Ubisoft has launched a new subsidiary focused on its renowned Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six franchises, backed by a significant €1.16 billion (approximately $1.25 billion) investment from Tencent. This move comes shortly after the successful launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows, which has already surpassed 3 million players. The timing is crucial as Ubisoft has faced numerous challenges including high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations, leading to historic lows in the company's share price.
The newly established subsidiary, valued at €4 billion (approximately $4.3 billion) and headquartered in France, aims to develop "game ecosystems designed to become truly evergreen and multi-platform." Tencent will hold a 25% stake in this venture. Ubisoft plans to enhance the quality of its narrative solo experiences, expand multiplayer offerings, introduce free-to-play elements, and integrate more social features into its games.
The company will continue to focus on developing its Ghost Recon and The Division franchises while also aiming to grow its top-performing games. Yves Guillemot, Ubisoft's co-founder and CEO, emphasized that this step marks a new chapter in the company's history, aiming to transform its operating model to be more agile and ambitious. The goal is to create strong, evergreen game ecosystems, grow high-performing brands, and innovate with emerging technologies.
This subsidiary will encompass teams working on Rainbow Six, Assassin’s Creed, and Far Cry in locations such as Montréal, Quebec, Sherbrooke, Saguenay, Barcelona, and Sofia. It will also manage Ubisoft's back-catalog and any future projects, suggesting that existing projects are secure, with no immediate plans for further layoffs.
The transaction is slated to be finalized by the end of 2025. This development is ongoing, and more details are expected to emerge as the subsidiary progresses.
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