News business Ubisoft: The creators of Assassin’s Creed interest investors, a takeover possible?
Published on 04/25/2022 at 07:58
Will the French publisher Ubisoft be at the heart of the next big takeover in the video game industry? The question has arisen since this weekend and the publication of articles on the other side of the Atlantic. Indeed, the creators of Assassin’s Creed, Rabbids, Rainbow Six or Far Cry would be of great interest to several investment companies.
Pending the publication of Ubisoft’s financial results for fiscal year 2021-2022the company founded by the Guillemot brothers and led by Yves Guillemot is making headlines through sources who have spoken to Kotaku and Bloomberg, regarding potential investments.
Major financial groups are interested in Ubisoft
According to these sources, who spoke to Kotaku and Bloomberg, several investment funds, including Blackstone Inc. et KKR & Cotake a close interest in the publisher and are studying the possibility of a takeover. Investment funds are just beginning their work on the subject, and for them it is not only one possible way among others.
There is therefore for the moment no discussion between the publisher and these funds, and, consequently, no offer has not been formulated. But for Kotaku, there is no smoke without fire, and the fact that Ubisoft regularly carry out audits of one’s activities may signify a wish to put everything in order in order to start discussions with a possible buyer. Contacted, Ubisoft declined to comment and highlights its striking force:
We do not comment on rumors or speculation. Ubisoft has unrivaled creative and production capabilities, with more than 20,000 talented people collaborating on game development in our global studios. Thanks to them, our long-term approach and our willingness to take creative risks, we have built some of the strongest licenses in the industry and we have many promising projects on the horizon.
We also have one of the largest and most diverse portfolios in the industry, cutting-edge services and technologies, and a large and growing community of engaged gamers. Therefore, we are ideally positioned to take advantage of the rapid industry growth and platform opportunities that present themselves.
After rejecting Vivendi, Ubisoft more open to the possibility of a takeover?
A message clearly addressed to current financial partners, highlighting the independence and solidity of the current organization. But where is Ubisoft really, owned at 15% by the Guillemot clan ? We remember the mobilization aimed at repelling the takeover attempt by Vivendi, but the situation of the industry and the company has changed greatly since and the editor would be more open regarding than before. So, Ubisoft soon to be acquired? For the moment, we are still quite far from it, even if a participation cannot be ruled out.
It should also be remembered that Tencent entered the capital of Ubisoft in 2018, with the guarantee of not not go beyond 5% before… 2023. On the one hand, and as XboxSquad points out, this kind of study is extremely commonplace for these funds. On the other hand, buyback option will only become concrete if these funds believe that it is the best solution to generate profits. However, it will take waiting for the Stock Exchange to open this morning and his attitude in the next few days to see how the market reacts, which may provide additional food for thought.
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Par MalloDelicJournalist jeuxvideo.com
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