A new report from Bloomberg reveals that the Guillemot family and Tencent may currently be in talks to move select Ubisoft assets over to a brand-new venture (thanks, VGC).
Following a lengthy period in which Ubisoft has struggled in the midst of a rapidly declining share price, the move is supposedly said to serve two purposes: to boost the company’s value and to provide Tencent with more control over Ubisoft’s IP, thus increasing its gaming presence outside of China.
Deliberations are said to be ongoing with no final decision made at the time of writing, though Ubisoft’s share price has seen a minor bump of around 4.3% following the publication of Bloomberg’s article. It’s also not known what might happen to the IP that Ubisoft decides not to migrate over.
Ubisoft recently announced a second delay for its next major entry in the Assassin’s Creed franchise: Assassin’s Creed Shadows, now scheduled for 20th March 2025. Given Ubisoft’s apparent desire to hold the game back until it’s in tip-top shape, many are citing the title as a “make or break” moment for the company.
One of Ubisoft’s best games in recent years, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, sadly did not reach sales expectations when it launched in January 2024. This led to the development team being disbanded, with most staff members moved to other projects within the company.
Just recently, the US Department of Defense officially added Tencent to the federal register of companies deemed to have links to the Chinese military. Tencent responded to the move and stated that it was a “misunderstanding”.