Rumor: Multiple Firms Eyeing Ubisoft For Buyout Acquisition

Following the acquisition of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard, it seems yet another of the industry’s major publishers might be getting bought out sometime in the future.

According to a report from Bloomberg, Ubisoft, developer of Assassin’s Creed, Rayman, and other popular IPs, has attracted takeover interest from “several private equity firms” including major takeover players Blackstone and KKR & Co. Although at the time of this writing, “serious negotiations” have reportedly yet to take place, and it is unclear whether Ubisoft’s major shareholders are interested in pursuing a deal.

Further evidence that a takeover may be imminent comes from a separate report by Kotaku, whose sources claim that Ubisoft has been auditing various parts of its business through external consultancy firms. The source claims that Ubisoft is “tidying its books” for a potential sale, although this could just be normal preparations for the company’s future.

This is not the first time Ubisoft has been in danger of a takeover. Back in 2016, the French conglomerate Vivendi reportedly attempted a hostile takeover of Ubisoft by buying up its shares, although this attempt eventually fell through. More recently however, Ubisoft Chairman Yves Guillemot had this to say about a possible takeover:

“We have always taken our decisions in the interest of our stakeholders, which are our players, employees and shareholders, so Ubisoft can remain independent. We have the talent, the industrial and the financial scale, and a large portfolio of powerful IP…

“Having said that, if there were an offer to buy us, the board of directors would of course review it in the interest of all stakeholders.”

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.