Due to the garbage-fire that is the COVID pandemic, Ubisoft has been forced to push back the release of both Far Cry 6 and the unfortunately named Rainbow Six: Quarantine to sometime during the 2021-2022 fiscal year. The delay was revealed during today’s Q2 earnings report, with Ubisoft citing the difficulty of shipping a game during the pandemic and the development strain caused by work-from-home conditions.
“Despite having moved Far Cry 6 and Rainbow Six Quarantine to 2021-22 to leverage their full potential in the context of production challenges caused by COVID-19, our new non-IFRS operating income targets for 2020-21 remain within the boundaries we set back in May” Ubisoft chief financial officer Frédérick Duguet said. “Being able to maximize the long-term value of our IPs while at the same time maintaining solid financial targets highlights the increasing recurring nature of our revenues, the strength of our portfolio of franchises, confidence in our holiday season release slate, and current supportive industry dynamics.”
Far Cry 6 was initially slated for a February 18th, 2021 release date, however, the possibility of it being delayed has been on the cards for some time. Back in May, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot hinted towards the near-certainty of a delay, saying that “It notably reflects the possibility that we decide to postpone the release of a AAA title to 2021-22, if it ensures to maximize the long-term potential of our line-up”.
Far Cry 6 and Rainbow: Six Quarantine are just the latest Ubisoft titles pushed back in recent months with Immortals Fenyx Rising (formally known as Gods and Monsters) went back to December 3rd, and Skull and Bones delayed to April 2021 at the earliest.