Earlier this year, Ubisoft received a $1.25 billion bailout from Tencent, resulting in the creation of a new subsidiary – partially owned by Tencent – that will take charge of Ubisoft’s three biggest series: Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six Siege. While details of how the operation will function remain sparse, we now know who’ll head it up: co-CEOs Christophe Derennes, former head of Ubisoft Montreal and managing director for North America who’s been with the company for over three decades, and Charlie Guillemot, whose main distinguishing feature is that he’s Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot’s son.
Is Guillemot the very definition of a nepo baby? I mean, yeah, sure, probably. Don’t worry about it, though!
"I’d like to address this question directly, if I may," Guillemot said in response to a question from Variety about nepotism. "I completely understand where it comes from, and I want to be clear about it. Yes, I’m Yves’ son. That’s not something I hide from. But my appointment isn’t only about family ties; it’s about what Ubisoft needs at this moment. ... What matters now isn’t my name, it’s the work ahead."
Guillemot also reassured Variety that he’s spent the past decade "building experience both inside and outside Ubisoft,” which is true. For example, he ran the Ubisoft studio behind Tom Clancy’s Elite Squad, which found itself in the crosshairs of controversy in 2020 after launching with an intro that was widely panned for playing on right-wing conspiracies about Black Lives Matter. He then struck out on his own to launch a Web3 studio called Unagi, which has predictably pivoted into AI but is also still clinging desperately to NFTs, before beaming back onto the Ubisoft fathership.
Ubisoft has faced a great deal of criticism for its continued status as a pop ‘n’ pop (‘n’ pop ‘n’ pop) shop. The company was founded by five Guillemot brothers – Yves, Christian, Claude, Gérard, and Michel – in 1986, with four remaining in positions of power at the company to this day. However, recent times have not been kind to the Guillemot family’s reputation; allegations of widespread sexual abuse, harassment, and discrimination hit the company in 2020, leading to the conviction of three former Ubisoft executives following a 2025 trial.
Ubisoft’s business has also swirled a precarious drain in recent years, with sales of expected hits, like Star Wars Outlaws, coming in “softer than expected” while longer-tail online games like Skull And Bones and XDefiant have floundered and failed. Despite this, the Guillemot family reportedly fought to remain in charge during pre-deal talks with Tencent, and now, here we are.
Anyway, best of luck to Charlie in his new role. After all, everyone deserves a little nepotism, as a treat.
“Ubisoft is at a pivotal moment,” he told Variety. “What’s expected of me is to help push the company forward by bringing energy, focus, and by relying on the incredible expertise that already exists across the teams. I see myself as someone here to contribute, support, and help create the right conditions are in place for everyone to do their best work.”
Sure! Cool! Whatever that means!
