By selling Skull & Bones as “AAAA,” Ubisoft attracted a lot of ridicule. Taquin, an executive at the studio behind Cyberpunk 2077, also commented on the issue.
With Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt RED made the mistake of announcing the game way too early. With the results we know at release, especially on PS4 and Xbox One. However, the studio did not claim to sell the game above AAA. The flag for the first game released as “AAAA” was claimed by Ubisoft with Skull & Bones. A communication error that CEO Yves Guillemot has to bitterly regret today.
The studio behind Cyberpunk 2077 is actually shooting on Ubisoft
The term “AAA” has long referred to games with very large budgets, usually financed by publishers with enormous resources. This was particularly the case with Cyberpunk 2077. Since the introduction of the new generation consoles, this has apparently no longer been enough. Some marketing departments have started coining the term “AAAA” to talk about truly exceptional games. It was particularly cited in regards to the Perfect Dark reboot. However, the remastered version of this legendary infiltration game has since shined with its deafening silence. This is actually clearly experiencing a truly chaotic development.
Speaking of chaotic development, there’s hardly anything better than Skull & Bones. Ubisoft’s title was in dry dock for a decade. Ahead of a repeatedly delayed release, CEO Yves Guillemot sold his multiplayer gaming/piracy service as “AAAA.” This particularly justifies the somewhat excessive price of 70 dollars on consoles (60 dollars on PC). Conclusion of the (Boat) Races: An average game that received a very cold reception from critics and audiences. All of this clearly hasn’t helped Ubisoft restore an already tarnished image. This so-called AAAA game has definitely made the studio a laughingstock, especially among gamers. But also among certain members of other players in the industry, such as here a manager from CD Projekt RED, the studio behind Cyberpunk 2077.
The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2 will be AAAAA, they say (sarcasm)
During CD Projekt RED’s recent investor call, Karolina Gnaś, vice president of investor relations, gently addressed Ubisoft. When asked whether the sequels to The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 will remain AAA, she responded with a pretty scathing swipe. “ Our next games will be AAAAA
After the disaster of Skull & Bones and, to a lesser extent, the release of Cyberpunk 2077, it is now clear that studios need to be extra careful in their communication. Overpromising can be costly if not delivered, both financially and in terms of reputation. Let’s hope for CD Projekt RED’s sake that this little idiot doesn’t come back to their fond memories later. However, The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2 are still a long way from release. This will give the Polish studio time to refine them. At this point, we can only hope they avoid the unenviable fate of “AAAA” Skull & Bones.
