ANNUAL REPORT 2007 2007 ANNUAL REPORT 2007 ANNUAL UBISOFT • table of contents table O1 PROFILE 02 > CORPORATE MILESTONES: 1986 – 2007 04 > CHAIRMAN AND CEO’S STATEMENT 06 > TOP MANAGEMENT 08 > KEY FIGURES Ubisoft’s cult character since 1995, Rayman has been helping to rid the world of raving 1995, Rayman has been since cult character Ubisoft’s opponents. formidable again against these once off and in 2007 he will face rabbids, 10 > AN ORGANIZATION WITH A GLOBAL REACH ® 12 > A DYNAMIC MARKET AT THE HEART OF ENTERTAINMENT TODAY 02 STRATEGY RAYMAN 16 > CLOSE TO THE CONSUMER 18 > TALENTED PEOPLE 20 > A PASSION FOR INNOVATION 03 BRANDS 24 > CREATING STRONG BRANDS 26 > SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE 28 > BRANDS: FRONT AND CENTER 31 > FINANCIAL REPORT 1 0 PROFILE MORE THAN 20 YEARS OF GROWTH AND PROFILE ENTERTAINMENT leading developer, Apublisher and distributor of video games, ubisoft has grown at an astonishing pace. From start-up distributor to industry trendsetter, the group’s success can be attributed to the consistent application of a long-term strategy centered upon strong brands, worldwide direct distribution, talented people and innovation. This year, Ubisoft’s audacious next-gen strategy translated into concrete gains with annual sales totaling €680 million and an increased market share in key territories, all of which enabled the group to hold fast to its position of 4th independent publisher worldwide.* With the second largest internal creative workforce in the industry, Ubisoft has the means to bring great games to life and to continue enchanting players all over the globe. * Excluding Japan. 2007 ANNUAL REPORT 2007 ANNUAL UBISOFT • 4th INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER WORLDWIDE (EXCLUDING JAPAN) 10 MULTIMILLION UNIT-SELLING FRANCHISES €680 MILLION IN SALES 2006-07 3,950 TALENTED PEOPLE table of contents table ACROSS THE GLOBE (3,200 DEDICATED TO CREATION) O1 PROFILE 02 > CORPORATE MILESTONES: 1986 – 2007 04 > CHAIRMAN AND CEO’S STATEMENT 21 06 > TOP MANAGEMENT DISTRIBUTION OFFICES 08 > KEY FIGURES AND 15 STUDIOS 10 > AN ORGANIZATION WITH A GLOBAL REACH IN 23 COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE 12 > A DYNAMIC MARKET AT THE HEART OF ENTERTAINMENT TODAY 02 STRATEGY 16 > CLOSE TO THE CONSUMER 18 > TALENTED PEOPLE 20 > A PASSION FOR INNOVATION 03 BRANDS 24 > CREATING STRONG BRANDS 26 > SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE 28 > BRANDS: FRONT AND CENTER 31 > FINANCIAL REPORT 1 0 PROFILE PROFILE leading developer, Apublisher and distributor of video games, ubisoft has grown at an astonishing pace. From start-up distributor to industry trendsetter, the group’s success can be attributed to the consistent application of a long-term strategy centered upon strong brands, worldwide direct distribution, talented people and innovation. This year, Ubisoft’s audacious next-gen strategy translated into concrete gains with annual sales totaling €680 million and an increased market share in key territories, all of which enabled the group to hold fast to its position of 4th independent publisher worldwide.* With the second largest internal creative workforce in the industry, Ubisoft has the means to bring great games to life and to continue enchanting players all over the globe. * Excluding Japan 2007 ANNUAL REPORT 2007 ANNUAL UBISOFT • corporate milestones: 1986–2007 hroughout the 2006/07 fiscal year, ubisoft continued to bolster its track record with new success stories. a stellar line-up for nintendo’s wii™, increased market share and strategic acquisitions Tare just a few of the highlights of this past year. 1996 UBISOFT GOES PUBLIC AND TO ASIA With a listing on the Paris stock exchange, 1992-93 Ubisoft opens up new IN-HOUSE doors for its development. CREATION The same year, TAKES the group also decides 1986 FRONT-STAGE to expand its production activities into China. UBISOFT Ubisoft opens internal IS BORN development studios in France and Romania, The five Guillemot thus sowing its first brothers join forces 1997-01 creative seeds. to found an edutainment INTERNAL and video game GROWTH publishing and COUPLED WITH distribution company. 1995 STRATEGIC ACQUISITIONS RAYMAN® HITS THE MARKET Ubisoft confirms its internal growth strategy 1989-91 Since its European début, by opening up new UBISOFT GOES the Rayman® franchise studios in 6 different ABROAD has garnered support cities, including from gamers all across Montreal, and by further The USA, Germany the globe, selling more strengthening its global and the UK become than 20 million units distribution network. 86 home to Ubisoft’s worldwide. first international The group acquires Red distribution subsidiaries. Storm, Blue Byte and The Learning Company's games division adding new hit brands to its catalog. In 2001, Ubisoft is catapulted into the Top 10 independent publishers worldwide. 3 0 07PROFILE 2006-07 UBISOFT KICKS IT UP A NOTCH With seven titles available for the launch of the Wii™ and seven released during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006-07, Ubisoft offers consumers the largest third-party line-up of games available for Nintendo’s revolutionary console. 