Ubisoft Acquires Tom Clancy Name
Ubisoft has announced today that they have acquired the intellectual property rights to the name Tom Clancy. This acquisition will include video games, related books and movies and merchandise.
Sounds like someone is ready to slap the good ole' Tom Clancy name on everything in sight. I wonder where we will see it end up? Tom Clancy's Assassin's Creed 2, Tom Clancy's Kane and Lynch 2, Tom Clancy's Enchanted Arms 2 all sound like fine titles to me plus think of all the extra money that name alone will rake in!
You can check out the full press release after the jump
SAN FRANCISCO - March 20, 2008 - Today, Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, announces that it has concluded an agreement with Mr. Tom Clancy to acquire all intellectual property rights to the Tom Clancy name, on a perpetual basis and free of all related future royalty payments, for use in video games and ancillary products including related books, movies and merchandising products.
The price of this all cash acquisition is not currently disclosed. Post acquisition, Ubisoft expects to have a net cash position of around 130 million Euros by the end of fiscal 2007-08, compared to a previous expectation of approximately 150 million Euros. Additional payments will be made as well in fiscal 2008-09 and fiscal 2009-10.
On the basis of past performance of Tom Clancy branded video games, and excluding any potential contribution coming from sales of ancillary products, the royalty savings generated by this acquisition are estimated to have an average positive impact on Ubisoft's operating income of a minimum of 5 million Euros per year.
"After ten years of a highly successful collaboration which has seen the creation of blockbusters that set standards in the videogame industry, such as Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six, today, acquiring the perpetual property rights of the Tom Clancy name for video games and related projects is a major event," stated Yves Guillemot, Chief Executive Officer at Ubisoft. "The future of our industry lies in our capacity to create and develop brands that captivate consumers and that present a myriad of opportunities for the full spectrum of entertainment, be it video games, books, movies or other media. The Tom Clancy brand is recognised around the world for offering exciting video games, films and books. The most recent example of such value creation through brand management is the EndWar book, based on the video game story, which has been in the NY Times top 10 Paperback Mass Market Fiction bestseller list for the last four weeks. Capitalizing on the strong franchises that we've built over the past 10 years, we will take the Tom Clancy game brand to the next level of the global entertainment industry."
6:40 AM on Fri Mar 21 2008
by Flynn De Marco
View: AU Comments (0) | US Comments (88 comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this entry.
Tom Clancy's Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness: Vegas
Billkwando
Tom Clancy's Pony Adventures.
Tom Clancy's Imagine Runway Model.
Tom Clancy's Boogie 2.
Oh, yes, the potential is limitless.
gblock
Tom Clancy's Beyond Good & Evil 2, pl0x.
Americo
@Evil Tortie's Mom: Why tanks. Tanks so much!
Spoony Bard
Sounds more like Imagine: Tom Clancy's Dream Boat to me.
Chef
@Kohath: By peaked you mean Debt of Honor getting co-opted into an Al Qaeda terrorist bible?
cactaur
Well, I'm not complaining TOO much since Ubisoft in general hasn't screwed up too much (exceptions - Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow, Rainbow Six: Lockdown) with anything that has his name on it - they have however, backstabbed legions of both loyal Rainbow Six (no more planning phase? c'mon) and Splinter Cell (no more darkness?) fans.
InsolenceAndHeresy
"Tom Clancy's Assassin's Creed 2"! LOL
MrLister
Tom Clancy's Tom Clancy's generic Tactical Shootan Gaem.
munkah
maybe they should fix the multiplayer for rainbow six vegas 2 before buying the naming rights out of playing 10 hours of the game i might have got may be 2 full matches before being dropped this on the ps3 and there has been problems on the 360 also....
ChoZ3nWon
@Spoony Bard: very funny!
Evil Tortie's Mom
Fllthedabus. they want to make games with his name becaue they sell. the sell a lot. But your right he sucks at life.
thechain212
Ack. Clancy hasn't written anything in years, and hasn't written anything worth reading in even more years (turning into a foaming-at-the mouth dittohead post-cold war seems to display an appalling lack of adaptability, though it's ironic coming from such a social darwinist), so why the hell would they want to make games with his name on them?
FellTheDabus
I think I spelled kudos wrong. Lol. what a tard
thechain212
No. I actually don't. Thats why there not good Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Rainbow Six, Sum of all Fears are all great books, but if you've picked up anything after Net Force by him, it doesn't even sound or read like him. But good for him. I wish I could sit on my ass and make millions. Cudos Mister Clancy. Cudos.
thechain212
@HurricaneDave: Silly. You really think Tom Clancy actually writes any of his books anymore?
peAr_nectAr
I thought this already happened. He doesn't even make games and hasn't made a good book since clear and present danger although most tom clancy games are good. not great, but good.
thechain212
Tom Clancy's Entertainment System
Ali
Tom Clancy's Bratz: Gatz!
*unveils poster of baby hookers with automatic weapons*
Billkwando
tom clancy is awesome, love his books by the way.
SpartanQ77
@alb1221: This game franchise was originally started by Tom-Clancy-founded Red Storm Entertainment.
