There were more than a few perked eyebrows when Ubisoft confirmed that its Tencent-owned Vantage Studios, one of the several “Creative Houses” business units that has been guiding the company’s recent strategy (as well as its myriad layoffs), would be led by Charles Guillemot, son of Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. Giving his son a job is literally the definition of nepotism, after all. But according to an interview Guillemot held with Variety, it’s absolutely not because Charles is the right man for the job and Ubisoft is a family company anyway.
“Ubisoft was created as a family company, and our strong heritage helps us take a long-term view, prioritizing sustainable growth, creative ambition, and continuity over short-term cycles. This perspective guides our decisions and helps us build franchises, teams, and strategies that endure for decades,” the elder Guillemot says. “I strongly believe that Christophe Derennes and Charlie are the right leaders as Co-CEOs of Vantage Studios. They bring complementary strengths and experience that make them well-suited for the role. Their appointment was based on their skills, track record, and fit for the role.”
The rest of the interview provided some more general responses from Guillemot about its cancelled games, its furious workers, its adoption of AI, and its overall business strategy, which frequently beat the drum of making the company sustainable long-term and focusing on core games, though he also notes things are “full steam ahead” for live-action movie and TV adaptations from Ubisoft’s IP. It’s certainly something, y’all.