Player XP’s Post

Yesterday, I ran one of the most unexpectedly divisive polls in our Evolved team chat. Forget strategy, growth, or client meetings… or even where to capitalize Esports… the real controversy comes down to how do we pronounce Ubisoft? Turns out, it depends on where you’re from. So, where do you stand? YOU-BE or not YOU-BE And what other subtle pronunciation wars are simmering out there in your teams? #TeamDebates #OfficePolls #GameIndustryProblems #Evolved

Fortnite strikes again!  And it does so with Disney, which has once again upped the ante by announcing yesterday what is effectively the multinational's biggest entry into the world of video games: and who better to choose than Epic Games and its community of over 60 million players per day? Almost a year after the closure of its failed internal metaverse unit (who would have thought?) Disney too has understood, thanks to seasonal collaborations, in-game activations, and live events involving hundreds of millions of players, the real potential of establishing a solid position in an already established video game rather than trying to create its own ecosystem (and community) from scratch. And it does so boldly, with a multi-year project (worth 1.5 BILLION dollars!) aimed at - obviously - creating an "entertainment universe", a persistent ecosystem open to the Fortnite community, who will be able to experience all of the production house's most beloved franchises in a new way, like Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars, to name a few. It's a move that I'm sure will further shake up the marketing world, forcing more and more brands to (re)evaluate once again the enormous potential of seeking qualified partners in the video game industry to reach new communities, even better if they are already established, avoiding starting from "scratch" by doing everything in-house, even if you are Disney. #fortnite #epicgames #metaverse #disney #videogames

Had a few thoughts on the recent news about Ubisoft, so I decided to write about it from the consumer’s perspective. It's a quick read, so feel free to check it out and let me know what you think! #gamingindustry #corporateleadership #gamedevelopment #stockmarket #gamingnews

The Walt Disney Company and Epic Games are teaming up to create a revolutionary new games and entertainment universe! 🏰 ✨ This partnership will take the storytelling experience to unprecedented heights, bringing beloved Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Avatar stories into an expansive, open universe interconnected with Fortnite. 🎮✨ Disney is making a monumental move by investing $1.5 billion to acquire an equity stake in Epic Games, signaling a major commitment to this multiyear project. 💰 The promise is a persistent universe that’s not just about gaming— it’s an immersive platform for playing, watching, shopping, and engaging with content in a way that’s uniquely Disney. 🌐🎥 This collaboration is not just about creating new experiences but deepening an already successful relationship that has seen millions engage through Fortnite content integrations and events. 🚀 The future of storytelling is here. Can't wait to "Discover a place where the MAGIC is EPIC." --- 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡? ↳ You'll LOVE Etherverse. 🎙 (launching this month) #Disney #Fortnite #EpicGames #UnrealEngine5

XDefiant, Ubisoft's free-to-play shooter aiming to compete with Call of Duty, hasn't met expectations since its May launch, sparking rumors of a possible shutdown after Season 4. However, lead developer Mark Rubin and CEO Yves Guillemot have reassured fans that support will continue, focusing on technical improvements and content additions for Seasons 3 and 4, with plans for Year 2 underway. Despite facing stiff competition and declining player numbers attributed to limited marketing, XDefiant intends to launch a larger marketing campaign once optimizations are complete. Ubisoft, amid broader organizational challenges and underwhelming performances from other titles like Star Wars Outlaws, is reconsidering its strategy to boost sales, including resuming PC launches on Steam. Investors speculate a move to privatize the company as they navigate cultural and financial hurdles. Read More: https://lnkd.in/ee9MccF9 #XDefiant #GamingNews #Ubisoft #FPSGames #GameDevelopment

In this video, we dive into the potential takeover of Ubisoft by Tencent and what it could mean for the gaming industry. Will Ubisoft rise again, or will it be another victim of aggressive monetization? We discuss everything from Tencent’s track record, the Guillemot family’s role, and the future of Ubisoft’s biggest franchises like Assassin’s Creed and XDefiant. Could this be the change Ubisoft desperately needs, or the beginning of a new wave of live-service cash grabs? Watch to find out, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and Share if you enjoyed this video. Your support helps grow the channel! Bloomberg Article: https://lnkd.in/epEvKhQG #Gaming #Ubisoft #Tencent #XDefiant 🔗 Connect with Us: Follow us on Twitter: https://lnkd.in/dgADM_EN Join the Discord: https://lnkd.in/e3BnQShc 📧 Business Inquiries: For sponsorship and collaboration opportunities, contact us at dragonbytemedia@gmx.com Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:30 Ubisoft's Current State 02:09 What Tencent Could Bring to Ubisoft 06:10 Microsoft, PlayStation & Private Equity 08:51 The Impact on Ubisoft’s Workforce 11:43 Ubisoft’s Future in the Gaming Industry 14:05 Final Thoughts & Speculation 14:32 Outro

Ubisoft's stock price has significantly plummeted recently due to poor business performance, including its controversial attempts to deliberately but inappropriately cater to diversity contents (recent “woke game” controversy - “diversity is important but does it have to be in this way?”), making game characters unattractive to an extent that sales and prospects are affected, and its design of a Samurai character of African origin appears to show its ignorance of history and is infuriating Japanese gamers. Rumours said Tencent, with others, was contemplating a privitisation of Ubisoft amid the stock price downturn. 1. Pressure from public stock market itself is a powerful mechanism of supervising corporate executives. Look at Intel and Ubisoft. 2. There might be some plaintiff lawyers now preparing fiduciary litigations against directors and executives for making “woke games”. This might be another front of a broader battlefield in recent “diversity/anti-diversity litigations.”

Ever built a really cool map, but nobody played? 😅 The problem with UGC games is that nobody actually knows if a map will succeed before it’s published. 🙅♂️ Almost every launch is a dice-roll, or a “learning from my mistakes” process. Also, no matter how much you test, surprises pop up once your maps go live, and being too close to your work makes it hard to see some flaws, which a player recognizes instantly. 📍 Metaready connects you with a pool of real players, ready to play your maps anytime, eliminating all your player problems. Get diverse feedback, identify unexpected issues, and guarantee your maps are awesome before the big launch. Get a free demo, now. https://metaready.co/ #UGC #UGCGaming #Playtesting #UGCPlaytesting #Fortnite #Roblox #MetaverseGaming #MetaverseBranding #FortnitePlaytest #FortnitePlaytest

This looks very exciting ... and could open up a whole lot more opportunity for UNREAL artists for sure. Disney is investing $1.5 billion for an equity stake in Fortnite and Unreal Engine maker Epic Games as part of a broader partnership to create a new Disney gaming universe. The companies plan to create an expansive and open games and entertainment universe. I would say they’re building a metaverse, if the word weren’t so overused late and out of favor with some. (They didn’t actually use that word). Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, announced the investment in an interview with CNBC today. The companies will collaborate on a new games and entertainment universe that will further expand the reach of beloved Disney stories and experiences. It will be a multi-year project, built by Epic Games. Full article here: https://lnkd.in/eyS4pNwJ #unrealengine5 #disney #epicgames