Ubisoft majority shareholders the Guillemot household are contemplating teaming up with Tencent for a buyout, in line with a Bloomberg report. The information comes amid disappointing gross sales of final month’s Star Wars Outlaws and the delay of Murderer’s Creed Shadows, in a yr the place Ubisoft has misplaced nearly half its market worth.
Now, Bloomberg stories the Guillemot household is talking to advisors in a bid to stabilize the corporate and improve its market worth, with the buyout being one potential choice. Ubisoft shares have fallen 40 % this yr, with the corporate now valued at €1.8 billion ($2 billion).
The Guillemot household owns 20.5 % of Ubisoft and Tencent 9 %, in line with the agency’s newest annual report, with a possible group up permitting the 2 to take the corporate non-public. For the reason that publication of the Bloomberg report, Ubisoft’s share worth has elevated dramatically, already rising 30 % at time of writing.
The Misplaced Crown
Final month, Ubisoft’s share worth dropped to its lowest in 11 years. A minority shareholder—hedge fund AJ Investments— posted an open letter calling on Ubisoft’s board members to think about taking the writer non-public.
The letter was adopted by the one-two punch of Murderer’s Creed Shadows’ delay to February 14, 2025, and French Ubisoft staff calling for a strike over a mandated return to workplaces. Ubisoft has laid off 45 staff this yr thus far. Yves Guillemot, Co-Founder and Chief Government Officer, despatched out a letter to buyers on September 25:
“Our second quarter efficiency fell in need of our expectations, prompting us to handle this swiftly and firmly, with an excellent higher concentrate on a player-centric, gameplay-first method and an unwavering dedication to the long-term worth of our manufacturers. Though the tangible advantages of the Firm’s transformation are taking longer than anticipated to materialize, we carry on our technique, specializing in two key verticals—Open World Adventures and GaaS-native experiences—with the target to drive progress, recurrence and strong free money circulate technology in our enterprise.”
“Within the gentle of current challenges, we acknowledge the necessity for higher effectivity whereas delighting gamers. Consequently, past the primary essential short-term actions undertaken, the Government Committee, below the supervision of the Board of Administrators, is launching a evaluate aimed toward additional enhancing our execution, notably on this player-centric method, and accelerating our strategic path in the direction of the next performing mannequin to the advantage of our stakeholders and shareholders.”
