Editing Ubisoft (section)

===Financial concerns (2023–present)===
Citing disappointing financial results in the previous quarter, Ubisoft cancelled another three previously unannounced games in January 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wales |first=Matt |date=11 January 2023 |title=Ubisoft cancels three unannounced games, delays Skull and Bones again |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/ubisoft-cancels-three-unannounced-games-delays-skull-and-bones-again |access-date=3 March 2024 |work=Eurogamer.net |language=en |archive-date=11 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111180740/https://www.eurogamer.net/ubisoft-cancels-three-unannounced-games-delays-skull-and-bones-again |url-status=live }}</ref> In an email to staff, Yves Guillemot told employees to take responsibility for the company's forthcoming projects, asking that "each of you be especially careful and strategic with your spending and initiatives, to ensure we're being as efficient and lean as possible", while also saying that "The ball is in your court to deliver this line-up on time and at the expected level of quality, and show everyone what we are capable of achieving."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gach |first=Ethan |date=11 January 2023 |title=Ubisoft Delays Skull And Bones, Cancels More Games, And Announces New Cuts |url=https://kotaku.com/ubisoft-skull-bones-delay-assassins-creed-far-cry-cuts-1849975925 |access-date=3 March 2024 |website=Kotaku |language=en |archive-date=3 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303190640/https://kotaku.com/ubisoft-skull-bones-delay-assassins-creed-far-cry-cuts-1849975925 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Nightingale |first=Ed |date=12 January 2023 |title=Ubisoft stock falls following project cancellations |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/ubisoft-stock-falls-following-project-cancellations |access-date=3 March 2024 |work=Eurogamer.net |language=en |archive-date=3 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303190640/https://www.eurogamer.net/ubisoft-stock-falls-following-project-cancellations |url-status=live }}</ref> Union workers at Ubisoft Paris took issue with this message, calling for a strike and demanding higher salaries and improved working conditions.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wales |first=Matt |date=17 January 2023 |title=Ubisoft Paris staff called to strike following CEO's "ball is in your court" comments |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/ubisoft-paris-staff-called-to-strike-following-ceos-ball-is-in-your-court-comments |access-date=3 March 2024 |work=Eurogamer.net |language=en |archive-date=3 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303142612/https://www.eurogamer.net/ubisoft-paris-staff-called-to-strike-following-ceos-ball-is-in-your-court-comments |url-status=live }}</ref>

In August 2023, Ubisoft announced that it had reached a 15-year agreement with [[Microsoft]] to license the [[cloud gaming]] rights to [[Activision Blizzard]] titles; this came as part of efforts by Microsoft to receive approval from the UK [[Competition and Markets Authority]] (CMA) for its [[Acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft|acquisition of Activision Blizzard]]. The agreement would allow Activision Blizzard games to appear on Ubisoft+, and allow Ubisoft to sublicense the cloud gaming rights for the games to third-parties.<ref>{{cite web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=13 October 2023 |title=Ubisoft and Activision Blizzard's deal for cloud gaming rights, explained |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/13/23915780/ubisoft-activision-blizzard-microsoft-cloud-gaming-rights-deal-explained |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231123055240/https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/13/23915780/ubisoft-activision-blizzard-microsoft-cloud-gaming-rights-deal-explained |archive-date=23 November 2023 |accessdate=21 October 2023 |work=[[The Verge]]}}</ref><ref name="Ubisoft cloud">{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Tom |date=August 22, 2023 |title=Microsoft will sell Activision Blizzard streaming rights to Ubisoft |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/microsoft-will-sell-activision-blizzard-streaming-rights-to-ubisoft |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230822093416/https://www.eurogamer.net/microsoft-will-sell-activision-blizzard-streaming-rights-to-ubisoft |archive-date=August 22, 2023 |access-date=August 22, 2023 |website=[[Eurogamer]]}}</ref>

