This latest disposal reinforces previous reports that Microsoft is trying to bow out of the sports game market. Last March the IT giant announced that it would not be developing new versions of its titles and in December sold its Salt Lake City studios to videogame publisher Take-Two.
Ubisoft’s purchase of the software giant’s gaming technology, tools and source code has been seen as an attempt to increase its presence in the sports game industry and compete against rival Electronic Arts, who bought a 20% stake in the company three months ago. With this objective in mind, Ubisoft has also signed an agreement with golfer Vijay Singh, the new world number one, to develop a game that would directly compete with Electronic Arts’ Tiger Woods golf game.
With Microsoft out of the way, Ubisoft can join other traditional games publishers in an intensified battle to offer their products. As well as fighting off Electronic Arts, which recently signed a five-year licensing deal with the National Football League, the company will also have to face Take-Two, a company that recently revealed plans to work with Major League Baseball.
