Ubisoft has just announced that it has recruited leading strategic advisors to explore various options for the future, a move that fuels speculation about a possible takeover of the French video game publisher.
During a conference call with investors, CEO Yves Guillemot and CFO Frederick Duguet presented the company’s new directions. The leaders confirmed thata process of evaluating strategic options was underwaywhile remaining discreet on specific details.
« The goal of this process is to unlock the best potential value of our assets for the benefit of our stakeholders and to foster the best conditions for creating great games in a rapidly evolving market. », declared Frederick Duguet during the conference, quoted by Le Figaro.
Ubisoft is at a turning point in its history
This strategic review is accompanied by a further postponement of the highly anticipated Assassin’s Creed Shadows, now scheduled for March 20, 2025. This additional delay would have been decided to ensure optimal quality of the game from its launch, which is of vital importance to the company. The latter has had a string of failures in recent months, and Assassin’s Creed Shadows is seen by many as the title that could decide the fate of the company.
Rumors concerning a possible takeover by Tencent, Ubisoft’s historic partner, have intensified in recent months. Bloomberg also reported in October that the Guillemot family and Tencent were in exploratory discussions regarding a possible privatization of the company. These speculations arise in a difficult context for Ubisoft, marked by several commercial failures and a significant drop in its stock price.
When asked about the potential impact of Tencent’s recent designation as ” Chinese military company » by the United States, Yves Guillemot refrained from any comment. The leaders also avoided directly answering investors’ questions regarding the existence of a concrete buyout proposal.
The strategic assessment process is expected to progress in the coming months, as indicated by management, which promises more details ” when the time comes “. This period of uncertainty marks a potential turning point in Ubisoft’s history, as the company seeks to reposition itself in an ever-changing video game market.
