Mon, Jul 23, 2012 | 09:05 BST

Industry “penalised” by extended console cycle: Guillemot

It isn’t just gamers finding the wait for new console hardware excruciating, according to Ubisoft head Yves Guillemot.

Ubisoft head Yves Guillemot has told Gamasutra that a lack of new console hardware in recent years has been bad for the entire games trade.

“What we missed was a new console every five years,” he said. “We have been penalized by the lack of new consoles on the market. I understand the manufacturers don’t want them too often because it’s expensive, but it’s important for the entire industry to have new consoles because it helps creativity.”

The exec added that old hardware means creating new IP becomes more difficult, as referenced by the amount of sequels we’re seeing crammed into the back half of this year.

“It’s a lot less risky for us to create new IPs and new products when we’re in the beginning of a new generation,” he said. “Our customers are very open to new things. Our customers are reopening their minds, and they are really going after what’s best.

“At the end of a console generation, they want new stuff, but they don’t buy new stuff as much. They know their friends will play Call of Duty or Assassin’s Creed so they go for that. So the end of a cycle is very difficult.”

The next PlayStation and Xbox consoles are expected to launch next autumn.

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52 comments

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#51

OlderGamer
24/07/12, 5:39 am

“While sales were up, profits were actually down for both the fourth quarter and the fiscal year. Q4 saw a net loss of $263 million (as compared with a net income of $11 million a year earlier). On the bright side, the full year finished in the black with total income of $364 million (down from $1.26 billion a year ago).”

Gamesindustry.biz, in regaurds to MS.

We could spin numbers all day long.

I think at least some of the decline(industry wide) is due to Wii. But we also need to look at stock prices(and sales numbers) and value of alot of major publishers. Most of whom don’t have a heavy hand on the Wii at all. EA, THQ aren;t in the tank because of the Wii. And Vivendi isn’t looking to unload its game stock in Acti/Blizz because of the Wii either. I think on the whole game investment is seen as a large risk right now. And I believe that is because of the over all picture.

Sure Nintendo profits are down, but so are almost everyone elses.

#52

G1GAHURTZ
24/07/12, 8:30 am

“We could spin numbers all day long.”

That was exactly my point.

The ’30% decline’ means nothing. You have to put every company’s figures into context, and then put those figures into the context of the global economy. You need to look at other industries, and not just put gaming in isolation.

It’s just sensationalist journalism that paints a convenient picture.

Oh and THQ most certainly are heavily invested in the Wii. Just take a look at the uDraw disaster story for just how much of an effect the Wii had on them.

All of the big players are still making lots of money. It might be less than last year, but people have had to put a lot of money into R&D and development costs for next gen consoles.

I’m certain that if you look at profits projections for 2013, they are all up significantly.

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