Ubisoft 2001 Annual Report Download - page 3

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3
Targeted, rapidly integrated acquisitions
Our strategy is supported by the acquisition of established brands, industry know-how and advanced technologies.
We have successfully completed the integration of last year's acquisitions: Red Storm, Blue Byte, and the Entertainment division
of The Learning Company. We have been able to integrate and deploy the new brands, and have laid the groundwork for sharing
knowledge and effective collaboration with our studios. The addition of new talent and creativity has enriched our teams. These
companies have thus contributed to the achievement of our goals, and our initial estimates have been well exceeded, representing
sales of 108 million.
Accelerated international expansion
Since the founding of the company, our choice has been to create a powerful distribution network.
More and more of our international development is effectively assured through a strengthened distribution network.
We are directly present in 21 countries and ensure the distribution of our products in more than 50. In FY 2001/2002,
Ubi Soft opened new distribution subsidiaries in Belgium, Holland, Canada and Switzerland. We added Korea and Finland
in 2002. Sales in North America increased twofold. In Europe, sales also registered strong growth of approximately 21%,
while sales in Asia expanded 55%. This large network ensures that we are always close to our customers and understand
their demands.
Anticipating technological advances
Thanks to our studios and research and development teams as well as to shrewd marketing choices, Ubi Soft has always
been well positioned at the launch of new consoles. This year, we have released major titles for the launch
of the Game Boy®Advance, GameCube™ and Xbox™.
Ubi Soft is now taking the next step with its online gaming initiative : 80% of our PC games offer online multiplayer capabilities.
This means we are already positioned for the next market evolution, and able to offer our customers a richer gaming
experience. During the financial year, we launched ubi.com, the benchmark portal for fans of Ubi Soft games. This portal will
strengthen our relationship with gamers while enabling them to participate in communities of users with like interests.
■Ubi Soft's outlook remains particularly promising
Our goal is to pursue the internal development of bestsellers. We ensure that our creativity translates into concrete
success, we place the consumer at the heart of all our activities. We remain attentive to their needs and expectations
throughout the world thanks to our developers and publishing specialists, all devoted to gaming.
Our expertise is now well established and has received many awards and wide market recognition. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell™,
for example, obtained awards for Best Game(1) 2002, Best Action/Adventure Game and Best Xbox™(2) Game. More generally, the
game has been widely acclaimed by the press.
The outlook for the new fiscal year, which began in April 2002, is particularly promising. Our next blockbusters will be
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell™, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six®: Raven Shield™, Rayman®3: Hoodlum Havoc, XIII, Sum of All Fears™
and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon™. The math is simple: 6 games = 6 million units to be sold.
In the meantime, our studios are already planning and developing AAA products for the years ahead. These include the next
episodes of Myst®and Prince of Persia®, Project BG&E *, Settlers®V, Loose Cannon and others.
We are also pursuing our entry into the online gaming sector. Before the year's end, two massively multiplayer online
(MMO) titles will be released. Shadowbane, one of the most awaited games in its category, will be launched in North
America. In Europe, we will publish the most famous MMO, EverQuest®, in localized versions.
By 2006, we will be among the world's top 5 publishers. By achieving this objective, we will also further improve
our financial ratios. I have no doubt that Ubi Soft has the strength and assets needed to succeed.
Sixteen years after the company's creation, our success continues to be driven by the tremendous motivation and talent of
all our teams. I would like to once again express my gratitude for all their contributions and efforts. I also wish to thank our
commercial and financial partners as well as our shareholders for the confidence they have continued to show in our company.
Together, we will continue to work to move and shake the world of interactive entertainment products and video games,
providing gamers with rich and unique entertainment experiences.
Yves Guillemot,
Chairman and CEO
(1) ECTS, London, August 29-31, 2002.
(2) Selected as Best Action/Adventure Game by journalists at the 2002 E3 Electronic Entertainment Exhibition, and Best Xbox™ Game of 2002 by Gamespot.
*Working title.