• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Bloomberg: Assassin’s Creed Creator Ubisoft Said to Seek Gaming Backers

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman

Ubisoft Entertainment SA is looking to bring in investors to a new entity that will include some of its core video-gaming intellectual property, including Assassin's Creed, according to people familiar with the situation.

The company is considering selling a minority stake in the venture and has contacted potential bidders, including current shareholder Tencent Holdings Ltd. and funds globally and in France, where Ubisoft is based, the people said. Ubisoft has asked for preliminary bids to be made as soon as this month, the people added, asking not to be identified discussing a private matter.

Ubisoft, which was founded by France's Guillemot family, may seek a valuation for the yet-to-be formed IP unit that is higher than the size of the main company's, the people said. Considerations are ongoing, no final decision has been made and plans could still change, they added.

A representative for Ubisoft referred a query for comment to the company's quarterly earnings, in which it said the review of various transformational strategic and capitalistic options is ongoing to help extract the best value from Ubisoft's assets and franchises for all stakeholders. Tencent declined to comment.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Ubisoft, which was founded by France's Guillemot family, may seek a valuation for the yet-to-be formed IP unit that is higher than the size of the main company's, the people said.

huh?

They're really banking on whatever this future IP is to be a big deal.
 

Kurotri

Member
Too stupid to understand this. So they are creating a new venture that will have their biggest IPs, and Tencent will be the controlling force. Meanwhile the Guillemots are staying at Ubi while keeping full creative control over smaller IPs? They are essentially giving Tencent the keys for their biggest titles (AC, Far Cry) because they lost the plot and need someone competent to steer those franchises, and with a minority stake in that venture they'll still get some dough.

Did I get that right?
 
And what about the 20K people? To me all this sounds like a strategy to get rid of a big lot in the least costly way possible.

Ubisoft is cooked either way.
 

Kotaro

Member
They're so greedy and desperate, they plan to just scam investors with new round of funding by creating new company ...OF WHAT exactly?.....company just to hold Assassin's Creed IP and their some other irrelevant game IPs?!?!

The sooner they die, the faster the industry can heal
 
Last edited:

RafterXL

Member
huh?

They're really banking on whatever this future IP is to be a big deal.
It's not a new IP, it's a select portion of their current IP that they want to rip from Ubisoft and make part of a new company. Basically these pieces of shit want to run Ubisoft into the ground with zero consequences, screwing over most of their employees, while they get to ride off into the sunset with current Ubisofts best IPs. It's rotten to the core and a slimy way to get around EU labor laws or taking any accountability for destroying their company.

Too stupid to understand this. So they are creating a new venture that will have their biggest IPs, and Tencent will be the controlling force. Meanwhile the Guillemots are staying at Ubi while keeping full creative control over smaller IPs? They are essentially giving Tencent the keys for their biggest titles (AC, Far Cry) because they lost the plot and need someone competent to steer those franchises, and with a minority stake in that venture they'll still get some dough.

Did I get that right?
You got most of it, except IIRC the Guillemots want to run this new company, they just want Tencent to back them. Bacially, they know Ubisoft is dead, so they are trying to jump ship with the best parts of the company while letting Ubisoft proper burn. They are absolute scumbags.
 

Kurotri

Member
It's not a new IP, it's a select portion of their current IP that they want to rip from Ubisoft and make part of a new company. Basically these pieces of shit want to run Ubisoft into the ground with zero consequences, screwing over most of their employees, while they get to ride off into the sunset with current Ubisofts best IPs. It's rotten to the core and a slimy way to get around EU labor laws or taking any accountability for destroying their company.


You got most of it, except IIRC the Guillemots want to run this new company, they just want Tencent to back them. Bacially, they know Ubisoft is dead, so they are trying to jump ship with the best parts of the company while letting Ubisoft proper burn. They are absolute scumbags.
Ahh, that makes more sense, thanks. I wonder who else they are talking to, but it'll probably just end up being Tencent after all.
 

RafterXL

Member
Ahh, that makes more sense, thanks. I wonder who else they are talking to, but it'll probably just end up being Tencent after all.
The originally were trying to get Tencent to buy Ubisoft in whole, while keeping them in leadership roles, but Tencent balked because Ubisoft has like 20k employees and EU labor laws would basically handcuff them, in terms of reorganization. It would be a logistical nightmare for a Chinese company to have to deal with. So now the Guillemots are trying to plunder the best parts of the company, and stay in power, and get Tencent to buy into this "new" company, which is an easier sell. If were Tencent I wouldn't want the Guillemots in charge of anything after how they've run the company of the last decade or so.
 

Zacfoldor

Member
Remember this story about IP selloff offers that never made it to the board?

Looks like this is a response. Big "bright idea" they have here to keep control of everything within the company. They are packing up their best IP, putting it in a new company, selling that(or rather selling a small portion, partnering it out) and keeping Ubisoft.

new entity = new company, not Ubisoft
Let's call this new IP Ubistank
"The company is considering selling a minority stake in the venture"

They want to make Ubistank(Ubisoft still exists in name and lesser IP), put Assassin's Creed in there, and get people to invest in it so they are no longer risking as much of their own money. In the future they can sell off Ubistank if needed but still keep Ubisoft so that "the message" never gets fully interrupted.

They plan to pretend this new company is more valuable than Ubisoft is for reasons. No final decisions have been made. Let's see who is stupid enough to fund Ubisoft games with zero control in current market and share the risk with Ubisoft without them coming unwoke.
 
Last edited:

LordCBH

Member
It's not a new IP, it's a select portion of their current IP that they want to rip from Ubisoft and make part of a new company. Basically these pieces of shit want to run Ubisoft into the ground with zero consequences, screwing over most of their employees, while they get to ride off into the sunset with current Ubisofts best IPs. It's rotten to the core and a slimy way to get around EU labor laws or taking any accountability for destroying their company.


You got most of it, except IIRC the Guillemots want to run this new company, they just want Tencent to back them. Bacially, they know Ubisoft is dead, so they are trying to jump ship with the best parts of the company while letting Ubisoft proper burn. They are absolute scumbags.

Gotta be honest, is there a business or company retarded enough to agree to let those idiots retain control after seeing how they ran Ubisoft into the ground?
 

Kotaro

Member
If they create this new company, what happens to the old Ubisoft? Without their main IPs, they are left with nothing to do.

The new company will license AC IP to Ubisoft, which is just a development company after the creation of new company.

so the new company will take no risks, to pump up valuation. This is how Guillemot family hoping to get their wealth back

All the risks are now on Ubisoft, which is already in the shithole anyway. So if next AC (after Shadow) game sell alot then Ubisoft get the profit after paying license fee to the new company

It’s greedy and shady, all just to scam investors for new funding
 
Last edited:

Killer8

Member
Ubisoft IP taken from under Ubisoft creative control and shipped around to third parties is very exciting. Finally we might be able to get a proper Splinter Cell and Prince of Persia game.
 
Top Bottom