The company took in $890.2 million in the 12 month period ending on March 31, 2009. Up from $852.8 million the year before. But operating income was down from $158.0 million from $183.0 million.

The company boasted that its casual line netted nine million units sold for Imagine games, two million units for the My Coach line and five million sold for the Petz games.

New Ubi games Shaun White and HAWX managed 2.8 million and one million units, respectively.

The company also signaled that some sequels sold better than their preceding titles in their series. For Far Cry 2, that unit sales increase from its predecessor was 64% and up for Prince of Persia by 10%. Brothers in Arms was said to be up 35%. (We've asked Ubisoft p.r. if those percentages are in terms of units or sales.)

For what amounts to little more than a modern-day Rogue Squadron clone, which was lacking in even the backhanded militaristic charm of other Clancy games, that's an impressive feat!

Guess it goes to show that, despite the flight sim genre going into a coma in recent years, people still want to fly jets and shoot at other people in jets.

I know I do. Which is why, above criticisms and all, I still found myself playing the game for days on end. Desperate times, desperate measures, etc etc, you know the deal.

The new aircraft includes the Dassault Rafale, Saab-37 Viggen, Mirage 2000N, Mirage 4000, FB-22 prototype bomber and the experimental XA-20 Razorback from Tom Clancy's EndWar. Ubisoft also blew its DLC load a little early, showing off a hell of a lot more than it probably planned to.

In addition to releasing screen shots from the European Assault Pack, it also (we assume inadvertently) released screens from the "US Eagles" and "Russian Falcons" downloadable plane packs. Go ahead, look at all those screens. Even someone as ignorant to military aircraft as myself can tell there's more than just a half-dozen European fighters in here.

Of course it isn't the real White House or Air Force one. This is the White House and Air Force One of an alternate-reality 2014, where the state-sponsored military has been replaced with private armies, who can get things done the way only private armies could - with tons of explosions.

Unfortunately the release coincides with me packing up all my things and moving to a new apartment, but once I am settled the flight sticks are definitely coming out of storage.

The Saitek Aviator Flight Stick comes in an Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 model, but both are fully PC compatible. The controllers include an oversized flat base for increased stability, three dedicated Fire Buttons, a Combat Trigger, POV (point-of-view) Analog Stick and a throttle lever. The controllers also include a two position mode switch.

The 360 version includes an integrated Live headset connector and an Xbox Guide button, while the PS3 version includes a Home button.

Mad Catz says the sticks are fully compatible with Ubisoft's upcoming flight sim Tom Clancy’s: HAWX. The sticks, which ship later this month, will sell for $50.

The Street Fighter IV Arcade FightStick for the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 includes dual-speed Turbo functionality for each of the eight buttons complete with LED Indicators, and an integrated D-Pad switch. The start and select/back Buttons have been moved to the rear of the stick, which also includes a top panel that can hold character cards which show each character's special moves.

The Street Fighter IV FightPad for the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 includes an enlarged circular eight-way floating D-Pad and arcade style six-button configuration. An integrated D-Pad switch allows gamers to alternate between D-Pad and Analog Sticks.

The Street Fighter IV Arcade FightStick: Tournament Edition for the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 uses the same Japanese style ball-handled joystick and 30mm Action Buttons found in the official Street Fighter IV Vewlix arcade cabinet. The stick also has the D-Pad control switch, dual Turbo functionality for each button, and exact button layout matching the Vewlix Street Fighter IV arcade panel.

The Street Fighter IV Faceplate and Console Skinz for the Xbox 360and Playstation 3 lets gamers customize their consoles.

The Street Fighter IV Wall Scroll us basically a giant sticker you slap on your wall.

The Cyborg X Flight Stick is a PC flight stick with a trigger, eleven programmable buttons, a shift function to double the program options, two levers and a scroll wheel.

The X also uses some components which can be removed or folded away to make it easier to store the controller. The stick's handle attaches to the base with a secure screw collar and the left and right feet of the tripod base fold in and out of the body. When extended, the legs click into place to create a secure and stable platform for the stick.

The stick, set to hit in the first quarter, will sell for $50.

Am I the only one more than a little disturbed that Mad Catz still isn't telling us officially how much their Street Fighter gear is going to sell for?