As part of a cost reduction plan, Ubisoft reduced its number of employees from 20,279 in 2022 to 19,410 in September 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=Jeffrey Rousseau Staff |date=26 October 2023 |title=Ubisoft's H1 sees a 14% revenue bump |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/ubisofts-h1-sees-a-14-revenue-bump |access-date=26 October 2023 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en |archive-date=26 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231026203257/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/ubisofts-h1-sees-a-14-revenue-bump |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2023, Ubisoft laid off 124 employees from its VFX and IT teams.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=Jeffrey Rousseau Staff |date=7 November 2023 |title=Ubisoft sees layoffs across VFX and IT teams |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/ubisoft-sees-layoffs-across-vfx-and-it-teams |access-date=9 November 2023 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en |archive-date=9 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109010401/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/ubisoft-sees-layoffs-across-vfx-and-it-teams |url-status=live }}</ref> In March 2024, Ubisoft laid off 45 employees from its publishing teams.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Justin |date=1 April 2024 |title=Ubisoft lays off 45 employees to address 'market evolution' |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/ubisoft-lays-off-45-employees-to-address-market-evolution- |access-date=2 April 2024 |website=www.gamedeveloper.com |language=en |archive-date=2 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240402113307/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/ubisoft-lays-off-45-employees-to-address-market-evolution- |url-status=live }}</ref> Another 45 employees were cut between its San Francisco and Cary, North Carolina offices in August 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schreier |first=Jason |date=16 August 2024 |title=Ubisoft Entertainment Cuts 45 People From Its US Staff |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-16/ubisoft-entertainment-cuts-45-people-from-its-us-staff |access-date=17 August 2024 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}</ref> By the end of September 2024, Ubisoft had reduced its number of employees to 18,666.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |date=30 October 2024 |title=Ubisoft explores 'strategic options' as it reports lackluster September quarter results |url=https://venturebeat.com/games/ubisoft-explores-strategic-options-as-it-reports-lackluster-september-quarter-results/ |access-date=5 November 2024 |website=VentureBeat |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2024, Ubisoft released multiple games that experienced underperforming sales and declining playerbases post-launch, which included ''[[Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora]]'', ''[[Skull and Bones (video game)|Skull and Bones]]'', ''[[XDefiant]]'', and ''[[Star Wars Outlaws]]'', causing its stock to fall to nearly its lowest levels in the previous decade.<ref>{{cite web |last1=D'Anastasio |first1=Cecilia |title=Ubisoft Shares Sink to Decade Low After 'Assassin's Creed' Delay |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ubisoft-shares-sink-decade-low-083010524.html |website=[[Yahoo Finance]] (via [[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]]) |access-date=8 October 2024 |date=26 September 2024}}</ref> As a result, the company announced they were launching an investigation of their development cycles to focus on a "player-centric approach", and opted to delay its next major flagship game, ''[[Assassin's Creed Shadows]]'', from November 2024 to February 2025.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://variety.com/2024/gaming/news/assassins-creed-shadows-launch-delayed-february-2025-ubisoft-1236155666/ | title = 'Assassin's Creed Shadows' Launch Delayed to February 2025 Amid Weak 'Star Wars Outlaws' Performance at Ubisoft | first = Jennifer | last = Maas | date = 26 September 2024 | accessdate = 27 September 2024 | work = [[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] }}</ref>

On 16 October 2024, over 700 Ubisoft employees in France began a three-day strike, protesting the company's requirement to return to the office three days a week. The strike, organized by the STJV union, involved Ubisoft's offices in Paris, Montpellier, [[Lyon]], and Annecy. Workers expressed dissatisfaction over a lack of flexibility, salary increases, and profit-sharing, which they believe the company has ignored. Ubisoft has yet to address the union's concerns.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 October 2024 |title=Over 700 Workers of Ubisoft France Offices Walkout to Protest |url=https://80.lv/articles/over-700-ubisoft-france-employees-go-on-three-day-strike/ |access-date=17 October 2024 |website=80.lv |language=en}}</ref>

