Ubisoft 2006 Annual Report Download - page 44

UBISOFT • FINANCIAL REPORT 2007
Introduction
Significant events of the 2006/2007 fiscal year
Ubisoft is one of the leading developers and publishers of
interactive game software worldwide. In 2006, Ubisoft was
the fifth-largest independent publisher in the United
States and was ranked second in the PAL zone, which inclu-
des Europe, Australia and New Zealand, making it the
fourth largest independent publisher in both regions com-
bined (sources NPD, Chart Track, Media Control, GFK).
Founded in 1986, Ubisoft has experienced strong and
continued expansion by implementing a strategy of both
internal growth and carefully targeted acquisitions with
high growth potential. Since its listing on the stock
exchange in 1996, the group has increased its sales seven-
teen-fold. It currently has an extensive catalogue of strong
May 2006
€24 million equity increase following the conversion of
warrants issued in 2003.
Ubisoft emerges victorious from the 2006 E3, with
Assassin’s Creed™ winning the Best Action/Adventure
Game as part of the Game Critics Awards: Best of E3
2006; Brothers in Arms Hell’s Highway™ recognized as
Best First Person Shooter for Xbox 360™; and Tom
Clancy’s Rainbow Six®Vegas picking up the title of
Overall Best First Person Shooter awarded by IGN.
June 2006
Ubisoft opens a production studio in Sofia, Bulgaria.
July 2006
Ubisoft acquires the Driver®franchise for €19 million,
giving the Group a direct point of entry into the key dri-
ving games segment. This prestigious brand has already
sold more than 14 million units throughout the world.
Ubisoft announces on July 18, 2006 the election by rati-
fication of Mr. Marc Fiorentino as independent director.
August 2006
Ubisoft announces 7 titles for the launch of Nintendo
Wii™ including Red Steel™ and Rayman Raving
Rabbids™.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter®is ran-
ked number one for solo and multiplayer games on the
on-line games service Xbox Live®. This data is based on
the number of unique players during the second quarter
of calendar 2006 according to Microsoft.
October 2006
A new commercial subsidiary opens its doors in Mexico
to reinforce Ubisoft’s position on a growing market.
November 2006
€24.2 million equity increase following the conversion of
a portion of the Group's 2006 OCEANE bonds.
December 2006
A two-for-one stock split is carried out on December 11,
2006.
Game Informer, the world’s number one computer and
video game magazine with a circulation of over two mil-
lion, ranks Ubisoft as the second leading international
publisher and names Ubisoft Montreal as the fourth lea-
ding development studio for 2006.
January 2007
During the fiscal third quarter, Ubisoft ranked no. 1
independent publisher for Wii™ in Europe and the U.S.
with market shares of 29.2% and 18% respectively.
Rayman®and Red Steel™ positioned number two and
three in terms of sales.
Ubisoft ranked no. 2 independent publisher for the Xbox
360™ system in Europe and the U.S., with market shares
of 14.6% and 13.4% respectively:
- Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six®Vegas was the third best-
seller in December in the United States;
- Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Double Agent®was the lea-
ding seller in October;
- Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced War Fighter®was
the third best-seller in the United States for the full
calendar year 2006.
brands, recognized by both industry professionals and
consumers. The group's business is organized into three
major fields of activity: development (the creation of game
software), publishing (the acquisition of game rights and
external licenses, as well as product marketing) and distri-
bution (the physical delivery of the final product to retai-
lers). Over time, Ubisoft has successfully implemented
these three activities at 15 production sites around the
world, where the talent and creativity of Ubisoft's work-
force have produced numerous strong brands. This work-
force comprises 3,934 individuals, all working toward a
common goal: the creation of extremely high-quality
games for a growing and increasingly demanding audience
of gamers.
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