Sure, we've heard that the gamepad may sell for $40, the stick for $70 and the collector's edition for $140, but why no mention in their press releases?

And that's just the start. Eventually - tech and public interest allowing - the Endwar "universe" would act as the overarching Clancy universe, within which the storylines of each new Rainbow Six, Splinter Cell and HAWX missions would be played out, ultimately leading to the direct linking of each game's campaigns.

Like I said, it's pie-in-the-sky stuff. Details are thin. But hey, even if you can't stand the thought of a Clancy-branded Katamari sweeping the globe rolling up piles of cash money, you have to admit, it's a pretty neat idea.

Ubisoft to merge Tom Clancy range into Super Game [Gameplayer]

From the sound of it, the strength of European currencies against the dollar has something to do with it. But Guillemot also says the market's growing because gamers are becoming "more accessible" to European games, and of course flacks Ubisoft titles as leading the charge. EndWar (out in October) features voice commands, for example. So will Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X., out next year.

"A game like EndWar, for example, which you can control by voice - it's totally changing the industry because it gives you the opportunity to command what's happening, and to have a quick answer to the orders you give," he said. "And it's the same for a lot of other games, like the party games you can play - the games with guitars are also helping things to increase the fun, and bring more people. Because when you have fun with your family on the game, you take them into more games with you."

If Europe is indeed Ubisoft's biggest market, fine, I don't know their numbers. But this to me sounds like sour grapes for getting beaten up by U.S. critics and gamers, especially over its Wii titles, and more than a little justification for going so heavy on the casual stuff. Whether that's retroactive justification — or pre-emptive — bears watching.

Ubisoft: Europe is Now Our Biggest Territory [Gamesindustry.biz, via Joystiq]

This time, it's Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X, according to CVG, which sails right past Fall 2008 to land anywhere between January and March of next year. Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway has been bumped forward a bit to September as well, presumably to fill in the gap.

Why does this happen? Sometimes, it has less to do with the pace of development on a title as it has to do with financials, financials, financials. The strategy of slating more titles for the year than the publisher expects it will actually launch is a common one; companies decide on product lineups, and then move titles to the most opportune launch dates to keep its balance books looking good.

While many publishers do follow this methodology, you might have noticed by now that Ubisoft is particularly aggressive about keeping its schedule flexible. Just recently, it moved Splinter Cell: Conviction back as well, ostensibly to put more work into it and position it as a key title.

It's possible we'll continue to see more titles slated for the nebulous "Fall 2008" period getting the bump into next year as publishers re-evaluate their plans.

Tom Clancy's HAWX slips into 2009 [CVG]

What he saw:

• "Late alpha test phase of the game it was [an executable file] running on a devkit at the show, so it was obviously very early test phase. The game was riddled with bugs as of now because the 360 was crashing quite a few times."

• "I'm unsure about the company [providing the maps], but they used satellite mapping of the areas and reconstructed them into the game. The mountains look epic with all the texturing and bushes."

• "Distance third person viewing when dog fighting or getting chased by missiles."

What he was told (by an Ubisoft rep):

• "The spokesperson for Ubisoft said that this game was gonna be a gamble like Assassin's Creed was because of the huge amount of money invested into the game only to find out if its gonna be awesome or a mediocre game. From what it seems that the rep was saying HAWX is going to cost a lot to make."

• "At least 50 planes will be available in game"

• "For promotion [materials] they are looking for any air force pilots to get a picture in with the HAWX patch and will get put up on their site."

Now for the pics:

Of course, thanks to reader Anonymous (no, he did not play the game wearing a V for Vendetta mask) for keeping his eyes peeled on coming back with some good info.

"Demonstrator Andrei Costin spilled the beans at the recent UbiDays event in Paris, but avoided elaborating on exactly how it will all work; we expect it will be a blend of EndWar and Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter," writes Eurogamer.

Well alright, we got a hands-on at Ubidays. but apparently didn't liquor up/coerce/beat our demonstrator into divulging that kind of tidbit. Hrm. H.A.W.X. is due for a "holiday 2008" release on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, giving everyone six months to figure it all out.