It's not just his name. He founded the studio that created the first games (along with other guys, of course). Red Storm was sold to Ubisoft.
It's not like he needs them, but kudos to Mr. Clancy for knowing when to get in the video games business, finding partners who can create playable games, succeeding and cashing in.
Too bad about getting divorced, trying and failing to buy the MN Vikings, those Op Center books, and peaking as a fiction writer with "Debt of Honor", a truly great book, but written so long ago.
Kohath
Tom Clancy's Maximum Risky Secret Ops.
cybereality
While naming works good in some cases, like "Will Wright presents Spore", I've come to realize to never buy a game with "Tom Clancy" on it. Last I checked, Tom Clancy never actually worked to make these games, so it's pretty pointless to me. In fact knowing he had nothing really to do with the game means it's a bit of a turn off. I'd still buy Tom Clancy's Halo 3, I just would hate the name of the game.
Codexx
@ForwardInReverse: Winner +2
It's a pretty much no brainer and is actually a good move, unlike the NFL exclusive rights EA has. Ubisoft doesn't pimp my products like others do. No Tom Clancy's Street or Tom Clancy Head Negotiator.
The latter doesn't seem too far off..
huginn - thank you xbla for vgcat pictures!
Dear Ubisoft,
You can buy my name for a mere $1,000 cash.
MrZ33
I really like Clancy's books, both my IM name and email come from his books, but once he started letting people write things under his name (Op Center Books) they went to crap. Cardinal in the Kremlin is probably my favorite. I'm a little unnerved by the idea of a game company taking over his book rights unless the are just going to start another series of game based books like Halo. Those are crap anyway. Hopefully the cash he will make off this will give him time to write a new original Tom Clancy novel. That would be nice.
TheCrimsonOrder
Tom Clancy's Cabella's Trophy Bucks:)
weeoo
Well that should spark renewed interest from EA to eat them. //sigh.
ErskinPig
No too suprising since he lets some other authors slap his name onto their books. TOM CLANCY'S Power Plays-witten by doufus mcgee
whiptcracker
How big of a whore do you have to be to just sell your name?
Billkwando
I'd actually love to see the Splinter Cell and Assassin's Creed worlds meet. Am I the only one?
InsidiousTuna
Wait, UBISOFT???
Oh dear god, look out this holiday season for:
"Tom Clancy'z - Rainbowz Six, Imagine Terroristz"
D00mM4r1n3
Imagine: Baby Clancys
cactaur
It would be kind of silly for Eidos to release Tom Clancy's Kane and Lynch 2. They'd basically be giving Ubi money. The impending lawsuit might garner the game a bit of free press though, which would at least be an improvement over the press the first K&L game received.
Ripenen
How long until Ubisoft sues Tom Clancy for the misuse of their trademark?
badasscat
@WaterMedia:
respect
steliosco
damn I offered to sell them the IP rights to my name for $10 and they didn't bite
Seiven
Tom Clancy's Ubisoft
WaterMedia
"If Tom Clancy's hat doesn't motivate you to work harder, I don't know what will!"
Feh. Close enought.
KaneRobot
@ForwardInReverse:
Awww damnit! You beat me to it!!!
dead_red_eyes
Oh yeah, don't forget to pick up your Tom Clancy "Spinter Cell condoms", you won't even know it's there!
Acute Gamer
Tom clancy started a legacy, but has had pretty much ZERO input for several years now. And no, you won't find that on "Wiki".
Acute Gamer
I've never enjoyed a single game with Clancy's name on, not a one, and I've played quite a few of them.
I suspect this is like CSI, eventually programs will have CSI at the start.
CSI Coronation Street
CSI Star Trek
CSI Extreme Makeover Home Edition
CSI Barney the Dinosaur
CSI turday Night Live
Nice to know these games will stay in one place, so they're easier for me to avoid. If I must throw my own Ubi title into the Clancy-'e,-up melee, I vote for Tom Clancy's Raving Rabbids Vegas.... 3
JudgeNutmeg
I think I read somewhere else that Sam Rami was in talks to revive the Jack Ryan movie "franchise." Wonder if that is related in some way. Is Ubi now a movie house too?
DrStrangepork
Tom Clancy Spaghetti Sauce...and tom clancy salad dresing...mmmm...yum.
nxp3
Tom Clancy's Raving Rabbids 3
Rayman becomes the head of the "World global military operation team" as he attempts to take down the now terrorist Rabbids who have acquired all of the world's nuclear weapons. Rayman's plan to accomplish this?
Play minigames.
Lijik
@Snuffbox: I don't think Tom Clancy has written a book in like 15 years. He just keeps putting out "Tom Clancy's X written by Y." It's like those Star Wars books that are all written by a bunch of different authors. He just wrote 10 books and then sells the rights to people who just write additions.
Genius.
Catalyst
So that's going to be the name of their DS game:
'Tom Clancy's My Weight Loss Coach'
Tenth
@A Pimp Named Daver4470: even better!
SAKY
Tom Clancy's Tom Clancy.
SAKY
@Spoony Bard: GOTY
Modus_Operandi
@Spoony Bard:
If you hit "X" four times, someone else plays the game for you.
