"We're going to fight to preserve our independence."
- Contents of an internal email Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot reportedly sent to staffers.
Earlier this month former Activision owner Vivendi bought a 6.6 percent stake in Ubisoft, provoking the company into issuing a statement that it would remain independent in the face of Vivendi's "unsolicited action."
Now GamesIndustry has published excerpts of emails reportedly sent by Ubisoft chief Yves Guillemot in the wake of Vivendi's actions that suggest some developers at the company may be feeling threatened by the acquisition.
Developers who have been affected by similar corporate dealings may appreciate Guillemot's reported rallying cry against the threat of a takeover by Vivendi; Guillemot described the deal internally as "unsolicited and unwelcome" and wrote that a takeover by Vivendi would leave Ubisoft to be "managed by people who don't understand our expertise and what it takes to succeed in this industry."
As a French multinational company Vivendi does have a diverse array of interests, though in the game industry it's best known for long ago creating (via merger) Activision Blizzard, then subsequently selling it off in a fashion that almost cost CEO Bobby Kotick his job but allowed it to exist as an independent public company.