Ubisoft says the Black Flag remake has exceeded ‘annual expectations’ in just two weeks, shortly after it laid off a number of the people who made it
Ubisoft's Black Flag Resynced has delivered exceptional commercial performance, moving 2 million copies on day one and surpassing the publisher's annual revenue targets by its second week. The game has also received strong critical reception, ranking as the most acclaimed Assassin's Creed release in over a decade. CEO Yves Guillemot publicly commended the development teams for their work, highlighting the project as a major business success.
The timing of these accolades has drawn attention because Ubisoft Barcelona, which contributed significantly to the remake including all underwater-level development, underwent substantial staff reductions weeks prior to launch. The studio cuts were part of a larger wave of layoffs across Ubisoft that eliminated hundreds of positions. This disconnect between praising the creative teams and reducing their numbers has sparked criticism about corporate labour practices within the industry.
- Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced sold 2 million copies in its first day and exceeded Ubisoft's full-year sales projections within two weeks, becoming the highest-rated AC title since the original.
- Ubisoft Barcelona, a key developer on the remake, underwent significant layoffs affecting roughly one-third of its staff just weeks before the launch, part of broader company-wide workforce reductions.