So, Ubisoft’s been cooking up something wild behind the scenes, huh? Word on the street—or at least according to a fresh Bloomberg scoop—is they’re thinking about spinning off a shiny new business unit to handle heavy-hitters like Assassin’s Creed, Rainbow Six, and Far Cry. And get this: it wouldn’t just be Ubisoft calling the shots. They’re eyeing a setup where outside players, like Tencent, could snag a minority stake in this new venture. A leap of faith, indeed.
Picture it: these massive franchises, the ones you’ve probably sunk countless hours into, might not be fully Ubisoft’s babies anymore. Instead, they’d sit under this new entity—partly owned by others—while the Ubisoft mothership stays in the hands of the Guillemot family, who’ve been running the show since day one. It’s a clever move, honestly. This new unit could end up worth more than Ubisoft itself, especially after the company’s taken a beating with dropping share prices and some rough launches. (Looking at you, Star Wars Outlaws—ouch.)
I’ve been gaming long enough to see Ubisoft ride some serious highs and lows. Remember when Assassin’s Creed was the king of stealthy rooftop parkour? Lately, though, it’s felt like they’ve been scrambling to find their footing. Their next big swing, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, got delayed twice—it’s dropping next week, and they’re praying it lands right. Meanwhile, they’ve been slashing jobs left and right, shrinking from over 20,000 folks in 2022 to under 18,700 now. Studios closing, teams shrinking—it’s been a brutal stretch.
Ubisoft’s not spilling all the beans yet. They told Eurogamer their “strategic review” is still churning, with a fancy independent committee sniffing out the best way to squeeze value from their franchises. Translation? They’re shopping around, but they’ll only shout about it if a deal actually sticks. Smart play—keeps the hype in check while they figure out what’s next.
So, what’s this mean for you, the gamer grinding through Rainbow Six matches or plotting your next Far Cry outpost takedown? Could be bigger budgets and bolder risks if this new unit takes off. Or, if it flops, maybe more of the same Ubisoft chaos we’ve seen lately. Either way, it’s a hell of a pivot—and with Assassin’s Creed at the heart of it, I’m keeping my eyes peeled. You should too.
