Ubisoft Says It “Regularly Reviews Strategic Options” In Response To Buyout Reports

Just ahead of the weekend this past Friday, a report from Bloomberg went live claiming that Tencent and the Guillemot Brothers were discussing taking Ubisoft private through a buyout.

On Monday, Ubisoft decided to respond to these reports, with a statement given to Eurogamer where it acknowledges the reports, and claims that the company “regularly reviews all its strategic options,” which is to say that the conversations Bloomberg’s source might’ve been talking about where in fact, routine.

“Ubisoft has noted recent press speculation regarding potential interests around the Company” Ubisoft began in its full statement to Eurogamer.

“It regularly reviews all its strategic options in the interest of its stakeholders and will inform the market if and when appropriate. The company reiterates that management is currently focused on executing its strategy, centred on two core verticals – open world adventures and GaaS [Games as a Service]-native experiences.”

In the technical sense of what’s possible, there’s a world where Ubisoft leaders, even chief executive officer Yves Guillemot do have regular conversations which discuss strategy for the company’s future, with a buyout between Guillemot and his family corporation and Tencent a possible topic of discussion.

There exists that chance, technically, where this is a routine discussion. Whether it’s routine though is frankly moot since it doesn’t make the context of these reports any less interesting.

By all accounts Ubisoft has been having a bad year, and now what was meant to be its big year-end closer in Assassin’s Creed Shadows won’t even be out until 2025.

The Guillemot family has also charted Ubisoft’s path for a long time, too long in the eyes of some. Were the aforementioned buyout to happen, it wouldn’t be the first time that the Guillemot family looked to Tencent to help them retain control.

There’s also clearly plenty of long-laid plans for the future of the company that the Guillemot family has certainly had a hand in crafting. Beyond what rumours have said, we know for a fact that Assassin’s Creed Infinity is meant to be something big, perhaps even a new era for the company and the franchise.

And that’s just one of its IP. Guillemot and his brother cannot reap the potential rewards of these plans if shareholders are looking to force them out.

If it is a buyout with the Guillemot family coming out on top is a regular conversation, then it makes you wonder why it hasn’t happened yet. If it’s not, well then.

Source – [Eurogamer]