What’s killing new games? Ubisoft has a simple answer: „Players are playing less, but longer”

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Ubisoft’s UK division has released its yearly financial report, covering the period up to March 2025. The report indicates a decrease in revenue for the year and explains the factors contributing to this decline.

Subscriptions and F2P games are to blame

Ubisoft says that selling games for the usual $50 to $60 price isn’t as popular as it used to be. More and more, people are choosing subscriptions like Game Pass, or games that are constantly updated and often free to play.

The report shows that players tend to focus on a handful of popular games, overlooking many newer releases. This means people are playing fewer different games overall, but dedicating more time to the ones they choose.

People are playing fewer games overall, but when they do play, they’re spending more time with each one. Because of this, it’s becoming harder for new games to gain attention and sell well, except for a few really popular titles. This makes the gaming market less stable and it’s harder to predict which games will be successful.

All this led to a prediction that Ubisoft will end the fiscal year 2026 with a drop in revenue.

Those following news about Ubisoft likely won’t be surprised by this. The company has been struggling financially for some time, leading to a partnership where Tencent took a significant ownership stake. Recently, Ubisoft has also had layoffs, and yesterday, rumors began circulating about a potential acquisition. Adding to the uncertainty, a key financial report was recently delayed, and trading of the company’s stock was temporarily stopped.

Ubisoft’s recent comments are supported by industry analysis. Mat Piscatella noted that many gamers only purchase a few new titles annually, and interest in free-to-play games is growing. The data also shows younger players are increasingly choosing mobile games over console or PC gaming.

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2025-11-18 14:33