Ubisoft 2014 Annual Report Download - page 3

direct contact with 74 million players. This provides
us with a unique opportunity to reward fans and give
them access to many advantages. Our objective is to
remain attentive to their needs and keep them up-to-
date on all the latest news and developments for their
favorite brands to maximize customer satisfaction.
Bring our brands beyond video games. The success
of the
Rabbids
®
TV show marks our first major step
forward into the broader entertainment industry.
Launched successfully in 25 countries, the show has
been seen more than 300 million times in just nine
months, and placed in the Top 10 out of 200 cartoons
in the world. A second season has been signed
with Nicklelodeon and France Télévisions. We also
developed a Rabbids ride at a popular amusement
park in France, Futuroscope, which increased traffic
to the park by 20%!
All of these great achievements have enabled us
to announce ambitious objectives for 2014-15.
We expect a non-IFRS operating income of minimum
€150 million and annual sales of at least €1400 million,
thus an increase of 39%. These objectives are in-line
with the momentum currently on the market, and I
am convinced Ubisoft has the right strategy to seize
these opportunities:
Console games. 2014-15 will be punctuated by the
release of five main titles - Watch Dogs
™
, Assassin’s
Creed
®
Unity, Far Cry
®
4, Just Dance
®
2015 and
The Crew
™
. Our objective is to place three games in
the Top 10 of the year’s best sellers! Watch Dogs
™
has been a historic launch for Ubisoft with more than
four million copies sold in the first week on the market.
PC Free-to-Play and mobile games. We will capitalize
on investments made over the past years and expect
strong progress on this segment. Recent releases
such as Trials Frontier
™
, with more than 10 million
downloads on iOs, or CSI: Hidden Crimes
™
attest to
the progress being made in this booming segment.
New media. The opportunities are huge and the
Rabbids TV show is an example of what we are
capable of creating. We look forward to the release
of the first feature-length films based on our hit
franchises developed in close collaboration with
New Regency, Fox, Sony and Warner Bros. We
are also going to expand the reach and appeal of
our franchises and diversify revenue streams by
continuing to develop merchandising activities,
especially in toys and clothing.
Ubisoft is well-positioned to return to strong and
profitable growth in 2014-15 and beyond. It’s also
the first time in our history that we have so much
data at our fingertips to improve our consumers’
experiences and increase the benefits for them.
I would like to extend a warm thanks to all Ubisoft
teams for their passion and commitment. Together,
we will continue to create the most original and
memorable experiences in the industry. I would
like to thank all of our shareholders, partners and
customers for their continued support and trust.