Earlier in March, we saw Ubisoft rebrand XDefiant, removing the Tom Clancy name. This came after some backlash when Ubisoft was unable to explain how XDefiant fit within the Tom Clancy universe. Although now, one man’s loss is another man’s gain. The upcoming strategy action game, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope will now be known as Tom Clancy’s Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope.
Ubisoft hopes to leverage the Tom Clancy name allowing Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope to stand out against other titles within its brand. They look to give the game identity and a big-name it seemingly lacks. A name that has helped titles like Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands, and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Jungle Storm.
The iconic Tom Clancy name comes from nearly 40 years of military and espionage science fiction novels. Writer Thomas Clancy, penned novels like The Hunt for Red October, The Sum of All Fears, and, Patriot Games. Many of these games would go on to become big-budget action movies.
In 2008 Ubisoft purchased the Tom Clancy name for what many believe to be a number just short of $100 million. Presently Ubisoft has published just over 20 games with the Tom Clancy name. With Tom Clancy’s Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, Ubisoft may be close to break-even on the naming royalties.
