Ubisoft has filed a lawsuit against Optical Experts Manufacturing, the North Carolina-based company it had used to makes copies of Assassin's Creed on PC. OEM failed to follow its own security measures and allowed an employee to take home a copy of the game, who then uploaded it on the internet six weeks before its official release. Ubisoft claims the leak was downloaded 700,000 times, costing the publisher millions of dollars, and is suing for breach of contract and negligence, asking for $10 million each.

Ubisoft's Q1 2008 financial result reveals that sales are up 25.8% (€169 million compared to last year's €134 million) driven mainly by Assassin’s Creed, Haze, Rainbow Six Vegas 2 as well as its Games For Everyone brand (Petz, Imagine and MyCoach series) which saw a boost of 20% compared to last year. Also revealed was the Splinter Cell delay, which we reported on earlier today.

Check out the following new screens and trailers from Ubisoft's E3 2008 lineup:

• Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway (ALL) - 4 New Screens & Trailer
• Far Cry 2 (PS3/X360/PC) - 11 New Screens & Trailer
• Hell's Kitchen: The Video Game (NDS/Wii/PC) - Screens
• 'Naruto: The Broken Bond' (X360) Announced- Facts, Features, Screens & Trailer
• Prince of Persia Prodigy' [ALL] - 2 New Screens & Trailer
• Prince of Persia: The Fallen King (NDS) - 6 New Screens
• Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party (NDS/Wii) - Screens & Artwork
• Shaun White Snowboarding (ALL) - 15 New Screens
• Tom Clancy's EndWar (ALL) - 10 New Screens & Trailer
• Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. (PS3/X360/PC) - 10 New Screens & Trailer

GErman based 3D Game Engine developer Trinigy announced a license deal with Ubisoft studio Blue Byte, giving The Settlers developer access to Trinigy’s latest Vision Engine 7.0 which has been unveiled quite recently.

Ubisoft announced the acquisition of Montreal-based visual effects studio Hybride Technologies, known for having worked on 300, Frank Miller’s Sin City and the Spy Kids series.

Exent Technologies has secured an agreement to increase the library of Ubisoft titles available for Exent-powered Games-On-Demand services in North America, adding franchises such as Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six, Prince of Persia, Far Cry, Rayman and Heroes of Might and Magic.

Martin, Diana and Java pursue ceaselessly the most revolting monsters dripping with Slime. These very special agents are commissioned by M.O.M, the director of CENTRE, to lead these paranormal investigations throughout the world.

French publisher Ubisoft keeps on opening new studios all over the world, and announced it is opening shop in Brazil to start yet another new game studio, Ubisoft São Paulo, which will initially focus on creating NDS titles aimed at girls between the age of 8 and 14. Ubisoft further plans to open up additional studios in Rio de Janeiro and Florianópolis.

Earlier this week we revealed From Software's latest installment in the Tenchu franchise. At a conference in Japan it was disclosed that Ubisoft will publish Tenchu 4, which will see the return of the two main characters, Rikimaru et Ayame, tasked with investigating the disappearance of Gouda Matsunoshin's daughter Kiku. More infiltration, more environmental interaction, combos, and of course use of the Wiimore for aiming at the screen.

Last year Ubisoft announced it was developing a game based on 20th Century Fox's Avatar, the story of an ex-Marine who finds himself thrust into hostilities on an alien planet filled with exotic life forms, written and directed by James Cameron. At the UbiDays 08 CEO Guillemot confirmed that they are working on 3-D games, Avatar being one of them, which is scheduled for mid 2009.

