Ubisoft's highly anticipated Star Wars Outlaws has reportedly underperformed in sales, impacting the company's share price. Initial projections for the game's success haven't materialized, despite positive critical reception.
Ubisoft's Financial Hopes Tied to Outlaws and Assassin's Creed Shadows
Stock Price Plummets Following Outlaws Launch
Ubisoft positioned Star Wars Outlaws, alongside Assassin's Creed Shadows (AC Shadows), as key drivers for its financial recovery. However, the game's sales have fallen short of expectations, contributing to a significant drop in Ubisoft's share price last week, beginning September 3rd.
The company's Q1 2024-25 sales report emphasized the importance of these two titles in reshaping its financial outlook. While Ubisoft reported a 15% increase in console and PC session days, largely due to Games-as-a-Service, and a 7% year-on-year increase in monthly active users (MAUs) to 38 million, the underperformance of Star Wars Outlaws overshadowed these positive trends.
Reports describe Star Wars Outlaws sales as "sluggish." J.P. Morgan analyst Daniel Kerven, as cited by Reuters, noted the game's failure to meet sales projections despite favorable reviews. Kerven revised his sales forecast from 7.5 million units to 5.5 million units by March 2025.
Following the August 30th release of Star Wars Outlaws, Ubisoft's stock experienced a two-day decline. Shares fell 5.1% on Monday, September 3rd, and a further 2.4% by Tuesday morning, reaching their lowest point since 2015 and adding to a year-to-date drop exceeding 30%.
The disconnect between positive critical reception and lower-than-expected player engagement is noteworthy. While critics generally praised the game, user reviews on Metacritic currently average a mere 4.5 out of 10. In contrast, Game8 awarded Star Wars Outlaws a 90/100 rating, hailing it as an exceptional addition to the Star Wars universe. For a detailed perspective, please refer to our comprehensive review (link below).
