Mr. Guillemot and his four brothers started Ubisoft in France’s Brittany region and own a minority stake, expanding it more than 30 years to become one of the world’s top five video game publishers. They’re trying to push away Vivendi and its billionaire chairman, Vincent Bolloré, who has amassed a 15-per-cent stake in Ubisoft in recent months and made an unsolicited takeover offer worth some 500-million euros ($750-million) for another Guillemot brothers-run gaming company, Gameloft SE.
The hostile bid on Gameloft is the first step in Vivendi’s larger ploy to force talks with the Guillemot family and take over Ubisoft, analysts at European investment bank Bryan, Garnier & Co. have said.
At stake are more than 3,000 Ubisoft jobs in Montreal, Quebec, Toronto and Halifax, and hundreds of millions in capital invested since the company opened its first studio in Canada in 1997. Quebec has the most to lose, with Ubisoft representing a pillar of its multimedia industry.
Although it’s unlikely Vivendi would shut down Ubisoft’s Canadian studios outright, the assets would be better protected if Ubisoft remained independent, Mr. Guillemot told The Globe and Mail on Thursday. Ubisoft enjoys a decision-making and operational agility that it wouldn’t have under Vivendi, and can forge better partnerships with global media players such as Warner Bros. instead of being forced to work with Vivendi’s properties, the CEO said.
nin wrote on Feb 26, 2016, 09:37:That is a tough call. I can't see Ubi getting any better with Vivendi calling the shots, though.
I gotta be honest and say I'm not sure who to root for here...the idea of yves being dethroned sure sounds appealing.
ldonyo wrote on Feb 26, 2016, 09:42:nin wrote on Feb 26, 2016, 09:37:That is a tough call. I can't see Ubi getting any better with Vivendi calling the shots, though.
I gotta be honest and say I'm not sure who to root for here...the idea of yves being dethroned sure sounds appealing.
Creston wrote on Feb 26, 2016, 09:48:
Don't want to be a target for a hostile takeover? Don't take your company public.
You went public, you ran the risk. Don't start crying about it now.
It's not as if Ubi will get better with Vivendi at the helm, but hell, they probably wouldn't get much worse either, so whatever. If Quebec is worried about its jobs, let them buy the company.
Creston wrote on Feb 26, 2016, 09:48:
Don't want to be a target for a hostile takeover? Don't take your company public.
You went public, you ran the risk. Don't start crying about it now.
It's not as if Ubi will get better with Vivendi at the helm, but hell, they probably wouldn't get much worse either, so whatever. If Quebec is worried about its jobs, let them buy the company.
nin wrote on Feb 26, 2016, 09:37:
I gotta be honest and say I'm not sure who to root for here...the idea of yves being dethroned sure sounds appealing.
Creston wrote on Feb 26, 2016, 09:48:
Don't want to be a target for a hostile takeover? Don't take your company public.
You went public, you ran the risk. Don't start crying about it now.
It's not as if Ubi will get better with Vivendi at the helm, but hell, they probably wouldn't get much worse either, so whatever. If Quebec is worried about its jobs, let them buy the company.
Kxmode wrote on Feb 26, 2016, 11:10:nin wrote on Feb 26, 2016, 09:37:
I gotta be honest and say I'm not sure who to root for here...the idea of yves being dethroned sure sounds appealing.
In principle you should always choose the lesser of two evils.
RavingArmy wrote on Feb 26, 2016, 15:09:Kxmode wrote on Feb 26, 2016, 11:10:nin wrote on Feb 26, 2016, 09:37:
I gotta be honest and say I'm not sure who to root for here...the idea of yves being dethroned sure sounds appealing.
In principle you should always choose the lesser of two evils.
Yeah, but which one is the lesser evil?
Task wrote on Feb 26, 2016, 13:31:
Guyz, isn't Corporatism just great!? Some cutt throat man or woman Corporate a-hole just can't get enough of money.
InBlack wrote on Feb 26, 2016, 12:55:
Why would Vivendi even attempt this? Ubisoft is definitely NOT Blizzard. Oh well it's their loss (literally)...