Check out the following new screens and trailers from Ubisoft's 2008 UbiDays lineup:

• 'Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party' (Wii) Announced - Screens & Trailer
• 'Shaun White Snowboarding' (Wii/PS3/X360/PC) Announced - Facts, Features & Screens
• 'Allen Carr's Easyway to Stop Smoking' (NDS) Announced
• 'Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway' (ALL) - 5 New Screens & Trailer
• 'Tom Clancy's HAWX' (PS3/X360/PC) - 7 New Screens
• 'Beyond Good & Evil 2' (ALL) Confirmed - Teaser Screens & Trailer
• 'Prince Of Persia Prodigy' [ALL] - Facts, Features Screens & Trailer
• 'Far Cry 2' (PS3/X360/PC) - Facts, Features, Screens & Trailer
• 'Tom Clancy's EndWar' (ALL) - Facts, Features, Screens & Trailer
• 'Soulcalibur IV' (PS3/X360) - 17 New Screens & Trailer

Even though Bethesda opened an office in Europe, it seems Ubisoft will be distributing Fallout 3 in Europe. Fallout 3 places you in the role of a Vault-dweller, who ventures from his secluded, underground survival Vault into a post apocalyptic world of mutants, radiation, gangs and violence.

Ubisoft announced that Kiev, Ukraine, has been chosen as the location of its latest internal development studio, representing Ubisoft’s 3rd studio in Eastern Europe, and the 5th new studio in the last few months.

Ubisoft reported sales figures for the Q4 of its fiscal year 2007/2008, with sales up 10%, full year sales up 36 % to $1.32 billion, mainly driven by strong performances from Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2, The Games For Everyone Brands and Assassin's Creed. Ubisoft also announced it will be recruiting for 900 positions in the next 12 months for its various studios.

Ubisoft announces that it has concluded an agreement with Gameloft to acquire its video game development studio based in Pune, India. The studio will initially focus on porting titles to handhelds and reinforcing Ubisoft’s testing teams. The goal is to become 200-people strong in 12 months time and to reach a team of 500 in the coming years.

Bringing all of the intense combat, stylized graphics, and ultimate ninja action to touch-screens everywhere, Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword features a new storyline and innovative use of the DS Stylus.

Valve has signed a digital distribution agreement with Ubisoft to bring more than 40 of the French publisher's games, including Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, various Tom Clancy titles, to customers in Canada and the United States via Steam, and is currently offering up Assassin's Creed for pre-purchase.

Earlier today Ubisoft revealed it had acquired the full license to the Tom Clancy name, including movies, books etc... This afternoon a conference call was organized in which Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot revealed that the move was to clear the way for a Tom Clancy MMO, and by acquiring the full rights it would no longer have to pay royalties, the main reason why they had not gone forward with such a project before. While no details were revealed the Tom Clancy MMO will have a budget of $40/50 million.

Ubisoft announced 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.

Ubisoft has signed a exclusive worldwide license agreement with EuropaCorp for the Arthur and the Minimoys sequels The games will be available worldwide in conjunction with the next two films: Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard for Holiday 2009 and Arthur and the Two Worlds War for Holiday 2010.

Ubisoft has obtained a $13.2 million judgment in a copyright and trademark infringement dispute against Bratz dolls owner MGA Entertainment.

Ubisoft announces the opening of its 18th internal development studio in Singapore, largely influenced by the country’s excellent technological infrastructure, thriving local game development industry and quality of its universities and training institutions.

Ubisoft reported its sales for the 3rd fiscal quarter 2007 revealing sales are up about 50% compared to last year, fueled by Assassin's Creed and its causal line of titles, beating its own guidance by nearly 10%. Uncertainty regarding Haze continues as the recent retail date changes turn out to be unsubstantiated with Ubisoft's vague "will now be released in fiscal 2008-09," meaning April 2008 at the earliest. Also revealed are new titles in the Prince Of Persia and Anno franchises.

Ubisoft announces that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of Japanese development studio Digital Kids. With offices in Nagoya and Osaka, Digital Kids currently has a team of 20 developers specialized in games for the NDS which has worked regularly for a number of Japanese publishers and developed several titles for Ubisoft’s Petz line of games, including Hamsterz Life.

Ubisoft announced has signed an agreement with Namco Bandai Europe to distribute Soulcalibur IV on the X360 and PS3, and Soulcalibur Legends exclusively on Wii. Both games will hit stores across Europe and other PAL territories in summer 2008.