Investors Want Ubisoft to Make Changes. Among Demands Are Replacement of CEO Yves Guillemot and Layoffs

As a seasoned gamer with a heart full of nostalgia for the golden age of Ubisoft, it is disheartening to see the current state of affairs at this once-great publisher. The delays and cancellations of anticipated titles like Rainbow Six Mobile, Tom Clancy’s The Division Resurgence, and even the troubled Star Wars: Outlaws, have left a void in my gaming calendar that seems to stretch into eternity.


The performance of Star Wars: Outlaws didn’t reach catastrophic levels like Concord, but it fell short of expectations among its creators and investors. Shareholders at Ubisoft are urging a shift towards private ownership and a change in leadership from the current team.

Recently, as a devoted fan, I’ve taken note that AJ Investments, a Slovak hedge fund holding less than 1% of Ubisoft shares, has voiced its concerns about the current state and strategic direction of this esteemed French publisher. It’s not just about the success or failure of the games they’re putting out; it seems there are deeper issues at play.

Ubisoft has chosen to postpone the releases of Rainbow Six Mobile and Tom Clancy’s The Division Resurgence, meaning that these games will not be available until the following fiscal year, which is after March 2025. Previously, they had decided to cancel The Division Heartland.

It’s no surprise that the company’s stock value has plummeted by more than 50% in the past year, given the subpar launches of new games like XDefiant and the dwindling player base. This decline is evident on the Paris stock exchange, where Ubisoft has experienced a 9% drop since yesterday following the release of the AJ Investment letter. The letter also noted that “Star Wars: Outlaws” wasn’t completely ready for launch yet, despite positive reviews.

Juraj Krupa, the one who started the fund, is hoping that this will act as a cautionary tale for investors, encouraging them to support the ideas put forward by AJ Investment. Among these suggestions are:

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2024-09-10 15:32