Vivendi now owns 20% of Ubisoft shares

Media giant Vivendi has increased the amount of stock it holds in games publisher Ubisoft.

The firm announced via its corporate website that it now owns 20.1 per cent of Ubisoft shares. Vivendi also holds 17.76 per cent of Ubisoft voting rights.

Furthermore, the firm has said it is not considering a public sale of Ubisoft; nor is it seeking the acquisition of control of the company. Rather, Vivendi says, it is ‘hoping to build a fruitful cooperation with Ubisoft’.

What’s more, Vivendi is considering asking for the Ubisoft Board of Directors to be recomposed in order to reflect shareholder composition. In short, Vivendi wants more power in Ubisoft’s Board.

At the end of 2015, Vivendi acquired stakes in both Ubisoft and Gameloft, both run by members of the Guillemot family. Vivendi then increased its stake in Ubisoft and demanded a seat on its Board.

The company then acquired Gameloft at the start of June, shortly after its boss Michel Guillemot stepped to help his brother Yves protect Ubisoft from a similar takeover.

The Vivendi takeover was addressed in all but name on stage by Yves Guillemot on-stage at the end of its E3 presentation, with the exec showing a united show of force surrounded by his development talent.