Ubisoft Reports 90.5% Growth, Delays Splinter Cell: Conviction

Paris-based publisher Ubisoft announced its first quarter earnings yesterday, detailing a 90.5% increase in sales to 134 million euros (US$185 million). Though coupled with the news was a delay for the forthcoming game in Ubisoft's espionage action series, Splinter Cell: Conviction. The title will now retail in the fourth fiscal quarter--January through March of 2008--rather than the planned holiday release in the third quarter. Attempts to contact Ubisoft for details on the delay have not yet received a response. In light of the higher-than-expected sales, Ubisoft has raised its predictions for total fiscal year earnings to 825 million euros (US$1.14 billion), up from 800 million euros (US$1.11 billion). Sales of PlayStation 3 software accounted for the highest percentage of Ubisoft's sales during the first quarter, with 21% coming from titles for Sony's system. Behind PS3 games, Xbox 360 games accounted for 17% of sales, Nintendo DS games made up 16%, Nintendo Wii titles made up 13%, and PSP game sales trailed at 11%. Ubisoft also detailed a planned expansion of the company's Moroccan studio in the report. The company hopes to bring 150 new employees on board at the studio by 2010.