Marketing Mix of Ubisoft and 4Ps (Updated 2023)

The Marketing mix of Ubisoft analyses the 4Ps of Ubisoft, including the Product, Price, Place, and Promotions. Ubisoft Entertainment SA, formally known as Ubi Soft Entertainment Software, is a French multinational company specializing in video game publishing. Founded in 1986 by Yves Guillemot, Claude Guillemot, Michel Guillemot, Christian Guillemot, and Gerard Guillemot, the company has its headquarters in Rennes, France, and currently employs over 10,000 people. Ubisoft develops games, most of which are acclaimed franchises, including Just Dance, Watch Dogs, etc.

About Ubisoft

• Type: Video game publisher
• Industry: Video games
• Founded: March 28, 1986
• Founders: Yves Guillemot, Gérard Guillemot, Michel Guillemot, Claude Guillemot, Christian Guillemot
• Headquarters: Montreuil, France
• Area served: Worldwide
• Key people: Yves Guillemot, CEO
• Number of employees: Approximately 21,000

Ubisoft Product Strategy

Ubisoft not only publishes games but is also credited for publishing famous franchises that other formidable studios have produced. One example of the products produced by Ubisoft is Uplay. This is a digital distribution, multiplayer, communication service, and digital rights management platform for the PC platform.

Ubisoft Club is also yet another Ubisoft product, which is essentially a reward program. Users earn rewards upon completing specific actions as they play Ubisoft-published games. Upon completing such actions, you are rewarded with some units. Members, in turn, use these units to get a discount or unlock rewards from the Uplay store.

Some games it has developed include Watch Dogs, Tom Clancy’s (Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon, and Rainbow Six), Rayman, Just Dance, Far Cry, Prince of Persia, and Assassin’s Creed.

The new Product Mix of Ubisoft in 2023 is as follows (Source).

1. Video Games: Ubisoft is renowned for its extensive range of video games across various genres. Popular titles and franchises include: “Assassin’s Creed” series, “Far Cry” series, “Tom Clancy” series, including “Rainbow Six,” “Ghost Recon,” and “The Division”, “Just Dance” series, “Watch Dogs” series, “Rayman” series, “Prince of Persia” series.
2. Digital Services: This includes digital platforms such as Uplay (now Ubisoft Connect), which provides digital distribution, DRM, multiplayer, and communications services for their games.
3. DLCs and In-game Purchases: Additional content for games, such as downloadable content (DLC), expansions, and in-game items, is a significant part of Ubisoft’s revenue stream.
4. Mobile Games: Ubisoft also focuses on mobile gaming, with various games designed specifically for smartphones and tablets.
5. Merchandising: They offer merchandise related to their game franchises, including apparel, collectibles, and other branded items.
6. Licensing and Partnerships: Ubisoft often collaborates with other companies for cross-promotion and licensing deals, expanding their brand’s reach into other media like films, books, and toys.
7. Subscription Services: Ubisoft may offer subscription services providing access to a library of games, similar to EA’s EA Play or Xbox Game Pass.
8. VR and AR Experiences: Investment in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) for immersive gaming experiences.
9. Esports: Ubisoft supports competitive gaming, particularly with titles like “Rainbow Six Siege,” which has a growing esports scene.
10. Film and Television: Ubisoft has ventured into film and television adaptations of its game franchises through direct production or licensing deals.
11. Educational and Serious Games: Development of games with educational content or for specific professional training purposes.

Ubisoft Place Strategy

The company serves a global platform of brands with studios scattered all over the world’s four corners. Some of its studios are found in Dusseldorf Germany, Paris France, Mainz Germany, Lyon France, Barcelona Spain, Halifax Canada, Bordeaux France, Chengdu China, Belgrade Serbia, Helsinki Finland, Bucharest Romania, Malmo Sweden, London UK, Abu Dhabi UAE, Berlin Germany, Milan Italy, Toronto, Ontario Canada, Newcastle upon Tyne UK, Pune India, Osaka Japan, Montpellier France, Sofia Bulgaria, Shanghai China, San Francisco California USA, and Kyiv Ukraine, etc.

Ubisoft targets all the players, targeting both the new and the seasoned players. The fact that it positions itself in a wide array of video game market segments, e.g., adventure, simulation, shooting, sports, and strategy, puts it in an excellent position to target all.

