Tencent increases stakes in Ubisoft with €300m investment in Guillemot Bros
Tencent is heavily investing in Ubisoft with a €300m investment in Guillemot Bros, the company run by Ubisoft's co-founders.To get more
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Tencent now has a 49.9 percent stake in Guillemot Bros., which has the largest stake in Ubisoft.With this new deal, Tencent has been allowed to more than double its stake in Ubisoft to 9.99 percent, while Guillemot Bros.' stake in Ubisoft can reach 29.9 percent.
Combined, Tencent and Guillemot Bros. could own the majority of Ubisoft stock, with the board still dominated by the Guillemot family.
"The expansion of the concert with Tencent further reinforces Ubisoft's core shareholding around its founders and provides the company with the stability essential for its long-term development," said Yves Guillemot, CEO and co-founder of Ubisoft.
"In a context where platforms and business models are converging, this transaction, which validates our strategy and highlights the strong intrinsic value of the assets we have built over the long term, is excellent news for our teams, gamers and shareholders. Tencent is a key shareholder partner for many of the industry's leaders, who have created some of the most outstanding video games. This transaction reinforces our ability to create strong value over the coming years."
Martin Lau, President of Tencent, added: "We are excited to expand our engagement with the founders, the Guillemot family, as Ubisoft continues to develop immersive game experiences, and to bring some of Ubisoft's most well-known AAA franchises to mobile. This agreement also aligns with our philosophy to invest alongside creative founders with full confidence that they will lead their companies to new heights."Tencent has continued to be a prolific force in 2022, snatching up developers left and right as it grows its empire alongside a handful of other gaming giants. Tencent has already invested in Ubisoft, but looks like that investment is set to deepen. Not only did Tencent increase its stake in Ubisoft, but it also increased its investment in Ubisoft’s parent company, Guillemot Brothers Limited.
Tencent and Ubisoft announced this latest investment news via a press release on September 6, 2022. According to the announcement, Tencent is increasing its investment in Guillemot Brothers to a 49.9 percent stake (about 300 million Euros), giving it very near majority control. Meanwhile, this investment allows Tencent to deepen its stake in Ubisoft as well. With it, Tencent now has a 9.99% stake in Ubisoft, which comes as Tencent prepares to port several of Ubisoft’s games over to mobile devices, as well as the Chinese market. It’s worth noting, however, that Tencent will not take a seat on either Ubisoft or Guillemot Brothers’ Board of Directors following this investment.It’s worth noting, however, that Tencent will not take a board seat on either Ubisoft or Guillemot Brothers following this investment. Nonetheless, between Tencent’s now 9.99 percent stake and the Guillemot family’s current 29.9 percent stake in Ubisoft, the two groups control a major bulk of the company’s overall shares and may play a major role in company decisions where voting power is applicable.
Ubisoft has a big year of it. With Assassin’s Creed Mirage announced, and Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope and Skull and Bones on the horizon, there’s a lot to be interested in from the developer. For more investment and gaming acquisition news, stay tuned here at Shacknews.
