Over 2.6M Electronic Transactions Carried Out Through Saudi Arabia's Absher Platform in July

Absher is a smartphone application allowing users in Saudi Arabia to use different government services
Absher is a smartphone application allowing users in Saudi Arabia to use different government services
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Over 2.6M Electronic Transactions Carried Out Through Saudi Arabia's Absher Platform in July

Absher is a smartphone application allowing users in Saudi Arabia to use different government services
Absher is a smartphone application allowing users in Saudi Arabia to use different government services

The electronic platform "Absher," managed by the Saudi Ministry of Interior, facilitated in July over 2.6 million electronic transactions for citizens, residents, and visitors through the ministry's various sectors' electronic services.

These services were successfully executed by the Interior Ministry’s Agency for Civil Affairs, the General Directorate of Passports, and the General Traffic Department of Public Security.

Among the transactions conducted, the platform processed 172,281 requests for document delivery via mail, responded to 5,012 general inquiries related to fingerprinting, and issued 9,719 reports using the Absher reporting service.



Ubisoft Unveils ‘Creative Houses’ Model as First-Quarter Bookings Miss Expectations

The logo of Ubisoft is seen in Montreuil, near Paris, France, July 13, 2020. (Reuters)
The logo of Ubisoft is seen in Montreuil, near Paris, France, July 13, 2020. (Reuters)
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Ubisoft Unveils ‘Creative Houses’ Model as First-Quarter Bookings Miss Expectations

The logo of Ubisoft is seen in Montreuil, near Paris, France, July 13, 2020. (Reuters)
The logo of Ubisoft is seen in Montreuil, near Paris, France, July 13, 2020. (Reuters)

France's lead videogame maker Ubisoft announced on Tuesday a sweeping reorganization of its internal structure, shifting to autonomous "Creative Houses" tailored to specific gaming genres, as it reported first-quarter net bookings that fell short of expectations.

The company said in a call that the leadership of each Creative House would be selected based on specific gaming genres, and could include those from creative or technical backgrounds, as part of the new approach.

"These units will reflect our diverse types of gaming experiences and will allow for enhanced quality, focus, autonomy and accountability," CEO and co-founder Yves Guillemot said in a statement.

The first such unit, jointly owned with China's Tencent, will manage flagship franchises including Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. Co-CEOs Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot will lead brand development across multiple platforms.

Ubisoft plans to roll out the full organizational changes by the end of the year.

The company reported first-quarter net bookings of 281.6 million euros ($305.7 million), missing its target of around 310 million euros and marking a 2.9% decline from the same period of last year.

It attributed the shortfall to a weaker-than-expected performance from the Rainbow Six Siege game and the delay of a partnership now expected in the second quarter.

Despite the miss, Ubisoft reiterated its full-year guidance and forecast second-quarter net bookings of approximately 450 million euros.

Upcoming releases include Anno 117: Pax Romana, a Prince of Persia remake, and mobile titles Rainbow Six Mobile and The Division Resurgence.