Watch Dogs has shipped 8 million units

By Brenna Hillier

Ubisoft only had good news to share with its investors today, describing Watch Dogs as “a major new franchise”.

Watch Dogs has shipped 8 million units worldwide; that’s quantity sent to retailer, not units sold, but sell-through generally doesn’t trail too far behind.

Ubisoft is pretty pleased with the project, which broke Ubisoft’s record for new game launches and industry records for new brand launches.

“The success of Watch Dogs and the quality of our games portfolio presented at this year’s E3 highlight our strategic positioning as well as our continuous drive for innovation, and affirm our long-term approach,” CVEO Yves Guillemot said.

“Watch Dogs is now well positioned as a major franchise and we will be able to replicate and build on its success in the coming years. Its sales performance testifies to Ubisoft’s expertise as a creator of blockbuster brands.”

Ubisoft financial results

Ubisoft made record sales of €360 million during the quarter ending June 30 2014 – the first of what looks to be a bumper financial year. That’s a 374% increase on the €76 million of the same quarter one year ago, largely thanks to Watch Dogs, and above Ubisoft’s projections.

The publisher also noted strong growth in digital, with an increase of 149% resulting in sales of €84 million, which it credits to Watch Dogs, mobile games, Trials Fusion, Child of Light and Valiant Hearts: The Great War.

Ubisoft expects modest sales results in the second quarter, which is light on releases compared to the bumper crop produced during the same period last year. As such, it hasn’t adjusted its full-year targets.

In the first five months of calendar 2014, Ubisoft was the second-largest independent publisher in the US with 12.4% market share, compared with fourth-largest and 6.8% one year earlier. In the first six months of calendar 2014, Ubisoft was also the second-largest independent publisher in Europe with 15.7% market share, compared with third-largest and 8.8% one year earlier.

Guillemot highlighted Assassin’s Creed: Unity, The Crew, The Division, Far Cry 4, Just Dance Now and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege as upcoming Ubisoft releases.

Other news out of Ubisoft’s financials includes word that Assassin’s Creed: Comet will be revealed soon.