A minority Ubisoft shareholder, AJ Investments, plans a protest outside the company's Paris headquarters. CEO Juraj Krúpa accuses Ubisoft of mismanagement, citing declining shareholder value, poor operational execution, and a failure to adapt to market trends. Krúpa alleges a lack of transparency regarding key decisions, including the alleged *Assassin's Creed Mirage* DLC partnership with the Savvy Group and undisclosed discussions with Microsoft, EA, and other potential acquirers of Ubisoft IPs, as reported by MergerMarket. Ubisoft has been contacted for comment.
This follows October's Bloomberg report of discussions between Ubisoft's Guillemot family and Tencent to take the company private. While those talks were exploratory, Ubisoft's ongoing struggles—including high-profile game flops, cancellations, layoffs, studio closures, and repeated delays—continue to fuel speculation about its future. Rumors persist regarding Tencent's reluctance to fully commit due to the Guillemot family's desire to retain significant control, leaving few potential saviors for the struggling company.
Krúpa criticizes Ubisoft's handling of *Assassin's Creed*, citing multiple delays and revised guidance as detrimental to shareholder value, particularly impacting retail investors. He alleges that these actions disproportionately benefited institutional investors who bought at discounted prices. AJ Investments is urging fellow investors frustrated with Ubisoft's performance to join the May protest, contingent on the outcome of Ubisoft's ongoing strategic review led by Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan. The demonstration aims to pressure management for increased shareholder value and improved transparency and accountability.
AJ Investments has threatened legal action against Ubisoft for allegedly misleading investors. This isn't the first time the investor has called for a sale or privatization, having previously issued a strongly worded open letter expressing dissatisfaction with Ubisoft's performance and share price following the underperforming launch of *Star Wars Outlaws* in September.
