Ubisoft, a family-run company for almost four decades, continues this tradition with its new subsidiary. This new entity, partly funded by Tencent, will be co-led by Charlie Guillemot, son of Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot, and Christophe Derennes, a long-time Ubisoft Montreal veteran.
Their joint mission is to accelerate the growth of Ubisoft`s core franchises: Assassin`s Creed, Rainbow Six, and Far Cry.
Charlie Guillemot began his career at Owlient in 2014, a studio later acquired by Ubisoft. After a departure in 2021, he returned this year, culminating in his current promotion. Christophe Derennes co-founded Ubisoft Montreal in 1997 and most recently served as managing director for North American operations.
Addressing nepotism concerns raised by Variety, Charlie Guillemot acknowledged his familial connection to Yves but emphasized that his appointment reflects Ubisoft`s current strategic needs rather than solely family ties.
Charlie will focus on the vision, direction, content development, and marketing of the flagship franchises, while Derennes will manage production, co-development, and technology aspects.
Looking to the future, Charlie foresees generative AI and cloud technologies revolutionizing game development and player engagement, potentially leading to new content formats for evolving audiences. He stated Ubisoft`s commitment to actively shape these unpredictable technological advancements.
Guillemot`s enthusiasm for generative AI comes amid significant industry concerns regarding its impact on jobs and game development practices, even as many developers already utilize AI tools. Recent layoffs at Microsoft`s Candy Crush developer highlighted how AI tools can displace human workers, a trend Ubisoft has embraced for years.
Derennes, for his part, highlighted that modern video game franchises transcend mere games, evolving into comprehensive “universes” and becoming integral components of pop culture.
He further elaborated that franchises like Far Cry, Assassin`s Creed, and Rainbow Six are now “full-fledged universes,” with plans to broaden their reach and cultural impact among new audiences.
The appointment of Charlie Guillemot and Derennes as co-CEOs marks the initial phase of public announcements for this new subsidiary. Derennes noted the ongoing process of building the leadership team, defining roles, and establishing governance for the new structure, emphasizing it as a collective effort with further work needed before full operational status.
This dedicated subsidiary, announced in March, will focus exclusively on Assassin`s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six, bolstered by over $1 billion from Tencent for a stake. Ubisoft clarified that other parts of its business, such as The Division, Ghost Recon, and new IP development, will continue independently.
Tencent secured its investment after a competitive process where Ubisoft explored various strategic partnerships, reportedly including discussions with Microsoft and EA.
This new development follows a challenging year for Ubisoft, marked by significant cost-cutting measures, including extensive layoffs, studio closures, and the discontinuation of projects like XDefiant.