Don’t know much about Q-Games but googling showed they had a game for Stadia. I also recall the head dev came to Jaffe’s show some time ago.
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I don’t know. Ubisoft has huge potential. The advantages of this acquisition are well established. Of course, it also comes with a few issues to deal with. You talk about the number of employees and I agree with that. Ubisoft needs to be restructured. However, ABK plans to hire several thousand people in the coming years (up to 5000 according to Bobby Kotick). Can’t we simply transfer these 5,000 employees from Ubisoft to ABK in order to meet the needs of both companies? Ubisoft would be more stable and ABK could release its studios that support COD (Toys 4 Bob, Beenox, Raven, High Moon) more quickly. I think it could be beneficial to both companies. From my point of view, the real question that arises is the validation or not of the regulators, since they have decided to give Ubisoft as much importance as giants like ABK, EA or Take Two. Nevertheless, I think it could pass with some concessions (cross-platform AC) and the danger that Tencent represents for the company. I don’t know if Microsoft is interested (I think it was before ABK), but Ubisoft is clearly a possible acquisition from 2024.
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If we comparing ip, especially potential. Ubisoft has some of the best they are just sometimes underutilised.
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I don’t see Ubisoft as a whole being acquired due to the vast amount of layoffs they’d have to make tbh but some IP/Studios could be plausible. My take for Ubisoft is they ultimately get bought by a private equity firm and pieces auctioned off to the highest bidder.
dont agree with you
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Yes, Ubisoft has a large amount of IP in a wide variety of genres. Ubisoft also has technologies (AI, Cloud, Anti-Cheat System, Game Store, Open World Creation…) and localization studios (all over the world) that could be very interesting for Microsoft. Then of course you have the huge catalog of games and the huge production capacity that would be amazing for GP. Ubisoft would be a really great acquisition for Xbox, and it would probably save the company. At this price it is obvious that the acquisition must absolutely be considered. It won’t solve the problem in Asia and it will probably limit future (big) acquisitions, but it will significantly increase Microsoft’s market share in Europe and bring more casual gamers (initially at Playstation) to Xbox. If Microsoft manages to acquire SEGA or Capcom after Ubisoft, it’s the guaranteed jackpot. I think this is the ideal scenario for a massive and effective development of the Xbox branch.
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I don’t think most will be interested in the ‘project’ that is Ubisoft right now. They need to prove they can release games at a decent pace, and to succeed in the process.
Make this point My friend yesterday just do a Game pass deal for Ubisofts Major releases for the next decade And while the company will more than likely shave off their own studios get them Once there are there are lowest
If what Grubb was reporting is accurate then they have already tried to be acquired and have been laughed out the room each time. 20k employees is absolutely monstrous and a lot of their support studios would be simply redundant under MSFT. Teams like Ivory Tower who hold a sizeable racing franchise with the Crew would also be overshadowed by the bastions that are Turn 10 and Playground. A few of their studios make sense (particularly Massive) but taking on the lot would be dicey.
Ubisoft costs only $3 billion and instantly adds hundreds of existing games to GP. It is much more beneficial in the long run for Microsoft to own its studios/games (make money) than to sign partnerships for GP (spend money). Ubisoft has proven to be capable of releasing up to 5 games per year and games like AC can sell over 20 million copies. By having a long-term vision and in line with Microsoft’s strategy, it is obvious that Ubisoft is an excellent acquisition. Of course, the company is not at its peak, but if it was, would it be for sale? This is an opportunity, Microsoft must consider it and see what it can do with it. Ubisoft has great potential to exploit.
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My feeling for Ubisoft is that they will sell off certain IP/Studios to streamline themselves.
I don’t think they’d sell Assassin Creed, Far Cry, Tom Clancy stuff, Watch Dogs and a few others.
They could sell off some of below as additional to rack up the sales price of certain studios.
- Brothers In Arms
- Call of Juarez
- Driver
- Rayman
- The Settlers
- Trials
None are exciting right now but think of it the same way Square sold studios and some IP.
That’s what I think would be up first for Ubisoft. Issue is they’ve got around 20,000 employees and 40+ studios fragmented around. So it’s hard to pick what’s worth what.
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Call of Juarez would be an excellent pick up for Xbox (Imagine Machine or Coalition developing!!) although I thought Techland held the IP? Settlers and Anno would be great for the PC market which is a key focus of Xbox’s atm. Wouldn’t be surprised if Nintendo were to swoop Ubisoft Milan and get Rayman + Rabbids.
Not at its peak is an underestimate, they are at the ledge of a cliff and about to fall off. They are struggling to release games, cancelling games, all while paying 20,000 employees.
They will need to take a couple steps forward before people start to consider them, otherwise they could just wait for them to die and pick at their pieces.
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What do you guys think of Level 5?
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Pretty smart and realistic acquisition if Xbox were looking to expand in Japan. Would think Yo Kai Watch would have to be multiplat though.
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However, they continue to release several games a year, even if they have difficulties with certain titles, which can however be explained by multiple reasons (multiplication of GAAS projects, COVID, bad management and scandals…). Yes, the company is doing badly, but on the contrary, I think it’s a chance for Microsoft to acquire it and turn it into something better. People tend to bury Ubisoft a little too easily, but I think it wouldn’t take long for Microsoft to get it back on track and see some quick payoffs. Of course, not everyone can acquire Ubisoft, but Tencent seems interested and Microsoft would have every reason to be too.
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Yes. Simple 
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They could do wonders with Call of Juarez, that’s why I made sure I mentioned it. I think ABK has Gun so who knows what might come back.
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I am sure every company will look at them and we’ll find out whether it makes sense or not based on whether we see them acquired or not. We already heard from Grubb that they were shopping themselves around and nobody was biting, so take that as you will.