Ubisoft says Tencent’s $1.3 billion investment in Assassin’s Creed-focused Vantage Studios is imminent and will accelerate growth of its three flagship IPs

Ubisoft previously described Vantage Studios as a “creative house” and previously revealed it will “take on development and expansion” of Assassin’s Creed, Rainbow Six, and Far Cry. The studio is set to be led by Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot, and Tencent’s contribution will translate to an approximate 25% stake.

Guillemot added that Vantage Studios “represents a key element of the transformation of the company towards a new operating model built around Creative Houses.” Ubisoft expects to have “finalized the design of this new organization by the end of the year,” with further details scheduled for release in January. Each creative house will have its own creative vision, roadmap, and leadership.

In the earnings update, Guillemot also noted that Rainbow Six Siege experienced “softer trends” in a highly competitive FPS market, but this was balanced by strong performance across the rest of Ubisoft’s catalog. He said: “The Assassin’s Creed franchise outperformed our expectations, confirming its positive momentum and ability to retain players over time. The Division 2 continued to do well, buoyed by the Battle for Brooklyn DLC, with bookings in the first half already exceeding last year’s full-year results.”

Following releases such as Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Star Wars Outlaws, Ubisoft describes the market as increasingly volatile amid the rise of free-to-play titles and subscription services: “Many new games are struggling.”