LogInGuillemot Junior assures his appointment is absolutely, definitely, most certainly not a case of nepotism.
After a few months of relative radio silence following the release of Assassin's Creed Shadows and the announcement of its deal with Tencent – which effectively gave the Chinese tech giant a 25% stake in their biggest franchises – Ubisoft is once again stealing headlines for all the wrong reasons, this time over CEO Yves Guillemot appointing his son Charlie to lead the aforementioned Tencent subsidiary.
Ubisoft
As revealed in Yves Guillemot's internal memo to staff, obtained by Insider Gaming, the new Tencent-backed company, which will essentially "own" the Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six franchises, is the first "house" in Ubisoft's "new organizational ecosystem" called Creative Houses.
Leading the subsidiary is a duo of Co-CEOs, and while one of them, Christophe Derennes, doesn't raise any eyebrows, having already served as General Director of Ubisoft North America and worked at the company for nearly 30 years, the other, Yves' son Charlie Guillemot, is a far more head-scratching choice.
Interestingly, as per the memo, it's Charlie who will be responsible for the three brands – their game content, brand direction and development, marketing, and commercial performance – and not the much more experienced Derennes, who in this context comes off more like a babysitter tasked with serving as a safety net and cleaning up Charlie's messes.
"Charlie brings entrepreneurial spirit, a deep understanding of innovation dynamics, a passion for games that promises to help put players and their expectations at the heart of our approach, and, of course, the family continuity he represents," the proud father puts it.
Had it been the 2013-2014 era Ubisoft, the CEO appointing his offspring might've been let slide, however, given that it's the 2025 Ubisoft we're talking about – one of the most despised AAA studios that has annihilated its reputation over the past few years through tone-deaf statements, disastrous game releases, predatory monetization practices, and heaps of other factors – it was no surprise that accusations of nepotism started pouring in the moment the appointment was revealed.
In an interview with Variety, Charlie addressed the accusations directly, insisting that it was definitely not the most blatant case of nepotism the gaming industry has seen in a while, but rather the result of his decade of experience both in and outside of Ubisoft that has helped him to take the helm of what many view as Ubisoft's last chance at survival as a somewhat independent entity.
"My appointment isn't only about family ties; it's about what Ubisoft needs at this moment," he commented. "I've spent the last decade building experience both inside and outside Ubisoft, leading teams, managing brands, and navigating change in a fast-moving industry. I also made the conscious choice to step away when it made sense, to learn and grow elsewhere.
What matters now isn't my name, it's the work ahead. Ubisoft is at a pivotal moment. 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."
One was at Owlient, a Ubisoft-owned developer behind Howrse, a microtransactions-ridden horse breeding simulator that had already established itself and become a commercial success years before Charlie even joined it. The other was Unagi, an AI/Web3/NFT startup whose area of expertise the overwhelming majority of gamers associate with nothing but scams.
Maybe it's just me, but joining an already successful team and co-founding an NFT company in 2021 – back when that nonsense was all the rage among your corporate types – doesn't exactly fill me with much inspiration and enthusiasm, especially considering that this person will be, at least de jure, in charge of Ubisoft's three biggest game series.
So, what's your take on Charlie's appointment? Given his track record, how likely do you think the Tencent-Ubisoft subsidiary is to succeed? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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