Ubisoft 2002 Annual Report Download - page 4

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A fiscal year based on measurable successes
Just as we set objectives for our long-term growth,we also
raise the bar higher each fiscal year with a series of short-
term goals. Our success this year can be measured by the
achievement of four targets: Make it a record year for our
internal development activities, strengthen our portfolio
of blockbuster franchises, exploit and master our online
gaming potential and strengthen our relationship with
both retailers and the press.
Creating our future
Our objective was to make it a record year for our internal
development activities. It was indeed a record year, with
development activities generating 77% of our net revenue.
Strategically positioned around the world – from Canada
to France, the United States to China – our studios provided
us with the international perspective and creativity
necessary to anticipate and react to ever-changing market
demands.With almost 1,300 creative professionals involved
in production, Ubisoft boasts the industry’s second largest
creative force.
All the right games
Our objective was to strengthen our portfolio of blockbuster
franchises.We met this objective by:
• Creating brand new intellectual properties: Launched last
fall,Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell™ went on to sell a whopping
3.6 million units during the fiscal year.
• Reinforcing already-existing brands: Tom Clancy’s Ghost
Recon™ sold 1.8 million units during the year. With more
than a million units sold worldwide,Rayman® 3: Hoodlum
Havoc was also a hit, even if sales were less robust than
anticipated in North America.
• Signing partnerships with top licensors:These partnerships
will allow us to bring world-famous characters to life this
year in games like: Batman™: Rise of Sin Tzu, Crouching
Tiger,Hidden Dragon™and Will Rock®– to name just a few.
While we’ve consistently reduced the overall number of
games we publish in recent years, our selection of is increa-
singly balanced and in line with consumer expectations.
The online connection
Our objective was to exploit and master our online gaming
potential. We aimed and succeeded in making ubi.com one
of the world’s most popular gaming portals. Our benchmark site
joined the top 10 portals of its kind during the year.
It currently attracts more than 3 million unique visitors each
month.
We aimed and succeeded in gaining a competitive edge in
the massively multiplayer online gaming sector. In addition
to the release of localized versions of Sony Online
Entertainment’s EverQuest® in Europe and China, we recently
released Shadowbane™ – one of the most awaited MMO
games in its category – in North America. The game now
counts more than 50,000 subscribers.
And we aimed and succeeded in developing games that take
full advantage of the latest online console technologies.
Already popular among online PC players,Tom Clancy’s Ghost
Recon™ was released during the year with a whole range of
Xbox™ Live capacities.
Understanding our partners
Our objective was to strengthen our relationship with
both retailers and the press. From a retail perspective,
better analysis of our sales targets allowed us to secure a
privileged agreement with Wal-Mart for direct distribution
in the United States. More generally, our experienced
distribution and marketing teams expanded Ubisoft’s
retail and business contacts in over 55 countries during
the year.
The year was also a milestone from a media perspective.
The record number of media events we played host
to during the year included: the official U.S. launch of XIII