Vivendi Buys a Bigger Chunk of Ubisoft and Gameloft

Regular readers will have read last week about Vivendi buying stakes in Ubisoft and Gameloft. Well today, you can read the exact same story but with larger numbers in it!

After another purchase which the Paris based media giants announced today, they now hold 10.39% of Ubisoft and 10.20% of Gameloft. This is an increase from last weeks 6.6 and 6.2 percent holdings respectively. 

This could prove to be a significant point for the company. Instead of just a one off purchase, additional shares shows a sign of intent and it's clear that Vivendi are regretting their decision to leave gaming and want to return.

In a press release on their website, Vivendi stated:

"These investments are part of a strategic vision of operational convergence between Vivendi’s content and platforms on one hand and the Ubisoft and Gameloft productions in video games on the other.
Vivendi is acting alone, is not in concert with a third party and has not concluded a temporary sale agreement regarding the Ubisoft and Gameloft shares or voting rights.
The Group reserves the right to increase its stake in these two companies depending on market conditions and the possibility, in due time, to be represented on their board."

Ubisoft's CEO remains confident his company will retain their independence

The move may not be welcomed by all however. CEO of Ubisoft, Yves Guillemot, has put out a message of defiance to any possible takeover bid, which he feels would lead them to become "managed by people who don't understand our expertise and what it takes to succeed in this industry." In a leaked internal memo, obtained by gamesindustry biz, he's reported as saying:

"Our intention is and has always been to remain independent, a value which, for 30 years, has allowed us to innovate, take risks, create beloved franchises for players around the world, and which has helped the company grow into the leader it is today," 

"We're going to fight to preserve our independence. We should not let this situation - nor any future actions by Vivendi or others - distract us from our goals. Our best defence is to stay focused on what we have always done best - deliver the most original and memorable gaming experiences."