Rumors are swirling in the gaming industry as discussions between Tencent,the Chinese tech powerhouse,and the Guillemot family,founders of Ubisoft,heat up. According to insider reports, the two parties are exploring the creation of a new entity, carefully evaluating which assets to include and how to value them. This potential collaboration aims to breathe new life into Ubisoft, whose market value has taken a significant hit, plummeting by 44% over the past year.
The proposed venture could serve dual purposes. For Tencent,it would mean gaining a stronger foothold in Ubisoft’s intellectual properties,expanding its video game empire beyond China’s borders. For the Guillemots, it would ensure they retain creative control over Ubisoft, a non-negotiable priority that allegedly scuttled a previous deal in early December.
While the talks are ongoing, neither side has confirmed any concrete decisions. When pressed for details,Ubisoft pointed to its January 9 statement, which revealed the company had “appointed leading advisors to review and pursue various transformational strategic and capitalistic options to extract the best value for stakeholders.” Tencent,on the other hand,remained tight-lipped,offering no comment.
Given the anonymity of the sources and the lack of official confirmation, these reports should be approached with caution. Though, a separate examination by Insider Gaming corroborated the existence of these discussions. Still, it’s clear that Ubisoft is weighing its options carefully, with no definitive direction yet in sight.
