Earlier this month, Vivendi purchased a 6.6 percent and 6.2 percect stake in Ubisoft and Gameloft, respectively. In recent years, Vivendi sold off its shares of Activision Blizzard Inc. until it currently holds under a 6 percent stake in the company. These investments have more recently grown to be a 10.4 percent stake of Ubisoft and a 10.2 percent stake of Gameloft. Neither company has made a public statement about the deepening investment as of yet, but they both did respond to the initial investment.
Ubisoft seemed unhappy with this recent move, with Yves Guillemot, CEO of Ubisoft, stating that the €140.3 million acquisition as both “unsolicited and unwelcome.” He also claimed that Vivendi is known for attempting to aggressively pursue companies, especially in the entertainment industry:
"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,"
-Yves Guillemot
Guillemot states that this recent activity from Vivendi should not influence Ubisoft or their products.
“...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."
Gameloft has also asserted its intentions to remain independent. They claim:
“We take note of the unsolicited action on the part of Vivendi. We reiterate our intention to remain independent, an approach that, since our founding 16 years ago, enabled us to become a world leader in mobile gaming, and from 2015, a significant and fast growing actor of mobile advertising. ”
Vivendi is apparently seeking seats on the boards of both companies, and these investments may grow even further in the future.