Here’s the place strategy of Ubisoft.

1. Global Distribution Network: Ubisoft employs a global distribution strategy, ensuring its products are available in numerous countries worldwide. This broad reach includes physical retail outlets and digital platforms, making their games accessible to a diverse international audience.
2. Digital Distribution Platforms: The company heavily emphasizes digital distribution, primarily through its platform, Ubisoft Connect (formerly Uplay), and other popular platforms like Steam, PlayStation Network, and Xbox Live. This approach caters to the growing demand for digital game downloads and services.
3. Localized Content for Different Regions: Ubisoft often localizes its games for different markets, offering multiple language options and culturally relevant content. This strategy enhances user experience and accessibility in various geographic regions, making their games more appealing to a global audience.
4. Partnerships with Retailers and Online Stores: Ubisoft collaborates with major retailers and online stores to ensure physical and digital presence. These partnerships are crucial for reaching different customer segments, particularly those who prefer physical copies of games.
5. Direct-to-Consumer Sales and Subscriptions: Ubisoft has been exploring direct-to-consumer sales through its online store and subscription services. This approach allows them to build a direct relationship with their customers, offering exclusive content, early access to new titles, and special discounts.

Ubisoft Pricing Strategy

An acceptance pricing strategy is employed. Almost all publishers use this method to release a game or product. Such a pricing strategy implies that the company ensures that the prices of the products are first acceptable and, secondly, aligned with those prices of the same game when published by a different video game publisher.

Ubisoft’s pricing and marketing strategy can be characterized by several key elements that align with contemporary marketing practices in the video game industry:

1. Value-Based Pricing: Ubisoft often employs a value-based pricing approach, setting prices based on the perceived value of their games to consumers. This method considers the game’s quality, brand reputation, unique features, and overall gaming experience. High-profile titles, especially those from established franchises like “Assassin’s Creed” or “Far Cry,” often command premium prices due to their anticipated value and fan base expectations.
2. Tiered Pricing for Different Editions: Ubisoft typically offers multiple editions of their major titles – standard, deluxe, and collector’s editions – each with varying content and price points. This strategy caters to different segments of the market, from casual gamers who may opt for the standard edition to hardcore fans willing to pay a premium for deluxe or collector’s editions that include additional content, such as exclusive in-game items, physical collectibles, and extended storylines.
3. Dynamic Pricing and Promotions: The company frequently adjusts prices post-launch based on market demand, competition, and the game’s lifecycle stage. Ubisoft also uses promotional pricing strategies, including sales, discounts, and bundle offers, especially during key holiday seasons and through digital distribution platforms. This approach helps maintain sales momentum, attract price-sensitive customers, and prolong the product lifecycle.
4. Subscription-Based Pricing: In recent years, Ubisoft has explored subscription-based models, offering access to a wide range of their games for a recurring fee. This strategy aligns with the industry’s shift towards subscription services, providing a steady revenue stream and enhancing customer engagement and loyalty.
5. Free-to-Play Models with Monetization Strategies: Ubisoft incorporates free-to-play (F2P) models for specific games, particularly in the mobile gaming sector. This approach attracts a broader audience by removing the initial purchase barrier. Revenue is generated through in-game purchases and microtransactions, where players can buy virtual items, upgrades, or additional content, aligning with the growing trend of games as a service (GaaS).

Ubisoft Promotion Strategy

Ubisoft is positioning and developing itself so that everyone can find something from within its products. The new range of games recently created by the name “Games for everyone” is meant to impress older people and children. Such a scheme to enter all the segments attracts and retains many. The company consistently creates a new product at least every two years. This means that before you are bored with their products, they are already up with another product that will truly please you.

Ubisoft uses direct and indirect distribution channels to market its products to potential clients. A direct distribution channel is used when distributing the products it has developed, whereas the indirect channel is used when distributing products developed by other developers but published by Ubisoft. Ubisoft does a lot of digital marketing, especially on social media. Its ability to strive to uphold quality also enables it to get more customers through referrals and retain loyal customers who frequently use its products. With its ability to target consumers in different countries, Ubisoft relies on marketing experts to identify critical data. Utilizing resources as a group becomes essential in Ubisoft’s dynamic marketing mix, showcasing its expertise in understanding and catering to diverse consumer markets.

Some Recent Video ads and Print ads for Ubisoft are:

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