A report on Bloomberg Business has the latest on Ubisoft's efforts at fending off a hostile takeover by Vivendi, saying the threat of a talent exodus may be the company's best defense against the financial assault (thanks PCGamesN). Some of the story is based on feedback from financial analysts Michael Pachter and Richard Maxime Beaudoux, who often hold views that diverge from those of the hardcore gaming audience, but they do also quote those more directly involved in the situation, including company founder Yves Guillemot. He explains that their dedication to retaining employees is not the norm, and they make a case for how this could work against an acquisition. Here's a summary:

Ubisoft, the third biggest independent game maker, is behind some of the most popular games of today including “Assassin’s Creed” and “The Division.” Guillemot and his four brothers, who own about 9 percent of the company, are on the defensive after Vivendi, the media conglomerate headed by Bollore, started buying into Ubisoft last October. Vivendi’s initial 10 percent stake is up to just over 15 percent now. The company said this month it plans to keep buying shares and seek board representation. Potentially more worrisome, it began a hostile bid for Gameloft SE, another game company founded by the Guillemot brothers.

For 30 years, Guillemot has been running Ubisoft, based in the Paris suburb of Montreuil, as a family business where creatives are given time, space and a little extra budget when they need it. That’s a far cry from the iron fist culture of Bollore, who took control of advertising agency Havas SA and installed his son as chief executive officer.

Vivendi risks turning Ubisoft into an “empty shell” unless it can keep its approach friendly and retain Guillemot as a top executive, said Richard Maxime Beaudoux, an analyst at Bryan Garnier & Co. “This industry’s all about star developers and creatives -- they create the added-value. And at Ubisoft, Guillemot has their support.”