Image: Ubisoft
It feels like news of a new video game company acquisition every month. This year alone, we’ve seen Microsoft absorb Activision Blizzard, Sony buy former Halo developer Bungie, Take-Two gets the keys to the Farmville developer, and Epic Games brings in Brazilian developer Aquiris. Now, another major acquisition rumor is circulating in the industry.
According to reports, Ubisoft — the well-known publisher who recently launched the immortal Fenix Rise, Assassin’s Creed: Ezio Collection, and Mario + Rabid Kingdom Battle — has received the attention of a number of equity firms. Bloomberg reports that these companies include Blackstone and KKR, both of which have formally invested in gaming and technology-related companies.
Ubisoft launched its own NFT platform last year to a rather negative response, but the studio’s forays may have attracted this potential investor interest. Although their upcoming Project Q won’t showcase them, their experiments with NFTs are still worth noting.
Kotaku reports that Ubisoft has been using consultancies to audit and “organize the books” for potential sales. While multiple publications have reached out to the studio, Ubisoft has yet to confirm if this is true. However, the rumors worked wonders for the company’s stock over the weekend, rising 11% on Friday as the whispers grew louder.
Ubisoft has also been hit with allegations of misconduct and sexual harassment, a process Ubisoft admitted last year that it had grossly mishandled. The Assassin’s Creed publisher has been in limbo for some time due to multiple high-profile departures and delays to the game.
While this is a rumor at the moment, it seems likely that the broader consolidation of the video game industry will continue for the foreseeable future. If there is any confirmation, we will keep you informed.
