Ubisoft’s sales for the fourth fiscal quarter ending the 31st of March 2009 totaled €206 million, down from last year’s €217 million for the same period. Full year sales were up 14% to €1.05 billion.

The fourth quarter sales were in line with the earlier guidance issued during quarter 3. The publisher attributed this to a strong performance of Wii titles including Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party, Shaun White Snowboarding: Road Trip and My Fitness Coach. Of course it didn’t hurt that sales of Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. reached the target of one million sell-in units or that The Petz and Imagine franchises sold-in over one million units each during the quarter.

Yves Guillemot, Chief Executive Officer, stated: “In a highly competitive environment Ubisoft reported full-year sales growth of 18% at constant exchange rates in 2008-09 as well as the second best profitability among comparable companies in its industry.”

Successful new brands

The CEO went on to say “In addition to strengthening our existing franchises – particularly Far Cry and Rayman Raving Rabbids, whose sales were up by more than 50% on their previous performances – we successfully launched two new million-unit-selling brands with Shaun White and Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X, confirming our entry into the sports segment and bolstering our position in the air combat segment.”

“Lastly, we affirmed our expertise in titles for Nintendo consoles, with our casual games business posting a growth over 40%. In 2008-09, we also continued to invest heavily in Ubisoft’s future potential, hiring some 1,300 talents for our studios with a view to driving the Company’s expansion, further strengthening our franchises and preparing for the next generation of handheld as well as home consoles.”

Splinter Cell Conviction out this Christmas

“The results of these efforts will be seen as early as this Christmas with one of the industry’s most ambitious games line-ups which will include Assassin’s Creed 2, James Cameron’s Avatar, Splinter Cell Conviction, Rabbids Go Home and Red Steel 2.”

Ubisoft is putting its trust in a number of key titles for the line-up for 2009 -10 including Assassins Creed 2, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction, Rabbids Go Home, Red Steel 2, Ghost Recon 4 and Anno 1404.

In addition the publisher will be releasing 4 licensed games (James Cameron’s Avatar, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Arthur and the Invisibles) as well as three new brands (R.U.S.E., I am Alive and a sports game for the Wii) as well as new casual games for the DS in the Imagine, Petz, My Coach and Playzone ranges.