Ubisoft could be one of the next big gaming companies to undergo an acquisition, but not from one of the big platform holders. Over the years, Ubisoft has done its best to stay independent, even going as far as to fight off a hostile takeover from Vivendi. It was a pretty heated battle that drew eyes from all over the industry, but Ubisoft ultimately prevailed and Vivendi backed down from its battle. Despite this, it seems Ubisoft may be ready to welcome the right buyer. Earlier this year, Ubisoft stated it was open to reviewing any possible requests for acquisitions and it seems like it’s starting to happen.
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Bloomberg is reporting that Ubisoft is in very early, but not serious talks with several private equity firms such as Blackstone Inc. and KKR & Co.. As of right now, there is no indication on whether or not Ubisoft will actually move forward with an acquisition with these parties. Whether or not news of these light discussions will prompt other, more powerful parties to become involved remains to be seen. PlayStation is reportedly interested in acquiring more teams, so perhaps they could become a potential suitor. Reps for Blackstone and KKR declined to comment to Bloomberg, but Ubisoft stated it has built a strong portfolio and is “ideally positioned to capitalize on emerging opportunities amid rapid growth in the industry”.
Ubisoft is one of the biggest gaming publishers out there, not only just because of its rich library of IP, but also because it has an extensive pool of talent thanks to a global network of studios. It makes it a prime candidate for an acquisition thanks to its massive reach. Not only that, but Ubisoft has managed to corner the market on a number of genres thanks to Assassin’s Creed, Rainbow Six Siege, Watch Dogs, and a number of upcoming free-to-play titles. Ubisoft is also working with Disney to produce a brand-new Star Wars game as well as adapt James Cameron’s Avatar series.
Do you think a Ubisoft acquistion would be good for the publisher? Let me know in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
