Ubisoft’s 2023 Earnings Call: Delays, Layoffs, and a 2026 Reality Check

So, picture this: it’s August 2023, and Ubisoft is playing a high-stakes game of chess with its release calendar. During its quarterly earnings report, the French publisher dropped a bombshell that had fans scratching their heads: its mysterious “large game” — originally penciled in for release by March 2024 — was being pushed back to the next fiscal year, which runs from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025. Talk about a plot twist, right? Ubisoft kept its lips sealed about the title, but the rumor mill went into overdrive. The smart money was on Star Wars Outlaws, which looked absolutely stellar in its early footage, or perhaps the next Far Cry entry. Either way, players were left playing the waiting game, fingers crossed for an official word.

Let’s be real: delays are nothing new in this industry, but this one felt like a big-league curveball. Ubisoft didn’t just stop there, though. The publisher also confirmed that Skull and Bones — the pirate adventure that had been stuck in development hell for what felt like a lifetime — was still on track to launch by March 2024. Finally getting our hands on the finished product would be a long time coming, and honestly, it was about time. The game had already gone through multiple betas, including one just a couple of months earlier in August 2023, so the release date announcement was probably around the corner. Keep your eyes peeled, mateys. 🏴‍☠️

Here’s the kicker: while Ubisoft was busy delaying its big mystery title, it also shared a “cost reduction plan” that hit hard. The company revealed it had reduced its headcount by over 1,300 employees within a year. Some of those were layoffs, while others were voluntary departures that simply weren’t replaced. Not gonna lie — that’s a tough pill to swallow for the folks who poured their hearts into these projects. The bottom line is that Ubisoft was tightening its belt, and the ripples were felt across the whole organization.

But wait, there’s more. Despite XDefiant’s recent delay, Ubisoft insisted the free-to-play shooter would still launch within that same fiscal year. It was set to join a packed lineup: Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Just Dance 2024, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Rainbow Six Mobile, and The Division Resurgence. That’s the whole nine yards, folks — a little something for every kind of player. From VR assassins to Pandora’s lush landscapes, Ubisoft was clearly trying to cover all its bases.

Now, fast-forward to 2026. Looking back, that earnings call was a real turning point — and the writing was on the wall for some of these projects. Here’s a quick rundown of what actually happened:

Game / Plan	What Ubisoft Said in 2023	Where Things Stand in 2026
Mystery “Large Game”	Delayed to April 2024–March 2025	Most likely Star Wars Outlaws, which launched in August 2024 after plenty of hype ⏳
Skull and Bones	Planned by March 2024	Finally launched in February 2024; reception was mixed, but it was a long time coming 🏴‍☠️
XDefiant	Delayed but still FY2024	Launched in May 2024, then faced a rocky road with player counts and updates 🎮
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR	FY2024 lineup	Released November 2023 for Meta Quest 🥽
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora	FY2024 lineup	Launched December 2023 🌿
Just Dance 2024	FY2024 lineup	Danced onto shelves in October 2023 💃
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown	FY2024 lineup	Arrived January 2024 to solid reviews 🗡️
Rainbow Six Mobile	FY2024 lineup	Had a staggered rollout; still a work in progress in some regions 📱
The Division Resurgence	FY2024 lineup	Also had a bumpy mobile launch timeline 📱

At the end of the day, Ubisoft’s 2023 earnings call was a mixed bag. On one hand, fans were frustrated by the delay of a major title and worried about the layoffs. On the other hand, the publisher was still promising a stacked slate of games, and Skull and Bones was finally inching toward the finish line. In 2026, we can call it like it is: some bets paid off, some didn’t, and the industry learned a thing or two about managing expectations.

For players, the lesson is simple: don’t count your chickens before they hatch. Delays happen, layoffs sting, and release dates are written in pencil — not stone. But hey, at least we got to sail the high seas with Skull and Bones, right? And if you’re still holding out hope for that mystery game, well, keep the faith. Ubisoft’s calendar might have shifted, but the games eventually found their way to us. That’s the long and short of it.