Ubisoft: “Casual development allows us to take risks”

In an article on CFO.com, Ubisoft CFO Alain Martinez explains that development costs on casual-orientated DS titles are far lower, meaning “you can make 30 games for the price of one and try different things” – something Martinez says simply isn’t possible in today’s console market.

CFO adds that back in in 2000 Ubisoft owned just one multi-million selling brand, whereas now it owns 14, with many more on the drawing board. In total it now has 3,500 developers working in 19 studios based in 15 different countries. Its success has allowed it to cut its R&D spending from 34 per cent to 28 per cent of its sales.