UBISOFT ACCELERATES IN FAST GROWING MOBA1 MARKET BY ACQUIRING “MARCH OF GIANTS” GAME FROM AMAZON Game Praised In Successful Closed Alpha Playtesting, Next Major Update Arrives in 2026 Seasoned Experts Developing March of Giants Are Joining Ubisoft, Will Become Part of Future Creative House PARIS – December 15, 2025 – Today, Ubisoft announced that it is acquiring the rights to March of Giants from Amazon. The talented, Montreal-based team behind the innovative multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) project ...

Company Overview - Ubisoft Entertainment shares surged to their highest in almost a year following a deal with Tencent Holdings to invest in Vantage Studios, the unit behind major franchises like Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six [3][4] - The €1.16 billion ($1.3 billion) cash investment will be utilized to reduce Ubisoft's debt and marks a significant milestone in the company's transformation [4] Investment Details - The investment values Vantage Studios at a pre-money enterprise value of €3.8 billion, with Tencent acquiring a 26.32% economic interest in the studio, which remains under Ubisoft's exclusive control [4][5] - Following the announcement, Ubisoft's shares on the Paris stock exchange increased by 9.04%, reaching EUR 7.67 [6]

Company Overview - Ubisoft Entertainment shares surged to their highest in almost a year following a deal with Tencent Holdings to invest in Vantage Studios, the unit behind major franchises like Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six [3][4] - The €1.16 billion ($1.3 billion) cash investment will be utilized to reduce Ubisoft's debt and marks a significant milestone in the company's transformation [4] Investment Details - The investment values Vantage Studios at a pre-money enterprise value of €3.8 billion, with Tencent acquiring a 26.32% economic interest in the studio, which remains under Ubisoft's exclusive control [4][5] - Following the investment, Ubisoft's shares on the Paris stock exchange increased by 9.04%, reaching EUR 7.67 [6]

Core Insights - Ubisoft has completed Tencent's investment in Vantage Studios, which is a new unit focused on major franchises like Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six [1] Company Developments - The establishment of Vantage Studios indicates Ubisoft's strategy to leverage its popular franchises for further growth and development in the gaming industry [1] - Tencent's investment reflects the increasing collaboration between major gaming companies and investors to enhance content creation and distribution [1]

Core Insights - Ubisoft has completed a strategic investment from Tencent, securing €1.16 billion for its subsidiary Vantage Studios, which is valued at a pre-money enterprise value of €3.8 billion, marking a significant milestone in Ubisoft's transformation [1][5]. Group Structure and Leadership - Vantage Studios, operational since October 1, 2025, is focused on autonomy, player centricity, and aims to accelerate the growth of Ubisoft's largest franchises, including Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six [2][5]. - The studio is led by co-CEOs Charlie Guillemot and Christophe Derennes, supported by a dedicated leadership team and an advisory committee [2]. Financial Implications - The investment will help deleverage Ubisoft's consolidated non-IFRS net debt and provide financial flexibility for strategic transformations and selected investments across the group [3][5]. - Tencent now holds a 26.32% economic interest in Vantage Studios, which remains under Ubisoft's control [4]. Shareholders' Agreement - The Shareholders' Agreement includes minority protection rights for Tencent, a five-year lock-up on Vantage Studios' securities, and stipulations ensuring Ubisoft maintains majority voting rights for at least two years [6]. - In the event of a change of control of Ubisoft, there are provisions for call and put options regarding Tencent's interest in Vantage Studios, with specific pricing mechanisms based on fair market value [7].

Core Insights - Ubisoft has completed Tencent's strategic investment in Vantage Studios, securing a €1.16 billion cash investment, which values Vantage Studios at a pre-money enterprise value of €3.8 billion, marking a significant milestone in Ubisoft's transformation [1][5][4] Group 1: Investment Details - The investment from Tencent will help deleverage Ubisoft's balance sheet and support selected investments across the Group, providing enhanced financial flexibility for strategic transformation [3][5] - Tencent now holds a 26.32% economic interest in Vantage Studios, which remains under Ubisoft's exclusive control [4][5] Group 2: Vantage Studios Operations - Vantage Studios became fully operational on October 1, 2025, focusing on accelerating the growth of Ubisoft's three largest franchises: Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six [2][5] - The studio operates under principles of autonomy, focus, and player centricity, with a dedicated leadership team [2][5] Group 3: Shareholders' Agreement - The Shareholders' Agreement includes minority protection rights for Tencent, a five-year lock-up on Vantage Studios' securities held by Tencent, and stipulations ensuring Ubisoft maintains majority control for at least two years [6][7] - In the event of a change of control of Ubisoft, there are call and put options related to Tencent's interest in Vantage Studios, with specific pricing mechanisms based on fair market value [7]

