Ubisoft shares jump following reports of Tencent, Guillemot family considering buyout

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shares of Ubisoft jumped more than 30% Friday, following reports that Tencent and the Guillemot family are considering a buyout of the video game maker.

Bloomberg news reported that Tencent and Guillemot family — minority stakeholders in Ubisoft — have been discussing ways to stabilize the company after it lost more than half its market value this year. Shares surged 33.5% to about $15.57 Friday, according to FactSet.

Ubisoft declined to comment. Tencent did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

France-based Ubisoft is the publisher behind the well-known franchise “Assassin’s Creed.” Ubisoft’s shares fell last month to their lowest point in more than a decade after its latest title “Star Wars Outlaws” underperformed and the company announced that it would delay the latest “Assassin’s Creed” game.

Parvini covers artificial intelligence for The Associated Press. She is based in Los Angeles.