Ubisoft has $1.2 billion to spend

After its Ubidays event in Paris, and strong financials, French publisher Ubisoft has decided to celebrate by flashing a little cash. Speaking to Les Echoes, [registration required] Ubisoft president Yves Guillemot said that the company had around €780 million to spend, or around $1.2 billion.

Guillemot believes that Ubisoft may look to grow the company through acquisitions to keep up with the recent merger of Activision and Blizzard, and Electronic Arts' intention to take over Take-Two. Guillemot said that despite the healthy outlook at present (quoting the company's projected turnover of €1 billion/$1.5 billion this year), it must not get complacent and let itself be overtaken by others.

Approximately 20 percent of Ubisoft is owned by megapublisher Electronic Arts, which bought the block of shares from investment firm Talpa Beheer BV in December 2004. Speaking of the fact that rival EA is the second largest shareholder in his company, Guillemot said, "As long as it does not intervene in the company, EA remains a shareholder."

However, it's unlikely that the company will be looking to go into a big acquisition deal similar to the Activision Blizzard union. According to reports, the French publisher is more likely to be snapping up independent developers. Ubisoft also signaled its desire to become "a major player" in both book publishing and film production through the purchase of the Tom Clancy brand in March.

Recently, it acquired Gameloft's development studio in Mumbai, India, and announced it would be setting up its 18th external studio in Singapore this summer.

Guillemot also talked a little about Ubisoft's plans to make animated movies. He said, "Our goal is to create a universe around each licence, with games and films, as well as books for each." From next year some of its game franchises will get a "mini series" created in the company's new CG studio.