Core Insights - Ubisoft reported strong first-half earnings for fiscal year 2025-26, with net bookings reaching €772.4 million, a 20.3% increase year-on-year, driven by robust digital sales and back-catalog performance [2][41] - The company confirmed its financial targets for FY2025-26, expecting stable net bookings and approximately break-even non-IFRS operating income [48] - The strategic transaction with Tencent is set to close soon, which will provide €1.16 billion to help deleverage the company and support its transformation efforts [8][9] Financial Performance - Net bookings for Q2 2025-26 were €490.8 million, exceeding guidance and up 39% year-on-year, attributed to strong partnerships and a solid back-catalog [3][41] - Digital net bookings accounted for €685.8 million, representing a 30.2% increase and 88.8% of total net bookings [2] - Non-IFRS operating income for the first half was €27.1 million, a significant improvement from a loss of €252.1 million in the same period last year [42] Strategic Developments - The Tencent transaction will enable early repayment of loans totaling approximately €286 million, enhancing financial flexibility [5][28] - Ubisoft is progressing with its transformation into a new operating model centered around Creative Houses, aimed at fostering autonomy and efficiency [12][26] - The company is on track to achieve at least €100 million in fixed cost savings by FY2026-27 through targeted restructuring and disciplined hiring [29][30] Product Lineup and Market Position - Upcoming titles include Anno 117: Pax Romana™, Assassin's Creed Mirage updates, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora expansion, with significant releases planned for Q4 [6][49] - The Assassin's Creed franchise continues to perform strongly, with recent updates and expansions driving player engagement [15][10] - Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege is adapting to a new seasonal approach to enhance player experience and address recent challenges [16][17] Market Dynamics - Ubisoft's portfolio showed contrasting dynamics, with strong performances in franchises like Assassin's Creed and The Division 2, while facing challenges in Rainbow Six Siege due to a competitive FPS environment [10][19] - The company reported 34 million monthly active users and 88 million unique users across consoles and PC, indicating a slight decline when excluding XDefiant [14]

Core Insights - The upcoming video game from Rockstar is anticipated to be one of the biggest and best-selling entertainment products of all time, with high expectations for quality and sales performance [1][2]. Company Perspective - Rockstar and Take-Two are under significant pressure to ensure the game achieves a Metacritic score of 95 or higher, reflecting their commitment to quality and consumer satisfaction [1][2]. - From a sales perspective, Take-Two aims to replicate the success of previous titles, particularly Grand Theft Auto V, which has sold 220 million units since its release in 2013, making it the second best-selling game of all time [2][3]. Industry Context - The video game industry is characterized by high production complexity and significant consumer expectations, particularly for major titles like those from Rockstar [1]. - The sales data of Grand Theft Auto V indicates that the franchise has outperformed many others, such as Final Fantasy and Assassin's Creed, highlighting the potential market impact of the new release [3].

Core Viewpoint - Ubisoft is undergoing a significant reorganization to enhance agility and focus, following disappointing sales and a net loss in the previous financial year [2][4]. Financial Performance - Ubisoft reported sales of 311 million euros ($364 million) for Q1 of the 2025-26 financial year, a decrease of 3.9% year-on-year, primarily due to issues with "Rainbow Six Siege" [2]. - The company's preferred metric, "net bookings," showed a smaller decline of 2.9% [3]. - Ubisoft forecasts net bookings of approximately 450 million euros for Q2, supported by new partnerships and revenue from TV series [3]. - For the full financial year, Ubisoft aims for stable year-on-year net bookings and approximately break-even operating profit [3]. Organizational Changes - The reorganization involves creating autonomous units responsible for different game franchises, aimed at fostering long-term stability and creative vision [2][7]. - The first subsidiary was established in a billion-euro deal with Tencent, which will manage major franchises like "Assassin's Creed," "Rainbow Six," and "Far Cry" [8][9]. - The new units will operate independently and be accountable for their business objectives, with further details expected by October [7][8]. Strategic Initiatives - Ubisoft plans to release a remake of "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" in March and is developing new episodes for the "Anno" series and mobile versions of "Rainbow Six" and "The Division" [9]. - The company has faced challenges, including a 28% decline in stock price since January and reputational damage from a harassment case involving former executives [10].

Core Points - The Annual General Meeting of shareholders of Ubisoft was held on July 10, 2025, in Paris, with shareholders holding 59.85% of outstanding shares approving all resolutions, indicating strong support for the company's strategy [2][4] - Two new independent directors, Axelle Lemaire and André Loesekrug-Pietri, were appointed, bringing expertise in Technology, Public Affairs, and Finance, which will support Ubisoft's strategic transformation [3] - The meeting also included the renewal of mandates for existing directors, including Claude France as Lead Independent Director and Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee, as well as Christian Guillemot and Michel Guillemot [4] Financial Performance - For the fiscal year 2024–25, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €1.85 billion, reflecting the company's strong market position and diverse portfolio of games [5]