Core Insights - Ubisoft reported strong first-half earnings for fiscal year 2025-26, with net bookings reaching €772.4 million, a 20.3% increase year-on-year, driven by robust digital sales and back-catalog performance [2][41] - The company confirmed its financial targets for FY2025-26, expecting stable net bookings and approximately break-even non-IFRS operating income [48] - The strategic transaction with Tencent is set to close soon, which will provide €1.16 billion to help deleverage the company and support its transformation efforts [8][9] Financial Performance - Net bookings for Q2 2025-26 were €490.8 million, exceeding guidance and up 39% year-on-year, attributed to strong partnerships and a solid back-catalog [3][41] - Digital net bookings accounted for €685.8 million, representing a 30.2% increase and 88.8% of total net bookings [2] - Non-IFRS operating income for the first half was €27.1 million, a significant improvement from a loss of €252.1 million in the same period last year [42] Strategic Developments - The Tencent transaction will enable early repayment of loans totaling approximately €286 million, enhancing financial flexibility [5][28] - Ubisoft is progressing with its transformation into a new operating model centered around Creative Houses, aimed at fostering autonomy and efficiency [12][26] - The company is on track to achieve at least €100 million in fixed cost savings by FY2026-27 through targeted restructuring and disciplined hiring [29][30] Product Lineup and Market Position - Upcoming titles include Anno 117: Pax Romana™, Assassin's Creed Mirage updates, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora expansion, with significant releases planned for Q4 [6][49] - The Assassin's Creed franchise continues to perform strongly, with recent updates and expansions driving player engagement [15][10] - Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege is adapting to a new seasonal approach to enhance player experience and address recent challenges [16][17] Market Dynamics - Ubisoft's portfolio showed contrasting dynamics, with strong performances in franchises like Assassin's Creed and The Division 2, while facing challenges in Rainbow Six Siege due to a competitive FPS environment [10][19] - The company reported 34 million monthly active users and 88 million unique users across consoles and PC, indicating a slight decline when excluding XDefiant [14]