editions, early access, and overpriced base games, they’ll keep pushing the limits. They’re not going to back down unless we speak with our wallets—because that’s the only language they listen to. If they see record sales, they’ll take it as validation.

It’s frustrating when these same companies report record-breaking revenue and profits—yet still complain about tariffs, still find excuses to raise prices, and still hand out bigger bonuses to their CEOs. If they’re doing so well financially, why are they passing more of the burden onto players?

It’s because gaming has become the second biggest entertainment market in the world. And with that comes attention from hedge funds, investors, and boardrooms focused on short-term profit, not long-term player trust. To them, your passion is just a revenue stream. They care about quarterly numbers, not the health of the industry or the joy of the experience.

And unless we—as players—take a stand, the greed won’t stop. The monetization will grow, the price hikes will continue, and the soul of gaming will keep slipping away. The choice is ours. We can either keep paying more for less, or we can push back. One purchase—or one refusal to purchase—at a time

dveio32d ago

"And unless we—as players—take a stand, the greed won’t stop."

And that's the tough part about it.

Look at those annual figures showing billions and billions of money being spent on the most ridiculous add-ons, DLCs, pre-release accesses, even pre-orders, digital deluxe crap, etc.

I mean - we've stood together at times. I don't say it didn't happen before.

But within all of our communities there's so much passive aggressive defensiveness.

Look at the debates regarding physical vs digital.

Publishers can't keep a straight face reading our discussions in which many people abandon physical.

Playing straight into the cards of publishers out there.

neutralgamer199231d ago (Edited 31d ago )

Like I said gamers are the biggest issue with gaming. We may united on a issue but as soon as our favorite gaming franchise gets a release we will support it. If there any doubt Mario kart will be one of the best selling games on switch 2?

Things we use to unlock by simply playing a game has not be sold to us as extra content

Rainbowcookie32d ago

I think people arebgetting tired of the formula. We see it in sales. People just want fun again.

neutralgamer199231d ago

I just want games to be fun and not geindy and full of micro transactions

anast32d ago

Even the $130 ultimate editions of UBI games are only a bit less grindy and they still beg people to buy helix coins throughout the whole experience.

It's a travesty what 2K did to NBA 2K.

neutralgamer199231d ago

It really is because NBA 2K is simply unplayable without spending money and you can't even respec for a new my player you are required to spend again

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 31d ago
SimpleDad32d ago

When you don't disclose units sold... and your stock goes down... how is this doing well?

CantThinkOfAUsername32d ago

"According to the company, Assassin’s Creed Shadows achieved the second-highest Day 1 sales revenue in franchise history, following Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. It actually had the best Day 1 performance of Ubisoft’s history on the PlayStation Store."

S2Killinit32d ago

AC Shadows is doing good yes.

gigoran832d ago

but but 2,000,000 players...

Chocoburger32d ago

Ubishit burned so many bridges with fans, releasing filler dreck that was purposefully designed to push you towards micro-trash-actions. It didn't have to be this way, they could have respected us players more, instead of making players waste countless hours of their life just to see stupid "experience points and resources numbers go up" and attempt to profit off us in such a disrespectful way. I stopped supporting them a long time ago. Keep burning bridges, and keep burning your company from within.

S2Killinit32d ago

Which UBI games did that? Im legit asking.

Chocoburger31d ago (Edited 31d ago )

Any game (be it Ubisoft or any other company) with an unnecessary shoe-horned in experience points system, endless resources collection, and a micro-trash-action store that sells you boosters that alleviate the grind.

They do it on purpose to nudge players towards spending more money, and its something I refuse to support. Nearly all modern Ubisoft games have experience points and skill trees these days, not because it makes the games better, but because it can potentially make them more money by exhausting people into giving in and buying boosters.

Assassin's Creed, Ghost Recon and more series are offenders of this game design blight.

S2Killinit30d ago

I see. And I agree. I dont like these trends either. Although I dont remember AC having paid upgrades (given that my last one was black flag)

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