Media: Negotiations for acquiring Ubisoft are on hold until the release of Assassin's Creed Shadows
The Guillemot family, who founded Ubisoft, and the Chinese giant Tencent have postponed discussions about acquiring the company, according to insider Tom Henderson. His sources suggest that both parties decided to wait for the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows in February 2025.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Henderson reports that a successful game release could strengthen the Guillemot family’s position in negotiations. Conversely, its failure could lead to a decline in Ubisoft's stock value, benefiting Tencent, which would then have the opportunity to buy the company’s shares at a lower price.
According to Henderson's sources, pre-orders for Assassin’s Creed Shadows are not as active as they once were for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Recall that Valhalla had a record-breaking launch for the franchise. Nevertheless, the number of pre-orders for Assassin’s Creed Shadows is significant.
In Henderson's opinion, although the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be a critical point for Ubisoft, even outstanding game sales do not guarantee a bright future for the company. One of Ubisoft’s main issues is ineffective management. According to an annual employee survey, trust in leadership within several Ubisoft studios is only 15-20%. The company is currently investigating internal problems, but Henderson’s sources doubt it will lead to major changes. Sources believe that Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot would rather "go down with the ship" than leave his position. Other Guillemot family members in leadership positions at Ubisoft reportedly feel the same way.
Rumors about the Guillemot family and Tencent negotiating the fate of Ubisoft emerged in October last year. At that time, Bloomberg reported that scenarios under consideration included the Chinese giant acquiring the creators of Assassin’s Creed and turning the company private. In December, Reuters learned that in any scenario, the Guillemot family wants to retain control over Ubisoft.
