From GamesAreFun.com-
Reuters news service is reporting that French game developer/publisher Ubisoft is in takeover talks with several third parties.
"We are speaking with third parties that are interested either to merge (or to invest in the company)," said Yves Guillemo, Ubisoft's chairman and chief executive. "If someone comes with a very good offer, that will be very interesting ... I'm going to consider it." Guillemo also mentioned that several Chinese companies are talking to Ubisoft about a deal, though he wouldn't name names.
One of the companies interested in Ubisoft is, you guessed it, Electronic Arts. EA bought a 20% stake in Ubisoft last December, making them the leading shareholder (next to the Guillemot brothers), and you can bet they'd be happy to grab the 2nd largest game publisher in Europe. But, even though EA is the leading shareholder, the Guillemot brothers control more of the voting rights (22.8% to 18.4%). Also, relations between the two companies are not the best, and Ubisoft views the 20% purchase as a hostile tactic.
"That tactical 20 percent does not help. It's a very bad start," Guillemot said. "It would be wrong to go with the first guy who wants to buy the company."
