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All we know about Ubisoft 'sale' after 'emergency' call and Assassin's Creed delay

Ubisoft reportedly held an emergency conference call yesterday following Assassin's Creed: Shadows being delayed here's all we know about reports that the company is looking to sell

[Assassins Creed Shadows screenshot]

Assassins Creed Shadows will feature two protagonists(Image: Ubisoft)

Assassin's Creed publisher Ubisoft announced yesterday that Assassin's Creed: Shadows (which was delayed to February 2025) will now launch in March 2025.

This was followed by an 'emergency' conference call with investors who reportedly asked CEO Yves Guillemot and CFO Frederick Duguet for answers regarding reports that the company is looking to sell to Tencent.

Bloomberg previously reported that the company could go private after a series of misfires. Reports have suggested that Ubisoft lost more than half of its market value in 2024, with Star Wars Outlaws reportedly underperforming.

On the call, Duguet said "we will inform the market if and when a transaction materialises" when asked about a potential deal with Chinese investor Tencent, which owns around 40% of Fortnite developer Epic Games.

[Star Wars Outlaws key art]

Star Wars Outlaws underperformed(Image: Ubisoft)

"With the appointment of leading advisors, we are actively exploring various transformational strategic and capitalistic options to extract the best value for stakeholders," Guillemot said.

"We are convinced that there are several potential paths to generate value for Ubisoft assets and franchises. This process will be overseen by the independent members of the board of directors."

Star Wars: Outlaws' launch was described as "softer than expected" in September's earnings call, and in recent months Ubisoft has announced plans to shut down its first-person shooter, XDefiant, while also closing down multiple studios.

Skull and Bones, which had been in development for years, launched this year to middling reviews despite being described as Guillemot as a 'AAAA' video game.

As for Tencent, the US Department of Defense has recently deemed the company as potentially working with China's military, meaning any potential sale may face additional hurdles or scrutiny.

A report from Insider Gaming has suggested the fate of Ubisoft's deal with Tencent could come down to the response to Assassin's Creed Shadows a game we dubbed one of the most anticipated of 2025.

If it performs well, Ubisoft may have additional leverage for negotiations. If it doesn't, Tencent is likely to be able to count on the company's share value dropping.

Ubisoft have been contacted for comment.

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