Ubisoft 2008 Annual Report Download - page 56

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UBISOFTANNUAL REPORT 2009
1.1 The Group’s Business Activities
and Results for Fiscal Year 2008-2009
1.1.1 Group presentation
In 2008, Ubisoft was ranked third amongst independent software publishers in Europe, and fourth in the United States (sources NPD,
Chart Track, Media Control, GFK). Focusing primarily on the in-house creation of brands at competitive cost studios, the Group has
developed an unrivalled franchise portfolio. The Group’s activities are centred around three main business lines: development (the
creation of games), publishing (the acquisition of rights to games and external licenses as well as product marketing) and distribution
(the physical delivery of the nal product to retailers of all types). Ubisoft currently employs 5,765 staff.
1.1.1.1 History – Over 20 years of growth
Each year, Ubisoft builds on its reputation as a growing, innovative company. In a constantly evolving industry, the Group has been
able to anticipate trends and build solid foundations to predict the entertainment of the future. An original strategy and some
unique choices have pushed the Group to the forefront of the video games industry and catching the public eye.
1986: Creation of Ubisoft by the ve Guillemot brothers, who started up a company to publish and distribute software that is both
recreational and educational.
1989-1995: International expansion
Ubisoft opened its rst distribution subsidiaries in the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom, as well as its rst two
internal development studios in France and Romania. World-wide, Rayman® has to date attracted more than 22 million players
and become a real hero.
1996-2001: Organic growth and strategic acquisitions
In 1996, otation on the Paris stock exchange opened new doors for Ubisoft, which continued its organic growth strategy by
opening studios in China (Shanghai, 1996), Canada (Montreal, 1997), Morocco, Spain and Italy (1998) as well as France (Annecy and
Montpellier, 1999). The Group also established new distribution ofces in Hong Kong, the Netherlands and Denmark.
It acquired the Red Storm Entertainment studio and its famous Tom Clancy games in 2000, Blue Byte Software with Settlers® and
the video games division of The Learning Company with such titles at Myst® and Prince of Persia® in 2001.
This strategy powered Ubisoft into the world’s top 10 independent publishers in 2001.
2002-2006: A strategy of developing own brands
Ubisoft nearly tripled its number of agship brands, from three to eight, increasing its market share in new territories.
End-2003: acquisition of the Tiwak studio in Montpellier.
In 2005: acquisition of the MC2-Microids group’s development activities in Canada.
In 2006: acquisition of the Driver® franchise, all intellectual property rights over the Far Cry® franchise and the CryEngine licence;
opening of a sales ofce in Mexico and a production studio in Bulgaria.
This period was also notable for the collaboration with Peter Jackson with Peter Jackson’s King Kong.