Michael Douse, the Director of Publishing for Baldur’s Gate 3 and its developer Larian Studios, blasted Ubisoft in the wake of a number of blunders including the Prince of Persia: The Last Crown, which is rumored to have seen its developer team disbanded after not meeting sales expectations.
A screenshot from Baldur’s Gate III (2023), Larian Studios
It was rumored earlier this week that Ubisoft disbanded its team at Ubisoft Montpellier that worked on Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. That rumor originated from French YouTube channel ORIGAMI, whose host declared, “In recent days at Ubisoft Montpellier, we are transporting boxes from one floor to another and it is quite a symbol because it is that of dissolution, not announced to the public, but completed of the team Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.”
The host went on to share that the decision to disband the team was made shortly after the game released at the beginning of the year. It released on January 18, 2024 to Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation.
He said, “It was clear in the spring, in fact. A few patches, a DLC, and we are packing up.”
READ: Rumor: Ubisoft Disbanded ‘Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown’ Development Team
While Ubisoft management had made the decision to move on from the game shortly after it was released, the host claimed that some members of the core development team fought for two DLCs in an attempt to change the minds of management.
However, Ubisoft management were unconvinced especially given the game’s sales were below expectations. Instead, they wanted to reallocate the team to more potentially lucrative projects. Furthermore, the team was told that if they were to release a sequel it could cannibalize long term sales of the first game.
Key art for Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (2024), Ubisoft
In reaction to coverage of the team allegedly being disbanded by PC Gamer, Douse shared his opinion on X, “The last notable game on their platform was arguably Far Cry 6 in 2021. The Crew, Mirage and Avatar came in 2023 and didn’t perform, so you can assume subscriptions were at a lull when PoP released by 2024. Which means people wouldn’t be launching their store all too much.”
He added, “If it had released on Steam not only would it have been a market success, but there would likely be a sequel because the team are so strong. It’s such a broken strategy. The hardest thing is to make a 85+ game — it is much, much easier to release one. It just shouldn’t be done as it was.”
Michael Douse on X
READ: Larian Studios Director Of Publishing Michael Douse Claims Mass Layoffs At Video Games An “Avoidable F*** Up”
Next, Douse torched Ubisoft and specifically the company’s Director of Subscriptions Philippe Tremblay for his comments back in January where he said gamers need to get comfortable not owning their games.
He said, “One of the things we saw is that gamers are used to, a little bit like DVD, having and owning their games. That’s the consumer shift that needs to happen. They got comfortable not owning their CD collection or DVD collection. That’s a transformation that’s been a bit slower to happen [in games]. As gamers grow comfortable in that aspect… you don’t lose your progress. If you resume your game at another time, your progress file is still there. That’s not been deleted. You don’t lose what you’ve built in the game or your engagement with the game. So it’s about feeling comfortable with not owning your game.”
A screenshot from Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (2024), Ubisoft
Douse wrote, “If the statement “gamers should get used to not owning their games” is true because of a specific release strategy (sub above sales), then the statement “developers must get used to not having jobs if they make a critically acclaimed game” (platform strategy above title sales) is also true, and that just isn’t sensible — even from a business perspective.”
Michael Douse on X
READ: Ubisoft’s ‘Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown’ Looks Like Another Sales Loser
While Douse’s torching of Ubisoft rings true, and his observation that Ubisoft+ was likely not seeing the number of players necessary to float Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, the fact that it would release on Steam would not necessarily make it a market success. In fact, the game released on Steam in August and appears to be struggling.
The game his a peak concurrent of just 1,446 players when it released to Steam. In the last 24 hours it only hit a peak concurrent of just 119 players. Furthermore, the game is ranked as 1400 on Steam’s Top sellers list.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown peak concurrent player charts
Nevertheless, Douse is no stranger to criticizing Ubisoft. Back in August he appeared to criticize Ubisoft’s pricing structure for Star Wars Outlaws. He wrote on X, “I don’t love the artificiality of pricing structures post retail. Use the inflated base price to upsell a subscription, and use vague content promises to inflate ultimate editions to make the base price look better.”
He added, “It all seems a bit dangerous & disconnected from the community.”
I don’t love the artificiality of pricing structures post retail. Use the inflated base price to upsell a subscription, and use vague content promises to inflate ultimate editions to make the base price look better. It all seems a bit dangerous & disconnected from the community. pic.twitter.com/wPmwDM846z
— Very AFK (@Cromwelp) August 26, 2024
READ: ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ Developer Appears To Blast Ubisoft’s Pricing Of ‘Star Wars Outlaws’ While Also Explaining Why He Thinks “All Games Should Cost More At A Base Level”
Next, he shared, “I think a game should be priced accordingly with its quality, breadth & depth. I’m not against higher prices, but this arbitrary uniformity just doesn’t make sense to me. It feels so unserious.”
He then declared, “Almost all games should cost more at a base level because the cost of making them (inflation, for one) is outpacing pricing trends. But I don’t think we’ll get there with DLC promises so much as quality & communication.”
“Everyone’s just waiting for GTA6 to do it lol,” he concluded.
Almost all games should cost more at a base level because the cost of making them (inflation, for one) is outpacing pricing trends. But I don’t think we’ll get there with DLC promises so much as quality & communication. Everyone’s just waiting for GTA6 to do it lol.
— Very AFK (@Cromwelp) August 26, 2024
In a separate thread, Douse would attempt to clear up confusion about these posts. He wrote, “Various people who are not very astute failed to understand that my point was perhaps $70-$80 games that function properly and have the content to back it up are better than buggy jank slop repacked with shite skins for $120. The latter exists because the former doesn’t.”
Various people who are not very astute failed to understand that my point was perhaps $70-$80 games that function properly and have the content to back it up are better than buggy jank slop repacked with shite skins for $120. The latter exists because the former doesn’t.
— Very AFK (@Cromwelp) August 29, 2024
READ: ‘XDefiant’ Executive Producer Claims Ubisoft Has “NO Plans To Shut Down After Season 4,” But Admits “Numbers Are Down”
He continued, “A brief economics lesson: bulk of development cost is salaries. If a company is sensible, they afford inflation increases to developers. This rises costs over time – last 2 yrs astronomically. Increases risk. What do most AAA do? Reduce risk. How? Play it safe. Follow trends.”
“This leads people to look at AI and automation as a beacon of hope for a cost problem when really the problem is the impossible-to-solve lack of foresight about what anyone should be making,” Douse elaborated. “There are outliers. None of the risk-averse strategies typically make *better* games.”
This leads people to look at AI and automation as a beacon of hope for a cost problem when really the problem is the impossible-to-solve lack of foresight about what anyone should be making. There are outliers. None of the risk-averse strategies typically make *better* games.
— Very AFK (@Cromwelp) August 29, 2024
He then declared, “If you want really engaging, super polished premium experiences, you won’t *because it is economically impossible save for a few token outliers* get them from risk-averse strategies coping with inflation.”
“I want good games. I get mad at bad games. I also price games (I priced both DOS2 and BG3 below their value because I care about people’s cost of living and had faith in our recoup) CE far below. Again, I had faith. So I’m not the ‘suit’ ripping people off, thx RPS!”
I want good games. I get mad at bad games. I also price games (I priced both DOS2 and BG3 below their value because I care about people’s cost of living and had faith in our recoup) CE far below. Again, I had faith. So I’m not the “suit” ripping people off, thx RPS!
— Very AFK (@Cromwelp) August 29, 2024
What do you make of Douse’s comments?
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