According to Wccftech, Ubisoft suddenly delayed the release of its first-half 2025-26 financial results just 15 minutes before they were scheduled to go live. The company also halted trading of its shares and bonds ahead of the market opening on November 14, 2025. Ubisoft specifically requested Euronext to pause trading of its shares and multiple bonds until the publication of its delayed results. The company stated it will inform the market when trading will restart but provided no explanation for the sudden delay. This abrupt action comes during a turbulent period for the gaming giant, which has seen commercial misses with recent titles despite the success of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The timing and nature of these moves strongly suggest major corporate developments are underway.
Acquisition rumors heat up
Here’s the thing: when a publicly traded company halts trading this abruptly, it’s almost always because something massive is happening behind the scenes. And in Ubisoft’s case, all signs point toward a potential acquisition. We’ve known for years that the Guillemot family has been fighting to maintain control while the company struggled commercially. Their partnership with Tencent through Vantage Studios was supposed to provide stability, but apparently that wasn’t enough.
Now consider the timing. EA just went through its own acquisition process with the Saudi Arabia PIF and private equity investors. That likely put pressure on Ubisoft shareholders to seek similar deals. When one major player in an industry gets bought, it often creates a domino effect. Could Tencent be making a full move rather than just investing? Or is another entity stepping in?
Ubisoft’s troubled history
Let’s be honest – Ubisoft hasn’t been in great shape for a while. Multiple rounds of layoffs, several big commercial flops… they’ve been relying heavily on the Assassin’s Creed franchise to carry them. Basically, they’re in that dangerous position where one or two failed releases could seriously threaten their independence.
And remember all those calls for the company to go private? The Guillemot family managed to hold them off with the Tencent deal, but that might have just been a temporary solution. When your stock is volatile and your recent track record is spotty, becoming a private company starts looking pretty attractive. No more quarterly pressure from shareholders, more freedom to make long-term bets…
What’s next?
So what happens now? We’re likely looking at a few days of radio silence followed by a major announcement. Either Ubisoft has found a buyer, or they’re making some other corporate restructuring that requires this level of secrecy. The fact that they halted bond trading too suggests this isn’t just a minor management shakeup.
I’m skeptical that this ends well for the current leadership structure. When companies get into this much trouble, acquirers typically want clean slates. Yves Guillemot has been at the helm through all of Ubisoft’s recent struggles – would new owners keep him around?
One thing’s for sure: the gaming industry consolidation we’ve been watching for years is accelerating. When giants like Ubisoft can’t survive independently, it tells you something about how brutal this market has become. We’ll know more in the coming days, but my money’s on a major ownership change.
