Ubisoft appoints advisors to oversee "strategic options"

Ubisoft has appointed advisors to review various "strategic and capitalistic options" following previously initiated strategic and execution reviews.

"We have taken decisive steps to reshape Ubisoft to deliver best-in-class player experiences, enhance operational efficiency and maximise value creation," said Ubisoft CEO and co-founder Yves Guillemot.

"We recently appointed advisors and are actively exploring various strategic and capitalistic options to unlock the full value potential of our assets. We are convinced that there are several potential paths to generate value from Ubisoft's assets and franchises."

As part of the ongoing reviews, Ubisoft has decided to delay Assassin's Creed Shadows by a month.

The game was initially scheduled for release on November 15, 2024, but was delayed to February 14, 2025. The launch date has now been moved to March 20, 2025.

"[Ubisoft] is behind our teams' efforts to create the most ambitious Assassin's Creed opus of the franchise," added Guillemot.

"[We] have made the decision to provide an extra month of development to Shadows in order to better incorporate the player feedback gathered over the past three months that will enable us to fully deliver on the potential of the game and finish the year on a strong note."

During a call with investors following the announcement (via GamesRadar), Ubisoft responded to reports of buyout discussions with Tencent.

"We won't comment on specific rumours that we've seen in the market," said CFO Frederick Duguet. "We will inform the market if and when a transaction materialises."

Ubisoft said it will continue to undertake cost reductions and be "highly selective" regarding investments. It is expecting a "€200 million reduction of its fixed cost base."

The firm also shared its estimated Q3 net bookings to be €300 million, which is lower than expected due to the underperformance of Star Wars Outlaws and sunsetting XDefiant last month.

As for the full year, Ubisoft has predicted net bookings of €1.9 billion and is expecting "new partnership opportunities for Ubisoft's games and franchises as well as for the monetisation of the streaming rights acquired last fiscal year."