A large purchase of Ubisoft shares by media company Vivendi has left Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot assuring his staff that the game studio will remain focused and independent.
Guillemot’s statements, shared from internal emails obtained by GamesIndustry.biz, claim Vivendi has a history of “aggressively pursuing companies within the entertainment sector.” He continues to say their new 6.6% stake in Ubisoft was “unsolicited and unwelcome,” and that any potential takeover would result in a Ubisoft “managed by people who don’t understand our expertise and what it takes to succeed in this industry.”
The €140.3 million purchase hasn’t shaken Guillemot, however. “Our intention is and has always been to remain independent, a value which, for 30 years, has allowed us to innovate, take risks, create beloved franchises for players around the world, and which has helped the company grow into the leader it is today,” he shared.
“We’re going to fight to preserve our independence. We should not let this situation – nor any future actions by Vivendi or others – distract us from our goals. Our best defence is to stay focused on what we have always done best – deliver the most original and memorable gaming experiences.”
In 2007, Vivendi acquired Activision-Blizzard, and owned majority shares in the company until a 2013 buyback led by Activision CEO Bobby Kotick. Vivendi continues to own stakes in large companies such as Dailymotion and Universal Music Group.
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