"Costin pitched the game as its own blend of arcade and simulation," Eurogamer added, "and told us that he hopes he can capture the camaraderie and exhilaration exhibited in renowned Hollywood tale, Top Gun."

Two words: "Jester's dead!!" Wonder if your wingmen will respond to mid-air bravado, too.

H.A.W.X. Squads to be Voice Controllable [Eurogamer]

Far Cry 2 Brings GTA Sandbox to the Serengeti
Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party Announced
Shaun White Delivers Death to Snowboarding with an Assassin's Creed Engine
Ubisoft Brings Easy way To Stop Smoking To DS Months Late
Ubisoft Officially Announces Beyond Good & Evil 2
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. Hands-On
Shaun White: Wii Play, Pics and Press Release
Prince of Persia Ditches Roots, Gets a Final Fantasy Make-Over
Far Cry 2: No Girls Allowed
Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway Hands-On
Making Far Cry 2's Africa

Far Cry 2 Dev and Port Teams Range from 175 to Three
The Worst Of Ubidays 08

If you missed any of the Ubi related news and my hands-on impressions with games like Far Cry 2, Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway and H.A.W.X. then hit up the jump for a round-up of all of our Ubidays 08 related posts to date.

Far Cry 2 Brings GTA Sandbox to the Serengeti
Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party Announced
Shaun White Delivers Death to Snowboarding with an Assassin's Creed Engine
Ubisoft Brings Easy way To Stop Smoking To DS Months Late
Ubisoft Officially Announces Beyond Good & Evil 2
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. Hands-On
Shaun White: Wii Play, Pics and Press Release
Prince of Persia Ditches Roots, Gets a Final Fantasy Make-Over
Far Cry 2: No Girls Allowed
Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway Hands-On
Making Far Cry 2's Africa

Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X “High Altitude Warfare – Experimental Squadron”

H.A.W.X – A brief History:
The “High Altitude Warfare – Experimental Squadron” (or H.A.W.X) traces its origins to 1943. In the midst of the Second World War, the United States initiated a program to acquire, evaluate and reverse-engineer enemy aircraft.

Headquartered near Wright Field (now Wright-Patterson Air Force Base), it operated in conjunction with the OSS and the British Royal Air Force and was dubbed Project FALCO (Foreign Aircraft and Logistics Capture Operations).

FALCO managed covert field operations teams in every major combat theater of the war. These teams were a maverick combination of engineers, linguists, enemy defectors – and of course, some of the Allies’ most skilled and unorthodox combat-hardened pilots. As the war progressed, these aviators were frequently called up on by Allied High Command to put their skills to the test, using captured aircraft to insert covert agents and commando teams behind enemy lines and flying some of the most secret combat missions of the entire war.

With the war drawing to a close, FALCO teams became involved in targeted efforts to obtain specific enemy technologies. Allied forces took custody of numerous Axis scientists, pilots and engineers, and captured a veritable treasure trove of advanced aircraft.

In 1950, amid well-publicized USAF speculation that the enemy aircraft of WWII having given up their secrets, FALCO was officially ‘shut down’ by the US Department of Defense.

Except of course, it wasn’t. With the realization that combat aviation was evolving into supersonic engagements at high altitudes with nuclear bombers and missile-armed interceptors, FALCO personnel, projects and facilities were simply re-organized into the ‘High Altitude Warfare’ (H.A.W.) group.

Positioned as an element of Tactical Air Command (later Air Combat Command), this secret group works under the guise of the 24th Test and Evaluation Squadron. In an effort to further hide the operational aspects of the unit, it was officially re-named High Altitude Warfare – Experimental Squadron, or H.A.W.-X (The "X" being the US military designation for 'Experimental'). With time, the abbreviation was shortened to just H.A.W.X

The squadron’s elite fighter pilots are recruited from the most experienced and skilled combat veterans of the USAF, USN and USMC flight squadrons. The most highly-trained combat pilots in the world, they gain experience on all upcoming aircraft and weapon systems during the testing phase, helping refine designs and becoming the first to use them in combat should the nation require it. Capable of piloting virtually any aircraft from any branch of the US Military, in addition to many foreign designs, they are the 'top breed' of military pilots on Earth.

