Ubisoft could be forced to sell off Assassin’s Creed and more in 2025

As a long-time gamer with memories of countless hours spent exploring the vast worlds of Assassin’s Creed and battling it out in Rainbow Six Siege, I find the potential dissolution of Ubisoft in 2025 truly disheartening.

As a dedicated gamer, I can’t help but imagine a scenario where, by 2025, Ubisoft might face the tough decision to part ways with some of their most cherished intellectual properties like Assassin’s Creed and Rainbow Six, due to a series of projects not meeting their expected success.

According to a post on his personal blog, Joost van Druenen, the founder and former CEO of SuperData, expressed his view that the company, recognized for its renowned IP and other AAA titles, might be preparing for private ownership and potential break-up by 2025.

As a diehard fan, I’ve been noticing the dip in performance of Star Wars Outlaws, and Ubisoft’s announcement last December that their first-person shooter XDefiant would be shutting down in 2025 has only added to my concerns about the future of gaming.

Bleak projections

Given a significant drop in its stock price from $28.19 to $12.30 over the past year, this company is now a tempting prospect for potential takeovers,” Druenen remarked, implying that its prized possessions such as Assassin’s Creed and Rainbow Six, which might be worth more individually than collectively, make it an even more appealing target.

According to reports, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, initially planned for release in 2024 by Ubisoft but now pushed back to 2025, may not be the guaranteed success the company is hoping for. Druenen suggests that it could struggle against tough competition from Ghost of Yotei, a game developed by PlayStation.

According to the writer of “The One Up,” the main reason for Ubisoft’s financial struggles is their refusal to adapt to the current era, which emphasizes interactive player experiences and community involvement. If they don’t make adjustments, they risk losing both investors and players, further deepening their isolation.

Druenen concluded that although the company is taking time to perfect Shadows and ensure a more seamless launch, these refinements won’t address the larger issue at hand: the deterioration of player trust.

Although it doesn’t definitively predict a stormy year for Ubisoft individually, other sources suggest a similar scenario.

According to Reuters’ sources, on December 6th, it was suggested that Ubisoft’s shareholders might be considering purchasing the company, with the Guillemot family maintaining their controlling stake as the majority shareholder.

Apart from the Guillemot family, which includes the current CEO and chairman Yves Guillemot, the largest individual shareholder of Ubisoft is Tencent. According to reports from Reuters, it’s unclear if Tencent, the Chinese tech giant, plans to join in a potential buyout or boost its ownership in the company at this time.

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2024-12-09 19:23