The gaming world might be in for a twist with some intriguing developments at one of its most prominent publishers. Word has it that the Guillemot family, who founded Ubisoft, is mulling over the idea of launching a fresh initiative alongside Chinese giant Tencent. This potential collaboration would see the new entity taking on some of Ubisoft’s assets, thereby increasing Tencent’s stake, yet maintaining a privately held status for the venture.
Details remain sparse about which specific assets might transition to this new company and which will remain with Ubisoft. The publisher holds sway over major series such as Assassin’s Creed, Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, and various Tom Clancy titles.
It’s been buzzing that as far back as 2024, Ubisoft’s top brass has been entertaining the notion of a buyout. CEO Yves Guillemot has reportedly been in prolonged discussions with Tencent, though finalizing a deal has proven elusive thus far.
One puzzle piece in these talks is Ubisoft’s forthcoming RPG, Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Originally intended to be released sooner, it has faced two delays and is now slated for a March 20, 2025 launch. Given it’s among the rare titles confirmed by Ubisoft for 2025, there’s a lot riding on how well it does commercially.
Coinciding with the delay announcement for Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Guillemot mentioned the company has brought in advisors to help “navigate strategic and investment opportunities to maximize the value of our holdings.”
Ubisoft hasn’t had it easy financially over the past couple of years, pointing to the lackluster performance of Star Wars Outlaws as a significant stumbling block. In an unexpected move, they’ve decided to phase out their free-to-play shooter, XDefiant, by 2025, affecting 277 staff across their Osaka, San Francisco, and Sydney studios.
Despite the challenges, Ubisoft isn’t sitting idly by. Insider Gaming reveals they have several major titles on the horizon, undisclosed as of now but targeted for release by the close of 2026. This includes a remake of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, Assassin’s Creed Hexe, a new entry for Ghost Recon, a reimagined Splinter Cell, and several other smaller projects.
As for their other flagship games like The Division 3, Beyond Good and Evil 2, another mainline Assassin’s Creed RPG, and another Assassin’s Creed remake, these appear to be further down the track.
Rest assured, I’ll be closely monitoring Ubisoft’s trajectory in the weeks and months ahead. As one of the biggest western publishers with some of the industry’s most iconic games under its belt, it’ll be fascinating to see how this all plays out.
