Ubisoft 2000 Annual Report Download - page 35

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The industry can be broken down into three different categories:
>Console manufacturers
Sony and Nintendo are in a unique position because they have been
in the video game business for several years as both console manu-
facturers and publishers of games for their own consoles. They can
be viewed more as complementary to other publishers than as com-
petitors. When a publisher is successful on a console, the console
manufacturer reaps the benefits of both “manufacture” commis-
sions and an enhanced reputation.
Microsoft, a new player in the sector, has moved into this category
with its X-box.
At the beginning of the year, Sega, which is on the contrary moving
out, decided to abandon manufacturing its Dreamcast console to
concentrate exclusively on producing games software.
>Conglomerates for whom the video game business is merely
one area of diversification in a much broader range of activities.
Even though becoming a developer and producer of video games is
a difficult undertaking for companies outside the field, Vivendi
Universal, Disney Interactive and Microsoft have had considerable
success in the sector, and are now among the ten leading publishers
worldwide.
Relations between these non-specialist firms and the specialist
games publishers are constantly changing. This is illustrated by the
recent transfer of Hasbro Interactive to Infogrames and by Disney
Interactive’s policy of license agreements with specialist publishers
(including Ubi Soft).
>Games publishers
The world market is currently dominated by US and Japanese com-
panies which benefit from extensive domestic markets:
>US game publishers Activision, Electronic Arts, Take2 and THQ
are leaders in the sector. They have a presence in every type of
game and are very active in sports and extreme sports.
>Japanese publishers produce hits with sales in the millions:
“Final Fantasy” by Square, “Metal Gear Solid” by Konami and
“Street Fighter” by Capcom.
>among the Europeans are several French companies:
Infogrames, the second-largest independent publisher world-
wide, and Ubi Soft, which ranks tenth globally among listed
companies, and second in Europe, behind Infogrames and
ahead of Eidos (Great Britain).
Main video games publishers worldwide (excluding manufacturers)
RANK PUBLISHER 2001(e) GAME % GAMES MAIN PRODUCT LINES
SALES SALES IN
(USD MN) GROUP (e)
1 Electronic Arts US 1,760 100% FIFA, Sims, Madden, NBA, NHL, Medal of Honor, Need for Speed
2 Konami Jap 1,181 65% Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, ISS, Dance Dance Revolution
3 Infogrames Fra 889 100% Driver, Looney Tunes, Alone in the Dark, V Rally, Unreal
4 Square Co Jap 760 99% Final Fantasy, The Bouncer, Parasite Eve
5 Activision US 594 100% Toy Story, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Spiderman, Quake
6 Capcom Jap 483 70% Devil May Cry, Street Fighter, Resident Evil, Onimusha
7 Vivendi Univ. Publ. Fra 470 NA Warcraft, Diablo, Starcraft, Crash Bandicoot, Spiro
8 Take 2 US 385 100% Oni, Austin Power, GTA, Midnight Club, Spec Ops
9 THQ US 374 100% Simpsons, Evil Dead, WWF, Ring Rats, Red Faction, Power Rangers
10 Ubi Soft Fra 351 100% Rayman, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six, The Settlers, Myst, Chessmaster
11 Eidos GB 285 100% Tomb Raider, Commandos, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, Soul Reaver
12 Namco Jap 256 30% Tekken, Ridge Racer, Soul Calibur, Pac Man
13 Acclaim (EU) US 242 100% South Park, Dave Mirra Bmx, NFL Quaterback Club, Extreme G
14 Midway US 207 NA Ready to Rumble, SpyHunter, NFL Blitz, Gauntlet
15 Titus/Interplay/ VIE Fra 164 100% Baldur’s Gate, Giants, Icewind Dale, Top Gun
16 3DO US 159 100% Army Men, Might and Magic, High Heat Baseball
Source: ABX∆E HSBC CCF multimédia - April 8, 2001