Ubisoft 2000 Annual Report Download - page 28

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UBI SOFT / REFERENCE DOCUMENT
4
27
4.1. THE COMPANY AND THE GROUP
>>>
4.1.1. History of the Group
and its organizational development
1986: Creation of Ubi Soft SA
In 1986 five brothers, Claude, Michel, Yves, Gérard and Christian
Guillemot, who were interactive entertainment enthusiasts, set up
Ubi Soft The aim of the company was to publish and distribute edu-
cational software and video games.
Ubi Soft’s beginnings were marked by the successful marketing of
software for PC, Amstrad, Amiga and Atari (Zombi, Fer et Flamme
etc.). At the same time, an increasing share of the firm’s business
involved the distribution of foreign programs, thus allowing Ubi Soft
to quickly gain the confidence of the largest US, British and German
publishing firms, such as Elite, Microprose, Electronic Arts, Sierra,
LucasArts™, Interplay, Software Toolworks and Novalogic®.
1989 - 1990: Internationalization
Ubi Soft SA set up marketing subsidiaries on the main international
markets: the United Kingdom and Germany in Europe and the United
States.
This move had four strategic goals:
>to be better positioned to distribute third-party products;
>to take part in the design and marketing of Ubi Soft products;
>to ensure the distribution of its products;
>to keep a close eye on technological and market developments.
1991: The launching of console products
Ubi Soft began marketing products for the rapidly growing market
for Nintendo® and Sega® video game consoles. Ubi Soft thus
expanded its business to a truly international mass market, and had
considerable success with games such as Star Wars™, Jimmy
Connors Pro Tennis Tour, Indiana Jones, The Empire Strikes Back™
and Street Racer.
The company also negotiated license agreements with prestigious
companies, such as Elite, Microprose, Electronic Arts, Sierra,
LucasArts™ and Novalogic®, and with well-known personalities
(Kick Off with Jean-Pierre Papin, Eric Cantona Football Challenge).
1994-1995: Creation of in-house production studios and
continuing international growth
The launch of Rayman®
Ubi Soft set up a large, integrated organizational structure for the
creation and development of multimedia products.
From 1995 onwards, Ubi Soft was capable of developing games com-
pletely in-house. The first integrated studio abroad was set up in
Romania. International growth continued rapidly with the setting-up
of marketing subsidiaries in Japan and Spain in 1994, followed by
Italy in 1995.
In the autumn of 1995, Ubi Soft launched the first game based on the
exploits of the “armless and legless” figure, Rayman®.
The company’s business was structured around four basic publishing
lines: games, art education, academic instruction, and young people.
At that time Ubi Soft had 368 employees around the world.
1996: Ubi Soft SA becomes Ubi Soft Entertainment SA and
is floated on the Stock Exchange
>In February 1996, a production unit was created in China (Shanghai)
and a distribution office was opened in Australia.
>In March 1996, the General Shareholders Meeting approved the
change of the company name to Ubi Soft Entertainment SA.
In the spring, Ubi Soft Entertainment SA released POD, the first racing
game to use Intel’s MMX™ technology. Ubi Soft also published Grand
Prix 2 (Microprose), which topped the PC sales charts in France.
>In July 1996, Ubi Soft was floated on the Paris unlisted securities
market. The initial public offering was subscribed more than 75 times
over.
In December, the Guillemot family expanded the company floating
stock from 20% to 36%.
1997 - 1998: The Group continues to grow
Ubi Soft set up production units in Quebec (Montreal), China
(Shanghai) and Morocco (Casablanca).
The company also continued its international development by set-
ting up new marketing subsidiaries in Hong Kong and Denmark.
Ubi Soft adopted a line-based philosophy releasing such products
as the best-selling F1 Racing Simulation, the first in a line of Formula
One racing games. An agreement was signed with Playmobil® for