By selling Skull & Bones as “AAAA”, Ubisoft attracted a lot of ridicule. Taquin, an executive from the studio behind Cyberpunk 2077 also had a little dig on this subject.
With Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt RED made the mistake of announcing the game far too early. With the results that we know upon its release, especially on PS4 and Xbox One. However, the studio did not pretend to sell the game as more than AAA. The flag for the first game released as an “AAAA” was claimed by Ubisoft with Skull & Bones. A communication error that its CEO Yves Guillemot must bitterly regret today.
The studio behind Cyberpunk 2077 is shooting for real on Ubisoft
For a long time, the term “AAA” described games with very big budgets, generally financed by publishers with colossal means. This was particularly the case with Cyberpunk 2077. Since the arrival of new generation consoles, this was apparently no longer enough. Some marketing departments have started to coin the term “AAAA” to talk about truly extraordinary games. It was notably invoked with regard to the reboot of Perfect Dark. The revisited version of this iconic infiltration game, however, has since shined with its deafening silence. This is indeed visibly experiencing a truly chaotic development.
Speaking of chaotic development, it’s hard to do better than Skull & Bones. Ubisoft’s title sat in dry dock for a decade. Before a release that was repeatedly postponed, its CEO Yves Guillemot sold his multiplayer game/piracy service as being an “AAAA”. This is in particular to justify the somewhat excessive price of 70 euros on consoles (60 on PC). Result of the (boat) races: an average game received very coldly by critics and the public. All this clearly did not help Ubisoft to restore an already tarnished image. This so-called AAAA game has in any case made the studio a laughingstock, especially among players. But also among certain members of other players in the industry, like here an executive from CD Projekt RED, the studio behind Cyberpunk 2077.
The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2 will be AAAAA, it is said (sarcasm)
During CD Projekt RED’s latest investor call, Vice President of Investor Relations Karolina Gnaś gently tackled Ubisoft. When asked if the sequels to The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 will remain AAA, she responded with a rather scathing dig. “ Our next games will be AAAAA “. Certainly, The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2 promise to be ambitious, but the thing is probably not to be taken literally at the first letter of the alphabet five times in a row.
After the disaster that was Skull & Bones and, to a lesser extent, the launch of Cyberpunk 2077, it is now clear that the studios must be extra careful in their communication. Promising too much can cost them dearly if they are not kept, both financially and in terms of reputation. Let’s hope for CD Projekt RED that this little prick will not come back to their fond memories later. The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2, however, are very far from being released. 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.