2005-06 Ubisoft acquires the rights to the acclaimed Driver® franchise, UBISOFT TURNS and welcomes the team from Reflections Interactive, giving the group 20 AND TAKES a direct point of entry into the lucrative driving games segment. THE NEXT-GEN The acquisition of the rights related to the best-selling Far Cry® HEAD ON brand, as well as the Far Cry® engine, adds yet another proprietary 2002-05 brand to the Ubisoft catalog. Ubisoft celebrates its BRAND 20th anniversary and Ubisoft concludes a deal with German publisher Sunflowers to BUILDING acquire the company and all of its franchises, including the strategy PAYS OFF starts to see the positive results of its early brand, Anno. Armed with The Settlers® and Anno, Ubisoft reinforces Ubisoft more than positioning on next- its position of leadership on the German market, dominating the doubles its number of generation consoles. strategy games segment. hit brands from 3 to 8, The group quickly Ubisoft sees its market share rise in all key markets, ranking #4 increasing its market establishes its leadership worldwide (excluding Japan), #5 in the United States and #2 in Europe. share in key territories. on Microsoft’s Xbox Ubisoft expands its global operations into two new territories 360™ video game and by opening a business office in Mexico City, Mexico and a production entertainment system studio in Sofia, Bulgaria. successfully launching four titles, including Tom Ubisoft is ranked second leading international publisher by Clancy’s Ghost Recon Game Informer, the world’s leading computer and video game Advanced Warfighter®, magazine. and climbing to the top of the charts. 2007 ANNUAL REPORT 2007 ANNUAL UBISOFT • chairman and chief executive officer’s statement his past year, a successfully executed strategy, coupled of March 31, 2007. In addition to the increased cash flow, this withT many highly acclaimed games for new consoles, made it €120.3 million improvement can be attributed to two important possible for Ubisoft to outperform the market with annual sales capital increases: the conversion of a part of convertible bonds totaling €680 million, an increase of 24.4% compared to the (Océanes) in November 2006 and of 92% of the 2008 warrant previous fiscal year and 27% at constant exchange rates. Our net issue in February 2007. This strong financial position gives income also increased more than 300%, totaling €40.5 million. Ubisoft the means and the opportunity to invest in new projects. In North America, we gained one point compared with last year, Enrich our catalogue and continue to develop strong brands ranking 5th in the United States with 5.5% market share and 3rd in Canada with 6.8%. In Europe, the group held fast to the #2 We pursued our strategy of brand creation this year with ® ® position with 7% market share. the release of Red Steel™, Heroes of Might & Magic , Dogz , Catz® and Horsez®. In addition to the launch of these new This year, we won more than 40 prestigious awards, a testament franchises, we continued to enrich our existing brands with to the high quality and entertainment value of our games and must-have new titles, such as Rayman Raving Rabbids™ and also to the respect that Ubisoft commands within the industry. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six® Vegas. Most notably, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter® was chosen 2006 Game of the Year at the BAFTA (British Reinforce our reputation as a partner of choice for Hollywood Academy of Film and Television Arts) Awards Ceremony and Following the success of Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Game Informer, the leading industry magazine, ranked Ubisoft Official Game of the Movie, Ubisoft’s relationship with 2nd independent publisher worldwide, just behind Nintendo. Hollywood continued to mature this year with the production of games inspired by films like Open Season™, Teenage Mutant 2006/07: Ninja Turtles™ and Star Wars®. Furthermore, we are in the MISSIONS ACCOMPLISHED process of producing the video game version of Robert Zemeckis’s new feature-length film, Beowulf™, which is set to These excellent results stem from the successful execution of come out at the end of the year. Additionally, in order to better seven strategic priorities identified last year: understand and exploit the synergies that exist between video Position our brands early on next-gen consoles games and cinema, Ubisoft opened a studio in Montreal last The investments we made in next-gen development starting February dedicated to CGI (Computer Generated Images) movies. back in 2004 have paid off: 60% of our sales this year came from Attract new talents games designed for these consoles. As a result, we became the #1 independent publisher for the Wii™ in Europe and the United With 3,950 employees across the globe (3,200 of whom are States, as well as the #2 independent publisher for Xbox 360™ in dedicated to production), Ubisoft continues to grow and recruit 2006-07.