The first Assassin’s Creed was a breakout hit for Ubisoft, selling 2.5 million copies its first month and over eight million as of 2009. According to Mike Hickey of Janco Partners, Assassin’s Creed II may do even better, with pre-orders up 10 to 20 percent from the previous incarnation.
The analyst is bullish on the future of Ubisoft, noting they have "a strong stable of owned and internally developed franchises with an ability to create successful new IP while establishing effective licensing relationships." Despite a downturn in Ubisoft's DS business, Hickey expects good performances by Rabbids Go Home, Shaun White Snowboarding 2 and James Cameron’s Avatar.
While Ubisoft's overall results for the fiscal year ending March 2010 may be down, Hickey thinks the company's third quarter will be up, thanks primarily to Assassin’s Creed II.