Based out of Langley Air Force Base in Southern Virginia, and with specialized West Coast facilities at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, the H.A.W.X squadron is involved with three main tasks:
1) Testing and evaluation of the latest, most experimental and secret US and Allied aircraft and weapon systems, including piloted and unpiloted (UAV) high-altitude systems.
2) Combat or Recon missions based on national defense needs. H.A.W.X missions are generally considered 'black ops' and operational history is a closely guarded secret. The H.A.W.X squadron, thanks to their ability to pilot virtually any aircraft and access to the latest and most powerful aircraft and weapons, allow the US to have a clear 'edge' in air combat operations when needed.
3) As needs dictate (less frequently than the tasks listed above) the H.A.W.X squadron is involved with the training of US and Allied pilots and the capture and evaluation of enemy or non-allied air-oriented technologies.
Most recently, with the changes in international dynamics due to the rise of the PMCs, the H.A.W.X squadron’s unique skills are more in demand than ever before.

The Private Military Contractors (PMCs)
As the era of the nation-state draws toward its end, the world of warfare is evolving rapidly. New challenges demand new solutions, sometimes with unpredictable outcomes.

For many years, state-sponsored militaries have struggled to maintain and modernize their forces. Increasing budget restrictions and difficulties in recruiting skilled personnel have led many countries to seek other solutions. More and more nations now rely increasingly on Private Military Contractors (PMC) – elite mercenary groups staffed with equally elite personnel - to support their field operations.

PMCs have proven to be excellent partners in respect to efficiency, skills, low prices, and reliability. They’ve been able to fulfill most of the mission normally handled by regular armies, without risking political fallout.

In time, these private military corps diversified their field of operations, from mere securing land objectives to motorized assault and counter-intelligence. It was not long before a few of these PMC secured enough resources to require being involved complete support air and sea-bound operations.

With each passing year, the PMCs expand their influence and scope of activity. Initially just consultants, they are now involved in surveillance, logistics, site security, and other essential roles. In order to keep the war machine going most of the PMC warranted firms dealing with other sources of income such as mining, oil extraction, airliners, goods manufacturing etc. Ensuring a steady flow of currency allowed these companies to operate a tighter game against their opposition. Each year, they come closer to serving as fully operational field units, and their services are so widely used they’re already essential. Pandora’s Box has been opened. There’s no getting rid of the PMCs now.

The Reykjavik Accords
2012: The Reykjavik Accords are ratified by 191 countries, including the US and all the major powers.

They define and limit the role of PMCs in combat, as well as their new responsibilities in terms of human rights. The right of PMC units to serve in every aspect of military operations is now officially authorized: They can be engaged in full-scale forward operations.

The guidelines set down by the accords are simple. PMCs act as international and independent entities and must be contracted by a sovereign state to enter a conflict. They cannot target civilian populations. PMC operational units have the status of official combatants, and a PMC unit must use their own equipment to fulfill their missions.

As a consequence they are now fully authorized to purchase heavy equipment on the international armaments market (fighters, attackers, armored vehicles etc.) PMC units are now real private armies officially recognized by sovereign states. The war market has been deregulated: States lift all commercial restrictions to conventional weapons exchange with PMC units, so long as they respect the Reykjavik Accords. Within the limits of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, it is now up to each nation decide whom they wish to sell to – and what they wish to sell. Most of the leading nations, including the United States, choose to sell only their older, outmoded equipment to the PMCs. A few, however, see the opportunity for quick profit, and make available even top of the line military hardware.

Turning PMC units into operational international armies is intended to decrease regional and international conflicts, better protect civilian populations and human rights, and intensify the international war on terror. PMCs are seen as the future of peace-keeping forces, and their lack of political entanglements and quick response times theoretically makes them excellent fast responders to crises and humanitarian missions.

A dark future
During the 2012-2018 timeline, the global military power will gradually shift toward the PMCs as they grow more and more independent from their high power self-governed contractors. From all the theatres of operations worldwide the South American episode was the main leverage of the PMC uprising. Near the end of 2016, before the arms threat would become obvious, the mere presence of these private contractors already had a negative impact on the economy of all the sovereign states, sapping their initiative and response capabilities.