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According to Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan, Ubisoft has paid around €60 million in order to acquire all of the intellectual property rights associated with Tom Clancy’s game franchises. Ubisoft’s acquisition of the brand allows the French publisher to create videogames without the burden of paying Mr. Clancy annual royalty fees. The extent of Ubisoft’s ability to publish other forms of media including books, movies, and merchandise based on the Clancy properties is unclear. According to NextGeneration, “The financial terms of the deal were not officially disclosed, but Pachter estimates that the purchase price was approximately €60 million, paid over three years with potential earn outs up to approximately another €15 million.” That’s some serious cash to pay, but Ubisoft feels as though this will save them close to €5 million per year with the potential to publish new Clancy franchises including an MMO. |