Ubisoft’s Strategic Shift: Analyzing the Impact of Server Shutdowns on 10 Classic Games

When a gaming provider decides to shut down their servers for any game, the online rumor mill whirls. Ubisoft is a huge name in Canadian gaming and is one of the most prolific and successful designers in global gaming, so this decision wouldn’t have come lightly.

To fully appreciate Ubisoft’s magnitude and influence in the Canadian gaming industry, it’s instructive to examine their “25 Years of Impact: Introducing Ubisoft’s very first Canadian Impact Report.“

As the landscape of online gaming tilts, with more people seeking alternative, free-to-play games and an upsurge in mobile gaming, video game designers and publishers must adapt to this changing market.

Online Gaming In A Changing Global Market

Online gaming has begun to discover new horizons; with many game designers are now putting their talents into designing a whole new world of new games, whether it is video console, PC gaming, or an array of other games.

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The global video gaming community boasts an impressive figure of approximately 3.09 billion active gamers worldwide. According to Lyndon Seitz – broadbandsearch Editor-in-Chief 

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A List Ubisoft Games Which Are Impacted

Ubisoft is tilting its focus to new singleplayer and multiplayer projects, which is why it announced the shutdown of its servers for these games. The list of Ubisoft games which will face the axe are:

• Ghost Recon Future Soldier — PC
• Heroes of Might and Magic VI — PC
• NCIS — PC
• Splinter Cell: Conviction — Xbox 360
• R.U.S.E. — PC
• Trials Evolution — PC

As you can see, many are old titles aimed at last-generation console gamers. Ubisoft decommissioning these select titles is a sign of their new approach. All of these titles will be considered too costly to maintain, and it’s not a decision taken lightly. It’ll simply be a case that it doesn’t make financial sense, given the lack of users who access the servers. It’s part of a new streamlined strategy to bring greater focus on their new titles, such as Assassin’s Creed: Mirage, despite many older series of the singleplayer game facing the same fate, including:

• Assassin’s Creed Revelations — PC
• Assassin’s Creed II — Xbox 360
• Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood — Mac
• Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD — PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Availability of Multiplayer and Online Services in Ubisoft’s Video Games

You can check the full list from the Ubisoft official website

Is It A Gamble That Will Pay Off?

Ubisoft decommissioning these games is a good move. He stated, “These difficult decisions are signs of a company controlling their long to medium-term strategy. Putting together a strategy to focus on long-term profit margins and developing new games shows that they aim for future success and create new titles in the same way the casino industry does.”

The legacy of these games and projects won’t be besmirched. There’ll still be communities of players online who will be upset about the service being discontinued. Still, many will welcome the decision to close the door on the past and move forward toward new horizons. 

Other gaming designers are looking to the future, too. With the mega announcement of GTA 6 on the horizon and a new series of projects for people to explore, Ubisoft will be keen to not fall behind their competition, and identifying areas where they can cut costs and remove old servers is one key business decision that could help fuel this. 

Conclusion

Sometimes, letting go of the past is good to create something new for new generations. This is a mantra the design of all Ubisoft games seems to have embedded into them. So, while it might seem like a farewell, Ubisoft decommissioning these games will hopefully enhance their online gaming platform and cultivate a community for their new titles to flourish. 

While the most crucial factor for any game design company is the quality and consistency of their gaming titles, removing these ten servers can move more staffing into the development and maintenance of other prominent future projects. So, while it might be painful and the end of an era for fans who adore these titles, it is necessary for the future longevity of the company to continue creating globally successful video games.

• Ubisoft decommissioning games can enhance their online gaming platform and cultivate a community for new titles to flourish.
• Removing the online services of these games can move more staffing into the development and maintenance of other prominent future projects.
• The decommissioning of online services and multiplayer modes on a number of games is necessary for the future longevity of the company to continue creating globally successful video games.