Ubisoft has undergone major restructuring that’s set to have a big impact on the Far Cry, Assassin’s Creed, and Rainbow Six franchises.
The publisher has announced a new “dedicated subsidiary” in partnership with Tencent that, as reported by PC Gamer, will “focus on building game ecosystems designed to become truly evergreen and multi-platform" regarding those aforementioned IPs.
Ubisoft’s CEO, Yves Guillemot, said in a statement, “As we accelerate the company’s transformation, this is a foundational step in changing Ubisoft’s operating model that will enable us to be both agile and ambitious.”
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He continued, "We are focused on building strong game ecosystems designed to become evergreen, growing high-performing brands and creating new IPs powered by cutting-edge and emerging technologies.”
"With the creation of a dedicated subsidiary that will spearhead development for three of our largest franchises and the onboarding of Tencent as a minority investor, we are crystalising the value of our assets, strengthening our balance sheet, and creating the best conditions for these franchises’ long-term growth and success.”
Assassin’s Creed Shadows was Ubisoft’s latest release.
As Guillemot states, Tencent will be a minority shareholder, with a stake of around 25%, so Guillemot will retain control.
I bet you’re wondering, well, what exactly does this mean for those beloved franchises?
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Ubisoft is clearly painting this move in a positive light and for the most part, it does indeed have the potential to be productive.
But while Ubisoft won’t be totally passing these franchises into new hands, the appointment of a new “dedicated leadership team” could see us witness some ripples or teething issues as we embark on this new era.
It’s totally unknown whether devs will be drafted into the new subsidiary, or whether the restructuring will involve layoffs.
Of course, if it’s the latter, then this restructuring will likely not be one welcomed by the industry.
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It’s a risky move to play around with the stability of your biggest franchises, especially when Assassin’s Creed Shadows has just restored faith in that particular IP.
Far Cry, on the other hand, arguably needs to be injected with renewed life.
Ubisoft claims that we’ll find out more “in the coming months”.