Ubisoft may look closer to home in its bid to rebuff the advances of EA some analysts now predicting that it will complete its own full acquisition of emerging mobile games outfit Gameloft.
Following EAs unexpected, and uninvited, swoop for a 20 per cent slice of Ubisoft before Christmas, it had originally been suggested that fellow French publishers plus the Government may step in to fend off Electronic Arts advances (MCV 7/1).
But bourse nose-tappers are now predicting that a merger with mobile games firm Gameloft could more easily provide Ubisoft with a sturdier defence against further encroachment by the US giant.
Ubisofts Guillemot brothers already own a significant portion of Gameloft, so merging the two operations would increase their shareholding in Ubisoft, whilst diluting EAs stake.
Meanwhile, a report by Les Echos claims that VU Games is to cut 89 jobs in France.