In December 2024, Ubisoft announced that their free-to-play game [[XDefiant]] would be shutting down in June 2025, less than a year after its initial release.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tassi |first=Paul |title=''XDefiant'' Will Shut Down, Another Black Eye For Ubisoft In A Year Full Of Them |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2024/12/04/xdefiant-will-shut-down-another-black-eye-for-ubisoft-in-a-year-full-of-them/ |access-date=5 December 2024 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> They also announced that its lead development studio [[Ubisoft San Francisco]], and [[Ubisoft Osaka]], were to close, resulting in up to 277 employees being laid off.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Square |first=Push |date=4 December 2024 |title=Ubisoft FPS XDefiant Shutting Down, Not Accepting New Players |url=https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2024/12/ubisoft-fps-xdefiant-shutting-down-not-accepting-new-players |access-date=4 December 2024 |website=Push Square |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In January 2025, Ubisoft closed the [[Ubisoft Leamington]] studio and downsized several other studios, resulting in up to 185 staff being laid off as part of ongoing cost-cutting measures.<ref name="Leamington">{{Cite web|last=Phillips|first=Tom|date=27 January 2025|title=Ubisoft announces studio closure as it lays off 185 staff|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/ubisoft-announces-studio-closure-as-it-lays-off-185-staff|website=Eurogamer|access-date=27 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=28 January 2025 |title=Ubisoft jobs at risk in Leamington and Newcastle-upon-Tyne |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2jxzjgpplo |access-date=30 January 2025 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Around September 2024, one of Ubisoft's shareholders, AJ Investments, stated they were seeking to have the company purchased by a private equity firm and would push out the Guillemot family and Tencent from ownership of the company.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.reuters.com/technology/ubisoft-activist-investor-says-it-has-support-10-shareholders-management-tussle-2024-09-26/ | title = Exclusive: Ubisoft activist investor says it has support of 10% of shareholders in management tussle | first = Zaheer | last = Kachwala | date = 26 September 2024 | accessdate = 27 September 2024 | work = [[Reuters]] }}</ref> ''[[Bloomberg News]]'' reported in October 2024 that the Guillemots and Tencent were considering this and other alternatives to shift ownership of the company in light of the recent poor financial performance.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-04/tencent-guillemot-family-are-said-to-consider-buyout-of-ubisoft | title = Tencent, Guillemot Family Said to Consider Buyout of Ubisoft | first1 = Vinicy | last1 = Chan | first2 = Dong | last2 = Cao | first3 = Benoit | last3 = Berthelot | date = 4 October 2024 | accessdate = 4 October 2024 | work = [[Bloomberg News]] }}</ref> Later reports in December 2024 suggested that Tencent was seeking to capture a majority stake in Ubisoft and take the company private, while still giving the Guillemot family control of Ubisoft.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/ubisoft-shareholders-talks-over-possible-buyout-terms-sources-say-2024-12-06/ | title = Ubisoft shareholders in talks over possible buyout terms, sources say | first1 = Amy-Jo | last1 = Crowley | first2 = Julie | last2 = Zhu | date = 6 December 2024 | accessdate = 6 December 2024 | work = [[Reuters]] }}</ref> In January 2025, it was reported that the Guillemots had also considered carving out certain Ubisoft assets into a new subsidiary, which would allow Tencent to make targeted investments to increase the company's overall value.<ref>{{Cite news |date=15 January 2025 |title=Tencent, Guillemot Family Are Said to Mull Ubisoft Asset Venture |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-15/tencent-guillemot-family-are-said-to-mull-ubisoft-asset-venture |access-date=16 January 2025 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}</ref> Ubisoft announced this subsidiary on 27 March 2025, devoted to its flagship ''Assassin's Creed'', ''Far Cry'', and ''Rainbow Six'' franchises; the subsidiary will consist of the franchises' assets and development teams, and have dedicated leadership. Tencent will make a €1.16 billion investment in the new subsidiary, giving it a 25% stake at a valuation of €4 billion; the value of this subsidiary is larger than the current valuation of Ubisoft, which is based on Tencent's belief that these properties are undervalued. Ubisoft stated that the subsidiary would "focus on building game ecosystems designed to become truly evergreen and multi-platform". The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Browne |first=Ryan |date=2025-03-27 |title=Ubisoft spins out new unit for Assassin's Creed and other games, Tencent to take $1.25 billion stake |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/27/ubisoft-spins-out-new-gaming-subsidiary-tencent-to-take-stake.html |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Berthelot |first1=Benoit |last2=Zuidijk |first2=Daniel |date=27 March 2025 |title='Assassin's Creed' Maker Carves Out €4 Billion Unit with Tencent |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-27/ubisoft-carves-out-top-games-tencent-invests-1-16-billion |accessdate=27 March 2025 |work=[[Bloomberg News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Colp |first=Tyler |date=2025-03-27 |title=Ubisoft breaks off Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six into a new Tencent-backed unit |url=https://www.polygon.com/news/548281/ubisoft-tencent-investment-assassins-creed-far-cry-rainbow-six |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref>