Current Events > For Ubisoft, loot box inclusion boils down to two things: quality and choice

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/314589/For_Ubisoft_loot_box_inclusion_boils_down_to_two_things_quality_and_choice.php

On loot boxes, what we can say is that we define it as a question of quality and choice. As simple as that, explains Martinez. We need to deliver, for whatever we offer, the right quality for people to be interested. At the same time, they need to feel that they are really free to not buy it and that their choice is really a fact.

He says that this philosophy informs how the developer introduces loot boxes to any of its games, ranging from Rainbow Six: Siege to Assassins Creed: Origins. He believes that, because the developer ensures that loot boxes are always an optional but rewarding path for the player to take, that loot boxes have been an effective and well-received means of monetization so far.

While many lawmakers, both in and out of the United States, have discussed regulating loot boxes, Martinez says that, as far as Ubisoft is concerned, regulation isnt a huge issue.

So we feel that were going in the right direction and we dont feel that theres a major issue or a major regularity issue that we should be facing, he said.

Related;

Player recurring investment, which tracks the sale of digital items, DLC, season passes, and subscriptions, also saw a significant year-over-year boost, increasing by 96 percent to 145 million (~$178.1 million) for the quarter. While player recurring investment wasnt the primary breadwinner for Ubisofts digital sales like it was last quarter, the category still represented 20 percent of total revenue.

Overall sales were up from last years numbers by 36.8 percent coming in at 725.0 million (~$890.4 million) and surpassing Ubisofts projected targets for the quarter. Meanwhile, back-catalog sales came in at 231 million (~$283.7 million) this quarter, a 13 percent increase year-over-year. Those sales notably made up a smaller percentage of overall revenue this year, falling from last years 39 percent to 32 percent in Q3 2017-18.

While the companys back catalog is typically a driving force behind its quarterly sales, Ubisoft leadership noted in a conference call that the growth it saw this quarter was driven largely by new releases and not back catalog titles, though both digital and back catalog titles saw record sales this quarter.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot notes that this quarters numbers represent the positive impact made by a number of key areas in the companys strategy, mainly its efforts in live games and its quality over quantity approach to game development.

Guillemot notes three of the companys recent releases have benefited from giving developers additional time to polish projects rather than rushing to release. Because of both this and its live operations strategies, the studio notes that Assassins Creed Origins is on track to sell twice as many copies as the previous title in the series and has already seen better season pass attach rates.

"These successes demonstrate that our differentiating strategy of combining long-term investment in our talented teams and our multi-studios collaboration model is paying off, said Guillemot. This strategy enables us to deliver high-quality blockbusters while keeping our communities engaged through regular major updates.

https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/314588/New_releases_led_growth_in_Ubisofts_third_quarter.php

Looks like this stuff is working out really well for them.
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lousy whales
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chill02 posted...

lousy whales

pretty much all there is to say at this point
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"C'mon guys, it's not like we're forcing these kids to buy loot boxes. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to lock all the best shit behind a terrible grind that can be entirely circumvented via lootbox purchases."
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This is not the Montanan way.
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Oh, Ubisoft!
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Are Ubisoft as bad with it? I know there was some shit with Rainbow Six Siege really recently but that's about all I know.

I only played South Park Fractured But Whole from them last year. I didn't have any issues with that game but my hopes aren't up that it will have a good season pass.
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