Groodle
From what I've read it looks like Jack Ryan will be getting another movie sometime soon although it's not confirmed. This is probably a move by Ubisoft to make sure they secure the rights to the video game.
Maybe it's for pure profit, I'm sure that's what it comes down to in the end, but maybe they're worried about a shitty game adaptation of a movie ruining their already strong Tom Clancy franchise.
Absent Blue
Tom Clancy is a good guy and a great writer. Ubisoft is a good match for his properties.
Rainbow Six is still one of my favorite books. The game was awesome, though I preferred Rogue Spear (best menu music ever!).
Snuffbox
Presenting...Tom Clancy's Tom Clancy: The Game. Step into the shoes of a celebrated author as you try to figure out what new and unexpected ways you can write another Jack Ryan story.
Will he be a young whippersnapper in high school fighting global terrorism? A cross dressing secret spy? YOU DECIDE!
But beware...the believability police is on your heels at every turn!
Spoony Bard
Tom Clancy's Creed.
Can't wait to play that one. The twist is that you play the ancestor of the famous author who was himself a famous author. In medieval times. With freerunning.
Kazzahdrane
I'm betting on Tom Clancy's Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 3.
To bad you didn't use the "classic" picture, but you're classier than that: [www.houstonm.demon.co.uk]
This post is rated Immature.
Erwin
@MetalGearMax: funny I didn't pick up on that right away, but that's true.
alb1221
Tom Clancy's Naruto would be good.
in all seriousness, i thought the tom clancy was exclusive to ubisoft since ever, but it looks like they now OWN the name.
reptile168
Tom Clancy sleeps on a big pile of money, with many beautiful women.
Catalyst
Kane and Lynch was an Eidos game.
...n00bs!
MetalGearMax
Tom Clancy's Petz: Vegas
Candlejack
How about some love for Tom Clancy's Imagine: If You Don't Eat Everyone Will Love You?
Dyslexic_Alucard
But they've already been slapping the Tom Clancy name on anything. It's not like Vegas 2 or any other recent Clancy game was based on a novel he wrote. I suppose this really means nothing.
alb1221
[en.wikipedia.org]
Have at it.
Eville1
The only things I have with Tom Clancy's name on them are books. And they are books with *only* Tom Clancy's name on them. None of the ghostwritten crap like Op Force, Netcenter, whatever those things are called.
MechaTama31
@ForwardInReverse: you win
kidko
Here's the state of gaming wrapped up neatly in one PR announcement. Ubisoft has paid a grip of cash for the naming rights of some half assed writer rather than invest said cash in developing some interesting new, truly next gen games. I mean how many doors can you look under with a spy cam before you want something else?
Modus_Operandi
@ForwardInReverse: You owe me a new keyboard.
Eville1
TOM CLANCY'S RAYMAN RAVING RABBIDS 42!
MysteryMeat
Tom Clancy's Senko no Ronde 2
Ryan Saotome
Rayman Raving Clancys
teh_joe
Tom Clancy's Final Fantasy is the one I'm waiting to see. It will be less spiky hair, even MORE belts and zippers, and ...somehow ...Communist Terrorist plots.
Mansteak
Ugh - please don't insult Ubisoft by sticking Tom Clancy's name next to Kane and Lynch.
DaPress
Tom Clancy Maxi Pads: The Hunt for Red October just got easier.
ForwardInReverse
Tom Clancy's BREAKIN 2 ELECTRIC BOOGALOO!!!!
oldirtdog
Hurray for more Clancy games with uninteresting, interchangeable, cliche plots!
...Though, at least the games surrounding these stories are usually pretty decent.
RemyDuvalle
Wow UbiSoft, must have paid Tom a grp of money. I am guessing their rights to books only applies to books that are spin offs of the games they make, not any book he wishes to write in the future.
HurricaneDave
Raving Tom Clancy with strategic conspiracy waggle
kidko
Personally, I'm looking forward to Tom Clancy's Smurf Tactics.
jayntampa
Tom Clancy Hello Kitty Island Adventure!
A Pimp Named DaveR
I don't see too many more Tom Clancy franchises, just more of the ones we already have. A whole lot more.
Agies
Movies huh?
I recall SC: Chaos Theory having a teaser trailer for a Splinter Cell movie.....
yeah....
Collapse The Control
Tom Clancy's Rayman: Ravenous Rabbits
Jechticknight
You forgot Tom Clancy's Myst, Rayman, Farcry, and Settlers. Especially the latter with its totally new Medieval Special Ops online competitive gaming.
Asbestos_Underwear
tom clancys breakfast cereal???
Xeros606
They didn't have it before?
But im actually this time around. Since Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is like the first Clancy game i'v ever played (with the exception of Splinter Cell, but for some reason i don't hold it on the same level), im kind of excited to play the next one.
Rainbow Six Vegas 2 has been more entertaining in the first hour than any book of his i'v attempted to read
ArmyofJuan
Mr De Marco, you should know better than associate Kane & Lynch with ubisoft when it's an Eidos published title.
interstate78